Speaker series features Sonoma’s Amelia Moran Ceja

Women in Conversation series starts Sept. 1 with Ceja Vineyards president and owner|

Amelia Moran Ceja, president of Ceja Winery Napa-Sonoma will speak on Thursday, Sept. 1, at 7 p.m., about how she became the first Mexican-American woman to lead a major winery.

Ceja is the first speaker in the Sonoma County Women in Conversation series, produced by Sonoma Media Investments, publisher of the Sonoma Index-Tribune, and other North Bay publications.

The goal of the Women in Conversation is, according to series producers, to provide an inspirational forum for the women of Sonoma County and encourage empowerment through experiential sharing.

Next up in the series are Ayesha Curry on Oct. 7 and Serafina Palandech and Jennifer Johnson on Nov. 10.

Ceja emigrated to California in 1967 to join her father in the vineyards, and in 1999, she and three siblings founded their own winery, which produces wine from vineyards in Napa and Sonoma counties. She was the first Mexican-American woman to become president of a winery, and has gone on to produce more than 140 videos in which she prepares Mexican food and pairs it with wine.

Curry is the mother of two and wife of Golden State Warriors MVP Stephen Curry. She has made a name for herself with 'Little Lights of Mine,' a series of videos about food and family she posts on her YouTube channel. This fall, she also will debut 'Ayesha's Homemade,' her Food Network show, and 'The Seasoned Life,' a cookbook published by Little, Brown and Co.

Hip Chick Jennifer Johnson earned her chef's chops at Chez Panisse in Berkeley and as a personal chef for philanthropists Ann and Gordon Getty. With her partner Serafina Palandech she created a line of easy meals made from humanely raised chickens. They're now distributed nationally to stores that include Oliver's Markets, Whole Foods, Sprouts and Target.

The talks are held at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. Tickets are $125 for all three evenings at socowomenevents.com

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