Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance has a new interim executive director in Taylor Serres

On Feb. 7, the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance (SVVGA) board of directors announced that its interim executive director Andriana Duckworth would be stepping down from her role. She will replaced on a temporary basis by Taylor Serres of Serres Ranch.

Tom Rouse, board president, stated in an email that Duckworth wanted to pursue new opportunities after five years with the Sonoma Valley winery alliance.

The nonprofit SVVGA has a mission to spread awareness of Sonoma Valley’s contributions the California wine industry, and to protect the central importance of the grape and wine industry to the local economy. The organization’s area contains six of Sonoma County’s 18 American Viticulture Areas, including Bennett Valley, Los Carneros, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Mountain and Sonoma Valley.

On Feb. 6, the Career Technical Foundation, a nonprofit that paves education and career pathways for students in Sonoma County, announced four recently elected directors of its board, including Duckworth.

“I have loved my time at SVVGA, the past five years have been an incredible opportunity and I have been so fortunate to represent and work on behalf of the local wine community. It is an incredible organization that offers so much to the wine and agriculture community. I’m perusing a few new opportunities in local nonprofit and independent consulting and excited for the future,” Duckworth wrote in a text message to the Sonoma Index-Tribune.

Duckworth, who took over as interim executive director in January of last year, had worked at the alliance for over five years in member relations and sponsorships. She stepped up as the nonprofit’s leader in an interim capacity after former executive directer Nicole Garzino left the position last April. For the 17 years prior to that, the alliance was run by Maureen Cottingham, who retired from Sonoma Valley in 2021, switching her focus from winegrapes to lemons and avocados at her family’s Ventura County farm.

Rouse’s email said the board would move forward with a search for a new executive director, but in the meantime, Taylor Serres, co-treasurer of the alliance and a well-known Sonoman, would temporarily fill the office.

Serres is a longtime member of the organization, and a lifelong Sonoma Valley resident and rancher. The Serres family’s businesses include vineyards, a blueberry farm, construction and a wine label.

Serres grew up on a 200-acre Sonoma ranch surrounded by cattle and grapes, and she is the fifth generation to work the land that has been in her family since 1924.

The board will be sharing its vision for the year ahead at its upcoming State of the Alliance with its members on Thursday, Feb. 9. To register for the meeting, click the link in the SVVGA’s latest newsletter, and enter the required information. To access the alliance’s newsletters, visit sonomavalleywine.com and click “get the newsletter.”

Contact the reporter Rebecca Wolff at rebecca.wolff@sonomanews.com.