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Kristin Campbell
As a recent graduate of UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Kristin fell in love with the smell of wine in the barrel rooms of her winery clients during inventory counts, while obtaining her Certified Public Accountant license with KPMG more than 30 years ago. Soon after, a young, introductory level sommelier, working the floor at Left Bank in Menlo Park, opened her eyes to wine in a new way and inspired her even further. From there, her passion for wine and food excelled quickly as did her career in the High-Tech Startup world of Silicon Valley. Kristin held various management and executive positions in finance and operations until 2001 when she began independently consulting for young technology companies, helping CEOs build their businesses from the ground up. During that time, Kristin also donated her time extensively to education, holding various board and committee seats in the Menlo Park City School District.
In early 2013, the universe conspired to reunite her with that inspirational, now Master Sommelier, 16 years after her memorable encounter at Left Bank. This time she was inspired by the business trifecta - wine, education and another startup challenge.
Together, Kristin and David Glancy, MS CWE partnered to write the business plan for his visionary San Francisco Wine School, now the largest wine school in the U.S. Today, Kristin is Co-Owner and Chief Operating Officer, a California Wine Appellation Specialist CWAS® and sits on the Board of Directors for the Society of Wine Educators. Forever in search of the perfect bite, she enjoys hiking, cooking, fine dining and experimenting with food and wine pairings.
Get To Know Kristin
Why did you first pursue wine industry credentials?
As a wine enthusiast, working for hi tech startups in 2013, I had no idea that wine credentials even existed, let alone they were available to me. When David Glancy, MS, CWE told me about the school he envisioned, I took his California Wine Appellation Specialist CWAS® certification program to see what it was all about. My lens on wine was forever changed.
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If you were not in the wine industry, what would you be doing?
Personal Chef? Traveling the world working on my bucket list? Another startup?
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Who is the most interesting winemaker you've ever met?
Paul Draper. We sat next to each other at the 40th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris with Steven Spurrier. Everyone at the table thought his 1971 Ridge Montebello was Bordeaux except him.
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What is your most memorable wine and food pairing?
El Enemigo and Fromager d'Affinois. Both are great on their own, but together they transform into a creamy, funky, delight! 1+1=3
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What do you like most about running San Francisco Wine School?
My role is quite busy these days, but I still make time to work with students directly! Seeing their excitement after their first class with us, getting that great new job, or finding out that they just qualified for a scholarship that will allow them to achieve their dreams is THE BEST FEELING!