ASVO Board Directors
The Executive Board sets the strategic direction for ASVO, approves the annual budget, and acts on matters of policy to advance Society objectives as specified by the Bylaws. The Executive Board is the managing body of the Society.
The Executive Board includes five general Directors and four regional Directors.
![]() | Brooke HowellGeneral Director - President Term: |
Qualifications: Bachelor of Science (viticulture), Bachelor of Science (Honours) majoring in Viticulture | |
Brooke is the Viticulturist/Technical Manager for Yalumba Family Winemaker’s company owned vineyards, where she has worked since December 2010. Brooke studied Viticulture at the University of Adelaide and also completed her Honours prior to commencing at Yalumba. Based in the Barossa Valley, Brooke oversees trial work and technical management of 800Ha of vineyards in both warm and cool climate South Australia at both a premium and commercial level. Brooke has presented trial work at grower seminars and AWITC workshops both at a company and regional level in order to encourage growers to adopt viticultural best practice. |
![]() | Dr Anthony RobinsonGeneral Director-Treasurer Term: |
Qualifications: BSc (Hons) PhD, MAICD | |
Dr Anthony Robinson resides in Adelaide, South Australia and is the Business Development Manager for the Australian Wine Research Institute. He started his career in 2000 and has worked in a range of roles across the wine industry including research, industry policy, viticultural management, and winemaking. Anthony has a PhD in Science (Oenology) and is best known for his integrated industry perspective, passion for research, and collaborative drive. As a winemaker, he has produced wines for innovative and award winning brands, while as a researcher, he has published a number of peer reviewed papers on wine chemistry and sensory science. Anthony has organised and presented at technical conferences in Germany, France, USA and Australia. He has also been actively involved with Australian wine industry bodies, such as WFA, ASVO, and AWITC, and is an advocate for independent wine bench marking through the show system. |
Alana SeabrookRegional Director – South Australia Term: | |
Qualifications: BSc Hons (Viticulture and Oenology) PhD | |
Dr Alana Seabrook is the Australian Technical manager for Laffort Oenologie where she has worked since 2017. Alana has completed vintages around the world and spent over 18 years working in a range of roles in the wine industry from retail to research, molecular diagnostics and wine production. In her current role she supports a national sales team and works with wineries around Australia to optimise their processes as well the application of novel and existing research into production. Alana graduated in Winemaking from the University of Verona, completed a PhD in Oenology and all subjects towards an MBA at the University of Adelaide. |
![]() | Dr Eveline BartowskyGeneral Director - Secretary & Public Officer Term: |
Qualifications: BSc (Hons) majoring in Microbiology; PhD | |
Dr Eveline Bartowsky is R&D Manager at Lallemand Australia and has over 25 years’ experience in wine microbiology. Previously, she led the AWRI the wine bacterial research team, and was Manager of the AWRI Wine Microorganism Culture Collection. Eveline has a PhD in Microbiology and in her current role manages research to industry trials and provides technical microbiological and fermentation solutions to the wine industry. Throughout her career Eveline has been active in translating research findings to practical applications in winemaking, presenting regularly to the Australian wine community via the AWRI Roadshow program, AWITC workshops and posters, and publishing technical articles offering practical solutions in a range of winemaking contexts. Eveline also lectures at the University of Adelaide. |
Andy ClarkeRegional Director -Victoria Term: | |
Qualifications: B. Ag. Science (viticulture), Nuffield Scholar 2015 | |
Mr Andy Clarke is the CEO of GAIA Innovations, based out of Bendigo Victoria. Prior to this Andy was the Chief Viticulturist for Yering Station in the Yarra Valley, part of the Rathbone Wine Group, and was the 2015 Nuffield Scholar, sponsored by Wine Australia. Experience within a significant number of wine regions across Australia in both a vineyard management and hands on and fruit sourcing capacity. Previous roles in the industry have included, Grower Services manager for Normans Wines in McLaren Vale and the Riverland, Vineyard manager in Mclaren Vale, Adelaide Hills and Barossa for Nepenthe Wines, Technical agronomist for De Bortoli Wines in the Yarra Valley along with several winery vintages in WA and Victoria. I am passionate about the future of the wine industry and the capabilities of its people. The Society’s ability to provide sound scientific evidence with practical outcomes is critical to the long term sustainability of our industry. This enables the up skilling and retention of our present and future workforce, and this is a platform I wish to contribute to. |
![]() | Richard FennessyRegional Director - Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland Term: |
Qualifications: Bachelor of Science (viticulture and oenology) | |
Richard is a grape and wine Research Officer with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development based in Bunbury WA. Prior to joining the department in November 2008, Richard has worked in wineries in Margaret River, Mildura, Griffith, Marlborough (New Zealand), Napa Valley (America), Burgundy (France) and Ontario (Canada). Richard’s current role involves applied research with a current focus on alternative varieties and clonal performance. Richard is widely recognised as an effective communicator, regularly producing technical publications, industry workshops and newsletters of state and national significance. |
Nadja WallingtonRegional Director - New South Wales & ACT Term: | |
Qualifications: Bachelor of Science (viticulture and Oenology), Future Leaders graduate (2019), AWAC graduate (2019) Other Appointments: Orange Regional Vignerons Association Secretary (2020), Chair of Orange Wine Show Committee (2019-current) | |
Nadja competed her bachelor of Winemaking and Viticulture through Charles Sturt University in 2010 then spent three years overseas working as a winemaker in California, South Africa and Bordeaux. Since 2014 Nadja has been at Philip Shaw Wines in Orange NSW as the Winemaker. During this time, she has also been involved in an advisory role to my family wine business in Canowindra NSW, Wallington Wines. In 2019 Nadja was selected by Wine Australia to be a part of the future leaders program and was also the recipient of the Sydney Royal Wine Assessment Scholarship. Nadja’s experience is in small wine business, winemaking and wine judging. She is passionate about environmental sustainability, social sustainability and wine excellence. She hopes to contribute to the future of the wine industry by helping to building engagement within our sector and driving upskilling of our workforce. |
![]() | Mike HayesGeneral Director Term:
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Qualifications: Master of Professional Studies - (Emerging Varieties), Adjunct Professor USQ – Agriculture, Computational Sciences and Environmental Studies. Churchill Fellow 2012. | |
Mike has been involved in the Australian Wine Industry since 1979, Mike has experience in areas of the industry from education, viticulture, research and winemaking. 3rd Generation from Ballandean Mikes philosophy on wine is quite simple, experiment, research and grow or succumb to the inevitable. Over 25 years’ experience in Emerging varieties he travelled to Europe in 2013 covering 50 regions and 650 varieties for climate change choices. A passionate and proud Queenslander, he was awarded the ASVO Winemaker of the Year in 2017. Mike was also awarded the Samuel Basset Award in 2014 and the USQ Professional Alumnus of the Year, 2017. Mike believes ASVO is an outstanding organisation that will continue to grow in membership whilst delivering and assisting the industry in future development. |
![]() | Dr Mardi LongbottomGeneral Director Term: |
Qualifications: BAgSci (VitSci), MVit, PhD | |
Dr Mardi Longbottom is the Manager - Sustainability and Viticulture at the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) where she has worked since 2011. For the past ten years, Mardi has focussed on research and extension of wine industry sustainability projects including the management of corporate water assets, climate risk analyses and benchmarking greenhouse gas emissions from vineyards. In her current role Mardi manages the Australian wine industry’s sustainability program, ‘Sustainable Winegrowing Australia’ and provides technical support to Australia’s wine grape growers through the AWRI roadshow program and helpdesk. |
![]() | Chris WatersExecutive Director |
Qualifications: B.Ed. (Hons) | |
Chris Waters has been involved with the ASVO since 2011. Motivated, resourceful, and results-driven Chris manages multiple projects to support the ASVO Board of Directors and members of the ASVO. |