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 Howell

General Director - President
Chair AWITC Subcommittee
 

Term:
Elected 2017, re-elected 2019
President 2019 - 2020
Vice President 2018

Qualifications: BSc Hons (Viticulture), MBA
Other appointments: Chair Barossa Viticulture Technical Group Program Coordinator Barossa Future Leaders Program Member of industry reference group for Barossa Terroir Judge South Australia Pruning Championships

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 Robinson

General Director-Treasurer
Chair 2021 Wine Business Seminar
President 2017 - 2018
Vice President 2019
 

Term:
Seconded May 2014, elected 2015, 2017, 2019
President 2017 - 2019
Vice President 2017, 2020

Qualifications: BSc (Hons) PhD, MAICD
Other appointments: Non-executive Director and Secretary AWITC Inc., Non-executive Director NPEC Pty Ltd., Member AWITC Planning Committee, previously Chair AJGWR Advisory Committee, Member WIAWA Technical Committee, Member WFA WINEC, Member Perth Royal Wine Show Committee, Member Margaret River Wine Show Committee.

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 Seabrook

Regional Director – South Australia
Chair 2021 Awards for Excellence
 

Term:
Elected 2020
 

Qualifications: BSc Hons (Viticulture and Oenology) PhD
Other appointments: ASVO Oenology seminar committee 2018; ASVO Winemaking paper of the year advisory committee member 2017 and 2018

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 Bartowsky

General Director - Secretary & Public Officer
Chair Journal Subcommittee
 

Term:
Elected 2019
Public Officer & Secretary 2019, 2020

Qualifications: BSc (Hons) majoring in Microbiology; PhD
Other appointments: Associate Editor on the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, since 2014.
Adjunct Associate Professor, the University of Adelaide

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 Clarke

Regional Director -Victoria
Vice President 2020
Chair: 2021 Viticulture Seminar
 

Term:
Elected 2018 re-elected 2020

Qualifications: B. Ag. Science (viticulture), Nuffield Scholar 2015
Other appointments: Board member of Vinehealth Australia, member of the Yarra Valley Winegrowers Technical Subcommittee and member of the Victorian Government WineMAC and Victorian Viticultural Biosecurity Committee.
 

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 Fennessy

Regional Director - Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland
Chair Membership Subcommittee
 

Term:
Elected 2018 re-elected 2020

Qualifications: Bachelor of Science (viticulture and oenology)
Other appointments: Wine Australia Regional Program Partner (WA), Member Wines of WA Technical Committee, Committee Member Western Australian Vine Improvement Association, Member National Wine Research & Extension Network
 

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 Wallington

Regional Director - New South Wales & ACT
Chair 2021 Oenology Seminar
 

Term:
Elected 2020


 

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 Hayes

General Director
Chair: Wine Show Subcommittee

Term:
Elected 2019


 

Qualifications: Master of Professional Studies - (Emerging Varieties), Adjunct Professor USQ – Agriculture, Computational Sciences and Environmental Studies. Churchill Fellow 2012.
Resides: Stanthorpe, Granite Belt Queensland.
Occupation: Director of Viticulture and Chief Winemaker Sirromet Wines Mt. Cotton Brisbane.
Other Appointments: Faculty Board of Sciences – USQ. QWIA (Queensland Wine Industry Association) -President. Wine Industry, Bio Security Committee Member 2019, Lecturer - QCWT.
2017 ASVO Winemaker of the Year

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 Longbottom

General Director
Chair: Communications and Social Media Subcommittee
 

Term:
Elected 2013, re-elected 2015, 2017, 2019
ASVO President 2015 - 2017
Vice President 2014 and 2018
 

Qualifications: BAgSci (VitSci), MVit, PhD
Other appointments: Director Australian Vignerons (2013-2019), Director Australian Grape and Wine Inc., member AWITC planning committee (2016 and 2019), member Limestone Coast Grape and Wine Council Technical subcommittee (2013-present). Previously, member of Wine Grape Council of South Australia, Limestone Coast Grape and Wine Council and WFA WINEC (2012-2015).
 

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 Waters

Executive 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.