Andrea worked as a teacher in the public education sector for nearly ten years before transitioning to a career in the wine industry.  Her passion for wine led her to work for over 10 years as a buyer and educator at one of Canada’s top wine retailers before joining the Wine Scholar Guild in 2020 as their Italian Programs Director.

Andrea’s credentials include a Post-Baccalaureate in Special Education, Level 4 Diploma from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust ® (from which she graduated with distinction and was awarded the Prowein Scholarship in recognition of her academic achievements), Certified Sommelier (ISG), Vinitaly Ambassador (VIA), Certified Specialist of Wine (SWE), French Wine Scholar, Spanish Wine Scholar and Italian Wine Scholar.

Andrea is a Sommelier Instructor with the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS/ACSP) and a member of the CAPS National Education Committee. She serves as a member of the expert judging panels at the Decanter World Wine Awards, International Wine & Spirits Competition, International Wine Challenge and Vinitaly 5 Star Wines.  In 2020 she founded Vinsanity Consulting in Winnipeg, Canada.

Andrea’s love of learning has led her to enroll in the Masters of Wine program, where she is currently a Stage 2 student. She travels frequently to Italy to discover more about its wines and culture and to work on her goal of becoming fluent in Italian!