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Our Winemakers are a team comprised of Instructors and Students of the Enology and Viticulture Program at Walla Walla Community College.
Meet the Instructors
 Valerie Fayette
Director, Enology and Viticulture, College Cellars and Culinary Arts
valerie.fayette@wwcc.edu
509-524-5175 - Office 1616B
Valerie Fayette moved from the Seattle area to join College Cellars and the Center for Enology and Viticulture as Director in January 2008. She has a diverse management and marketing background and brings proven experience driving positive change within organizations and product portfolios. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology and Psychology (IPS) from Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA and holds an M.B.A. from the University of Washington. She has held management positions in various industries including medical devices, software, wine and manufacturing. She gained her wine industry experience at Ste Michelle Wine Estates (SMWE) in Woodinville, WA. At Ste Michelle, Valerie managed several different brands: most notably, she was responsible for the successful re-branding of Snoqualmie wines, the launch of SMWE’s first organically produced wines – Snoqualmie’s Naked products, the launch of Red Diamond wines into the retail channel and the redesign of Red Diamond’s packaging which escalated sales of the brand nationally. Most recently, Valerie was Director of Marketing at Honeywell International where she led the US marketing team for two commercial HVAC companies, one headquartered in Redmond, WA and the other in London, UK. Valerie currently sits on the boards of the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance, Walla Walla Chamber of Commerce and Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival and on the advisory committees for WineWise and the Washington Wine Education Consortium.
 Michael Moyer
Enology Instructor and Winemaker, College Cellars
michael.moyer@wwcc.edu
509.524.5172 - Office 1610
For more than a decade, Michael Moyer has been cultivating his passion for premium wine production. The work started, appropriately, with exposure to the wines of Burgundy in a basic winemaking course taken while studying in Dijon, France, after graduating from the University of Puget Sound. After spending six years in the hospitality industry, Moyer was inspired to meet the microbiology and biochemistry requirements for admission to the Viticulture and Enology program at the University of California, Davis, where he earned the degree of Master of Science. As a graduate student, Moyer spent three years teaching general chemistry as well as wine microbiology labs. He has also honed his winemaking skills in the industry, helping to create Amador county Zinfandel, Carneros and Oregon Pinot Noir, as well as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from both Napa and Sonoma Counties, for producers such as Etude Wines and Peter Michael Winery. Before arriving in Walla Walla, Moyer worked with the viticulture lab of Oregon State University's Department of Horticulture.
Billo Naravane
Viticulture Instructor and Vineyard Manager
billo@wwcc.edu
509.524.5171 - Office 1611
Born in Baroda, India and raised in Clifton, NJ, Billo (pronounced “bill oh”) Naravane attended MIT and graduated with a BS in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science in 1990. He then moved to Silicon Valley where he worked at Oracle Corporation while completing his MS degree in Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. He remained in the computer industry holding various technical and managerial positions for almost 15 years. In 2006, Naravane decided to follow his true passion - wine - and entered the Viticulture and Enology graduate program at UC Davis. He completed his MS degree in Viticulture and Enology in 2008. In 2007, he and his brother started their own winery, Rasa Vineyards, in Walla Walla. Rasa means terroir in Sanskrit. Rasa Vineyards is focused primarily on high-end red wines that showcase the beautiful and unique terroirs of Washington vineyards. Pursuing a Master of Wine (MW), Naravane is committed to lifelong wine education. As an instructor, Naravane’s goal is to teach students to achieve their intended quality and stylistic goals both in the vineyard and in the winery.
 Wanda Williams
EV Program Coordinator
wanda.williams@wwcc.edu
509.524.5170
A longtime resident of Walla Walla and 20-year employee of WWCC, Williams plays an important role in maintaining the positive reputation of the Enology & Viticulture program. She is responsible for coordinating academic schedules, assisting students with enrollment, maintaining prospective student databases, planning and organizing program events, setting up industry seminars and managing logistics such as facilities, travel arrangements, and student communications. In addition to her academic program responsibilities, Williams also manages retail operations and compliance for College Cellars. Fluent in the Spanish language, Williams teaches a Winery and Vineyard Spanish class for program students during winter quarter.
Hector Rodriguez
EV Facilities Assistant
hector.rodriguez@wwcc.edu
509.524.5170
A native of Nayaret, Mexico, Hector has worked for WWCC since 1996 and the Center for Enology & Viticulture since 2004. Rodriguez earned a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry in 1986 and an AAAS in Carpentry in 1996. Rodriguez is responsible for building maintenance and event set-ups as well as assisting Michael Moyer in winemaking and Billo Naravane in the estate vineyards. Rodriguez is actively involved in the WWCC community, assisting with annual Entwine auction preparations and from 1999 – 2004 he built stage sets for the annual WWCC summer musical at the Walla Walla Amphitheater. Since he started working for the Enology and Viticulture program, Cabernet Sauvignon has replaced Tequila as Hector’s beverage of choice.
Founding Members
Advisory Committee
College Cellars and the Institute for Enology & Viticulture are also guided by an Advisory Committee made up of some of the top winemakers and industry professionals in Washington State.
Current Members:
Gary Figgins – Leonetti Cellar
Rick Small – Woodward Canyon
Myles Anderson – Walla Walla Vintners
Norm McKibben – Pepperbridge Winery
Martin Club – L'Ecole Nº 41
Chris Figgins – Leonetti Cellar
Jill Noble – Couvillion
Craig Nelsen – Ensemble Cellars
Elizabeth Martin-Calder – Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance
Past Members Include:
John Abbott – Abeja
Roger Cockerline – Bunchgrass Winery
Ron Coleman – Tamarack Cellars |
Dr. Myles J. Anderson
Stan N. Clarke