Sonoma County Winegrowers

Karissa Kruse is President of the Sonoma County Winegrowers, a marketing and educational organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Sonoma County as one of the world’s premier grape growing regions. Karissa joined Sonoma County Winegrowers as Director of Marketing in September 2012 and was named President for the organization on May 1, 2013.  Since taking over the top leadership role at the Sonoma County Winegrowers, Kruse has guided the strategy and implementation of Sonoma County’s commitment to become America’s first 100% certified sustainable wine region. In an effort to continue to lead in the social responsibility component of sustainability, Kruse announced the relaunch of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation in January 2016 that aims to assist local agricultural employees and their families in the areas of healthcare, affordable housing, childcare and education.  She currently serves as executive director of the Foundation. Karissa earned a BS in Economics and an MBA in Marketing from Wharton School of Business at University of Pennsylvania.  She has 20 years of experience in various aspects of marketing, brand management, strategic planning and business development.  Karissa has worked for companies such as General Mills, Universal Studios, Mattel and Dairy Management.  She is a partner in a small winery, Argot Wines, and the owner of a 25-acre parcel on Sonoma Mountain, with five acres planted to wine grapes.  
Karissa is on the Alumni Advisory Board for Wharton’s Initiative on Global Environmental Leadership and on the Board of Directors for the Sonoma County Alliance, United Way of Wine Country, Sonoma County Tourism, Sonoma County Harvest Fair and Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce.  In 2014, Kruse was selected as a North Bay Business Journal Women in Business Award recipient and was a Forty under 40 Award recipient in 2012. Kruse was honored with the Marshall Memorial Fellowship in 2015.