Let us introduce you to our Association.
Learn all about our accomplishments and leadership.
The Sonoma County Wine Library Association was created in 1985
as an independent 501(c)3 support organization dedicated to supporting the Wine Library’s mission, resources, and activities. Association activities throughout the year are carefully designed to engage, inform, and empower.
Our founder, trailblazer Millie Howie.
Millie Howie started her wine journalism career in Sonoma County “not knowing wine from pickle juice” and ended as a prolific and honored wine writer. Born Mildred Carter on June 13, 1922, she attended Washington High School in San Francisco and U.C. Berkeley. Early on she worked at KGO TV, eventually becoming the first female writer/producer hired in San Francisco. In 1970, she formed Mildred Howie Public Relations and also developed her talent as a food columnist. She moved in the mid-1970s to the Alexander Valley where she was the prime catalyst in creating Sonoma County’s first wine map and is credited with bringing wide recognition to Sonoma County’s wine industry. She worked tirelessly in the founding of the Sonoma County Wine Library and the Sonoma County Wine Library Association to support it and considered it one of her greatest achievements. In 1993, she was honored by the Luther Burbank Foundation as a “Living Treasure in Literature.” Millie died April 5, 2011, at the age of 88.
For nearly 30 years Millie wrote an article in the Healdsburg Tribune called “Wine Words.” Check out this article, below, from July 23rd, 1982.
In 2003, Carole Hicke interviewed Millie; below is a link to the transcription of her interview, “Millie Howie, A Public Relations Pioneer in the Sonoma County Wine Industry.”
Eloquent prose from Wine Words:
“The romance and history of wine is peopled with heroes and heroines. There’s a lot of Yankee know-how, mixed in with long traditions of all the wine regions of the old world.
There are scoundrels and saints, stories of plodders, and dreams of visionaries, a scoop of laughter, a lot of sweat and a good smattering of tears in the decades of wine history in California, and it is good to know that the people most intimately involved with that history are protecting the recordings of the words and deeds for future generations. Scholars, writers, scientists and just the casual and curious reader will benefit from the efforts of those … who will make the Sonoma County Wine Library physical reality.”
Our accomplishments.
The efforts of the Sonoma County Wine Library Association has culminated in almost $55,000 of support. In the last several years the Association had pledged more than $34,000 to support the Wine Library. In addition, the Association spearheaded fundraising to improve the patio adjacent to the Wine Library raising more than $20,000 in donations and in-kind contributions. In 2014, we began recording and sharing the stories of those who made major contributions to the Sonoma County wine industry with our Visual Oral Histories.
Everything the Association is able to provide the Wine Library depends on your participation. To find out all the ways you can pitch in to make an exceptional difference, click here.
The Millie Howie Memorial Garden and Patio was planted and refurbished in 2025 supported by donations and in-kind contributions.
Meet our Librarian
MEGAN JONES
Wine Librarian
Megan Jones has been the librarian in charge of the Sonoma County Wine Library since 2017. Megan grew up in Napa and previously worked in programs and marketing at St. Helena Public Library, was the Research Librarian at the Napa County Historical Society and worked with the Napa Valley Wine Library collection. Megan holds a master’s degree in library and information science from San Jose State University with a focus on Management, Digitization and Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Records. She received her bachelor’s in history from the University of California, San Diego.
Meet our Board of Directors
PEG CHAMPION
President
A self-described “cork dork,” Peg Champion is also a locavore, environmental advocate, and marketing communications professional. She is the principal of Champion Organic Communications, which manages strategic marketing communications, PR and sales programs to support individual and small family wineries. Peg has earned two wine industry certifications and writes about wine and food for various publications. She supports the international Slow Food movement, having been a board director of two California chapters and having served as a three-time delegate to the Slow Food’s international conference in Torino, Italy. She loves hosting friends and family for creative pairings at her home outside of Windsor, where she and her husband have created a small regenerative farm that includes an organically farmed Pinot Noir vineyard.
JULIE PEDRONCELLI-ST. JOHN
President Emeritus
President of the historic family-owned Pedroncelli Winery, Julie grew up at the winery in Dry Creek Valley. In addition to her 40-year career with the family business, she has served on many boards over the years and is currently a director of the Wine Institute. Julie has served on the Sonoma County Wine Library Association Board of Directors since 2014 and was president of the board for 9 years. Married to Ed St. John since 1989, they reside in Healdsburg with their dogs Jasper and Ralph. Food and wine pairings are a passion, and she has amassed many wine-friendly recipes posted on the winery website.
BRAD WHITWORTH
Treasurer & Ideator
Brad is a corporate communications executive and holds bachelor’s degrees in journalism and speech and a marketing MBA. He and his wife Peg Champion (above) moved to Sonoma County in 2012 following their passion for wine. Brad works part-time in wine education and sales and helps watch over their vineyard. He has served on the boards of many non-profits, including Slow Food Russian River; a 16,000-member global communication association; a Palo Alto-based grief-therapy organization; and the Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County.
DAN BERGER
Board Member
Dan Berger, former L.A. Times Wine Columnist, earned a journalism degree and spent ten years as reporter/editor for Associated Press. He began writing about wine in 1976 and has been nationally syndicated since 1979. Since 1996 he has published a private newsletter, Vintage Experiences. He is nationally syndicated and writes weekly for Napa Valley Features, monthly for the Napa Register. He has written for numerous magazines and is a keynote speaker at international seminars. In 2010, he was inducted into the Wine Media Guild Hall of Fame. Among other honors are the Wine Literary Award (Wine Appreciation Guild, 1995) and the “Wine Writer of the Year” (Wines and Vines, 1989). He is an international wine judge and co-host of a wine radio show.
CHRIS CHRISTENSEN
Board Member
Journeyman cellar hand and self-taught winemaker Chris Christensen disrupted the sparkling wine scene by making America’s first sparkling Sauvignon Blanc in 2012. With one foot rooted in wine science and the other in craftsmanship, Chris’s minimalist philosophy guides his signature style of high-acid, low-alcohol wines. In addition to being named a ‘Winemaker to Watch’ by Esther Mobley of the SF Chronicle in 2017, he was also honored in Wine Enthusiasts “40 Under 40 Tastemakers” list in 2020. Along with his work with Bodkin Wines and Christensen WInecraft Consulting, he is an associate professor of Wine Studies at Santa Rosa Junior College. Chris works to promote diversity and inclusion in the wine industry through speaking engagements, podcasts and mentorship opportunities for aspiring vintners and winery owners.
BRANDON LAPIDES
Board Member
Brandon Lapides is a business owner and consulting winemaker. His career has led him from UC Davis to New Zealand, to Paso Robles, and finally to Sonoma County in 2007. He feels fortunate to have been able to make wines from multiple vineyards that are over a century old. His understanding of the historical significance of these vineyards guided him to eventually become the president of the board of directors of Z.A.P. (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers). His passion for education and his community led to his strong belief that libraries are essential to the community. Brandon aims to help the Sonoma County Wine Library continue to be an invaluable resource for all in the community… and beyond.
MARK McMULLEN
Board Member-at-Large
Mark McMullen is a small business and technology consultant who has been working in Sonoma County for more than 25 years. He is a member of the community-based Imagine Healdsburg 2040 group that works to create a sustainable future for Healdsburg. He is also a board member for Healdsburg Jazz and coordinated the Jazz Village & Jazz Village Campus community outreach projects during the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. Mark previously served on the executive committee of Healdsburg Performing Arts Theater and a chamber music performing arts board.
