Anna Maria Ponzi has dedicated her life to Oregon wine. At the age of four, she helped plant one of the earliest vineyards as her pioneering parents established one of the first wineries in the Willamette Valley. She’s had the rare opportunity of working in every aspect of the wine business and has served the industry in myriad ways, most importantly, as an ambassador for Oregon wine both nationally and internationally. In her former role as owner and president of Ponzi Vineyards, she envisioned and set in motion the transformation of Oregon wine country into a world class visitor destination. In 1999, she established the valley’s first regional wine bar and, in 2013, opened the valley’s first seated wine tasting experience. In 2020 she published her memoir Pinot Girl, and the following year successfully negotiated the sale of the family winery to Société Jacques Bollinger. She currently serves as President Emeritus of the OWA, is Mentorship Co-Chair of Women in Wine and is a Oregon Tourism Commissioner. She continues to support the state’s wine industry through her wine consulting and speaking firm, amponzi & company.