NYWCC Wine Instructors
Wine Instructors
Shannon Brock
Shannon Brock is employed full-time by the NYWCC as Wine Coordinator. Her job responsibilities include outreach with over 250 New York State wineries, selection of wines for the all-New York tasting room, creation and maintenance of the wine list for the Taste of New York Lounge, coordination and teaching of wine education and wine and food pairing classes for the general public, and pairing of wines with menus for private events. Her wine certifications include an Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits through WSET and Wine Judge Certification through American Wine Society. She has worked at wineries in both New Zealand and the Finger Lakes, and has served as a wine judge in state and national level competitions. She has a B.S. from Cornell University and an M.Ed. from University of Virginia.
E-mail Shannon at: shannon.brock@nywcc.com
Lorraine Hems
Lorraine Hems has been working in retail, wholesale, and wine education for over 25 years. She is a full-time instructor in the Hospitality and Service Management Department at the Rochester Institute of Technology. She is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, Certified Wine Educator through the Society of Wine Educators and is currently working toward her Diploma through the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. In addition to teaching WSET courses at the center, she also serves as a wine judge at competitions around the country. She has traveled to many wine regions throughout the world.
E-mail Lorraine at: lorraine.hems@nywcc.com
Erica Little
Erica Little grew up on a vegetable farm in Penn Yan, NY, and is very passionate about New York agriculture, wine, and cooking. She is employed full-time at NYWCC where she works as both a Wine Instructor and a Teaching Assistant in the Hands-On Kitchen. She has an Intermediate Certificate in Wine and Spirits through the WSET, and previously worked at two wineries in the Finger Lakes. She has a degree in Education and Psychology from LeMoyne College.
E-mail Erica at: erica.little@nywcc.com
Cheryl Pitti
Originally from Rochester, Pa, Cheryl entered the United States Air Force after attending Thiel College in Greenville, Pa. Her passion for wine began to develop while living in Europe in the 80’s. During the years to follow, she’s taken many wine classes, done much self study and received her internationally recognized Intermediate Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) certification. Her prior industry experience was working as a wine consultant for The Traveling Vineyard, whose parent company is Geerlings and Wade. Cheryl has been working at the New York Wine and Culinary Center since it opened in June 2006.
E-mail Cheryl at: cheryl.pitti@nywcc.com
Ted Ganster
Ted is a full-time instructor for RIT's College of Applied Sciences and Technology. He teaches in the School of Hospitality and Service Management in Rochester during the Fall, at The American University of Kosovo in Pristina, Kosovo during the Winter, and The American College of Management and Technology in Dubrovniik, Croatia during the Spring. He holds a B.S. in Food Management and a M.S. in Service Management from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has been a home brewer for 8 years, and a beer enthusiast for 14.
Jan Klapetzky
A chemical engineer by training and now retired from Kodak, Jan has been a serious home winemaker for 37 years. He has more than 30 Gold medals to his credit in state and national level competitions including a Best Hybrid ('06) and an overall Best of Show ('99) in the American Wine Society national competition. He is a member of the American Wine Society and a past chairman of the Rochester chapter. He recently accepted a position as Winemaker for the new Young Sommer Winery in Williamson and is currently vinifying their first season's production.