Press release Davis, CA

Washington State University Professor and Viticulture Extension Specialist Appointed as ASEV Board President 

DAVIS, Calif., July 17, 2023… Professor and Viticulture Extension Specialist Dr. Michelle Moyer has been confirmed as the president of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) for 2023-2024. Dr. Moyer succeeds R. Keith Striegler of E. & J. Gallo Winery.

“My career in supporting the grape and wine industries through Extension and research has been wonderful, and I’m grateful for this fantastic opportunity to continue this service by working with the ASEV board as president, to further our mission,” said Dr. Moyer. “ASEV has an important role in sharing cutting-edge research, exploring emerging issues and bolstering our industry. It’s an honor to continue this work alongside my fellow board members.”

Dr. Moyer’s program at Washington State University combines extension work with applied research to address knowledge gaps and needs across the grape industry. She focuses on two key strategies: developing reliable resources for all knowledge levels and actively engaging with the industry to stay responsive and proactive. Her research connects pest biology and plant physiology with practical applications in commercial grape production systems. Overall, Dr. Moyer’s efforts aim to support growers and improve the grape industry through valuable information and practical solutions.

A member of ASEV since 2009, Dr. Moyer has served as an ASEV board member since 2018 and also serves as the newly created ASEV Foundation president.  She received several ASEV recognitions, including the 2022 ASEV Best Viticulture Paper and the ASEV Extension Distinction Award in 2020. Moyer earned her Ph.D. in plant pathology at Cornell University and received her bachelor’s degree in genetics and plant pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has worked at Washington State University since 2011 and joined its new Department of Viticulture and Enology in January 2023. She also received the WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences Faculty Excellence in Extension Award in 2023.

ASEV’s Board of Directors for 2023-2024 also includes:

  • Vice President – Anita Obersholster: Vice-Chair and Professor of Cooperative Extension in Enology at the University of California, Davis
  • Second Vice President – James Osborne: Professor and Enology Extension Specialist at Oregon State University
  • Secretary-Treasurer – Torey Arvik: Director of Applied Research at Jackson Family Wines and Chief Science Officer at SonomaCeuticals/Whole Vine Products in Santa Rosa, California 
  • Science Editor – Markus Keller: Distinguished Professor of Viticulture at Washington State University
  • Technical Program Director – James Harbertson: Associate Professor of Enology at Washington State University
  • Director – Karen Block: Director of Industry Relations at the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis
  • Director – Federico Casassa: Associate Professor of Enology at California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
  • Director – Leticia Chacón-Rodríguez: Head Winemaker at the University of California, Davis 
  • Director – Hope Goldie: Director of Winemaking at Darioush Khaledi Winery in Napa, California
  • Director – Anna Katharine Mansfield: Associate Professor of Enology at Cornell’s NYSAES in Geneva, NY
  • Director – Yun Zhang: Viticulturist at Ste. Michelle Wine Estates in Prosser, Washington

Formed in 1950 as a professional society dedicated to the interests of enologists, viticulturists and others in the fields of wine and grape research and production, ASEV’s membership of approximately 1,600 includes professionals from wineries, vineyards, and academic institutions and organizations from around the world. In addition to publishing the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture (AJEV), the Society recently created the ASEV Foundation and hosts its National Conference, which will be the 75th ASEV National Conference scheduled for June 17-20, 2023, at the Marriott Portland Downtown Waterfront in Portland, Oregon. ASEV co-hosts the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium with the California Association of Winegrape Growers, which will be held on January 23-25, 2024, at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center. For more information, visit asev.org.