Our Team

Ridgely bought what we call the “Home Farm” in 1982. He grew up in suburban Cleveland where — despite the fact that everything came either frozen or wrapped in plastic — he developed a real love for great food, and the land. When he first came to California in 1967, he knew it was where he wanted to live. And when he first saw the farm in 1982 he knew he’d found home. He’s had a long career in high-tech, but always in parallel with the farm, and it’s clear where his heart and passion are.

Today, in addition to leading DaVero, he is focused on sequestering carbon at scale by converting conventionally-farmed land to regenerative practices, and teaching others how to do so themselves.

Cary remembers growing up and being surrounded by vineyards in Mendocino County. It’s not too surprising that in 2012 he found himself working for a friend’s family winery only a mile from where he had lived as a child. After being immersed in the whole process, and not being deterred by living next to the vineyard shop during harvest time, winemaking quickly became a passion of his.

He went on to receive his degree in Wine and Viticulture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, before setting off to work harvests across both hemispheres. Working for Evesham Wood, Torbreck Vintners, and Rhys Vineyards helped solidify a comfortability with a more hands off approach to winemaking. Time spent with Quivira Vineyards, Littorai Wines, and Troon Vineyard (all of which utilize Biodynamic practices) brought farming to the forefront. He learned how the attention to farming and the vineyard translates to what’s in the bottle.

Making wine from many great vineyards has been a real treat for Cary. He looks forward to continuing on this journey with DaVero, in hopes to create wine which is a true representation of the place and the people who make it happen.

Jared Minori is a farmer and educator from the hills of Pennsylvania with over 7 years experience in regenerative and biodynamic farming. In college he noticed the increasing severity of climate change and the degradation of our most treasured asset – our soil. This alarming realization gave birth to a lifelong passion for soil and human health, which he now exercises in his role as Farm Manager here at DaVero. He began farming in Colorado in 2016 developing the skills and experience to manage a small-scale dairy operation, vegetable gardens, row crops, education programs, and more.

Since moving to California, Jared has been applying regenerative principles to grape growing in the Serpentine soils of north Sonoma County. His goal is to cultivate the farm at DaVero into a regenerative model for the entire grape growing industry and beyond. He leaves us with a quote from E.F. Schumacher, “He who truly possesses knowledge will put it into action.”

Katherine came to DaVero with her husband Michael, and was delighted to find her own niche here among the people, vines and gardens, as well as the opportunity to work with, and learn from, her husband’s wealth of experience.

An early childhood and primary school teacher at heart, where nature and the garden are her continual inspiration, she now moves easily between work and learning in the garden and the work and learning of a teacher.

In addition to her amazing work in the gardens, she finds meaning and nourishment from the study and practice of Biodynamic agriculture, and manages the important task of certification of all three of our farms, as well as seeking out grants to help us advance our practices.

Elizabeth’s journey to DaVero Farms & Winery in has been anything but linear. Starting as a New York City public school teacher, her passion for wine blossomed while moonlighting in front-of-house positions at the renowned farm-to-table restaurant, Blue Hill at Stone Barns. There, she encountered an extensive wine training program that ignited her desire to explore wine further, leading her to pursue sommelier studies with the American Sommelier Association.

Her path then wound through New York’s dynamic wine scene, where she managed a high-end wine and spirits boutique, taught certification classes, hosted webinars, and blogged for the Society of Wine Educators. Yet, after years of engaging with countless bottles, Elizabeth longed to be closer to the source—in the vineyards themselves. This passion drew her to California wine country in 2017.

Once in California, Elizabeth worked at two prestigious family-owned wineries: Burgess Cellars on the iconic Howell Mountain, known for its bold, mountain-grown wines, and Dutton Estate Winery in the Russian River Valley, celebrated for its cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Now, since joining DaVero in February of 2024, she is captivated by the winery’s unique grape varieties, its commitment to biodynamic farming, and its ethos of farming as a way of life. She revels in the sights and sounds of viticulture and winemaking, working alongside passionate colleagues who share her dedication to the craft.

As a native of Sonoma County, I’ve seen the wine country grow from the bottom up. Healdsburg used to be a sleepy town with only a handful of store fronts and a very few vineyards and all owned by Italian families passed down from generation to generation. It’s a place you can’t help but fall in love with its beautiful breath-taking views and incredible wines.

After a career in law, my life changed 15 years ago when I volunteered to help at a winery event. I soon accepted a full-time job in the wine industry where I was certain I belonged. After working many roles and learning many aspects of the industry, I found my passion: memberships and the relationships I gain along the. If I know you’re smiling, you can bet I am too!

Some call it fate, I call it serendipity when I was offered the Membership Manager position at DaVero. I finally found my home away from home: it’s where I belong. The amount of passion everyone puts into DaVero makes it a magical place. We are not only a team — we’re also family.

Hospitality has been the heart of Shannon’s work life and she feels so lucky to do what she loves! Shannon studied social welfare at a small college in Maine but ended up thriving in the restaurant and service industry. Back in California she followed another lifetime enthusiasm and received an AA degree in Horticulture.
In 2010, a friend shared with Shannon that DaVero was diving deep into their wine program on a property near their home farm and the timing was perfect.

After meeting Ridge and Colleen in early 2011, and seeing their devotion and vision for DaVero, she seized the honor to be part of this amazing journey. She’s worn many DaVero hats over the years; wine club manager, chicken whisperer, grape stomper… but sharing the magic of DaVero with all our visitors, long time Farm Members or new guests, is at her core.

When not speaking “DaVero”, she’s likely with Jesse, (self-named winery canine concierge), on the trails, at the beach or hanging with her extensive family and friends.

Hailing from the picturesque orange groves of Southern California, Kat has a deep-rooted connection to the land.

Kat has worn many hats during her 19-year tenure, contributing to our growth and success. Having come from a family of educators who instilled in her a passion for learning and sharing knowledge, Kat has found her true calling as an educator in her own right. She thrives on imparting the significance of bio-dynamic and regenerative farming practices to our guests. Her dedication to environmental stewardship is infectious, and her ability to convey complex concepts with warmth and clarity has made her an invaluable asset to our team.

When Ridgely introduces Kat as someone who “came with the building,” it’s more than a simple introduction – it’s a testament to Kat’s enduring presence, her wealth of experience, and her unwavering commitment to our mission.

Tracey Welch began her career with DaVero right after the tasting room opened in 2011. At the time, she was a recent California transplant from the East Coast who had no idea where wine or olive oil came from, what biodynamic farming was and had hardly ever spent any time on a farm. Fast forward to present day and she can’t imagine a more interesting and rewarding industry to be in. She loves the cycles of farming and how every year we get a new start beginning with bud break for the vines and pollination of the olives trees and culminating with harvest in the Fall.

Every day, she’s inspired by DaVero’s and our people’s passion to protect our land and to share the amazing output of our farm with our customers. Her role as head of Finance and Human Resources combines all the skills she’s gathered after years of being a CPA/Systems Consultant at Price Waterhouse Coopers and running a Marketing Consulting business with her husband. She has been married to her husband, Carter, a business consultant, for over 30 years and is the very proud mother of 3 young men and a daughter-in-law who all have all found careers in serving others.

Born and raised in the “Valley of Hearts Delight”, before it became “Silicon Valley”. I retired to Sonoma County to get away from the frenzy, traffic, and overcrowding that the once beautiful agricultural Santa Clara Valley had become.
After years of coming to Sonoma County for long weekends of great food & wine (and now beer), my wife and I decided this was a great place to retire…. “Going up the Country.”

Retirement didn’t last long, because I could only play so much golf, and got restless to keep active. So, I chose to work in an industry I love, and was lucky enough to end up with a great ‘family’ at DaVero. When not taking care of my property, I still find time to travel, golf, hike, and coach for Special Olympics (golf & bowling).