Viticulture Instructor

Sarah has been sharing her grape growing knowledge and experience in a straight-forward and approachable manner for well over a decade. Since 2018, she has served as Viticulture Instructor at Surry Community College and The North Carolina Center for Viticulture and Enology, which provides workforce training and industry support for the Southeastern U.S. Sarah teaches both hands-on and online courses and manages the college’s 5-acre demonstration vineyard, which produces fruit for Surry Cellars, the college’s bonded winery. 

Before moving to the heart of North Carolina wine country, Sarah specialized in viticulture at Southern Illinois University, where she received her M.S. in Horticulture in 2013 and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Agricultural Science. While in the Midwest, she co-managed a commercial vineyard, conducted educational workshops with the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Alliance, provided viticulture consulting services to regional growers, and served as the Illinois State Viticulturist.