Kristine Bono
Kristine started her career in hospitality in her home town of Las Vegas. A lifetime of world travel brought a passion for wine and understanding its connection to culture. After settling down in the Pacific Northwest in 2005, she discovered the quality, approachability, and opportunities in the wine industry in her new backyard. Within the following 18 years, she worked with four unique estate brands, Alexandria Nicole Cellars, Col Solare, Goose Ridge Estate Winery, and Tertulia Cellars. Concentrating on DTC and hospitality, her responsibilities grew into managing wine club, events, marketing, operations, distribution (self and 3-tier), and general management. To further improve her ability to connect global consumers with PNW wines, she completed her Sommelier Certification through the Global Wine Program at Central Washington University in 2013. Kristine has been a recurring speaker in conferences all over the PNW showcasing her ‘Power of Wow’ philosophy with her peers, judging regional wine competitions, and has sat on numerous boards, marketing committees, and was a proud member of the WISE Winery Cabinet.
Currently, Kristine teaches Hospitality & Tasting Room Management at Texas Tech University, coaches for WISE Academy, and works with distribution channels to support her favorite Pacific NW brands.
With a strong belief in stewardship, leadership, and authenticity, Kristine continues to be committed about coaching and sharing her passion for building world class experiences by inspired teams filled with the power of WOW for the wine industry.
Kristine lives in Texas Hill Country, with her dog Hendricks where she enjoys discovering new gems in this burgeoning wine community and copious amounts of travel and yoga.