During the association’s Annual General Meeting last Monday 26 August, Sommeliers Australia members in attendance voted for the 2024/2025 National Executive Committee.
We are delighted to announce that leading the association for the coming 12 months are:
| Sarah Andrew (VIC) | Louella Mathews (NSW) |
| Wiremu Andrews (VIC) | Bridget Raffal (NSW) |
| Tim O’Donnell (VIC) | Mirco Tarducci (WA) |
Following the AGM, the new NEC held their first meeting to elect the Office Bearing roles of President, Vice-President and Treasurer.
We are delighted to announce that Louella Mathews has accepted the position of President, Bridget Raffal will remain as Vice-President, and Tim O’Donnell has taken on the Treasurer’s position. Sarah Andrew, Wiremu Andrews and Mirco Tarducci will support the Executive leadership as active members of the NEC.
Stepping down after a five year tenure, outgoing President, Sarah Andrew, is delighted to have such a strong team of leaders take over the Office Bearing roles:
“Last week’s Annual General Meeting marked the perfect time for the association to be guided into the future by new leadership. After five years in the role, I am delighted to hand over the Presidency to Louella Matthews, to work alongside Bridget Raffal who is continuing as Vice-President and Tim O’Donnell as Treasurer.
I have the utmost respect for the two women who have accepted the key leadership positions. Both women who have strong commercial acumen, industry qualifications and are leaders in their respective roles.
Sommeliers Australia is heading into an exciting and new chapter, and I remain committed as a National Executive Committee member for another year, stepping into a strategic business role.”
In accepting her new role, Louella Mathews commented:
“I am deeply honoured to be accepting the role of President of Sommeliers Australia. For those who know me, they know how passionate I am about the wine and hospitality industry as a whole, and I look forward to using this passion to lead the next chapter of Somms Australia.
I want to recognise Sarah Andrew, for the incredible amount of hours and dedication she has given as President, and her resilient leadership through one of the toughest times the industry had ever seen. I wouldn’t be in the position I am today without her advice and the incredible example she has set.
I look forward to sharing the new National Executive Committee’s vision for the next chapter of Somms Australia in the coming months.
Focusing on inspiring a new generation of wine professionals, supporting the role of the sommelier in the hospitality industry and creating a thriving wine community across Australia that ALL sommeliers – and those involved within the wine community – want to be a part of.
So watch… this… space!”
WELCOME TO THE 2024/2025 STATE EVENT COMMITTEES
Sommeliers Australia is delighted to announce that the State Events Committees are confirmed for 2024/2025.
This year we welcome a number of new faces to the cohort, and look forward to them adding their skills, perspectives and enthusiasm to our already experientially diverse knowledge base!
| NSW Events Committee | VIC Events Committee |
| Luigi Celiento | Sarah Andrew |
| Jaime Clark | Wiremu Andrews |
| Louella Mathews | Liinaa Berry |
| Bridget Raffal | Greg Lightfoot |
| Ella Stening | Tim O’Donnell |
| Callie Poole | |
| QLD Events Committee | Noah Rozenfeld |
| Jenny Polack | Gill Sykes |
| Mark Snow | Andrew Wyse |
| SA Events Committee | WA Events Committee |
| Caroline Bailey | Justin Biskup |
| Sally Johnson | Trent Everitt |
| Yu Kurosawa | |
| TAS Events Committee | Foni Pollitt |
| Ben Devereux | Mirco Tarducci |
| Michael Fisher |
Together we’re looking forward to working together for the betterment of the association and the sommelier profession in Australia.
