Meet the Team

Katie Canfield

OWNER / Communications Director

Born and raised in California, Katie Canfield earned her B.A. in Spanish and Global Studies at University of California, Santa Barbara. Her career in the wine industry began during her last year at university while studying abroad in Santiago, Chile. Since then, Katie has lived in Rioja (Logroño), Burgundy (Dijon), and the UK (Manchester), studying and working in various sectors of the wine industry: production (including harvests in Chile, France, and Napa Valley), wine writing, retail, hospitality, and distribution. Since her move back to California in 2014, Katie has led marketing and communications for the international portfolios of Wilson Daniels, Paul Hobbs Wines, and now O’Donnell Lane, where she drives communications and strategic planning. Katie holds a M.Sc. degree in Wine Business and WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wine and Spirits. She serves on the board of Bâtonnage Forum—a nonprofit organization focused on supporting women in wine—and has served as Marketing & Communications Program Lead for the Bâtonnage Mentorship Program since 2022.

Rebecca Johnson

OWNER / Events Director

Rebecca Johnson has been in the event industry since 2003. Following a career as an elementary school teacher in Northern California, she began planning private events for wineries around Sonoma and Napa counties to great success. Since then, Rebecca has applied her talent and passion for wedding and event planning to produce exquisite high-end luxury weddings in wine country and San Francisco, as well as Palm Springs, Los Angeles, Carmel and Lake Tahoe. Upon joining O’Donnell Lane in 2012, Rebecca has broadened her focus, drawing from her strong relationships with the highest level and most sought-after vendors in the catering, floral, photography and music industries to produce corporate and wine trade events. Whether it is an event for 25 wine writers or 2,000 trade and media personnel, Rebecca combines her attention to detail with excellent communication skills to create spectacular events tailored to each client request.

“This is a team that works on the basis of nurtured relationships. And I know of no other relationship network that's as valuable as theirs, as both a professional resource and a catalyst for satisfying personal connections.”

Sara Schneider, food, wine, and lifestyle writer and editor

Ella Winje

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Born and raised in California, Ella received her B.S. in Molecular Environmental Biology at University of California, Berkeley. Wanting to pair her love for being active and outside with her biology background, Ella worked her first harvest in Livermore while finishing up her final year at Berkeley and realized that tasting wine for a living wasn’t a bad direction to go. Following her studies, Ella continued to pursue wine in the lab at Cakebread Cellars for a few years, before deciding she wanted to get back in touch with the cellar through a harvest abroad in McLaren Vale, South Australia. Since being back, she has worked in Calistoga and Healdsburg, increasing her love for VAs and heat stability tests. Ella started working at O’Donnell Lane in early 2020, with work ranging from event logistics, to planning and executing, to PR and marketing, and hasn’t looked back.

Kathleen Stark

Event Consultant / Special Projects

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Kathleen Stark is a seasoned marketer and event director. Kat began her career at William-Sonoma’s corporate headquarters, where she played a key role on the merchandising team for over eight years. She then transitioned to Wine.com, initially managing their gifts business before becoming the Director of Wine.com Experiences. With her expertise in marketing, merchandising, and special projects, Kat combines creativity with organizational acumen to craft immersive experiences. She is dedicated to enhancing brand presence through innovative marketing strategies and impactful events.

Maria Calvert

MEDIA CONSULTANT / special projects

With over a decade of experience in public relations, Maria brings a rounded perspective to reputation management, integrated communications strategy, and cross-business collaboration. Before transitioning to wine, Maria was the V.P. of Global Communications at a currency broker on Wall Street. Today, she splits her time between NYC and Washington D.C., working as a public relations consultant and pursuing the WSET Level 2 certification. She is fluent in English and Spanish and is co-founder of nonprofit organization Hispanics in Wine. She has been recognized on the 40 under 40 Tastemaker's List by Wine Enthusiast and Wine Business Monthly's Wine Industry Leaders 2021, among other accolades.

“The [ODL] team delivers with professionalism, quality and a personal touch that is second to none. Their in-market contacts are some of the best in the biz, and their networking, strategic and event planning skills have proven to be a great asset for our work.”