Faculty
Our instructors are highly-qualified, well known and respected wine industry veterans who bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the classroom, ensuring that students are well-prepared to enter the job market after graduation or progress in their current careers.
John Darin
Winemaker & Winemaking Instructor
John Darin was born in Simi Valley, California and graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a BS in Wine and Viticulture with a concentration in Enology. He has worked in multiple wineries ranging from Santa Ynez, Paso Robles, and most recently at House of Smith in Seattle, Washington where he took on critical roles in wine production and cellar operations.
John’s extensive background in winemaking and cellar logistics has been developed after years of working with a diverse spectrum of grape varietals and wine making practices. From Alicante to Zinfandel, John’s experience, as well as his time working with many industry leaders, brings critical first-hand knowledge from wine making industry directly to the classroom.
Jennifer Hurley
Jennifer Hurley grew up in Alaska and moved to Seattle in 2012 after stops in Chicago and Cincinnati. Jen has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. After moving to the Pacific Northwest, Jen began exploring the wine industry by taking classes at the Northwest Wine Academy, and completed her Certificate in Wine Making in 2015. Jen has worked harvests at both NWWA and Chateau Ste. Michelle. In her free time, Jen loves to travel with her husband and always checks out regional wineries; her favorite trips include New Zealand, South Africa and Spain.
Jim Provance
Jim Provance was born in Sacramento, California, and has been working in service and hospitality since his first job as a dishwasher at the age of sixteen. By the time he turned twenty-one, Jim was working in the area's best restaurants and wine shops. After deciding to make wine a lifelong career path. Jim moved to the Napa Valley and began working in wineries as well as pursuing certifications through the Court of Master Sommeliers - America. He is currently working towards achieving the Advanced Sommelier certification.
After nearly two decades of sales and service, Jim has refocused his experiences and skills towards educating the next generation of beverage professionals at the Northwest Wine Academy and beyond.
Leonard Redé
A restaurateur, wine steward, consultant and educator with almost 30 years of industry experience, Leonard Redé has a unique blend of culinary and wine expertise. He is currently the European Wine Specialist at Esquin Wine Merchants. Prior to that, he was Operations Manager at Wine World working alongside David LeClaire helping to create the largest wine store in Washington State. He has worked as a Wine Steward for Metropolitan Market and is a well regarded in the wine industry for his knowledge of wine history and gastronomy. As instructor in the Wine Studies program at South Seattle College, he wrote the curriculum for the Associate of Arts Degree in Food and Wine Pairing, the first college level program of its kind. He is a an award winning chef and he was nominated for educator of the year while Chef Instructor at the world renowned Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.
Paul Swanson
A sommelier, educator, and wine consultant with over 15 years of industry experience, Paul Swanson traces his passion for wine to an unlikely moment in Tampa- holding a bottle of Madeira once belonging to the Napoleon Bonaparte family while working at the legendary Berns Steakhouse. That encounter sent him to Seattle in 2008, where he spent six years at RN74, Michael Mina and Rajat Parr's acclaimed wine destination, rising from CellarMaster to Lead Sommelier. He has also worked with Wild Ginger's Grand Award-winning wine program. Paul earned his Advanced Sommelier Certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers in 2017 and continues to pursue the Master Sommelier designation. He also works as the Northwest Region Account Manager for the online auction warehouse WineBid.com.
Alec Anderson
A Seattle native with nearly a decade of experience in Washington wine, Alec Anderson brings a rare behind-the-scenes perspective to the classroom. He began his career making wine at Walla Walla wineries while studying Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla College, then returned to the Seattle area to manage custom crush winemaking operations in Woodinville. His expertise spans winemaking, winery management, and hospitality, giving him a well-rounded command of how great wine actually comes to life. Alec has a particular passion for Washington's diverse wine sub-regions and weaves that deep regional knowledge into everything he teaches.
Chantelle Lusebrink
Chantelle Lusebrink is Tourism Development Manager at the Port of Seattle and a lifelong Washingtonian with deep expertise across tourism, hospitality, and food and beverage. Her career includes public relations work with Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Precept Wine, and Visit Seattle, as well as serving as Executive Director of Visit Bainbridge Island. She holds bachelor's degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Washington and a master's degree in Global Communications and Civil Society from The American University of Paris, where she focused on the global wine industry. Chantelle commutes to Seattle via the Washington State Ferry from Bainbridge Island, where she lives with her husband, twin sons, and two Airedale terriers.
Interested in teaching in our Wine Program?
Please send your resume and a cover letter that explains your qualifications and goals to WineInfo@seattlecolleges.edu.