WINE EDUCATORS
Our wine educators focus on making your tasting experience as fun, interactive, and educational as possible. We are not traditional Somms, we bring our life experience and passionate love of wine to everything we do.
Founder and CEO of The Urban Grape
TJ Douglas is the Founder and CEO of the Drink Progressively Group, The Urban Grape, Urban Cellar, and Progressive Wine Company. His wine career has spanned 25 years, and as a mostly self-taught wine professional, he knows how to make wine approachable for everyone - even the most novice of drinkers.
In addition to being a dynamic wine tasting educator, TJ is a sought-after panelist and keynote speaker. TJ is also known for his dynamic “My Life Through the Lens of a Wine Glass” tasting experience - a DEI-focused, interactive tasting experience for organizations and their teams ($2500 fee).
Director of Sales
Amy Wright is a WSET Diploma candidate, wine educator, and travel addict from Oakland, California. While working at a tapas restaurant in Brooklyn, Amy developed a deep love for Spanish and Portuguese wines that inspired her to pursue WSET certification and explore the many facets of the wine world.
She is an inaugural recipient of The Roots Fund Scholarship for wine studies and a 2022 nominee for Wine Educator of the Year at Wine and Culture Fest. Amy is the Director of Sales at The Urban Grape.
Amy is also available for DEI-focused tasting talks ($500 fee).
GM and Lead Buyer
Logan Perez-Braxton started his wine journey as a server in a small Italian restaurant in Scottsdale, where he was befuddled as to how a Pinot Noir from California and Oregon could taste so differently. From that moment on, he was hooked. Logan is a Level 1 Sommelier and Level 2 WSET graduate with distinction.
He has a passion for breaking down the barriers to inclusion in the wine industry. People view wine as overly complicated but wine should always be about inclusiveness and enjoyment. Logan is the General Manager of The Urban Grape.
Logan is also available for DEI-focused tasting talks ($500 fee).
Wine Educator
Alyssa Champagne is thrilled to be back, after hosting thousands of guests at numerous in-person and virtual events from 2020-2022. She comes with over a decade of experience in various capacities in the restaurant & retail spaces. She previously served as a Wine Manager for the Himmel Hospitality Group (Grill 23, Harvest), until the COVID shutdown, when she used her time off to travel to Oregon, for a four-month winemaking internship, punching down Pinot in the Willamette Valley.
A Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, she completed her studies at the International Culinary Center in New York City, and is currently preparing to sit the Advanced Sommelier exam.
She admits that she is overly passionate about maps, and loves taking the mystery out of wine for guests by assisting them in exploring their own palates to find something surprising and new-to-them in their glasses. She would drink Champagne for breakfast every day if it were not generally frowned upon. And yes, that is her real name.
Virtual Wine Educator
Growing up in the restaurant industry, Emilie was born & raised in the hospitality world. She has worked in restaurants in Upstate NY, Boston and NYC. It was at an Italian Restaurant in the South End where she worked as Beverage Manager, where she learned and developed a love & passion for all things wine, and she is so happy to bring that love to The Urban Grape! Now based in NYC, when Emilie isn’t leading virtual tastings, she works at a Sake & Champagne bar!
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
Here to walk you through everything you need to ensure a seamless and successful event experience.
Director
Ayana is a Massachusetts native, who joined Urban Grape in 2022 as the Direct of Strategic Partnerships. Following 8 years in the e-commerce space at Wayfair and The Grommet, Ayana was attracted to The Urban Grape by the opportunity to join a certified MBE, experience growth within a small business, and expand her wine palate. She has lived many lives in her professional career since earning a degree in Business with concentration in Marketing at Northeastern University, spanning event production, project management, consumer experience, website management, merchandising and business development - to name a few.
Here within Progressive Pours by Urban Grape, Ayana’s mission is to work with companies to diversify their vendors for unique and engaging events and gifting opportunities and grow the strategic partnerships program within The Drink Progressively Group. Outside of building community through beverages, Ayana can be found in the midst of discovering shopping deals or indulging in true crime series.
Wine Educator
Nicole Valva is a seasoned event coordinator and hospitality professional with a strong passion for delivering exceptional experiences. With a background rooted in restaurants in Boston and New York, Nicole found her calling in the world of wine, events, and creating unique experiences at The Urban Grape.
With 15 years of experience, including 7 years in management and operations, Nicole is a dynamic and results-driven professional. Her certifications include WSET Level III and WSET Level II. Notably, as the General Manager at Waypoint, she excelled in creating staff educational resources, managing front-of-house goods, and organizing personalized events for up to 130 guests. Nicole's genuine approach in building guest relationships resulted in repeat business, both in the restaurant and private dining sectors. With her expertise, attention to detail, and commitment to excellence, Nicole Valva is an outstanding event coordinator who will ensure your next event is an unforgettable success.
Alongside her work, she enjoys the company of her three fur babies and indulges in a glass of the 2021 Union Sacré Orange Riesling from California.
