AWS Board of Directors
2024 Board of Directors
Eric Feldhake
President
Walt Whitman Chapter, NJ
Member since 2002
Along with serving as American Wine Society Vice President, Eric has also been on the board of the American Wine Society Educational Foundation as General Counsel since 2017. Eric brings a wealth of wine knowledge to the position as an American Wine Society Certified Wine Judge, Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) with the Society of Wine Educators, Wine and Spirits Educational Trust (WSET) Level 2 with Distinction, holder of an Advanced Wine Certificate from The Wine School of Philadelphia, and wine educator at Stockton University, Rowan University, and The Haddonfield Adult School. Eric is a shareholder at Kulzer & DiPadova, PA practicing Trust and Estates law, adjunct professor at Professor at Rowan University, Department of Entrepreneurship, and a retired JAG Officer with the United States Army Reserve where he served for over 32 year
Ron Natalie
Vice President
Catawba Chapter, NC
Member since 2006
Ron founded the Catawba, North Carolina Chapter of the American Wine Society in 2009. He and his wife Margy serve as Co-chairs. He became a wine enthusiast after running a Marathon in Bordeaux, France. Ron is a WSET Level 2 and 3 Graduate with distinction, an American Wine Society WJCP graduate and has worked on the wine judging competition in multiple capacities since 1993. Ron founded and was president of “Save Sherrills Ford, Inc.,” a non-profit organization working on local land-use issues. He has served as Secretary for the past three years.
The vice president is an elected position. The vice president serves a two year term, after which he rises to become president. Ron’s term runs until the end of 2027, after which he will ascend to the presidency.
Carol Maher
Secretary
Ocean Isle Beach (NC) Chapter
Member since 2012
Carol was the original Treasurer for the Ocean Isle Beach chapter and was responsible for acquiring their tax exempt status. She is a WJCP graduate who passed WSET levels 1, 2, and 3. She has served the past few years as the head of the Governance Committee, working on updating AWS policies and procedures. She has volunteered for the past five years with AARP providing free tax preparation for residents of NC and SC. She has four deaces of experience in health care management.
The secretary is an elected position. The job description: Secretary. Carol’s term runs until the end of 2028.
Richard Berezinsky
Treasurer
Myrtle Beach Chapter, SC
Member since 2010
Rich has been involved with nonprofits for most of his career, in a variety of positions including CFO and Executive Director. He has an MBA and is a retired CPA. Rich became involved with American Wine Society in 2010 and became Vice Chair and then Chair of a Chapter with over 150 members. When he retired and moved, he and his wife, Mary, formed a Chapter in their new hometown.
Treasurer Job Description.
Rex Bambling
Director of Competitions
Northern Loudoun County Chapter, VA
Member since 2003
Rex completed the American Wine Society Certified Wine Judge training program in 2011. While judging in local, regional, national, and international wine competitions, he became interested in all aspects of wine competitions. For the past four years, Rex has been coordinating the back room activities for the American Wine Society competition held at the national conference. During these years, he has applied his background in software development to computerize many of the tedious and labor-intensive steps that are required to organize the wines, present them to the judging panels, and process the scoring results.
The director of competitions is elected to a three-year term. Rex’s term runs until the end of 2025.
Carrie A. Garczynski
Director of Member Service
Denver Chapter, CO
Member since 2017
Carrie Garczynski, wine courtesan/owner of Carried Away, designs, develops, and facilitates wine classes/dinners for public, private, and corporate events focusing on the beauty, essence, and verve that wine brings to life, creating memorable experiences. With a background in corporate development and marketing, she has created numerous programs for various organizations, ranging from a billion-dollar, privately-owned construction company to a quaint non-profit arts venue started in 1883. Shifting into the wonderful world of wine, she has achieved her WSET Level 3, International Spirits and Wine Guild Certified Executive Wine Sommelier, Certified Sr Wine Cellar Manager, and is pursuing her Society of Wine Education Certified Specialist of Wine and her WSET Level 4 Diploma. In addition, she has started ‘Wining With Wisdom’, an educational blind wine-tasting group, and is the Colorado RVP. She is a member of Women of the Vine & Spirits; Women’s Wine Guild of Colorado; Les Dégustateurs; Master Gardeners; and Evergreen Moonlight Gardening Club. When not dabbling in wine, Carrie enjoys skiing, gardening, golfing, traveling, playing outside and learning French.
The director of member service is elected to a three-year term. The job description is here: Director of Member Service. Carrie’s term runs until the end of 2026.
Kevin Ostrowski
Director of Education
Beaver County (PA) Chapter
Member since 2006
A retired teacher and nuclear power executive, Kevin completed his WSET3 (with Merit) award, is a Certified Specialist of Wine, and holds a Champagne Master Level Certificate. He is an active American Wine Society (AWS) Certified Wine Judge with Merit, a member of the AWS Education Committee, serves as an instructor in the three-year AWS Wine Judge Certification Program and is the Chapter Chair of the AWS Beaver County Chapter. He is a member of the Wine Century Club and is PA RAMP Certified. Judging numerous competitions in the Northeast, he has enjoyed serving as a wine judge for the Great American, Big E, Wine Maker Magazine, NY State Fair, Hudson Valley, Texas International Wine Competition, the Pennsylvania Farm Show, and Pennsylvania Sommelier Judgement.. An award-winning amateur winemaker, Kevin also enjoys teaching wine classes for Butler County Community College. Kevin, and his more than patient wife Cheryl, reside in Beaver, PA, and keep busy with family, cooking, gardening, traveling, and trying to keep up with a 5-year-old grandson.
“It’s the people you’re with that make every glass of wine memorable.”
The director of education is elected to a three-year term. The Director of Education job description is here: Director of Education. Kevin’s term runs until the end of 2028.
Colleen Reardon
Member Service Manager
Electric City Chapter, PA
Member since 2021
Colleen joined the National Office staff as Member Service Manager in September of 2021. She brought a great deal of non-profit, marketing and communications experience to the position. Colleen has worked as a marketing manager for an international packaging equipment manufacturer and as an events and marketing manager for regional non-profit organizations. Earlier in her career she worked in magazine publishing in New York City and Northern VA.
Colleen has a BS in Marketing from the University of Scranton and a certificate in Website design from Penn State University.
Natalie Dippenaar
Executive Director
Member since 2023
Natalie holds an MBA, a BS in Computer Science, and is a Certified Association Executive (CAE) with nine years’ experience in association management and five years as the general manager of a wine bar. In addition, she holds a WSET Diploma in Wine and Spirits (Level 4), is a Certified Sherry Wine Specialist from the Consejo Regulador of D.O. Jerez-Xérès-Sherry and an Advanced Ambassador from Wines of Portugal Academy. She is working on her Spanish Wine Scholar through the Wine Scholar Guild and hopes one day to walk the Camino Frances through Northern Spain.