Jessica M. Cortell
Amity,OR
Summary
Dynamic operations professional with a robust background in managing complex projects and driving operational excellence within the wine industry. Known for a collaborative approach and unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality grapes with sustainable practices while adapting to the evolving demands of the wine industry. Proven expertise in strategic planning and team leadership, complemented by extensive experience supervising diverse teams, including graduate students, international interns and vineyard employees. Holds a Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology where internationally recognized research, focused on the relationships between soils, vine growth and fruit/wine chemistry. She has a strong foundation in viticulture offering a unique blend of technical knowledge and practical experience to foster innovation and growth.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director of Operations / Founder / Owner
Vitis Terra Vineyard Services LLC
Amity, Oregon
05.2010 - Current
- Built vineyard management company from the ground up to managing up to 1000 acres for 40 different clients.
- Mentored staff in best practices for vineyard operations, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development.
- Developed and implemented strategic initiatives to improve service delivery and client satisfaction.
- Streamlined operational processes to enhance efficiency across vineyard management and production.
- Oversaw daily operations of 100 plus employees across multiple vineyards, ensuring seamless coordination and efficient execution of vineyard work.
- Implemented effective communication strategies between team members in English and Spanish.
- Provided industry leadership in organic, biodynamic and Regenerative Agriculture vineyard practices
- Established strong partnerships with vendors, suppliers, and key stakeholders to improve collaboration and ensure alignment with business requirements.
- Enhanced employee engagement by developing training programs, fostering a collaborative culture, and promoting professional development opportunities.
- Promoted a culture of safety within the organization with focused safety programs as well as established regulations and policies.
- Recruited, hired, and trained personnel, working to establish key internal functions and outline scope of positions for organization.
- Mentored team members in vineyard management, fostering skill development and collaboration.
- Designed and implemented organic spray programs for multiple vineyards.
Vineyard Management Instructor
Chemeketa Community College
Salem, Oregon
06.2009 - 06.2017
- Developed course materials and assessments to enhance student learning experiences.
- Facilitated engaging classroom discussions to promote critical thinking and collaboration among students.
- Implemented innovative teaching techniques to improve student understanding of complex concepts.
- Provided hands on experience in seasonal vineyard management
- Collaborated with faculty to refine program offerings based on industry trends and student feedback
- Inspired around 500 students to pursue their dreams in the wine industry
Oregon and Washington Viticulturist
Premier Pacific Vineyards
Amity, Oregon
06.2007 - 02.2009
- Managed vineyard monitoring and data collection to optimize grape quality and yield across around 600 acres.
- Enhanced grape quality for premium wine production through meticulous canopy management and precision irrigation.
- Implemented sustainable farming practices to enhance soil health and biodiversity
- Developed pest management programs using integrated pest management (IPM) techniques
- Oversaw harvest processes, ensuring optimal timing for grape maturity and quality
- Analyzed vine performance data to drive strategic decisions on vineyard management
- Improved soil health, implementing organic farming practices to promote biodiversity and long-term sustainability.
- Provided weekly monitoring and recommendations on irrigation, pests, diseases and nutrition.
- Mentored junior staff on viticulture techniques, promoting skill development and knowledge sharing.
Harvest Intern
Benton Lane Winery
Monroe, Oregon
10.2006 - 02.2007
Organic Farm Inspector
Oregon Tilth Certified Organic
Salem, Oregon
01.1999 - 01.2007
Doctoral Graduate Research Assistant
Oregon State University
10.2002 - 10.2006
Faculty Research Assistant
Oregon State University
11.2000 - 10.2002
Organic Farm Manager
Oregon’s Wild Harvest
Sandy, Oregon
01.1998 - 01.2000
Education
Doctor of Philosophy - Grape and Wine Chemistry
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon09-2006
Master of Science - Plant Physiology
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon11-1996
Bachelor of Science - undefined
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon04-1990
Skills
- Strength in budget development, implementation and labor tracking
- Vineyard design and installation
- Organic spray program design and implementation
- Viticulture expertise in pest and disease identification, monitoring, yield estimates and data collection
- Sustainable vineyard systems
- Operational efficiency and oversight
- Understanding relationships between soils, vineyard management and fruit/wine chemistry
- Strategic planning and execution
- Expert in complex vineyard seasonal management and harvest Logistics
- Team leader and mentor with strong team building skills
Certification
- Independent Organic Inspector’s Association (IOIA) organic farm inspector, (1998-2004)
- Oregon Pesticide Consultants license, (2002-2004)
- Oregon Pesticide Applicators License (2010 – present)
- Oregon Real Estate License (August 2022 to present)
Timeline
Director of Operations / Founder / Owner
Vitis Terra Vineyard Services LLC
05.2010 - Current
Vineyard Management Instructor
Chemeketa Community College
06.2009 - 06.2017
Oregon and Washington Viticulturist
Premier Pacific Vineyards
06.2007 - 02.2009
Harvest Intern
Benton Lane Winery
10.2006 - 02.2007
Doctoral Graduate Research Assistant
Oregon State University
10.2002 - 10.2006
Faculty Research Assistant
Oregon State University
11.2000 - 10.2002
Organic Farm Inspector
Oregon Tilth Certified Organic
01.1999 - 01.2007
Organic Farm Manager
Oregon’s Wild Harvest
01.1998 - 01.2000
Master of Science - Plant Physiology
Oregon State University
Bachelor of Science - undefined
Oregon State University
Doctor of Philosophy - Grape and Wine Chemistry
Oregon State University
Peer Reviewed Publications
- Cortell, J. M., Heymann, H., Kennedy, J. A. (2008). Influence of Vine Vigor on Pinot noir Fruit Composition, Wine Chemical Analysis and Wine Sensory Attributes. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture, 59, 1-10.
- Cortell, Jessica M., Michael Halbleib, Andrew V. Gallagher, Timothy L. Righetti, and James A. Kennedy. (2008). Influence of Vine Vigor on Grape (Vitis vinifera L. Cv. Pinot noir) Anthocyanins: 1. Anthocyanin Concentration and Composition in Fruit. Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, 55, 6575-6584.
- Cortell, Jessica M., Michael Halbleib, Andrew V. Gallagher, Timothy L. Righetti, and James A. Kennedy. (2008). Influence of Vine Vigor on Wine (Vitis vinifera L. Cv. Pinot noir) Anthocyanins: 2. Anthocyanins and Pigmented Polymers in Wine. Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, 55, 6585-6595.
- Cortell, J. M., & Kennedy, J. A. (2006). Effect of shading on accumulation of flavonoid compounds in (Vitis vinifera L.) Pinot noir fruit and extraction in a model system. Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, 54, 8510-8520.
- Cortell, Jessica M., Michael Halbleib, Andrew V. Gallagher, Timothy L. Righetti, and James A. Kennedy. (2005). Influence of vine vigor on grape (Vitis vinifera L., Cv. Pinot noir) and wine proanthocyanidins. Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, 53, 5798-5808.
- Cortell, J.M., & Strik, B.C. (1997). Effect of floricane number in ‘Marion’ trailing blackberry. I. Primocane growth and cold hardiness. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 122, 604-610.
- Cortell, J.M., & Strik, B.C. (1997). Effect of floricane number in ‘Marion’ trailing blackberry. II. Yield components and dry mass partitioning. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 122, 611-615.
- Conference Proceedings
- Cortell, J. M., Baham, J., Connelly, A., Gallagher, A. V., Halbleib, M. D., Pinkerton, J. N., Righetti, T. L., Schreiner, R. P., Watson, B. T., Kennedy, J. A. (2003). Grape Phenolics and Wine Quality: Measuring Spatial Variability in a Commercial Vineyard Using Precision Agriculture Tools. Oregon Grape Day Proceedings, Oregon State University, p 15-18.
- Cortell, J. M., Baham, J., Connelly, A., Gallagher, A. V., Halbleib, M. D., Pinkerton, J. N., Righetti, T. L., Schreiner, R. P., Watson, B. T., Kennedy, J. A. (2003). Grape Phenolics and Wine Quality: Measuring Spatial Variability in a Commercial Vineyard Using Precision Agriculture Tools. International Precision Agriculture Conference Proceedings, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Cortell, J.M., Castagnoli, S.C., Vasconcelos, C. (2001). Evaluation of Pinot noir and Chardonnay Clones in Oregon. Oregon State University/OWAB Winegrape Day Progress Research Reports 2000-2001.