Board of Directors

Connor Gallagher is the wine director at Riviera in Ottawa, as well, he works as a wine consultant in the Ottawa & Gatineau area curating several wine lists and educating restaurant teams.  Prior to this Connor worked as a Sommelier in British Columbia and more recently in Montreal, where he honed his craft and significantly increased his exposure to the world of wine both locally and internationally.   After passing his Advanced Court of Masters Sommelier exam on the first attempt in 2018, Connor is now a Master Sommelier candidate, having sat the theory exam in 2020 and 2022. Connor...

  Beibei Hou is a seasoned hospitality professional with over 15 years of experience in the industry. As a Certified Sommelier by both the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) and the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS), Beibei has honed her expertise in wine and beverage service. Her journey in the hospitality world began humbly as a food runner when she arrived in Canada in 2012. Since then, Beibei has cultivated a passion for wine, acquiring extensive knowledge and skills to provide exceptional dining experiences. With her warm hospitality and deep understanding of the intricacies of wine, Beibei is dedicated...

  Jennifer Wood dove into the wine world in 2017 after a 20+ year career working in the legal field, because let’s face it, wine is more fun to talk about! She's a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS), and is currently a WSET Diploma student. With her business partner, she has created a boutique wine importing business (Corkscrew Imports) and enjoys searching out new and interesting wines to import.

James Peden is the wine director for the Liberty Entertainment Group in Toronto and is responsible for the wine and beverage programs at all 7 properties including BlueBlood Steakhouse in Casa Loma, and three Cibo Wine Bars. Prior to this James worked as the Head Sommelier at Treadwell Farm-to-Table in Niagara-on-the-Lake. During this time, James curated a list with over 150 VQA wines and developed strong relationships with wineries and winemakers in the Niagara Peninsula. This strong attachment to Niagara is why he decided to run for the CAPS board as an ambassador for the region. After passing the Advanced...

  After a long career as a marketing professional, Shagun decided to follow her passion and immersed herself in all things wine. After moving from New York to Toronto in 2017, she enrolled in the CAPS program at George Brown, which not only enriched her knowledge, but helped her connect to some amazing individuals of the food and beverage industry. Actively working and collaborating in the industry, and continuing her education in wine with WSET, she also shares her experiences under “PhenomOenology” on Instagram. Her passion for food and wines has led her to travel to different parts of the...