Board of Directors

James Peden is the wine director for the Liberty Entertainment Group in Toronto and is responsible for the operations at all 7 restaurants including Don Alfonso 1890, DaNico, Blue Bovine Steak + Sushi House, 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...

  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...

After completing an H.B.Comm with a focus in Hospitality Management at the University of Guelph she attended culinary school at George Brown College and spent years working as a cook in Toronto and Italy before enrolling in the CAPS program. Upon completing the CMS Certification she has worked as a sommelier in Canada, the UK and New Zealand. Having recently completed an MBA in Wine Marketing and Management at INSEEC in Bordeaux she is back in Toronto and working as the Portfolio Manager at The Living Vine. She is currently working towards her WSET Diploma.

Heather McDougall is a certified sommelier (International Sommelier Guild and WSET) who has spent the last decade honing her skills in both retail and restaurant settings. She completed her certifications in 2008 in Calgary and worked as a wine director (Rush, Model Milk and Vintage Chophouse) and as a buyer / sommelier in top boutique wine stores, including BIN 905 and Metrovino. Teaching and tasting have always been a large component in all of Heather's roles and continues to be since moving to Toronto. She has held the position of wine director at Splendido and The Chase and has been...

Bruce Wallner is a Master Sommelier and owner of Sommelier Factory, a wine education provider, and Grand Cru Deli in Toronto.