Our Team

Our Barrel Consultants have years of hands-on experience learning at our company-owned cooperages and mills in Missouri, France, and Australia. They are experts on the nuances of each of our barrel brands and build strong relationships with winemakers in order to pair the ideal barrels with your fruit.
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Elizabeth Van Emst

General Manager
Elizabeth Van Emst has over 15 years of experience in the industry and leads the Cooperages 1912 Barrel Consultants in North America.
Territories: North America
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Yuri DeLeon

Barrel Consultant
Yuri began his career with Cooperages 1912 in 1998. For 25 years he has partnered with wineries in California and throughout the US, helping them build consistent barrel programs.
Territories: Central valley, Bay Area, Northern Central Coast
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Karen Prusinowski

Barrel Consultant
For over 10 years, Karen has focused on consistency, quality, and customer experience to build comprehensive barrel programs with clients matching the perfect barrel for multiple varietals and program tiers.
Territories: Sonoma, North Coast California, Oregon, Western Washington
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Zach Thompson

Barrel Consultant
With 15 years at Cooperages 1912, Zach is the resident authority on our French cooperages. He uses his consummate customer service skills to taste through programs with winemakers, finding the perfect fit between barrel, oak type, and wine varietal.
Territories: Napa, Foothills, Eastern Washington, Carneros
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Tim Suter

Barrel Consultant
Tim recently completed our global cooper training program, working at our facilities in the US, France and Australia. As the barrel consultant for Temecula and all interior states, he enjoys meeting with winemakers to consult on their barrel programs.
Territories: Interior States, Temecula, San Diego
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Karolyn Wright

Barrel Consultant
Karolyn's 13 years of experience in wine production and sales, along with her Wine & Viticulture degree from CalPoly, give her invaluable insight when assisting customers with their barrel choices.
Territories: South Central Coast, East Coast, Canada