NAPA, CA, September 1, 2021— Bâtonnage Forum, a nonprofit organization aimed at opening up a conversation about women in wine, has announced it will once again “Pass the Baton-nage” to a new team to plan and produce the annual forum over the next two years. The tradition underlines the forum’s position as a community-owned entity, while bringing in new approaches and perspectives that are integral to the event’s continued evolution and growth.
Bâtonnage founders Stevie Stacionis and Sarah Bray launched the “Pass the Baton-nage” initiative following the 2019 forum. After two years with Katie Canfield and Rebecca Johnson of O’Donnell Lane at the helm, the baton will once again be passed to new orchestrators, who will manage the planning and production of the next two forums in summer 2022 and 2023. Interested candidates may submit proposals to be reviewed and evaluated by the Bâtonnage Board of Directors to determine the most qualified entity to carry on the vision of the event. While the Bâtonnage organization has expanded into a multi-channel platform, this particular initiative is focused on the one-day forum.
“In four years, Bâtonnage has transformed from a grassroots initiative into a robust international community that seeks to find pragmatic solutions for under-represented individuals in the wine industry,” says Stevie. “Passing the baton every two years allows for fresh ideas, viewpoints, and allows us to keep to our original vision for the forum: a platform driven by and serving the community as a whole, not individuals.”
The new team will be able to lean on this network as they create the next two Forums that will continue on the ethos of Bâtonnage—to promote equity and equality around the world, and more specifically in the wine industry.
“We are excited to bring in new leadership for the Forum,” says Rebecca. “The wine industry is comprised of so many dynamic individuals that are eager to bring their ideas to light, and we want to make sure this is reflected in the programming of the forum year after year, so that the content is never stagnant and always relevant.”
For more information about what the role entails and details about how to apply, please review the request for proposal available on the Bâtonnage website. Proposals must be submitted by email to info@batonnageforum.com no later than November 1, 2021 at 5:00pm Pacific Time.
To apply: https://bit.ly/pass-the-
About Bâtonnage Forum
Founded in 2018 by Stevie Stacionis and Sarah Bray and produced by O’Donnell Lane, LLC beginning in 2020, Bâtonnage is the brainchild of all those who identify as women working in all the different facets of the wine industry. The forum serves as a platform to educate wine professionals as well as wine industry supporters on the unique challenges and opportunities that women in the field—winemakers, vineyard workers, writers and marketers, salespeople, sommeliers, collectors, and drinkers—have faced both historically and present-day. A 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit organization, Bâtonnage extends well beyond the one-day forum to a community who strives to investigate and implement pragmatic solutions for charting a positive, inclusive course forward. For more information and to join the conversation, visit batonnageforum.com.
