Cakebread Cellars Deepens Its Female Leadership Bench, Naming Barbara Vakassian Director of Hospitality and Danielle Cantrell Director of PR & Marketing
RUTHERFORD, Calif. – October 27, 2026 – Cakebread Cellars, the family-owned Napa Valley winery celebrated for its Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and culinary heritage, today announced two new additions to its leadership team: Barbara Vakassian as Director of Hospitality and Danielle Cantrell as Director of PR & Marketing. The appointments further strengthen what is now a predominantly female executive bench at Cakebread Cellars — one charged with carrying a 53-year family legacy into its next chapter without compromising the quality on which the winery was built.
Vakassian and Cantrell join a leadership team that already includes CFO Kathy DeVillers; VP of Sales, Marketing, and Direct-to-Consumer Sara Rathbun; VP of Culture and Talent Development Gina Charbonneau; Director of Cakebread Cellars Winemaking Niki Williams; Director of Vineyard Operations Jessica Baumgartner; and Director of Bezel Winemaking Jane Dunkley.
“Jack and Dolores built Cakebread Cellars by trying things no one else in Napa Valley was doing, and that spirit of innovation is exactly what we’re reigniting today,” said David Amadia, President and CEO of Cakebread Cellars. “Barbara and Danielle bring bold new ideas about how people discover, experience, and connect with wine. I’ve asked them to challenge our assumptions and reinvent how we welcome guests and tell our story, while holding firm to the one thing we’ll never change: an uncompromising commitment to quality.”
Barbara Vakassian, Director of Hospitality, brings a proven track record of reimagining guest experiences at premier hospitality and wine brands, with a focus on creating memorable, elevated, and approachable visitor experiences. In her new role, Vakassian will lead the evolution of Cakebread Cellars’ estate tastings, tours, private events, and culinary programming, from food and wine pairings to cooking classes and garden-to-table experiences. She will also introduce new ways for guests to connect with the winery, reimagining what it means to welcome a new generation of visitors to Rutherford while preserving the warmth and personal touch for which Cakebread has always been known.
“Cakebread Cellars’ culinary heritage and sense of place give us an incredible foundation,” said Vakassian. “Our job now is to reimagine how guests experience this estate, from the garden and kitchen to the vineyard and cellar, so that every visit feels personal, modern, and held to the same standard of quality as our wines.”
Danielle Cantrell, Director of PR & Marketing, is a communications and brand-storytelling leader known for helping heritage brands find new relevance with younger and more diverse consumer audiences having worked with Clover Sonoma dairy and Traditional Medicinals most recently. Cantrell will oversee Cakebread Cellars and Bezel public relations and marketing strategy, sharpening the brand’s voice across media, social, and cultural moments to introduce the winery to consumers who may not yet know its history, culinary acumen, and sustainability ethos — while deepening loyalty among those who do.
“Cakebread Cellars has spent 50 years earning trust through quality and consistency — that’s a gift, not a constraint,” said Cantrell. “My job is to translate that legacy into stories, moments, and experiences that feel relevant to how people discover and enjoy wine today. We’re not changing what Cakebread and Bezel stand for; we’re expanding who gets to discover it.”
Together, these appointments reflect Cakebread Cellars’ broader strategy: pairing the operational and winemaking discipline that has defined the brand since 1973 with fresh, innovative thinking in hospitality, marketing, and consumer engagement. That strategy comes on the heels of a strong start to 2026 for the winery, which was recently recognized with a Gold Medal at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, and follows the recent appointments of CFO Kathy DeVillers and VP of Sales, Marketing, and Direct-to-Consumer Sara Rathbun.
“Great brands don’t stand still,” added Amadia. “This leadership team combines deep respect for family and craft with the courage to experiment, test new ideas, and modernize how we show up for our guests and consumers. That willingness to innovate is what will carry Cakebread Cellars into its next 50 years.”
