TRACY WALDRON, DWS

WSET Certified Educator

Tracy Waldron is a wine, spirits, sake, and hospitality expert, with more than 25 years’ experience in all aspects of the beverage and hospitality trade.

She is one of only a few hundred WSET Certified Educators in the US, a French and Spanish Wine Scholar, Sherry Wine Specialist, Certified Sake Professional, and Diploma-holder in Single Malt Scotch.

Tracy spent more than a decade in Napa Valley where she worked as a Sommelier for two Michelin-starred restaurants; was Director of Sales, Marketing and Hospitality for an iconic luxury winery; and eventually began making wine for her own label, Analog Wine Co. She then traveled extensively throughout the wine, spirits, and sake regions of Europe, the Middle East, and Japan as Director of a NYC-based import and distribution company.

In 2017, Tracy turned her attention to educating future beverage industry leaders when she returned to her hometown of Richmond, Virginia. As the owner of the Virginia Wine & Spirits Academy, she crafts engaging seminars for corporations, universities, and individual enthusiasts, while teaching professional certifications for restaurants, retailers, wineries, distilleries, and distributors.

Cross-certified in Perfumery and Chocolate-making, and with a university science degree, Tracy shares knowledge in ways that are unique to each student’s current perspective, but always grounded in the science of sensory perception as it applies to tasting.

Certifications
WSET Certified Educator – Wines and Spirits

WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines & Spirits (DWS)

French Wine Scholar with Highest Honors (FWS)

Spanish Wine Scholar with Highest Honors (SWS)

Diploma in Single Malt Scotch - Edinburgh Whisky Academy

Certified Scotch Professional (CSP) - The Council of Whiskey Masters

Certified Sherry Wines Specialist with Highest Honors (CSWS)

Certified Sake Professional (CSP) - Japanese Sake Education Council

Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) - Society of Wine Educators

Nick Crutchfield, WSET Level 3 Spirits Certified

WSET Certified Spirits Educator

Nick Crutchfield is a seasoned spirits professional with over 27 years of experience in bartending, brand advocacy, and hospitality education. His career has taken him across the United States and Mexico, where he has developed bar programs, trained staff, and consulted for a range of international spirits brands. His work blends deep technical knowledge with a passion for storytelling, culture, and community-building—hallmarks of his approach behind the bar and in the classroom.

He has hosted seminars at industry-leading events such as Tales of the Cocktail and BCB and is committed to advancing the conversation around inclusivity, accessibility, and sustainability in the spirits world. He is the founder of a touring bartending and spirits education program that combines physical and mental wellness, foundational spirits training, and hands-on skill development, with the goal of supporting and empowering the next generation of hospitality professionals.

In addition to his work in education and consulting, he is the creator and host of TaleFeather, a podcast that explores the “why” behind hospitality through intimate conversations with bartenders, brand builders, and other creative thinkers shaping the industry today.

Whether in the classroom, behind a bar, or on a microphone, he is dedicated to elevating the craft of hospitality while nurturing spaces where knowledge, culture, and care converge.

Certifications WSET Certified Educator - Spirits

WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits with Merit

Certified Executive Bourbon Steward (Stave & Thief Society)

Certificate in Distilling Science & Technology (Siebel Institute)

Certificate in Distilling -- Cereal Option (Chartered Institute of Brewers & Distillers)

Cicerone Certified Beer Server