About Laura Williamson
Master Sommelier &
Certified Wine Educator
Originally born in a dry county in Arkansas, Laura passed the Master Sommelier exam, "the world's toughest wine exam" as noted by Forbes Magazine, when barely a dozen women in the world had done so previously...
She later became Beverage Director and Chef Sommelier for a Michelin Three-Star, New York Times Four-Star Restaurant in NYC and remains one of the few women globally to have held a position of this stature within the restaurant industry.
She left her restaurant career to advise, speak, consult and teach wine lovers to expand their joy and become their best personal guide by exploring exotic grapes of remote areas to unlock their palate via the embrace of individual preference. Laura has shared her esteemed expertise through features on CBS, FOX, NBC, Forbes Magazine and Wine Spectator.
Laura Williamson MS, CWE
Master Sommelier—13th female in the world, with only 35 women today
- Examined and mentored over 10,000 students since gaining the Diploma in 2005
- Anchored the Education Committee and Exam Committee for entire Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas
- Secured mainstream status for esoteric wine appellations and grapes, previously unrecognized by public
Certified Wine Educator—achieved this certification when less than 100 had done so previously
- Helped set modern education foundations and virtual learning in motion
As VP of Sales for a German Wine Importer: managed 70 distributors across all 50 states (+12% YOY 2 years, $14M+)
- Led product education for 500+ distributor reps to foster unprecedented sales via new product placement
Bev Director & Corp Dir - Michelin 3 Star, NY Times 4 Star Restaurant by NYC Celeb Chef—grew sales $5+M (20% YOY, 2 years)
- Led team of 25+ to rediscover prod passion and unique market position to achieve elevated client satisfaction goals
125+ Virtual Global Exec Corporate Wine Events & Meetings in 2021 (Forbes 500)
