Meet Our Team - Redwood Empire Whiskey

JeffMASTER DISTILLER

Jeff Duckhorn has combined his wine country heritage with the mindset of a maker, be it bread, beer or kombucha, into a successful career as our Master Distiller. We think of him as an “accountant gone rogue”, since he originally started his career as a number cruncher, later signing on to explore new frontiers of spirits production. Jeff has been brewing for over twenty years, he has “always loved dabbling in fermentation and making all sorts of stuff at home.” Considering Jeff's natural talents, paired with his passion for whiskey, Jeff is now in a position where he clearly belongs. In his free time, you'll find him gardening, fishing, hiking, or camping with his family.
LAURENMASTER BLENDER

Lauren Patz grew up in the Napa Valley, the daughter of winemakers. From an early age she learned to love good food and drink. After teaching English in Japan and working at a chocolate factory she joined Spirit Works Distillery in 2013. Eventually taking the mantel of Head Distiller and the responsibility for all distillery operations and product development she discovered her true calling in craft spirit production. She has been a judge for the American Distilling Institute since 2017 and taught distillation seminars and workshops to forward her mission to act as a resource in the distilling community. Her distilling mantra is passion, palate, and patience.
TYLERLEAD DISTILLER

With over a decade of experience in ultra-premium distillation and wine manufacturing, Tyler brings a wealth of knowledge and attention to detail to our operations. After earning a degree in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis in 2014, Tyler honed his production skills and palate in high end Napa Valley wineries before jumping at the opportunity to join the growing craft spirits industry where he has been ever since. Always the scientist, Tyler loves incorporating different grains into mash bills to test the sensory impact on resulting whiskies. Outside of the distillery, you can find him hunting for mushrooms in the rain, traveling the world, and drinking tea with a history book in his hand.
ROBERTDISTILLER

Robert Hawkins has been a mechanic for over 16 years. His skills were instrumental in building the distillery and assembling and installing almost all the equipment. He is often referred to as the “MacGyver” of the team, coming up with innovative solutions for improving our whiskey. Enthusiastic about the process, Robert quickly became a distiller for Redwood Empire, enjoying every single moment and stating that this is hardly a “job” for him, rather a passion. As a California native, most of his time is spent outdoors, usually on the lake, enjoying his home state with his wife and two sons.
MARIA "KIKA"ASSISTANT DISTILLER

During her 10 years in the wine industry, Maria 'Kika' Rivera learned the ins and outs of production, harvest and wine aging in Sonoma County. Interested in everything spirits, she later traded in wine barrels for whiskey barrels. She couldn’t be happier pursuing her newfound passion and getting her hands dirty in the Redwood Empire Distillery. In her downtime, you’ll most likely find her outdoors, spending time with her two children.
TYLERASSISTANT DISTILLER

Born and raised in Northern California, Tyler has had a passion for the outdoors, especially the Redwood Forests his whole life. After graduating from Humboldt State University, Tyler attended UC Davis Master Brewers Program then started working in the Brewing industry for close to ten years. Switching to Distilling was an exciting opportunity to learn new skills, and add a brewers knowledge and touch to the similar process of making spirit. When not honing his craft, Tyler enjoys hiking and backpacking, playing music, and enjoying the beauty of Mother Earth.
STEVESPIRITS BOTTLING MANAGER

Steve Castro has been working for us in the bottling department for well over a decade. He has seen just about every packaging configuration in his time on the line. Now, as Spirits Bottling Manager, he is in charge of bottling production and quality, making sure the Redwood Empire keeps flowing. Steve loves hitting the local dirt on his mountain bike in his free time or sipping on fine Tequila.
ElliottBrand Manager

Elliott Sneen has been working in the wine and spirits marketing industry for well over a decade. He has helped establish brands large and small. Now as our Brand Manager, he continues to drive awareness and innovation at Redwood Empire. When he isn’t batching cocktails for our team, you’ll find him jogging throughout Sonoma County with his dog Olive.