Founders, Hospitality & Sales
Bill Sweat and Donna Morris
Founders
Second careers, a well-planned next chapter, the pursuit of our shared passion – all in some way describe our new life in Oregon. The kernels of Winderlea were spun over milestone birthdays and anniversaries, travels to our favorite wine regions, and nightly dinners with a bottle of wine after good and not so good days at the office.
In the early 90s we fell in love with Pinot noir. Its elegance and sensuality – and the beautiful way it paired with a range of foods delighted us. As we tasted through wines from across the country we found the characteristics we most loved in Oregon Pinot noir. We believe it is due in large part to Oregon’s unique climate and soils paired with the heritage of artisanal craftsmanship and an obsession with making small lots of the highest quality wine. On a practical level we found the Oregon wine community to be a collaborative one – where newcomers are welcomed, tutored and expected to perfect their craft.
In 2006 we relocated from Boston and have made Dundee, Oregon our home. We are committed to continuing the traditions of responsible stewardship of the land and the highest quality artisan winemaking.
DeAnna Ornelas
Tasting Room & Hospitality Manager
Coming from Kansas, I am a proud alum of my hometown Wichita State University. After spending my early career in insurance sales, I decided to take a work hiatus to travel through Argentine wine country. That experience sparked a passion for wine that would lead to a new career, beginning in a wine shop in Wichita, which is where I discovered my love for Oregon wine.
Following a desire to be in the thick of the action, I soon moved west and in April of 2015 joined the team at Winderlea. When I’m not behind the bar in the tasting room, I love exploring Portland and the Pacific Northwest. Besides a love of wine, my favorite things include laughing incessantly with friends, traveling and Law and Order SVU.
Allison Fields
Wine Club & Compliance Administrator
Scott Nagle
Director of Sales
I have had the pleasure of representing and selling Oregon wines around the world for over 20 years. I’ve been a part of many different facets of the industry and have been lucky to work directly for many Willamette Valley wineries in varying capacities. I have both traveled across the country selling and sharing our wines and also welcomed visitors here- managing hospitality programs that create top notch experiences that speak to what we love about this great area. I have a passion for food, wine, music and adventure. When I’m not cooking and entertaining at home, you will most likely find me skiing in the mountains or riding my bike through this beautiful Valley.
Christy Hitz
Tasting Room Ambassador
Christy is a native Oregonian who grew up in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. I went to college and played basketball at both Linfield College and Western Oregon University. After graduating, I started my teaching career in San Diego, but soon found my way back to Oregon. After many drives out to wine country, I quickly fell in love with the area and my passion for wine started to grow. I enjoyed soaking up what I could from each visit and began studying about wine on my own. My husband and I moved to the Dundee Hills in 2012, and after 13 years of teaching, as well as serving as an Athletic Director, I decided it was time to turn my passion into a reality. In the beginning of 2016, I started my career in the wine industry and have been loving every minute of it.
When I’m not working in the tasting room, I take time to enjoy the many adventures that the Pacific Northwest has to offer – hiking, camping, kayaking, and spending time on the Oregon Coast. I also enjoy gardening, landscaping, and of course, just having a glass of wine on my deck!
Ken Wytsma
Tasting Room Ambassador
I am an educator at heart. In my earlier career, it was a joy serving as President at a small liberal arts college now known as The Voices School of Liberation and Theology. I have served as adjunct professor at over a dozen colleges and universities which has been a fun outlet for my love for creativity, philosophy and history. I’ve been able to explore a wide range of academic interests through the authoring of five books and articles discussing the topics of creativity, faith, and a theology of justice. It was an honor to have my fourth book, The Myth of Equality, a history of race and faith in America, named one of the Top 5 Religion Books of the Year by Publishers Weekly. As an entrepreneur, I planted a church in Bend, Oregon and founded The Justice Conference, which has multiplied to eleven countries.
My passion for history and a theology of justice have taken me around the world where I was introduced to and developed a love for Pinot noir. Now in my second career, I enjoy living near the orchards and vineyards in the Willamette Valley with my wife, Tamara, and four daughters, finding time to write and combining my passion for history and education as a tasting room ambassador at Winderlea.
I was drawn to Winderlea by the beautiful location in the Dundee Hills, the focus on quality small-lot production of Pinot noir and Chardonnay, and the unique social focus of Bill and Donna, who donate a portion of tasting room proceeds to healthcare for vineyard stewards and have a commitment to diversity and equity in the wine industry as the second Oregon winery to be recognized as a certified B Corporation.
