NVEELC

NVEELC Conference 2026

Meeting Stakeholders Where They Are
April 20-22, 2026 | San Antonio, TX | Westin Riverwalk
Hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Program

  • Networking: The conference kicks off with an afternoon pow-wow with colleagues from across the country,
    sharing challenges, innovations and opportunities to collaborate. We can all work together to meet our stakeholders where they are.
  • Tour: Circle the wagons and ride (the bus) from San Antonio deep into the Texas Hill Country on a full-day industry tour. We’ll visit four pioneering vineyards and wineries that are winning new consumers with creative winemaking, packaging and programs that break the traditional mold.
  • Professional development: Learn to two-step your way to maintaining relevance and delivering impact for industry stakeholders in these challenging times. In a special half-day skills session, drink in best practices with decorated extension and outreach experts, and discuss the possibilities and pitfalls of AI tools. Take all your learnings back to the ranch and see what works in your own extension or outreach program.

The whole enchilada takes place on the San Antonio Riverwalk and comes with a generous side of southern hospitality!

See the agenda.

 

Tickets

Ticket sales for NVEELC 2026 are closed.

 

Host Hotel

The NVEELC room block at the Westin Riverwalk has closed.

 

NVEELC Sponsorship Opportunities

Might you or your company be interested in sponsoring NVEELC or
funding travel scholarships for extension agents who might not otherwise be able to attend?

Thank you to…

 

Event updates will be emailed to the NVEELC community. If you’re not on the list, sign up now!

All V&E extension and industry (non-sales) outreach specialists, and NGRA members are welcome.

Flame Seedless table grapes, photo: Matt Fidelibus, UCCE

NVEELC Organizing Committee
A subcommittee of the NGRA Extension & Outreach Committee

Justin Scheiner, Texas A&M University, Chair
Karen Block, UC Davis
Michael Cook, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Sarah Lowder, University of Georgia
Charlotte Oliver, Colorado State University
Renee Threlfall, University of Arkansas
Tian Tian, University of California Cooperative Extension

Industry Advisors
Keith Striegler, NGRA Extension & Outreach Committee Chair (GALLO)
Rich Schaefers, NGRA Board Chair (Nuveen Natural Capital)
Donnell Brown, NGRA President

About NVEELC

With support from NGRA, the National Viticulture and Enology Leadership Community (NVEELC) grew from a grassroots effort of wine, juice, table and raisin grape extension and outreach professionals working within and outside of traditional cooperative extension. This unique community of practice offers professional development, opportunities to share research and regional reports and best-practices, and fosters collaboration and dialogue, helping viticulture and enology extension professionals stay apprised of industry challenges across the country. In-person conferences are organized and hosted by an extension team in a different grape grape-growing region every other year and include tours of vineyards, labs and other local viticulture and enology research and extension assets.

If you don’t already get NGRA emails and want to be informed of NVEELC and other events and grape research news, subscribe here.