Jess Helfand
Instructor, dipWSET, WSET Certified Educator
Jess is an economist by training who has always had a love of wine and spirits. She completed the WSET Diploma in 2016 and has been teaching for the academy since 2017. Her primary goal as an educator is to make wine accessible at any level, from the beginner to the advanced student. Jess is a WSET Certified Educator and holds the titles of Italian Wine Professional (IWP), Certified Sherry Wine Specialist (CSWS), Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW), and is an Italian Wine Ambassador and an Official Ambassador of Orvieto Wines. Her area of focus is sparkling wine, and she is the academy’s lead Champagne Educator, as well as a Certified Cava Educator. Additionally, she holds an MA in Policy Economics from Tulane University and an MBA from the University of Maryland. Jess lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and four cats. When not teaching, Jess works in a wine and spirits boutique in Nashville.
Jean Cox
WSET Level 3 Certified, WSET Certified Educator, FWS, SWS, Certified Sommelier , Instructor
Meet Jean Cox, a highly accomplished instructor at Napa Valley Wine Academy. In addition to her instructor role, Jean manages our Tampa branch and coordinates venues and instructors for satellite locations throughout the United States. She is also responsible for organizing corporate and group courses and private events. Before joining Napa Valley Wine Academy, Jean spent 19 years as a flight attendant and, later, a sales rep with a wine distributor and a buyer in a botique wine shop. This experience sparked her interest in wine education. It led her to pursue a variety of certifications, including WSET Level 3, FWS (French Wine Scholar), SWS (Spanish Wine Scholar), CMS (Certified Sommelier), CSP (Certified Sake Professional), CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine), NVWE (Napa Valley Wine Expert), and International Sommelier Guild Level 2. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Jean is also a world traveler, having visited all seven continents, including Antarctica, twice. She and her husband are Master Divers and enjoy boating in their home state of Florida. Jean’s favorite weeknight wine is “anything new and different,” including a Txakolina from Spain, Chenin Blanc from Savennieres, or dry Riesling from Clare Valley.
Related Courses
and Classes
Wine Can Be Complex.
Wine Education Shouldn't Be.
Wine Education Shouldn't Be.
Whether you’re looking to advance in your career with a WSET certification or just be more confident in the wine aisle, we offer the instruction and support you need to achieve your wine education goals. With Napa Valley Wine Academy, you can:
- Earn your WSET certification (Levels 1-4) from the world’s largest, most-awarded program provider
- Get the basics without the stress of certification in our Wine 101 or 201 courses
- Gain an edge in a certain wine region with one of our specialty certifications
- Learn hands-on in an immersive wine experience