Jess Helfand

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 also holds the titles of Italian Wine Professional (IWP), Certified Sherry Wine Specialist (CSWS), Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW), and Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS). She also has an MA in Policy Economics from Tulane University and an MBA from the University of Maryland.

After 11 years in Washington, DC, Jess relocated to Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and three cats. When not teaching, Jess works in a wine and spirits boutique and continues in her position as an economist.