Staff

*Vacant

Director 

Office: Vincent E. Petrucci Viticulture Building Room 102
Phone: 559.278.2253
Email: 

Brief Introductory Statement:

Pia Martinez

Administrative Support Assistant II

Office: Vincent E. Petrucci Viticulture Building Room 102
Phone: 559.278.4408
Fax: 559.278.4795
Email: piamartinez@mail.fresnostate.edu

Brief Introductory Statement:

Pia Martinez is the Administrative Support Assistant II for the Viticulture and Enology Research Center. Here she enjoys supporting faculty and students with their research. Pia graduated from Fresno State in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Communications.

Emily Wilkins

Instructional Support Technician
Viticulture and Enology Academic and Research Support

Office: Viticulture Annex and Operations building 
Phone: 559.278.2136
Fax: 559.278.4795
Email: ewilkins@csufresno.edu

Brief Introductory Statement:
Emily Wilkins is the Instructional Support Technician for the Viticulture and Enology Research Center where she assists faculty and students with research projects, upholds chemical and laboratory safety measures, and maintains research equipment.  

Prior to her role at Fresno State, Emily worked in the California wine industry on the Central Coast and Central Valley specializing in wine production and laboratory techniques.  She was a part of many innovative practices at commercial wineries including, flotation for clarifying juice, micro-fermentations for smoke taint assessment, and training for sensory faults. Emily holds a bachelor’s degree in Wine and Viticulture, with a concentration in Enology, from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.   

Tricia Totherow

Library Assistant

Office: Vincent E. Petrucci Viticulture Building Room 101
Phone: 559.278.5388
Fax: 559.278.4795
Email: ttotherow@csufresno.edu
Viticulture & Enology Library Website
Department Library Hours: 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Monday-Friday)

Brief Introductory Statement:
Born and raised in the heart of California's Central Valley, Tricia brings to the Viticulture and Enology Library her knowledge and experience achieved via Certification in Library Technology, as well as her many years working with both the Fresno County Public Library and Central Unified School District.

Luz Mendoza

CATI Communications Specialist
Events and Outreach

Office: Vincent E. Petrucci Viticulture Building Room 112
Phone: 559.278.7135
Fax: 559.278.4795
Email: luzmendoza@csufresno.edu

Brief Introductory Statement:

Luz Mendoza is the communication specialist for the California Agricultural Technology Institute (CATI). She assists with events and outreach for the three centers under the CATI umbrella; Viticulture and Enology Research Center (VERC), Center for Irrigation (CIT) and the Institute for Food and Agriculture (IFA).

Prior to coming to Fresno State, Luz was a high school agriculture teacher. Luz graduated from UC Davis with her Master's in  2013, Single Subject Agriculture Teaching Credential in 2011 and B.S. in International Agricultural Devolvement in 2007.