In Memoriam: Wine Institute VP of Communications and Member Relations Natalie Wymer Natalie Wymer, Wine Institute’s vice president of communications and member relations, passed away on June 23, 2024, at age 63, after a courageous battle with cancer. Natalie was a beloved team member and an inspiration for her kindness, camaraderie and collaborative spirit. Before joining Wine Institute in April 2021 she was vice president of global corporate communications at SunPower, a Silicon Valley-headquartered solar, storage and services company. Among other accomplishments in her career, Natalie also had extensive federal and state government experience. She served in the Clinton/Gore administration, including as communications director for the White House Climate Change Task Force; director of public affairs in the U.S. Department of Energy under Secretary Bill Richardson; deputy chief of staff to U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich; and press secretary for the Denver Summit of the annual G-8 meeting. A passionate alumna of The Ohio State University (and an avid fan of its Buckeyes football team), she began her career working in Ohio government, including for the governor, attorney general and economic development department. Natalie is survived by her husband Kevin Duffey of St. Helena, her parents Paul and Barbara Wymer of Upper Sandusky, Ohio and brother Nathan, sister-in-law Beth and nephew Zachary Wymer of Columbus, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to BreakthroughT1D.org (formerly JDRF) and the UCSF Gastrointestinal Cancer Fund. https://lnkd.in/gihPRGVR https://lnkd.in/gSREju9a
Natalie will be missed. An incredible person- with fabulous taste in music- who really cared about her work and her team.
I am sorry to hear about Natalie’s passing. I was fortunate enough to get to work with Natalie at SunPower in 2019, during tough times and transitions. Natalie was a kind and compassionate leader, who gave me advise and guidance. She always had my back and I very much appreciated her. It was a reminder that you can truly lead and be kind at the same time. You will be missed, Natalie. ♥️
I didn’t know Natalie but her story is amazing. What a special person. She will always be remembered. Cancer is a vicious disease. I will honor her with a contribution to the UCSF Gastrointestinal Cancer Fund. May she in Heaven rest in peace. God blessed her soul.
Such an honor to know her and so saddened by her loss.
Natalie had the rare gift of effortlessly uplifting everyone around her. I will miss the many projects we worked on together, the football talks, and hearing her infectious laugh. The industry has lost a true champion!
She was so nice and helpful. Such a sad, sad loss for everyone who knew her.
She was gone too soon. I really enjoyed working with her, especially her laugh. My heart goes out to her family and to Wine Institute.
Devastated by this, while warmly and richly remembering Natalie's passion, humor, intelligence, kindness... and so so soooooo much more. I miss you Natalie. 💓
What a beautiful person. It was a treat to be able to work with her.
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3moIf you want to know a little more about her I wrote a tribute to my dear wife of 40 years here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7211990592468189184/