Brinn Talbot - Event Chair
In 1999, Brinn A. Talbot opened Switchback Public Relations + Marketing, Inc. in Tahoe City, Calif. to provide outstanding services to local, regional and national clients. Prior to founding Switchback, Brinn served as a senior account supervisor for Kratz & Company in San Francisco and has managed numerous prestigious accounts including: Jamba Juice, Ski Lake Tahoe, Boston Properties Embarcadero Center, Aqua Restaurant, Domaine Carneros, Samuel Adams and Red Bull.

In 2004, Brinn was offered the opportunity to own an event under the umbrella of the Autumn Food & Wine Festival and jumped at the chance - she had been looking for a signature event for Switchback Public Relations + Marketing, Inc., and the Downtown Truckee Wine, Walk & Shop was the perfect fit. Combining her extensive Food & Beverage, Travel & Tourism and Event Marketing expertise, Brinn and her team were able to achieve great success for the year-one event and have continued to grow the event ever since.

Brinn is committed to giving back to her community. The first Wine, Walk & Shop was a huge success with nearly 500 tickets sold and $2000 donated to InnerRhythms Dance Theatre. The success of the event has only continued to grow since then and thousands of dollars have been raised for various non-profit organizations including the Lake Tahoe Music Festival, Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe, Truckee High School Band in honor of Matt Rusanoff, the Glenshire and Truckee Elementary Schools’ Special Friends Program, Sierra Senior Services, and Girls on the Run - Sierras. She dedicates both her own time and that of her staff to several non-profit organizations including: Truckee-Tahoe Community Foundation, Sierra Senior Services, Truckee River Watershed Council, InnerRhythms, Truckee Rotary, Kidzone and the Tahoe Forest Hospital Leadership Council.

Jen Eastwood - Steering Committee
Jen Eastwood has been on the Downtown Truckee Wine, Walk & Shop Steering Committee since the event's inception in 2004. A Switchback employee for nine years, Jen now works as the publicist for the Eldorado Hotel Casino in Reno - but she couldn't give up being involved in this event!

During her time at Switchback, Jen implemented her skills to oversee many of the special events under Switchback's umbrella. She has a passion for events and an aptitude for organization and detail. As a steering committee member, she has been instrumental in the planning and execution of the Downtown Truckee Wine, Walk & Shop.

An avid traveler, Jen has studied abroad and taken numerous independent trips across North, Central and South America as well as all over Europe. Highlights of her adventures abroad include attending the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, making new friends in Buenos Aires, and attending weddings in Belize, Tuscany and Portugal. When she's not traveling out of the country, she's spending time in wine country.

Sally Lyon - Steering Committee
Sally is pleased to be a part of the Downtown Truckee Wine Walk & Shop and looks forward to this fall's event, which showcases both Truckee and its downtown merchants as well as great California wines. Sally was instrumental in creating the event and is thrilled with the previous years' successes.

Sally is a longtime Truckee resident having moved here from Reno in 2000. She is the Chief Financial Officer and Director of Human Resources for the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association in Tahoe City and is a licensed CPA. Before going into accounting, she was owner of a retail wine store as well as a manager of a deli/wine store in Reno. Whenever she can fit it in, she is out hiking and enjoying the mountains with friends and her dogs, Sunny and Cher.

Wrenn Johns - Steering Committee
Wrenn is the public relations and marketing pro at Switchback PR and Marketing. From event planning, to business branding and everything in between, Wrenn is Switchback's go-to gal. As a long time Truckee-Tahoe local, Wrenn has a strong grasp on the Tahoe Truckee area’s unique business and tourism environment. With over ten years of experience in the marketing and public relations scene, she is always ready for any client and the obstacles they bring with them. Wrenn is savvy, genuine, and driven towards the thoughtful execution of any project from start to finish and is excited to lend her expertise to this quintessential Truckee event.