Professional Perspectives

“Bryan Avila has not only created a purposeful organization named Regionicity, he has developed an organization that effectively and efficiently allows the agro and related bio-economy to define, even re-define itself to meet today’s agricultural, cultural and consumer needs with a vital sense of ‘place.’ His intent to help the myriad related industries bring solutions to today’s and future challenges with bold, dynamic ideas has enabled our partnership in workforce development to create a new, industry vetted solution around ‘earn and learn’ apprenticeship.

Bryan reached out to multiple agricultural owners and professional organizations to vet our work and to open my eyes to opportunities that marry biotechnology, agricultural sustainability, and even agro-tourism. His ability to purposefully engage stakeholders ranging from family-owned farms to statewide trade associations and senior CA Department of Food and Agriculture leadership is impressive, even above and beyond expectations.

I highly recommend engaging with Bryan to collaborate on agricultural related and regional economic strategies.”

Deborah Shepard, M Ed.
Career Pathways Coordinator - Special Projects
South Bay Workforce Investment Board

“I've had the rare pleasure of working with Bryan Avila in several different capacities over the years, first through the Workforce Alliance of the North Bay and later as both an employer partner and collaborator on apprenticeship initiatives. What has always impressed me most is Bryan's ability to bring people together around a shared goal. He combines deep industry expertise, strong employer relationships, and a genuine passion for workforce development to create opportunities for both businesses and job seekers.

When our team needed to engage employers across the North Bay, Bryan leveraged his extensive network, industry knowledge, and program development skills to help develop and launch the Destination Agriculture Registered Apprenticeship Program. His ability to connect industry needs with practical workforce solutions made him an invaluable partner.

Bryan is collaborative, resourceful, and deeply committed to developing the next generation of skilled workers. I enthusiastically recommend him to any organization seeking someone who can build partnerships, lead innovative workforce initiatives, and deliver meaningful results.”

Sita Williams
Program Manager, NorCal Career Pathways
(Former colleague at Workforce Alliance of the North Bay)

“I’ve had the privilege to work with Bryan Avila more than once and would hire him again.  An example of his remarkable capabilities:  At a wine yeast startup, Bryan was brought in to transition the company from “university lab technology” to real-world commercialization.  With an unusual talent for both strategy development and execution, he both designed and performed all scale-up experiments, including planning and building out a brand new lab facility.  Because of Bryan’s great work, the company received definitive data, which let management make well-informed decisions. In addition, his warm personality and communication style create a positive working environment.  Everyone loves working with Bryan!”

Andy Starr
Founder - Wine Tank Broker
(Former Director of Marketing & Business Development, Phyterra Yeast)

“Bryan and I worked together when I served as Executive Director of the Napa Valley College Foundation and he was building support for the college’s teaching winery. When BioMarin offered a substantial equipment donation, more than the program could directly use, Bryan found a creative way to maximize its value. He arranged for a broker to sell the surplus equipment and reinvested the proceeds into the program, helping fund an additional instructor and expanding students’ opportunities to learn hands-on winemaking. His resourcefulness helped turn a complex donation into lasting educational value and contributed to a program that produced award-winning wines.”

Sonia R. Wright, CFRE, CSPG
Senior Planned Giving Director, San José State University
(Former Executive Director, Napa Valley College Foundation)

‘One of the best things I did during my long tenure at Napa Valley College was to hire Bryan Avila to teach winemaking classes and manage the Teaching Winery. He implemented a host of innovations that went well beyond expectations. He was especially adept at interfacing with wine industry professionals, members of the community and his students. He exuded real enthusiasm that was infectious.”

Thank you so much, Bryan!

Dr. Stephen Krebs
Professor-Emeritus and Program Coordinator
Napa Valley College - Viticulture and Winery Technology (1986-2014)

I first worked with Bryan at Sonomaceuticals, where we were working on developing and commercializing novel applications for grape seeds and skins-- specifically the extraction of malvodin 3 glucoside. Bryan was an invaluable resource, with a deep well of knowledge of both the industry and ongoing research. His understanding of the science and cutting edge lab technologies, combined with a deep familiarity with the wine industry, was vital as we moved towards production and helped us develop the blueprint for taking the technology to scale. 

Paul Novak, Director of Marketing, SonomaCeuticals (retired)