BC BTAC

Includes custom training delivery to beverage companies via workshops and webinars to transfer novel technology and knowledge to the beverage sector in various topics.  

We have collaborated with partners to deliver training workshops such as WSET (Wine & Spirt Education Trust) training with the Statera Wine Academy and The Cider Institute of North America. 

Coming soon, training workshops and webinars in sustainability, women in beverage, quality control, safety in distillation, environmental impacts, water and energy, and topics in beverage sector EDI. 

Karin Grosstessner-Hain completed her PhD in Technical Sciences in Vienna. After Post Docs in her research field of Molecular Proteomics and a role as a regulatory manager for the Austrian FDA, she started her path as a winemaker. Karin worked in wineries across Europe, Australia and New Zealand with Canada being her home base. She has been in the BC wine industry for 11 years.

She prioritizes education and sustainability in her roles and is always up for challenges.

Janice Acio is a Laboratory Technician who uses her knowledge of chemistry and instrumentation to perform analysis on fermented beverages at BC BTAC. Following her BSc in Chemical Engineering from University of Negros Occidental Recoletos, Philippines, Acio worked with well-established beverage companies such as Arterra Wines Canada and Coca Cola Bottlers Inc, to name a few. Her background in chemistry and 20 years of laboratory experience also allowed her to become certified as an Applied Science Technologist-Chemical in BC, where she also studied Environmental Engineering Technology at British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). WSET Level-2-certified, Janice realized that winemaking is an exciting example of an applied science, leading her to enroll in the Winemaking Certificate Program at the University of California-Davis Institute. When not working with chemicals, you can find Janice enjoying her favourite Okanagan pastimes such as gardening, paddle-boarding or hitting the KVR trail with her dogs.

Ben is the most recent addition to the team at BCBTAC but that doesn’t mean he’s a stranger to wine.  He has for the last 20 years been involved in the Okanagan wine industry in varying capacities – from Sommelier for the Steakhouse at Big White to vineyard supervisor/cellar assistant for Osoyoos Larose to Filtration/RO Technician for Cellar Dweller to Lab Technician at Okanagan Wine Lab.  His career began when working at The White Horse on Parson’s Green in London, UK learning to care for the ales in their cellar gaining an affinity for great beer.  He focused on wine when he finished the ISG’s Sommelier Certificate and moved to the Okanagan.  Not long after, he switched gears toward wine science and went back to school for a BSc in Biochemistry from UBCO.  He furthered that with the Online Viticulture and Enology Certificate from UCDavis.  When not at work, you can find Ben playing chef or working in his yard.

Sonja Lloyd recently joined the BC Beverage Technology Access Centre as Laboratory Technician where she handles all things microbiology. Sonja has worked with microbes in one form or another for the past twenty years. After receiving a BSc in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of British Columbia in 2002, she studied in the United States for several years where she earned a PhD in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology at Washington State University and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. Sonja’s studies focused on bacterial diseases of animals, as well as foodborne and zoonotic diseases. Sonja returned to Canada in 2011, settling in the Okanagan where she worked as a technician in wine chemistry at Bench 1775 Winery and Burrowing Owl Estate Winery. Sonja is excited to combine her passion for microbiology and fermented beverages and foods in her current position with the BC BTAC.

Savanna has six years of experience as a microbiologist within the beverage, cannabis, and agricultural industries. Her areas of expertise include microbiology, tissue culture, and horticulture, In addition, she has experience with molecular biology and bioinformatics. Savanna is currently completing her Master’s degree at UBCO in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Leonard Lermer was involved with the initial application for the BC BTAC and continues to stay on as a researcher. He has been both teaching organic chemistry and involved in many interdisciplinary research projects for more than 20 years. Currently he is also into his second term as the Chair of the Chemistry Department at Okanagan College. After receiving his BSc from the University of Lethbridge, Dr. Lermer obtained his PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry with Dr. Larry Weiler at UBC. He then did postdoctoral work in natural products with botanist, Dr. Neil Towers. Following this, he began teaching organic chemistry at UBC where he began doing research with a biochemistry group, carrying out the solid phase synthesis of modified DNA-based enzymes having sequence specific RNA cleaving activity. His skills in synthetic organic chemistry and instrumentation have contributed to many successful collaborations, colleagues ranging from botanists to neuroscientists. Leonard’s contributions carry on as he focuses his interests toward supporting the local fermented beverage sector with BC BTAC. 

As a full-time professor at Okanagan College, I am dedicated to excellence in student education. I provide molecular biology, biotechnology, and protein biochemistry expertise to the British Columbia Technology Access Centre (BC BTAC) for research, and I have contributed to the training of Okanagan College students in collaboration with the BC BTAC. I have been involved with the creation and fulfilment of student research projects with the BC BTAC for the past five years 

Danielle Robinson is a faculty member in the School of Business at Okanagan College. She holds a PhD from the University of Guelph (2020), a Masters of Education from UBC, a Wine Business Management Foundation Certificate from Sonoma State University, and Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) level three. Danielle has over twenty years of broad experience in instruction, curriculum development, project management, community development, and the wine industry. Her teaching and research interests focus on regional economic development and social, cultural, economic and environmental sustainability, particularly as related to local food and beverage producers and tourism businesses. Her most recent work explores regenerative wine tourism and sustainability competencies. Danielle believes research and innovation are collaborative processes, so works closely with partners like the British Columbia (BC) Beverage Technology Access Centre (BTAC), OC students and community partners.