MEET THE GÅRD TEAM
Josh & Lisa Lawrence, Proprietors
Gård Vintners was created in 2006 from the vision of managing partner, , to reflect the quality of their estate vineyard in the glass.
Josh grew up in Royal City, a small agricultural town located 30 miles south of Moses Lake and 45 miles east of Ellensburg in the Columbia Valley. He went to Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma where he majored in business administration and met his future bride, Lisa Lawrence, who majored in communications and grew up in Olympia.
Josh returned to Royal City after college to farm for a few years, then moved to Redmond, Wash., where he married Lisa. At the time, Lisa was working in the tech field in marketing and public relations, while Josh was working in sales and later started a wine importing business.
The couple moved to Royal City in 2001, and not long after Josh and Lisa started Lawrence Vineyards in partnership with Josh's dad, John Lawrence, and uncle, Sandy Lawrence, who had been farming the Royal Slope for more than 40 years at time. Together, they launched Gård Vintners in 2006, which is now solely owned and operated by Josh and Lisa.
Josh and Lisa raise two daughters and a son on the farm in Royal City. Josh oversees operations at Gård Vintners, as well as their estate Lawrence Vineyards and other farm operations, including apple orchards, cherry orchards, and a variety of other crops, such as wheat, hay and dried beans. Lisa oversees sales and marketing operations for Gård Vintners. Email Lisa at lisa@gardvintners.com.
JOSH & LISA LAWRENCE
Proprietors
Gård Vintners was created in 2006 from the vision of owner Josh Lawrence to reflect the quality of our estate vineyard in the glass.
Josh grew up in Royal City, a small agricultural town located 30 miles southwest of Moses Lake. He majored in business administration at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma where he met his future bride, Lisa (Treadwell) Lawrence, who majored in communication and grew up in Olympia.
Josh returned to Royal City after college to farm with his family for a few years, then moved to Redmond, Wash., where he married Lisa. At the time, Lisa was working in the tech field in marketing and public relations, while Josh was working in sales and later started a wine importing business.
The couple moved to Royal City in 2001, and not long after Josh and Lisa started Lawrence Vineyards in partnership with Josh's dad, John Lawrence, and uncle, Sandy Lawrence, who had been farming the Royal Slope for more than 40 years at time. Together, they launched Gård Vintners in 2006, which is now solely owned and operated by Josh and Lisa.
Josh and Lisa raise two daughters and a son on the farm in Royal City. Josh oversees operations at Gård Vintners, as well as their estate Lawrence Vineyards and other farm operations, including apple orchards, cherry orchards, and a variety of other crops, such as wheat, hay and dried beans, and various other agricultural endeavors. Lisa oversees operations at the tasting rooms, as well as sales and marketing for Gård Vintners. The couple also owns Desert Wind Winery in Prosser, Wash., in partnership with friends Tom and Tami Merkle.
MATÍAS KÚSULAS
Winemaker & Viticulturist
A Chilean with Greek roots, Matías was a Marine officer and Naval Engineer in Chile for more than seven years when he realized that it was time to change the course of his career: In 2005, he started studying Agricultural Engineering at the University of Chile, where he graduated with distinction and a major in Viticulture and Enology. He worked in Chile for a few years and in 2011 he decided to start traveling the world on a quest to learn new wine-making techniques. After several harvests in Oceania, Europe and Africa, he settled down in France, to do his post degrees at the Universities of Bordeaux and Montpellier. He also performed for two years as a Maître de Chai for one of the oldest and most reputable wineries in Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie.
After years of traveling and over 15 harvests, he came to the United States and joined Gård Vintners/Lawrence Vineyards as a Production Winemaker and Viticulturist, and is currently head winemaker for Gård Vintners, Desert Wind Winery, Valo Cellars, and his own label, Massalto. In his spare time he likes to jump out of planes and is a Judo Black Belt.
HANNAH COULSON
Assistant Winemaker
Growing up in a family of restaurateurs, Hannah learned to revere wine even before she could drink it. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from Colby College, she joined the wine industry while living abroad in Marlborough, New Zealand. Putting her degree to use, Hannah worked in a winery laboratory before studying at Lincoln University where she earned a Graduate Diploma in Viticulture & Oenology with Distinction. Having completed nine New Zealand harvests, Hannah returned to the US in 2018 to settle in Washington state. She joined Gård Vintners in May 2021 and is also Assistant Winemaker for Desert Wind Winery.
Currently pursuing a Certificate in Web Design from the University of Washington, she uses her previous programming and graphic design training every chance she gets. When she’s not behind a computer, at the winery or enjoying great food and wine, you’ll find her adventuring by foot or kayak through the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.
ISIDRO MONDRAGON
Vineyard Manager
Isidro Mondragon has been with the Lawrence operation since 2000. He oversees the family’s orchard and vineyard growing operations. Originally from Michoacan, Mexico, Isidro and his wife have raised four sons in the Columbia Basin of Washington. He worked in Fresno, California, when he was younger in orchards and vineyards gaining valuable experience.
The popular red blend "Don Isidro" was honorably named after Isidro; when his employees address him, they refer to him as "the Don", which in the Spanish-speaking culture is a sign of high respect. The Don Isidro red blend has been in production since 2006, and remains our best-selling red wine, garnering multiple accolades over the years.
MATTHEW LAWRENCE
Director, Hospitality and Business Development
Matthew joined the Gård team in early 2023, bringing with him 20+ years of experience in marketing, advertising and business management. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Washington State University (Go Cougs!). As Josh’s younger brother, joining Gård marks a sort of homecoming for Matthew. He grew up on the family farm and spent many hours one summer on a Cat Challenger, breaking ground on what eventually became the home of Corfu Crossing, Scarline and La Reyna Blanca vineyards.
He now lives in Seattle’s eastside with his wife Lindsey and their four kids. Matthew and Lindsey love spending time with family and friends, traveling, and watching their kids participate in various sports and activities.
JENNIFER COCHRAN
Marketing Director
Though Jen joined the Gård Vintners team in 2019, she has been along for the ride with us since the very beginning. Lisa and Jen were first co-workers and then friends before our first grapes were planted and she and her husband have been club members, fans, and supporters all along the way. Born and raised in WA, she earned her B.A. in Business, with an emphasis in Management of Information Systems from Washington State University. She started her career coding, but found herself moving in a more creative direction into areas such as website development, content creation and editing, visual design, product/program management, and marketing.
Jen is passionate about wine, travel, family, and friends. She welcomes your questions and comments - you can email her directly at jennifer@gardvintners.com.
RILEY NEWMAN
Wine Club Manager
Riley became a member of the Gård team as a tasting room specialist in 2015 and has grown with the company into his current roles. He is a native of Los Angeles who relocated to Washington for college and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance from Central Washington University. He loves talking about our wines and sharing stories with people from all over
In his spare time, Riley enjoys cooking, supporting his favorite soccer teams, and playing board games with friends.
LINDA BOGGS
Tasting Room Manager, Walla Walla
Linda joined the Gård team in June of 2018, serving as a tasting room associate and later assumed the role of manager. Prior to that she was a career public educator - which is explains her talent for educating our guests about our wine! First a teacher, then a principal, Linda retired as an Assistant Superintendent. She earned her Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees at Eastern Washington and a Doctorate in Leadership at Washington State University.
In addition to managing the Walla Walla Tasting Room, Linda enjoys gardening, walking, reading, making hand-stamped cards, doing yoga, and learning to cook healthy meals. Linda and her husband Bill reside in Walla Walla.
NICHOLE CRUZ
Tasting Room Manager, Woodinville
Nichole joined the Gård team in March of 2021, taking over as Tasting Room Manager of our Woodinville location. She graduated from Central Washington University with a double Bachelor Degree in Global Wine Studies and Tourism Management. After graduating, Nichole started her career in the Oregon wine industry and eventually moved to Washington to continue her passion for Pinot Noir while she managed a tasting room for an Oregon Pinot Noir producer in Woodinville, WA for the previous seven years before joining our team.
Nichole and her husband are raising their young son in Stanwood, WA. She really enjoys nature, traveling and she inherited a love of art from her family of artists.
SYDNEY HURST
Tasting Room Manager, Ellensburg
Originally from Ephrata, Wash., Sydney moved to Ellensburg after spending 10 years in western Washington. During her time on the west side of the state, Sydney travelled the world working with Starbucks as a product taster while also working on her degree in fashion and design. Now a Co-Manager and Events Manager at Gard Ellensburg, Sydney has a passion for wine and sewing.
In her free time, Sydney loves taking her pup for hikes.
JOSÉ ULISES MONTERO
Executive Chef - Gård Public House
Executive Chef José Ulises Montero Lombera has been with Gard Public House almost from the start and has extensive experience working for some of the best restaurants in the world, including 3 Michelin star NOMA in Copenhagen.
Hailing from Michoacán, Mexico, Chef Ulises studied at the University Vasco de Quiroga, and started his career at the Hotel Villa Montaña restaurant where Executive Chef Manuel Gomez taught Ulises all the basics of the kitchen. He then had the opportunity to travel in Mexico and learn from some of the best restaurants in the country, including Alcalde - one of the 50 best restaurants in Latin America. He spent years working with the chef he considers his mentor, Matteo Salas, at the restaurant āperi and Jacinto 1930 in San Miguel de Allende Guanajuato. Those were years full of passion and determination.
Chef Ulises was then offered the chance to travel to Denmark for an internship at NOMA (3 Michelin stars, considered the best restaurant in the world in the list of the 50 Best Restaurants in the World). After three months interning, he was offered a position as chef de partie and spent over a year there.
Chef Ulises now raises his daughter Angelina together with wife Mariah in Moses Lake. He is as passionate about cooking good food as he is for enjoying it!
