MEET THE TEAM BEHIND SAMSARA WINE CO.
JOAN AND DAVE SZKUTAK
Owners
Joan & Dave Szkutak fell in love with Santa Barbara Wine Country in part because it so closely resembles places they have felt deep, meaningful connections to when traveling abroad.
They love few things more than the experiences they’ve had in wine regions around the world, all because of a few common characteristics these places share: lovingly prepared foods, stunning wines made with traditional techniques, breathtaking beauty of the natural environment, and a real sense of community.
Under Joan & Dave’s stewardship, Samsara Wine Co aims to provide its guests, fans, followers and customers with the same type of rich, personal, multi-sensory experiences that they feel so lucky to have enjoyed during their travels.
MATT BRADY
Winemaker
Matt first fell in love with Santa Barbara wine country as a college student at the University of California Santa Barbara. During that time, He used available weekends to explore all that Santa Barbara County has to offer including, of course, wine tasting and wine education. In 2005, while completing his last courses at UCSB, Matt joined the team at Jaffurs Winery and worked his first harvest in their cellar. Matt climbed the ladder at Jaffurs, earning the role of Co-Winemaker in 2012, and was named Head Winemaker in 2015. Matt also took an opportunity to broaden his winemaking experience by working a harvest season at Two Hands Wines in the Barossa Valley of Australia.
Matt joined SAMsARA Wine Co and took over winemaking duties in 2016. His winemaking philosophy of minimum interference and maximum patience were a perfect match for SAMsARA’s award winning style. Matt especially loves spending time in the vineyards working with our farmers and vineyard managers to maximize the potential of our esteemed growing sites.
Outside of winemaking, Matt enjoys being outdoors, adventuring, and listening to a wide range of music, new and old. And tacos.
NEAL KENNEDY
Assistant Winemaker
Neal fell in love with the world of wine as the son of a wine distributor. He grew up immersed in the wine culture, and was lucky enough to go on trips to a few notable wine regions world at a young age. This inspired him to relocate from Indiana to places where vines were growing and wines were being made. Thus, after graduating from Indiana University in 2014 Neal moved out to the Napa Valley for his first production role in the wine industry. While working and living in Napa, he met a plethora of international “harvest interns” and decided he wanted to continue learning winemaking by traveling to other regions around the world just as they were. This led to working 7 harvests in 5 countries around the world, before ending up in Santa Barbara and landing his first full time position at Samsara in 2019.
Neal is now the Assistant Winemaker for Samsara, and loves being a part of the Santa Barbara County wine scene. Although the cellar is where he feels most at home, he also enjoys pouring wine and educating guests in our tasting rooms.
Outside of work, Neal enjoys running, hanging at the beach, and exploring everything Santa Barbara County has to offer!
MIKE TRUPIANO
General Manager
Building on an impressive and varied wine career in Santa Barbara, Mike joined SAMsARA Wine Co. in 2026 as General Manager. Previously, he was the Proprietor of Industry Wine Merchant specializing in the procurement of fine and rare wines from around the world. This followed his time as the Restaurant General Manager and Wine Director at San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California where he was awarded the Wine Spectator, Grand Award for his wine list; at the time, one of 74 in the world.
Mike has contributed to print articles in publications including Sommelier Journal, Wine Spectator, and the Los Angeles Times.
SHAYNA COGAN
Director of Sales & Operations
A Santa Barbara area native and lifelong hospitality professional, Shayna brings extensive experience in sales, business operations, events, and food and beverage management to
SAMsARA. Her career has taken her from hands-on hospitality and event production to senior leadership roles at Pure Joy Catering and Napa Valley Country Club.
Shayna thrives in fast-moving environments where thoughtful planning, creative
problem-solving, and exceptional guest experiences come together.
As Director of Sales and Operations, she helps guide SAMsARA’s sales efforts, hospitality programs, events, and day-to-day operations while keeping our team aligned and focused on continued growth.
Organized, energetic, and endlessly resourceful, Shayna approaches every challenge with a genuine can-do attitude. Her warmth, collaborative leadership style, and deep connection to the Santa Barbara hospitality community make her an invaluable part of the SAMsARA team.
MIRANDA MENDIBLES
Wine Club Manager and Harvest Intern / Tank Master
Miranda began her wine journey in 2014, volunteering for harvest at Jaffurs Wine Cellars, where she met SAMsARA winemaker Matt Brady. She quickly developed a love for wine and hospitality, eventually becoming Tasting Room Manager, a role she held until 2020.
Eager to learn more about the production side of winemaking, Miranda joined SAMsARA for her first vintage in 2022, once again working alongside Matt Brady and helping wherever an extra set of hands was needed.
After completing her fourth full-time harvest with SAMsARA, Miranda happily stepped into the role of Wine Club Manager, while remaining involved in the cellar and production. She
especially loves the hard work, long days, and camaraderie that come with working together during harvest.
Outside of wine, you can find Miranda at the farmers market helping sell vegetables or hanging out at her family’s sprout stand doing the weekly crossword! She also loves cooking new dishes, spending time with her family, and being outdoors, especially while camping.
