Dr. Stephen J. Krebs - Napa Valley College

 Dr. Stephen J. Krebs Program Coordinator – NVC Viticulture & Winery Technology
(Posted 2012 © Napa Valley College)
When Dr. Stephen Krebs started teaching at Napa Valley College in 1986, only
three classes were offered in the program, and he taught them all. The smallest
class had seven students, the largest had 15. Today, there are more than 1,000
students enrolled in the program every academic year.
Dozens of classes are now offered, ranging from several popular wine
tasting classes to highly technical viticulture and winemaking courses.
Both Associate of Science degrees and certificates in Viticulture and
Winery Technology with specialties in viticulture, winemaking and wine
marketing and sales are available.
Dr. Krebs brought a love of agriculture to the classroom. “I am from a
Midwest dairy family. My great love was always working on the farm,”
he said. “When I came to California I was still a kid, and went back and worked on the family farms in the
summer near Madison, Wisconsin.”
He attended the University of California at Davis, where he earned a B.S. in Plant Science and an M.S. in
Horticulture with an emphasis in Viticulture. He worked as a vineyard manager for a decade before coming to
Napa Valley College. He earned a doctorate in Agricultural Ecology in 1995 from U.C. Davis doing research
on the effect of the insect phylloxera.
The NVC program started in 1984. Although he created the program as it exists
today, Dr. Krebs is quick to credit his staff for helping it grow. They include
winery technology full-time Prof. Bryan Avila,
and part-time instructors Paul Wagner, Michael
Weis, Ann Reynolds, Daniel Robledo, Norma
Poole and George Vierra, among others. The
department also employs assistant winemaker Greg
Siewert and vineyard manager Tom Muscatine.
“All of the staff are industry professionals,” he
said, “in addition to being excellent teachers.”
Dr. Krebs also says that the program’s new buildings would not have been
possible had it not been for the efforts of former college president Dr. Diane
Carey Woodruff. “She spearheaded this,” he said. “She deserves a lot of
credit for all her efforts.”
Dr. Krebs said most of the students who enroll in the college program are
already employed in the wine industry, but are in need of advanced technical
training to enhance their career prospects.
Dr. Diane Woodruff, former college president, was honored with a street sign on the southeast side of the Napa Valley Vintners Teaching Winery. The Trefethen Family Viticulture Center and teaching winery were major accomplish‐
ments during her tenure. In 2011, Dr. Krebs celebrated his 25th anniversary with Napa Valley College.
Dr. Stephen Krebs has a fondness for tractors as witnessed by the childhood tractors in his office and by the tractor he just bought and donated to the college.
Dr. Krebs has spent countless hours in the historic Ag Lab. Above he greets guests from Napa’s Sister City in Tasmania on a Napa visit and, right, shares information with them inside. In fall 2012 Dr. Krebs was honored on his long service to the college and presented with a special wine. Photo left, from left Bryan Avila, Krebs, Tom Muscatine and Dr. Ron Kraft, interim president, helped him celebrate. Photo, right, the special anniversary wine with his image on the label.
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