Join Napa County Landmarks for a free webinar featuring Diane Dillon and Shannon Murray Kuleto, principals of Napa Valley Roots and founders of the Napa Valley Heritage Network. With backgrounds in history, governance, law, and preservation, Shannon and Diane bring a powerful, personal approach to discovering and celebrating the people and places that shaped Napa Valley. From ancestral storytelling to archival research, they’re mapping the histories that ground our communities.
Register today for the webinar on April 24 at 11 AM. Don’t miss this lively conversation and Q&A about Napa’s past, present, and the rich narratives that continue to emerge from the community.
About Our Speakers
- Diane Dillon is a fifth-generation Napan who recently completed her fifth term as Napa County District 3 Supervisor. A graduate of UCSB (B.A. Anthropology), UCLA (M.A. Library Science), and UC Davis (J.D.), Diane practiced law for two decades. Deeply connected to the region’s past through her family’s pioneer stories, Diane has long supported preservation, genealogy, and local heritage organizations. An avid family historian, she’s built a genealogical database with nearly 8,000 profiles tracing Napa County’s elected leaders since 1850. She is currently developing a book on the history of Napa County governance with Shannon Murray Kuleto, blending archival research with a passion for storytelling rooted in place.
- Shannon Murray Kuleto has been captivated by history since her childhood in Tennessee’s Blue Ridge Mountains. After earning a B.S. from Georgia Tech and living abroad, she pursued her passion for the past with a Master’s in history from Georgia State University in Atlanta. In the 1990s, she settled in Napa Valley, where she co-founded Kuleto Estate winery and vineyards. An advocate for education, preservation, and the arts, Shannon has served on the St. Helena Star editorial board since 2009 and helped launch the Napa Valley Vine Trail. Today, she continues her work as a writer, nonprofit leader, and co-founder of Napa Valley ROOTS, with ongoing projects including a novel. She is, above all, a champion for Napa’s people, places, and stories.
Founded in 2024, the Napa Valley Heritage Network is a coalition of cultural, historical, and preservation organizations working together to promote, protect, and celebrate the region’s shared legacy. Through collaboration and collective advocacy, the Network leverages the strengths of its member institutions to amplify public engagement, enhance resource sharing, and tell the full story of Napa Valley’s people and places. Follow us on Instagram @NVHeritage.
Partner organizations include: Napa County Landmarks, Napa County Historical Society, Napa Valley Genealogical Society, Napa Valley State Parks Association, Napa Valley Museum & The MAC, Napa Valley ROOTS, Robert Louis Stevenson Museum, Sharpsteen Museum, and the St. Helena Historical Society with special partner Visit Napa Valley.
