Jennifer Roberts is an administrative assistant in the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI). She provides administrative support for the research and outreach activities at CCOVI, and has worked at Brock since September 2006. She was born and raised in Niagara-on-the-Lake, where she still resides with her “wonderful fellow, Nino, who is originally from Sicily and the best cook in the world. Lucky me!” She has one daughter, three grandchildren and an 11-year-old Sheltie, Leo.

What do you like about your job?

What I like most about my job is the diversity in the work I have, the people that I am in contact with and the people in CCOVI. There is always so much happening in CCOVI. From day to day, even hour to hour, there’s always something new going on. I am lucky to work with a fantastic group of people. We work hard but always have time for a laugh or two. I grew up in the heart of Niagara wine country and it’s an added value for me personally to work in CCOVI. It’s so great to have a ring-side seat to watch the industry grow.

What do you do for fun?

I like to keep physically active. I work out at the gym (see comment about Nino’s cooking) or just ride my bike or walk around Niagara-on-the-Lake. I hang out with my grandkids quite often and we have so much fun. We have a park directly across the street. In the summer I play a lot of golf, and I would like to get back into sailing. I used to race on a boat with an all-woman crew.

What was the last good book you read?

Tropical Depression by Jeff Lindsey. It’s a good stress reliever, an easy read, funny and suspenseful.