Darden Coors is the Head of Lettuce (CEO) of Salad Collective, LLC, LLC, a Golden, CO-based fast casual restaurant group comprised of three health-conscious brands, MAD Greens, Snappy Salads, and Tokyo Joe’s and a total of 61 locations. Coors joined the company in December 2013 when the Coors family enterprises purchased a majority stake in MAD Greens which had 12 restaurants. She led the concepts’ rapid growth and market expansion, its merger with Snappy Salads in 2019, and its acquisition of Tokyo Joe’s in 2022. In addition, Coors serves in various leadership roles with other family enterprises. Prior to Salad Collective, Coors held a variety of in-house legal counsel positions with public and privately held Coors-family enterprises, including ACX Technologies, Inc., Graphic Packaging International, and CoorsTek, Inc. in Colorado, New Hampshire, and Ottawa, Canada.

Jesse Deshield is the Senior Director of Franchise Operations & Innovations at Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe, where she has dedicated over nine years to transforming the brand through her multifaceted expertise in business, operations, and hospitality. Over the past two years, she has successfully spearheaded initiatives that drive down costs and enhance profitability, showcasing her commitment to operational excellence. Believing in the power of innovation to inspire change within the franchise community by combining strategic thinking with a collaborative spirit, she empowers teams to embrace new ideas and practices that lead to sustainable growth. As a passionate advocate for leveraging technology and best practices, she strives to cultivate a culture of continuous improvement, inspiring others to rethink possibilities and pursue transformative change in their organizations.

Amy Hom brings over 25 years of impactful leadership in the restaurant industry and technology innovation space, Amy is currently the COO at Barcelona Wine Bar. Previously, Amy served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief People Officer for Bluestone Lane, where she played a pivotal role in shaping operational strategies and fostering a culture of excellence. Before her tenure at Bluestone Lane, she held the position of Executive Vice President of North American Retail and Kitchens at REEF Technology, where she led transformative initiatives to convert static neighborhood spaces into dynamic community hubs, including building a food safety team, training department, and an operational excellence strategy. With a keen eye for operational efficiency and a passion for nurturing talent, Amy has contributed in key leadership positions at prominent restaurant brands. She served as the Vice President of Operations at sweetgreen, providing operational support to over 100 locations.