Speakers

Sawsan Abublan transitioned her illustrious career as a pharmacist to living her dream as a successful Franchisor! Going from comforting patients to comfort food using her family recipes, her management and training experience, and strong attention to detail. Her restaurant Shawarma Press opened its first location in Irving, Texas in 2017 and survived COVID without closing its doors. The brand emerged even stronger as the first authentic Shawarma franchise in the US after the pandemic through a strong app and online order presence and a faithful customer base that believes in the Mediterranean diet which ranked as the #1 diet several years in a row. Shawarma Press has grown from 1 to 10 locations in the past 3 years and is expanding in Texas, Georgia, and Kansas.

Suzy Badaracco is the President of Culinary Tides, Inc. and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminalistics, Associate degree in Culinary Arts, and Master of Science degree in Human Nutrition. Suzy has been trained in military intelligence, Chaos theory, and predictive analysis techniques and has been practicing trends intelligence and predictive forecasting for more than 18 years. Using these techniques, she has been able to successfully predict and profile government, technology, adversary and ally, food, flavor, consumer, industry, and health trends. Culinary Tides, Inc. helps food industry partners navigate trends by revealing relevant patterns so they can create products that connect with customers. They specialize in foretelling a trend’s birth and forecasting its origin, trajectory, and longevity. The forecast results are used to create entrance, navigation, and exit strategies.

Allen Beck is an experienced Operations Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the restaurant industry. He's skilled in Microsoft platforms, Sales, Communication, and Team Building. Allen oversees all Off-Premise Sales, operations, and technology including contracts and relationships with our 3rd party DSPs, Catering, and Online ordering platforms along with overseeing the MarTech stack and development. He is the winner of the 2024 Operator of the Year Award, presented by Food on Demand.

Jim Bitticks is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Dave’s Hot Chicken. He oversees the day-to-day operation of the company with direct oversight over operations, training, procurement, construction, marketing, and technology. Jim joined the Dave’s team when there were just four restaurants open and has helped grow the brand to nearly 300 locations across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and the Middle East. In addition, Jim is a franchisee of Dave’s Hot Chicken with four locations currently open in the Inland Empire of Southern California. Prior to his current role, Jim was the Chief Restaurant Officer and EVP of Operations, Training, and Construction for Blaze Pizza, and oversaw the successful growth of that brand from two restaurants to three hundred seventy-two restaurants before making the move to Dave’s in 2020.

Jessica Bograd is the Senior Director of Culinary at City Barbeque, where she brings over two decades of foodservice expertise and a deep love for authentic BBQ. Since joining City Barbeque in 2022, she’s led the brand’s culinary strategy, from innovative menu development and product research to cutting-edge kitchen design and recipe creation. Jessica’s expertise stems from her 20+ years in foodservice, as well as 16 years as a competitive BBQ pitmaster, and she channels these experiences to deliver true BBQ mastery to City Barbeque guests. Jessica also facilitates City Barbeque’s Pitmaster Certification Program, an intensive 8-month culinary education series designed to deepen BBQ knowledge across the company’s restaurant teams. This program partners with experts at Ohio State University’s meat science department to explore protein science, advanced BBQ techniques, fire management, and flavor-building, equipping City Barbeque’s team members to elevate their craft.

Francesco Brachetti is the Founder and CEO of AVO, a seasonally inspired, fast-casual restaurant with five locations throughout New York City. A seasoned entrepreneur, author, and business leader, he boasts a prestigious academic background and extensive experience in hospitality and finance. Francesco began his career at Dafiti, Rocket Internet in Mexico City, where he led the Business Intelligence department for several years before founding AVO. He holds a Double Master’s degree in International Management from ESADE Business School and in Finance from RSM Erasmus University, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Bocconi University.

Noah Burgess, who joined Juice It Up! in 2012, oversees product development and product quality as the brand’s Research & Development Scientist. He uses his background in science to create the perfect balance of powerful nutritional properties and delicious flavors to meet the tastes and dietary needs of the brand’s broad, discerning customer base. He also plays a crucial role in product strategy, innovation, franchisee training and education, procurement, and operations support.

Mike Burns is the Chief Executive Officer at &pizza. He has nearly two decades of operational experience across brands in both the quick-service and fast-casual sectors. Most recently, Mike was COO and EVP for RAVE Restaurant Group, helping lead both its Pie Five Pizza and Pizza Inn concepts. His experience also includes time as the Vice President of Operations for Pei Wei Asian Kitchen and over a decade with the popular Bojangles franchise overseeing more than 175 corporate operated locations.

Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Networld Media Group and publisher of FastCasual.com. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

Tom Carr is the Chief Marketing Officer for Chicken Salad Chick. He has brought to the Chick Family nearly 30 years of experience as a strategic, creative, and innovative marketing executive across a diverse range of industries. This includes entertainment, apparel, restaurants, consumer products, and media. He was twice named “marketer of the year” within the cable television industry. Tom hails from New Orleans, a city whose culture he credits for his unique take on brand storytelling.

Rev is a New York City restaurant owner and knows exactly how hard it is to operate and brand a hospitality business. He is a hospitality marketing consultant, customer and technology evangelist at Branded Strategic Hospitality, with more than 20 years experience in B2B digital marketing and business development, specializing in hospitality marketing, content, local SEO, reputation management and demand generation. He helps technology companies, brands and restaurants to acquire and retain more customers. Rev is known as an “expert burger taster,” pens hospitality and marketing tips on his Instagram @revciancio, as well as his LinkedIn Profile and hosts the Restaurant Marketing Podcast. He believes that Pizza is a religion.

Joey Cioffi is the founder and CEO of Salad House, a fast-casual health-focused franchise brand known for its fresh chopped salads, made to order proteins and its Create-Your-Own salad option. Coming from a family rooted in the restaurant industry, Joey expanded beyond the traditional deli business into fast-casual dining. Through perseverance, calculated risk-taking, and relentless drive, he transformed Salad House into a scalable franchise. His journey—from working in his family’s deli to overcoming financial hardships—demonstrates resilience and vision for national expansion.

Carl Comeaux is the CEO of Crust Pizza Co., a fast-growing limited-service pizza chain that has redefined the local pizzeria experience. With over 22 years of leadership experience, Carl has led Crust Pizza Co.'s transformation from a small local pizzeria to a rapidly expanding franchise with 29 open locations, 9 in development and aims to reach 250 locations across the Southeast U.S. within the next nine years. Under Carl's leadership, Crust Pizza Co. has achieved impressive milestones, including an average unit volume (AUV) of $1.65 million, the development of proprietary technology systems, a 10% reduction in cost of goods, and strategic vendor partnerships to enhance brand efficiency. Additionally, Carl has successfully built and scaled two franchises before Crust Pizza Co., showcasing his proven expertise in the industry. Carl is known for his motivational, strategic leadership style and his hands-on approach to scaling concepts from infancy to franchise success.

Yasmin Curtis is the Founder and CEO of one of the nation's top emerging seafood brands, Two Fish Foods. Launched in 2019, it was inspired by her popular Two Fish Crab Shack restaurant in Chicago, Illinois after Curtis made the innovative move to bring the product to a wider audience during the pandemic. The brand’s signature 3 The Chi-Way sauce became a standout feature and the frozen boil bags quickly became a go-to for seafood lovers across the country. Today, three variations of Two Fish Seafood Boil bags are available in major retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Kroger, H-E-B, Albertsons, Meijer, Harris Teeter, and Mariano's. Recognized as a successful food industry entrepreneur, Curtis has been featured in Biz Journal, Food and Beverage Magazine and Entrepreneur Magazine.

Jerome Dees Jr. is an award-winning sales leader with nearly 20 years of experience in the restaurant and CPG industries. Recipient of the National Restaurant Association’s Advanced Leadership Award in 2024 and named among the Most Influential Restaurant Executives in 2021 and 2022, Jerome has driven growth at brands like Bagel Brands, Le Boulanger, Wise Sons, and Tacolicious. Passionate about empowering others, Jerome mentors aspiring entrepreneurs and has sold millions of bagels and tacos while fostering community impact through leadership and education.

Jessica DePetro, President and Chief Executive Officer, joined Bagel Brands in 2022. In her role, Jessica is responsible for the strategic growth and development of the Company. Jessica grew up in Chicago and earned her BS in Finance from Indiana University. She launched her career working in consulting with Ernst & Young before returning to school full time and earning her MBA from Harvard Business School. Following graduate school, Jessica held several progressive finance roles working at FTI Consulting, Amsted Industries, Lifetime Fitness, and most recently Vail Resorts where she acted as the Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis. Jessica resides in Denver area with her husband Corey, their three children Will, Charlotte, and Ethan, and their dog Mud. In her free time, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family outdoors hiking, camping, skiing, and paddleboarding.

Kayla Dillon is the fractional CMO restaurant brands call when “same-old” stops selling. She is a dynamic marketing leader with 15+ years of experience in the restaurant industry, including key roles at Hard Rock Cafe, Bar Louie, Virtual Dining Concepts, Cheba Hut and Erik's DeliCafe. Kayla drives bold and unconventional marketing strategies that align with the brand's culture while fueling growth and enhancing the guest experience. With a background in restaurant operations and marketing, Kayla excels at crafting brand narratives that resonate with diverse audiences and campaigns that are executable by field teams. Equal parts strategist and operator, she rewires marketing from the store level up: local campaigns that franchisees can run, digital targeting that spends smarter, and brand narratives that increase guest frequency. Kayla’s proven track record in fast-paced industries reflects her ability to blend bold ideas with data driven insights, making her a trusted partner for businesses seeking growth and differentiation.

Jennifer Dodd is the CEO of Main Squeeze Juice Co., a trailblazing brand that’s redefining health and wellness with every bottle, bowl, and smoothie. Main Squeeze Juice Co. is proud to serve fresh-squeezed, cold-pressed, unaltered juices, hand-crafted, and good-for-you smoothies, organic acai’ bowls and plant-based food that is fueling customers with bold natural flavors every day!

Clay Dover is the Chief Executive Officer, President and Taco Maker at Velvet Taco, a Dallas-based restaurant committed to a world of tacos without borders and one of the hottest company-owned fast-casual brands in the industry. Since he assumed leadership in 2017, Velvet Taco has expanded from 4 to over 50 restaurants across the Country over the past several years and recently announced their expansion Internationally with industry-leading performance and award-winning consumer recognition. Velvet Taco has been recognized as one “Best Brands to Work For” by QSR and continues to be a standard for culinary innovation withing the industry.

Roberto Espinosa, founder of Tacodeli, was born in Mexico City, where he developed a deep love for authentic Mexican cuisine. At age 9, his family moved to Austin, Texas. After earning an English degree from the University of Texas and gaining experience in the wine and beer industry in Atlanta, Roberto returned to Austin in 1999 with a mission: to bring the true flavors of Mexican taquerias to a city dominated by Tex-Mex. He opened the first Tacodeli on Spyglass Drive near the Barton Creek Greenbelt, launching what would become a local culinary movement. Over the next 25 years, Roberto’s commitment to authenticity, quality, and community helped grow Tacodeli into a beloved institution, expanding to Dallas and Houston.

Filippo Fiori, PhD is the Co-founder, President, and Head Chef of Due Cucina Italiana, a fast-casual restaurant concept dedicated to bringing authentic Italian cuisine to the U.S. A trained engineer with a PhD in Nuclear Science and Technology, Filippo applies his scientific expertise to perfecting pasta and baked goods, combining tradition with innovation. His journey spans from nuclear safety analysis to culinary consulting on a Chinese cooking TV show with over 400 million viewers. Passionate about making high-quality Italian food accessible, Filippo is a firm believer that cooking is an art refined by science.

Armando Flores has extensive supply chain management experience over his 17-year career, holding roles in warehouse management, global sourcing, category management, and supply director. He has worked both in the retail food world having spent 10 years at HEB as well as the food service industry having worked with Whataburger for 3. He currently holds the role of VP of Supply Chain and manages the end-to-end supply chain for two brands, Taco Cabana a Tex-Mex QSR concept with 140+ units based in Texas and Nick the Greek a fast casual concept with 82+ units based in California. His strengths include fostering strong vendor partnerships, commodity and risk management, and cross-functional commercialization with product development and culinary.

Stacey Gelber is the Vice President of Human Resources at Blaze Pizza, leading people strategy, culture, and franchise training initiatives. With a strong background in talent development and workforce optimization, Stacey has played a key role in leveraging technology to enhance recruitment, hiring, training, and compensation strategies. Passionate about the intersection of people and technology, Stacey brings a forward-thinking approach to addressing industry challenges, including labor shortages and rising operational costs.

Cassie Ghaffar, a native of Houston and dynamic businesswoman, has a diverse background in both science and business. While pursuing her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston, she simultaneously owned her own business in the nightclub industry and worked as a consultant for dental practices. Through these experiences, she gained expertise in business and marketing within the medical and healthcare industries. Cassandra joined ZT Wealth in 2009 and quickly aligned with the company's vision. In addition to her responsibilities in corporate marketing and events, she spearheaded the management and consulting for the dental division at ZT Wealth, drawing from her firsthand experience and passion for dentistry. She made an impressive mark in her career after climbing the corporate ladder as Senior VP of Marketing and Operations at ZT Wealth. Shortly after having a family, she embarked on a new entrepreneurial venture and focused her effects into becoming a franchisee of Amazing Lash Studio with six successful locations in Dallas and Austin.

Kyle Gordon is a dedicated husband, father and restaurateur. He was born and raised in Austin, Texas, where he attended the University of Texas at Austin. After school, he spent many years as a leader in the restaurant industry. Then, in 2013, he started his own restaurant concept, Dillas Quesadillas. Dillas now has 11 locations, with many more under contract, over 400 team members throughout North Texas, East Texas and Louisiana, and has sales trending towards $20 million. In 2020, he was honored by the Dallas Business Journal as a 40 under 40 recipient and by the Nation’s Restaurant News as one of the Most Influential Restaurant Executives. He's a passionate hospitality guy with ketchup in his veins that has the vision to see Dillas worldwide. He and his wife and business partner, Maggie, have two children, Parker (14) and Grace (12), who you'll find him spending time with when he's not flippin' Primo quesadillas!

Geoff Henry is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience leading many of the world’s most recognized consumer brands, including Jamba, Coca-Cola, Dasani, Dunkin’ bottled coffee, and Gold Peak and Honest teas. Geoff joined Gong cha in 2023 as President of the Americas region. Under his leadership, Gong cha grew its U.S. store count by 19% YOY, and was ranked #1 in Tea on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500® list. Prior to joining Gong cha, Geoff was President of Jamba, and a senior executive with Coca-Cola for twelve years, where he oversaw their portfolio of water, tea, and coffee brands.

Troy Hooper joined Pepper Lunch as one of the three global business unit CEO’s for the brand, and oversees Pepper Lunch’s parent company in North America, Hot Palette America. Troy brings 30 years of unparalleled experience in hospitality, operations management and executive leadership to this role, which has fueled Pepper Lunch’s infrastructure development, growth efforts, and brand deliverables, creating a fruitful franchise model for the North American market. Throughout his career, Troy has successfully built new concepts, rebranded existing restaurants, and improved well-established venues for iconic brands. Troy’s decades of experience and business acumen brings a breadth of knowledge to the rapidly growing global brand, Pepper Lunch.

With over two decades of leadership in the hospitality and franchise industries, Andy Huang is a dynamic force behind the success of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. As the Chief Operating Officer, he oversees all day-to-day operations of the franchise, including development, corporate strategy, procurement, purchasing, human resources, franchise relations, and training. Before joining L&L, Andy led the Hawaii region for Advantage Rent-A-Car, where he doubled the number of locations, driving annual revenues to exceed $35 million. His ability to scale operations while maintaining quality and efficiency was key to the company's regional success. Andy’s journey in the restaurant industry began during his college years, where he started in an entry-level position and worked his way up to general manager. His passion for creating exceptional hospitality experiences drives his work every day.

As President and Founder of JRI Hospitality, Jason Ingermanson’s focus is on generating enthusiasm for the company’s family of brands and delivering exceptional experiences to every guest who walks through their doors. An experienced restaurateur, business manager, and leader, Jason takes pride in JRI’s ability to foster strong community connections through quality food and genuine service. Under his leadership, JRI Hospitality has successfully opened more than 85 Freddy’s franchises across the country, with plans to open 40 more in the next decade. Jason has also spearheaded the expansion of the company’s other brands, including Chompie’s, Mokas Coffee and Eatery, and Original Grande restaurants. Mokas Coffee and Eatery, which began as a single café, has grown into a thriving concept with multiple locations—and has launched its franchising program to bring its signature coffee and dining experience to new markets.

Ryan Jones brings over 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry. He spent 15 years with the Lyons Group, Boston’s largest independently owned restaurant group, where he oversaw 26 restaurants across 20 distinct concepts—from James Beard award-winning fine dining in the heart of Boston to sports bars inside Fenway Park, live music lounges, and coastal seafood destinations. For the past three years, Ryan has led the Olga’s Kitchen brand at TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants, managing 24 brick-and-mortar locations, 15 ghost kitchens, a growing grocery retail presence, and the Olga Loizon Memorial Foundation, which awards grants to Michigan entrepreneurs who embody the bold, pioneering spirit of the brand’s founder.

Rebecca Kahn boasts a decade-long track record as a dynamic Franchise Business Leader. Her expertise lies in spearheading expansive operational field initiatives, orchestrating substantial portfolio acquisitions, overseeing restaurant development, and devising comprehensive operational strategies. Prior to joining the Gong cha team, Kahn served as the Franchise Business Partner overseeing the US Mid-Atlantic region at Burger King, where she played a pivotal role in steering the company's rebranding efforts and spearheading its digital transformation. Before her tenure at Burger King, Khan spent six years as a consultant specializing in enhancing operational efficiency and driving profitability for Subway franchisees.

Shawn Lalehzarian is the Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of The Red Chickz, a Nashville Hot Chicken restaurant located in Los Angeles, California. After immigrating to the United States from Iran, Lalehzarian found his first job working at a local restaurant in San Diego washing dishes. As he progressed through his career, he was promoted to higher-up positions and eventually landed a senior management role. In his senior management position, Shawn oversaw multi-unit /multi -brand F&B operations with more than $30 Million dollars in revenue and 400 employees. He also played a key role in opening over 50 different restaurants around the nation and Canada working with brands such as Starbucks, CPK, Chili’s, Wolfgang Puck, Pei-Wei, Pinkberry, Bombay Sapphire and Ruby’s Diner just to name a few. In 2018, Shawn founded The Red Chickz, an authentic Nashville Hot Chicken restaurant. In 2022, Lalehzarian launched the franchise program for the Nashville hot chicken brand.

Erin Levzow is a 20 year veteran and dynamic motivational speaker having worked in multiple industries. Most recently she was the Chief Marketing Officer for Musuem of Ice Cream. Prior to her MOIC role, she was the Vice President of Marketing Technology for Del Taco Restaurants. Recently Erin was awarded Top 25 Future is Female Award by Advertising Week New York as well as in 2023 CMO of the Year, 2023 MarComms Most Influential and Global MarTech Leader of the Year Awards. Prior to Del Taco, Erin was the CMO for Marcus Hotels & Resorts. Levzow has served as vice president of customer relationship marketing (CRM), loyalty and marketing for Hathway in Austin, Texas, a customer service experience company specializing in helping billion-dollar brands develop mobile-first strategies. Levzow’s extensive marketing and digital experience also includes serving as senior director of digital, social, CRM and e-commerce for Wingstop Restaurants in Dallas, Texas.

Claudia Lezcano is the CEO for fuku, the quick culinary fried chicken concept founded by David Chang and the Momofuku restaurant group. Since taking the helm in 2022, she has grown fuku’s national footprint across major sports and entertainment venues, increased system-wide sales year-on-year and has positioned the brand for domestic and international expansion and franchising opportunities. She brings an entrepreneurial mindset to her more than 25 years of corporate leadership experience having worked for major global brands including Burger King, Church’s Texas Chicken, the MLB’s Miami Marlins and the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. She cultivates trusted business and stakeholder relationships, while developing high-performing empowered teams in a respectful and inclusive work culture. Claudia currently serves on the board for Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, having previously served as a board member for MyVenue and Bluestone Lane.

Mark Lohmann is the CEO of Birdcall, an innovative fast casual restaurant brand with a proprietary and vertically integrated technology platform. Prior to joining Birdcall, he was an Operating Partner at High Bluff Capital Partners and President of REGO Restaurant Group where he was responsible for brand strategy, marketing, integration, and developing international opportunities across the group's portfolio brands. He was also the Chief Financial Officer at Cool Planet Energy Systems, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Qdoba Restaurant Corporation, and a Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group, where he was responsible for developing and implementing strategies for internal and client projects. Mark has a B.Sc in Management Information Systems and Human Resource Management from Kansas State University, and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

John Lucas is an industry veteran with over 35 years of hospitality and restaurant experience. In his role, John ensures Farmer Boys upholds our consistent operational standards and delivers a high-quality, reliable guest experience in every restaurant. Additionally, Lucas oversees all the system’s franchised locations and is responsible for building upon Farmer Boys’ high service standards at those locations. Lucas joined the Farmer Boys team in 2017 as a franchise business consultant and now serves as the Vice President of Brand and Franchise Development.

Michele Maerz brings over 30 years of leadership in the restaurant industry to her role as President of Salata. Known for her transformative vision, Michele has enhanced operations, forged strategic partnerships, and expanded the Salata Mobile Kitchen to support communities, fundraisers, and college campuses. She is deeply committed to building a culture of trust, genuinely caring for her team, and empowering them to excel and grow. Michele established her foundation in the industry with Brinker International and expanded her executive leadership experience during her tenure with BJ’s Restaurants, where she advanced to Regional Vice President. She later held leadership roles at Lazy Dog Restaurants and On The Border Grill & Cantina. Throughout her career, Michele has been dedicated to driving growth, fostering innovation, and inspiring trust and collaboration across her teams and organizations.

Michael Magerl is President of Trabon Group, A Kansas City based printing company that specializes working with national restaurant brands. Michael graduated from the University of Houston, C. T. Bauer College of Business Administration with a degree in Organizational Behavior and Management. He has spent over 32 years at Trabon leading teams in almost every aspect of the company. Coming from the sales side of the business he is focused on new business development as well as evaluating new technologies within the industry that intersect the needs of the customer base. In his free time, he is a certified Yoga instructor and volunteers with the adult special needs community.

Sherif Mityas serves as Chief Executive Officer of BRIX Holdings and as an Operating Partner for JAMCO Interests LLC. He focuses on supporting the group in the areas of strategic positioning, growth, and M&A, while leading the shared services and brand teams of the current portfolio companies of BRIX Holdings, LLC and Amici Partners Group, LLC. Prior to this role, Mityas has held various executive positions in consulting and the retail-restaurant industry sectors most notably as the chief experience officer for TGI FRIDAYS and as the chief executive officer for Hollywood Video/Movie Gallery. Mityas received a B.S. degree in aerospace engineering from Boston University, a M.S. in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and an M.B.A. from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.

Jim Mizes is the founder/entrepreneur’s best friend and partner as he spent 20+ years working to scale and build new brands. After an initial career in finance, Jim moved to Operations in the late 80’s with Taco Bell. At Taco Bell, Jim pioneered the 59/79/99 cent menu of the early 90’s that changed the value equation for fast food. In the early 90’s, Jim shifted to working with founders, first with Noah’s Bagels for 4 years as the chain grew from 8 to 80 restaurants. He later moved to Jamba Juice and supported growth from 50 to 450 restaurants over 5 years. Jim joined Blaze Pizza with 2 restaurants in 2013 and led the team to 340+ restaurants before retiring in 2019. Since retiring, Jim has joined 2 Boards and serves as an advisor to 5 other tech start-ups supporting restaurants.

Sandy Nguyen, a Houston native and first-generation Vietnamese, has achieved remarkable success as an entrepreneur. Graduating from the University of Houston with an accounting degree, she drew inspiration from her mother's entrepreneurial spirit to forge her own path. After successfully managing her initial restaurant startups for over a decade, Sandy redirected her focus toward scaling quick-service restaurants. In 2019, she co-founded Ordinary Concepts and introduced Saigon Hustle, Sunday Press, and Ginger Kale, all-day cafes that proudly showcase her Vietnamese heritage. Sandy firmly believes that food possesses the extraordinary ability to unite people. Her goal is to achieve a space where relationships can flourish, mirroring the bonds and friendships she has built throughout her years in the food and beverage industry. Her goal was to create a welcoming environment where people could experience meaningful connections and create lasting memories.

Zack Oates is an author, husband, father, entrepreneur, and hot tub aficionado (but not in that order, necessarily). He grew up in restaurants before getting into startups. He was voted Top 100 Entrepreneurs, rang the NASDAQ bell, won the world’s biggest business competition, has been to 50 countries, and started 3 companies. He went on over 1,000 dates before he got married and wrote a book, “Dating Never Works…Until it Does.” He currently is Founder and CEO of Ovation, the no. 1 restaurant feedback platform in America, voted Top 50 Most Influential Supplier by Nation’s Restaurant News, and host of “Give an Ovation: A Podcast for Restaurants.”

After 15 years of working his way up through the competitive ranks of NYC’s financial sector, Andrew Pudalov made a conscientious decision to leave his most recent position as Global Head of Fixed Income Derivative Trading at National Australia Bank to pursue an interest he felt was a virtue of higher importance. While he worked his entire adult life for a number of prestigious financial institutions to achieve an expertise in institutional fixed income derivative trading, he simply felt it time to gratify another more altruistic ambition he had always held. Andrew founded Boulder’s University Hill District’s first all-natural bowl/smoothie bar in the fall of 2004, providing a healthy alternative to the common “Hill” fare. After enormous success, Andrew launched a line of frozen grab-n-go bowls soon to meet the ever-mounting demand. Today, he operates Rush Bowls retail, wholesaling, and franchising with over 100 stores in various stages of development throughout the US.

C.J. Ramirez has been a critical player in Dog Haus’ success since 2013, aiding the brand’s mission to elevate American classics into chef-driven culinary creations. Dog Haus has since expanded from its Pasadena, Calif., base to more than 75 locations across 20 states, including 50+ brick-and-mortar restaurants. Using his wealth of knowledge in designing branding strategies that build strong corporate identities, C.J. oversees high-performing creative, marketing and technology teams at Dog Haus that deliver growth through innovation for the brand and its franchisees.

Robin Robison brings more than 16 years of restaurant experience to her role as vice president of operations at Modern Market Eatery based in Denver, Colo. With past leadership roles at Red Robin, Bob Evans and Chili's, Robin's extensive experience has uniquely prepared her for creating and executing winning operations strategies across Modern Market Eatery's 30+ units. During her time with Brinker, Robin served as the project leader for the Leadership Principles for Women Task Force, which she formed to help create “best in class” women’s leadership and mentorship programs. This collaborative effort earned Robin the Women’s Foodservice Forum Leadership Award, which is given each year to a woman executive in the foodservice industry who shows exceptional leadership qualities within her company and the industry at large, and whose professional growth and achievements are recognized through career advancement. Robin believes in doing things the hard way such as building people, not restaurants and serving vibrant dishes passionately crafted from scratch.

Robin Robison brings more than 16 years of restaurant experience to her role as vice president of operations at Modern Market Eatery based in Denver, Colo. With past leadership roles at Red Robin, Bob Evans and Chili's, Robin's extensive experience has uniquely prepared her for creating and executing winning operations strategies across Modern Market Eatery's 30+ units. During her time with Brinker, Robin served as the project leader for the Leadership Principles for Women Task Force, which she formed to help create “best in class” women’s leadership and mentorship programs. This collaborative effort earned Robin the Women’s Foodservice Forum Leadership Award, which is given each year to a woman executive in the foodservice industry who shows exceptional leadership qualities within her company and the industry at large, and whose professional growth and achievements are recognized through career advancement. Robin believes in doing things the hard way such as building people, not restaurants and serving vibrant dishes passionately crafted from scratch.

Kelly Roddy is Chief Executive Officer and President of WOWorks, a position he has held since the company’s inception in 2020. Before assuming this role, Kelly held C-suite and other leadership positions as Chief Executive Officer and President of Saladworks, LLC and Garbanzo Franchising Co., LLC; President of Schlotzsky's Franchisor SPV, LLC; and President of Schlotzsky's Franchise, LLC. Kelly has 21 years of additional executive management experience at HEB, Scholastic, and Walmart. Kelly is an active member in the restaurant industry and has spoken multiple times at International Franchise Association (IFA), International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA), Franchise Springboard, Fast Casual, Restaurant Finance and the IFMA Chain Operators Exchange (COEX). Under his vision, WOWorks has grown to six thriving better-for-you restaurant brands that share the value of fresh, clean, healthy-halo ingredients that can be customized to any taste: Saladworks, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, Frutta Bowls, The Simple Greek, Barberitos, and Z!Eats.

Shokouh Shafiei is a seasoned executive with 20 years of diverse leadership experience in Heavy Industrial Manufacturing. Her expertise expands across Engineering, Operations and Supply Chain. Her focus on Turnaround & Restructuring allows her to identify growth opportunities and develop highly profitable businesses that operate to their fullest potential.

Jeff Sinelli serves as Founder, CEO, and Chief Vibe Officer of Sinelli Concepts and its subsidiary brands. He often says, "Anything is Possible!" That includes creating and growing iconic brands, from Which Wich Superior Sandwiches; Genghis Grill; Paciugo Gelato & Caffe; and Supernova Coffee. Sinelli grew up in Detroit, and after achieving a BA at Michigan State and an MBA from City University, Sinelli headed west to exercise his entrepreneurial spirit in Dallas. Before focusing on building multi-unit concepts, he developed dozens of independent restaurants and nightclubs. Two decades ago, Sinelli created Which Wich, prompting leading industry publication QSR Magazine to dub him a "branding phenom" upon its launch. Which Wich was a huge hit from the moment it opened its doors, and immediately saw demand for franchise opportunities. Today, Which Wich is an international brand with hundreds of locations around the globe. The concept continues to grow with multiple locations in development.

Jason Sobocinski the president and co-founder of Haven Hot Chicken. After working in restaurants as everything from a waiter to a baker, cook and manager, Jason earned his master’s degree in gastronomy at Boston University. A serial entrepreneur, Jason’s hospitality projects include Caseus Fromagerie, Black Hog Brewing, Olmo, Ordinary, Mystic Cheese and Continuum Distilling. As President, Jason heads commercial, driving brand growth, guest engagement and revenue strategy.

Laura Sporrer is the co-founder of Roll Mobility, an innovative app dedicated to making the world more accessible. Roll empowers individuals with disabilities to find accurate, user-sourced information about the accessibility of restaurants, businesses, bathrooms, parking spaces, and more. Driven by a passion for inclusion and practicality, Laura works to ensure that everyone can navigate their communities with confidence and ease. Before launching Roll, Laura spent over 15 years in the restaurant industry, where she wore many hats across franchise marketing, campus and airport development, FDD management, market planning, public relations, and local shop marketing strategy. Her work with brands like Quiznos, HuHot, and Teriyaki Madness showcased her knack for developing creative, nimble strategies that drive growth while staying true to brand values. With a keen eye for detail and a heart for community impact, Laura continues to bridge the gap between innovation and accessibility, ensuring Roll Mobility makes a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

A highly successful restaurant industry veteran with 30+ years of experience, Susan Taylor joined Juice It Up! in 2019 as VP Franchise Operations and was promoted to President and CEO of the brand in early 2020. In the five years following Taylor’s arrival, Juice It Up! has achieved record sales, generated impressive franchise momentum and significantly ramped up expansion efforts, with sights set on doubling unit count in the next four years. Menu innovation also tops the list of Taylor’s critically successful endeavors, ensuring the brand balances flavor and functionality and remains on the vanguard of ingredient trends.

Ashish Tulsian, Co-founder & CEO of Restroworks, is a dynamic entrepreneur and the driving force behind Restroworks, a global, cloud-first technology platform transforming how enterprise restaurants operate. The platform powers over 25,000+ restaurants globally. With a rare blend of technological acumen and deep industry insight, Ashish leads product innovation and market expansion at Restroworks, while also coaching restaurant operators on how to scale using technology.

Greg Vojnovic is a balanced and experienced senior executive with over three decades of transformational change and performance. Known for entrepreneurial thinking, winning strategies and a top developer of talent and culture. A successful record of improving or building organizations from scratch, strategic planning, acquisition, development, and winning real estate strategy. Greg has spent most of his career as a key leader in rapidly growing organizations and turnarounds, most notably as a part of Cheryl Bachelder’s team for the Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen rebirth. Then with Paul Brown at Arby’s and then at Inspire Brands, leading growth in the rebirth of the iconic brand, rebuilding the aged assets and improving first-year operational performance. This led to his role at Inspire Brands and repositioning Buffalo Wilds Wings and the new prototype in the repositioning of that great brand.

A seasoned industry leader, Walker brings 30+ years of executive experience across QSR, Fast Casual, and Casual Dining, scaling global brands like Subway®, Nathan's Famous®, and Cinnabon®. Walker holds the title of CEO at Lunchbox, a leading enterprise restaurant solution provider specializing in catering, online ordering, marketing CRM, order aggregation, and loyalty. Widely respected in restaurant tech and delivery, combines expertise in enterprise growth, AI strategy, and operations to drive Lunchbox’s next phase of growth. He holds an MBA from Duke and has completed executive programs at Harvard, Yale, and MIT, including a focus on AI strategy at MIT.

Steve Weigel possesses over four decades of experience in the hospitality and restaurant industries. Currently, he focuses on upholding Goodberry's operational excellence and guaranteeing that each Custard Shop delivers an exceptional guest experience. In addition, Steve oversees all locations within the organization, managing every aspect of operations to reinforce Goodberry's dedication to serving the freshest premium custard, made throughout the day with high service standards. He joined the Goodberry team in 2022 as Chief Operating Officer and has since progressed to the position of President of Brand.

Peter Wiley forged his skills in multimedia, live video production, broadcast television, web, social media and marketing while working with music artists and church organizations in the Northwest. In 2007, Ray recruited him to help launch the Hot Head Burritos brand. Over the last 10+ years, he has produced countless TV, radio, online, print, and in-store marketing campaigns for Hot Head Burritos.

Doug Willmarth joined Beans & Brews Coffeehouse in 2024 as CEO, bringing nearly three decades of experience in multi-unit restaurant leadership. He was previously brand president at MOOYAH Burgers, Fries and Shakes, where he reinvigorated the brand famous for the best cheeseburgers in America. Throughout his career, Doug has specialized in building iconic brands and creating profitable sales growth in franchised restaurant businesses. Prior to MOOYAH, Doug’s restaurant experience includes roles as Chief Brand Officer for Mongolian Concepts, Chief Marketing Officer for Wingstop, and Director of National Marketing at Pizza Hut. Doug’s passion for best-in-class franchisee support and understanding of key sales and profit levers for restaurants are key to the success of franchisees at Beans & Brews.

Ellis Winstanley is a seasoned restauranteur and business executive with a successful track record of starting up, turning around and growing businesses in the hospitality, software and several other industries. Ellis began turning around historic restaurant brands while in college and has played key roles in dozens of restaurant related operations over the years. It was during this time that Ellis realized there was a huge opportunity to flip restaurant technology on its head by focusing on front-line engagement with company goals. His passion for solving this problem led him to found the revolutionary technology platform Axial Shift.