Speakers

Clay Dover is the CEO of Savory, where he leads the strategy, growth, and performance of a portfolio of founder-led restaurant brands. He partners closely with brand leaders and platform teams to scale concepts through disciplined development, operational excellence, and a strong, people-first culture. Clay is known for his hands-on leadership style, his ability to build high-performing teams, and his passion for helping founders unlock the full potential of their brands while preserving what makes them special. Prior to joining Savory, Clay served as Chief Executive Officer, President, and Taco Maker at Velvet Taco. Under his leadership, the brand grew from 4 to 54 restaurants across the United States and internationally, delivering industry-leading performance and earning award-winning consumer recognition. Clay also led the successful sale of Velvet Taco from L Catterton to Leonard Green & Partners in late 2021, and the company was recognized by QSR Magazine as a Best Place to Work in 2023. A restaurant industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience, Clay has held a variety of senior executive roles, including President and Chief Marketing Officer at Raising Cane’s. He has been named one of the most influential restaurant CEOs in the country by Nation’s Restaurant News and currently serves on the boards of the Texas Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Fast Casual Industry Council. He previously served as Co-Chair of the National Restaurant Association Marketing Advisory Group.

Chris Schultz is the CEO of Velvet Taco and has spent more than 30 years building brands that people don’t just like, they obsess over. Over the course of his career, he has helped build and scale some of the industry’s most distinctive brands, including Starbucks, MOD Pizza, Voodoo Doughnut, and now Velvet Taco. He began his career with Starbucks during its early expansion, supporting the company’s growth across multiple U.S. markets and internationally, later joined the founding leadership team at MOD Pizza where the brand grew from one store to more than 300 locations in the U.S. and internationally, and went on to serve as CEO of Voodoo Doughnut, where he tripled the size of the iconic brand Chris has been recognized three times by National Restaurant News as one of the industry’s Most Influential CEOs and was also recognized by the publication as one of the Most Influential Restaurant Marketers.

Shauna K. Smith is Managing Director and Co-Founder of Savory Fund, a private equity firm focused on investing in and scaling emerging restaurant brands. In her role, Shauna leads Portfolio Management and Value Creation, partnering closely with leadership teams to drive revenue growth, operating discipline, strategic transformation, and scalable infrastructure across the Savory portfolio. Shauna is an accomplished executive leader with 18+ years of experience building and growing Food & Beverage businesses. Since 2008, she has helped develop, acquire, operate, and manage 530+ restaurants across a dozen states, generating more than $3 billion in aggregate sales and creating tens of thousands of jobs throughout her career. Her work has been centered on improving unit-level performance, strengthening teams and culture, and driving enterprise value creation through operational excellence. Savory’s growth and impact have earned multiple industry accolades, including fast-growth recognition from Restaurant Monitor and over a dozen appearances on Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 5000 list. Shauna has also been recognized individually for her leadership, including being featured on the cover of Franchise Times (November 2018 and May 2023), named one of Utah Business Magazine’s “30 Women to Watch” (2019), and receiving CXO of the Year (2020) and CEO of the Year (2022) honors from Utah Business.

Sawsan Abublan is CEO and Co-Founder of the first Authentic Shawarma franchise in the US. Since opening the first fast casual Mediterranean restaurant in 2017, award-winning Shawarma Press has committed to a multicultural employee pool and a diverse menu that bursts with authentic and fusion flavors. The company has employees and suppliers from five different continents who converse in 10 different languages. Team members routinely prepare and deliver countless meals to help fight hunger. Sawsan is the winner of a Stevie® Award in the Diversity and Inclusion category in the 21st Annual American Business Awards® presented recently in New York.

Mijo Alanis is the Co-Founder of Beyond Juicery + Eatery, a franchise brand he helped launch in 2005 with a vision of making fresh, healthy food more accessible. Beginning his restaurant career at age 15 as a dishwasher, Mijo has spent more than 40 years gaining hands-on experience across every aspect of the food industry. His expertise spans restaurant operations, franchise development, product innovation, real estate strategy, and brand leadership. Passionate about building relationships, developing people, and staying ahead of industry trends, Mijo continues to focus on growing the brand through innovation, strong partnerships, and an unwavering commitment to creating exceptional guest and franchisee experiences.

Geoff Alexander joined Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (LEYE) in 1993 and following his work on multiple concepts within LEYE’s portfolio, he took over LEYE’s Asian concept, Wow Bao in 2009. A pioneer in both technology and social media, Geoff redefined the fast casual space by implementing mobile ordering, self-ordering kiosks, bicycle delivery and nationwide shipping. Geoff has overseen Wow Bao’s inclusion into airports, major sports stadiums, university campuses, music venues, grocers around the country sell Wow Bao’s frozen retail line. Shortly after being named to both Nation’s Restaurant News’ Power List and Most Influential Restaurant CEOs in the country, Geoff changed the game in the restaurant industry once again by creating Wow Bao Now; launching more than 500 Wow Bao Dark / Virtual Kitchens in more than 400 cities in less than 18 months.

Erik Andreassen is a versatile professional with a strong foundation in commercial real estate and corporate account management. He served as a Real Estate Manager for Just Salad, during which he was a client of RE BackOffice. Prior to his current role, Erik spent several years specializing in the New York real estate sector. He served as a Real Estate Manager for Just Salad. He held associate roles in capital markets and real estate at Matthews Real Estate Investment Services and Bond Vet. Erik began his corporate career in Florida as a Project Manager for Gator Investments, following foundational internships in wealth management and global client services at McKinnon Wright and Dimensional.

Matt Armstrong, along with Thad Hudgens, founded Huey Magoo’s in 2004. Matt has brought a complement to the leadership team by providing expertise in the areas of development and construction to help grow Huey Magoo’s into a brand that guests continually rave about. Matt has committed his lifelong business career to ensure the success of Huey Magoo’s. His goal is to continue the pattern of strategic growth by expanding franchise locations throughout key markets in the United States. He holds a seat on the Huey Magoo’s Restaurants board of directors, and serves on various boards of Central Florida charities and ministries. Beyond his work at Huey Magoo’s, Matt is a devout husband and father of two children, while keeping his faith as the centerpiece of their family.

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.

Joe Barbano brings a decade of experience with ERP and financial visibility applications for franchises, multi-entity brands, and retail/restaurant specific solutions. Since 2024, Joe has been the Sr. Vice President of Sales at Qvinci, a franchise operational and financial performance solution. Before that, Joe sold his ERP company to Sage Intacct, where he led sales for retail and restaurants for a number of years. Joe's passion is to help franchise and multi-entity brands improve their unit-level performance metrics with a particular eye on creating brand-wide efficiencies that create the foundations for growth.

Cherryh Cansler is VP of Connect Food, publisher of FastCasual and co-host of Fast Casual Nation. 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.

Rev Ciancio 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.

Kim Collura is Vice President of Marketing at Jason’s Deli, where she has led the brand’s marketing strategy since 2023. An action-driven leader, Kim is known for building brands, driving growth in new market segments, and translating consumer insights into impactful, executable strategies. She brings deep expertise in Millennial and K–12 consumers and a proven track record in new product development. Prior to Jason’s Deli, Kim held senior marketing and operations roles at Pizza Hut and CiCi’s Pizza, where she led breakthrough product innovation, next-generation concept development and integrated marketing strategies that significantly increased sales and brand relevance. She began her career at Yum! Brands in supply chain and program management, giving her a uniquely holistic perspective on brand growth from ideation through execution. Kim earned her undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at Arlington and later received her MBA from Southern Methodist University.

Darden Coors is the Head of Lettuce (CEO) of Salad Collective, 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. After Graphic Packaging merged with Riverwood in 2003, Coors worked outside of the family business for four years as Assistant General Counsel for Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc. which sparked her interest in the fast casual restaurant world. Coors started her career as a real estate attorney in Denver.

John Dillon is a nationally recognized, award-winning President and CEO, board advisor, and growth catalyst with a track record of delivering enterprise transformation and measurable business performance across restaurants, hospitality, retail, consumer products, education, and sports and entertainment. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and President of la Madeleine Bakery and Cafe, a fast casual brand with nearly 100 cafes across the U.S., where he is leading a disciplined and aggressive modernization focused on guest experience, unit-level economics, operating improvements, and deliberate expansion across domestic and international markets. John earned his reputation leading complex, multi-unit businesses where results depend on clarity, execution, and alignment across field teams, support centers, owners, and boards. Over a 16-year tenure at Denny’s Corporation, John advanced from Chief Marketing Officer to Chief Brand Officer and ultimately President, playing a key leadership role in revitalizing the 1,600-unit system.

Michael Dolinger is a veteran in multi-unit restaurant operations, having worked for companies like Caribou Coffee and Glory Days Grill. Mike started his career as a franchisee with ExxonMobil and earned degrees from Johnson and Wales, L’Academie de Cuisine and Radford University.

As a co-founder and core member of the leadership team, Davi Dubinski brings over 10 years of global sales leadership experience, partnering with restaurant executives to unify complex solutions, elevate brands, and drive compound growth at scale. Today, he leads Momos’ global sales initiatives and continues to expand the company’s customer footprint across 15+ countries in North America, the UAE, APAC, and the GCC.

Jennifer Durham brings a uniquely strategic perspective to franchise development, combining a financial foundation as a CPA with decades of experience guiding multi-unit brands through scalable, sustainable growth. Throughout her career, she has worked across the restaurant, retail and wellness industries, helping brands strengthen unit-level economics, optimize development strategies and create long-term value for franchise owners. Her leadership roles with Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, and Checkers & Rally’s have given her deep expertise in franchise expansion, market planning and operational alignment. Today, as Senior Vice President of Franchising and Development at Potbelly Sandwich Works, Jennifer leads the brand’s growth strategy, identifying opportunities that complement the brand's neighborhood-focused approach while supporting strong franchisee performance. From prototype optimization and market development to refranchising initiatives and conversion opportunities, Jennifer is recognized for pairing analytical rigor with practical, relationship-driven leadership. She is passionate about helping franchise owners build thriving businesses and fostering partnerships that strengthen both local communities and the broader Potbelly system.

Blas Escarcega is Chief Development Officer at Bonchon, a global leader in Korean fried chicken with more than 150 restaurants in the U.S. and nearly 500 worldwide. In his role, Blas accelerates franchise growth, strengthens franchisee partnerships, and expands the brand across the United States. With over 25 years of experience in restaurant finance, development, and strategic planning, Blas has guided both emerging and established concepts through the complexities of expansion. His unique blend of financial acumen and development expertise empowers clients to build scalable franchise systems backed by data, strategy, and operational insight.

Elisia Flores serves as CEO of L&L Franchise, Inc. which has over 220 restaurants across the country and in Japan. She is responsible for setting the strategic vision of the company and driving new growth initiatives. Flores has been instrumental in developing key partnerships to expand the L&L brand, strengthening the brand across markets and implementing national revenue generating programs for the franchises. Prior to L&L, Flores worked at General Electric Company (GE) for over 8 years. At GE, she was responsible for significant audit and process improvements at GE Aviation, GE Corporate and overseas at GE Capital Interbanca. Flores serves on the board of directors for Hawaiian Electric Industries (NYSE: HE) and is chair of the audit committee for American Savings Bank (subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Industries). Also, she serves on the boards of Hawaii Pacific Health (one of Hawaii’s largest healthcare systems), Diamond Head Theatre and the Hawaiian Humane Society.

As President and CEO since 2020, Scott Ford has led Hawaiian Bros through remarkable growth, guiding its evolution from a regional concept to a thriving national franchise. With over 30 years of experience in restaurant leadership, including roles at Applebee’s, Goodcents, and as a multi-time entrepreneur, Scott blends big-brand strategy with an operator’s mindset. His focus on operational excellence and innovation has helped Hawaiian Bros scale while staying true to its culture and the Aloha Spirit. Through his leadership, the company continues to refine how technology and hospitality work together to create a better guest and team member experience.

Fred Frey is an accomplished restaurant franchise development leader with an extensive background in finance and business growth. Frey joined 16 Handles as VP of Franchise Development in 2025, where he is driving the brand’s record franchise growth. Before joining 16 Handles, Fred served as Director of Franchise Development at Shipley Do-Nuts and Franchise Development Manager at HTea0. Fred’s expertise in franchise expansion is complemented by a decade-long career in banking and finance with Wells Fargo and Merrill Lynch. Outside of work, Fred is a dedicated husband and father of three.

Kelly Gray is a business leader and entrepreneur with over 20 years in commercial real estate and a passion for the restaurant industry. She co-founded Rapid Fired Pizza in 2015 and became a part-owner of Hot Head Burritos in 2017. As President of the Gem City Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association and a 2025 Top 10 Business Woman honoree, Kelly champions mentorship, community involvement, and empowering women in business.

Srishti Handa is the Vice President of Marketing - Brand and Growth at Dave’s Hot Chicken. For nearly five years, she’s helped shape the voice, identity, and growth of one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands in the country, driving national campaigns, menu innovation, and global expansion. Before joining Dave’s, she led marketing for a female-founded produce company, managing retail partnerships with Whole Foods, Kroger, and Bristol Farms. Her career spans food, retail, and consumer brands, including leading marketing for a lifestyle company acquired by India’s largest retailer and overseeing brand strategy for a plant-based frozen food company across Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. That journey eventually led her to launch her own frozen food brand, The Temperamental Chef, sold in premium Indian grocery stores and is rooted in her belief that vegetables deserve better PR. Her work has earned her recognition from Forbes 30 Under 30 and, more recently, AdAge 40 Under 40.

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 more than 25 years of leadership experience at iconic brands like The Cheesecake Factory, Logan’s Roadhouse and BurgerFi, John Iannucci is focused on scaling Agave & Stone’s brands while maintaining their authentic charm. The company’s current portfolio includes Fat Rosie’s Taco & Tequila Bar, a high-energy taco and tequila concept known for its colorful “Fluent in Fiesta” atmosphere, and Escalante’s Fine Tex-Mex, Houston’s go-to destination for elevated Tex-Mex dining for more than 30 years. Since stepping into his role in 2024, he’s strengthened its operational foundations, built a high-performing leadership team, and overseen the continued development of both brands, including the strategic new market entry of Fat Rosie’s first location outside of Chicago at Orlando’s Waterford Lakes Town Center this spring.

Stacey Kane has more than 25 years of experience working with multi-unit restaurant chains as a Head of Marketing and Marketing Consultant. She has worked with such brands as California Tortilla, ThinkFood Group (now Jose Andres Group), Subway and East Coast Wings. Known for her incredible creativity and obsession with data she was one of the pioneers of using social media in the restaurant space and has been named a Top 20 Movers and Shakers by Fast Casual Magazine six times. Her passion is leading emerging brands as they scale for growth and mentoring small teams. Currently, Stacey is a fractional CMO for several fast casual brands including Fresh Baguette, Garden Catering, Mahana Fresh, Mamoun's Falafel and Ziggi's Coffee. Kane is passionate about the industry. She has been a National Pro-Start Judge for 5 years and after serving as a consultant, she was asked to sit on the board of CORE is a national non-profit that is dedicated to providing support to the food & beverage service industry in times of crisis.

Abhinav Kapur is the co-founder and CEO of Bikky, a Customer Data Platform (CDP) built exclusively for multi-unit restaurants. Bikky integrates across all in-store and off-premise channels to help brands understand how marketing, menu, and operational decisions impact guest frequency and lifetime value. This empowers everyone from the C-Suite to the marketing team to make better, data-driven decisions across the guest experience. Bikky powers data-based decisions for brands like MOD Pizza, Dave's Hot Chicken, SPB Hospitality, Krystal, and Eggs Up Grill, and thousands of other locations across the U.S.

As the Co-founder of RE BackOffice, Harbinder Khera has been in the lease abstraction and administration business for over 2 decades. Harbinder brings with him deep tech expertise in the fields of machine learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI), process automation and product innovation. He leverages his extensive experience of working with top real estate brokers, owners, property managers and REITs to help infuse more effectiveness, efficiency, accuracy and ultimately, better ROI into our client’s lease administration processes. Harbinder is also the CEO of one of the fastest-growing tech companies in the world today, Mindmatrix.

Eric Knott is a restaurant executive with a proven track record built upon operational excellence, driving revenues with favorable returns, and a passion for developing best in class teams. Currently leading the fast casual brand People Dedicated to Quality (PDQ) as the Chief Operating Office, Eric has committed over a decade to driving strategic growth across the business. Understanding the importance of a holistic vision, Eric is directly responsible for producing results through a vast array of incentives. Innovation across Operations, Technology, Real-Estate, and Marketing campaigns are a few examples of how Eric has created superior value to the organization.

Davide Macchi is the Co-founder & CEO of Due' Cucina, a unique fast-casual concept specializing in authentic Italian pasta. Due' Cucina currently operates four locations in Seattle, WA (with one more on the way) and, following a recent equity round, is about to open three additional units in Texas. Prior to Due’, David worked as a strategy consultant for Kearney, and in a variety of management roles in Australia and the US for Rocket Internet and Amazon. Davide studied media, economics, and business administration at University of Bologna, UC Berkeley, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received his MBA in 2016.

Michael Magerl is President of Trabon Group, a Kansas City-based printing company that works with national restaurant brands to bring their marketing and print needs to life. He graduated from the University of Houston’s C.T. Bauer College of Business with a degree in Organizational Behavior and Management. Michael has spent over 32 years at Trabon, leading teams in just about every part of the company. With a background in sales, he’s passionate about building new business relationships and exploring technology that helps meet the evolving needs of clients. Outside of work, Michael is a certified yoga instructor and volunteers with the adult special needs community. He brings a mix of energy, curiosity, and heart to everything he does.

Tonya McCoy is a marketing leader who has helped transform Angry Chickz into one of America’s fastest-growing hot chicken brands. With nearly 30 years in foodservice marketing and franchise development, she has driven a 63% increase in territory unit sales and a 1,400% increase in business growth while managing multi-million-dollar campaigns across thousands of locations. Tonya’s community engagement playbook creates 400–500 weekly touchpoints, and her PR efforts earned 108+ placements and 106M+ impressions in six months, propelling Angry Chickz to #44 on QSR’s Top 50 Contenders list. Recognized with multiple industry awards, she builds scalable systems that preserve authenticity, foster franchise collaboration, and drive deep community connection.

Justin Mennen currently serves as Shake Shack’s Chief Information and Technology Officer, overseeing all aspects of the Company’s technology strategy and operations. With over two decades of experience, Justin has led technology organizations across various industries globally. He has an extensive background as a chief digital, technology, and information officer, leveraging technology to create competitive business advantages, drive transformation, and enhance customer experiences. Prior to joining Shake Shack, he served as EVP, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Rite Aid Corporation where he led the company’s digital and technology organizations, enhancing online platforms and modernizing systems across 2,400 stores. Before Rite Aid, Mennen was the Chief Digital and Information Officer of CompuCom Systems and served as the Vice President of Enterprise Architecture and Technology Innovation for The Estée Lauder Companies. He has also held multiple leadership roles at Dell Technologies, ultimately serving as the Regional Chief Information Officer for Asia Pacific and Japan, based in Malaysia.

Brittany Mercer is a results-driven marketing executive with over 16 years of experience leading high-impact strategies across the restaurant industry. She specializes in local store marketing, off-premise growth, and brand development that drives both top-line sales and long-term brand equity. With a background rooted in operations and catering sales, Brittany brings a deep understanding of what matters most to restaurant operators: practical, actionable marketing that moves the needle. Known for blending creative storytelling with data-informed decisions, she’s passionate about building loyal guest relationships, supporting field teams, and creating marketing programs that feel as authentic as they are effective.

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.

David Moore is an engaging customer-oriented, value-centered operations professional with experience in strategic business development, initiative implementation and operations management. He has a unique mix of government and private industry experience. Prior to joining KPS Commercial Construction in July 2024 he served as an advisor. He joined KPS from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission where he spent 13 years as the Encouraging Diversity Growth and Equity (EDGE) Program Manager. There he assisted certified small businesses achieve an average of $75 million dollars in state construction contracts annually. During his prior 12 years with the State of Ohio he oversaw successful revenue generating operations for the Ohio Lottery Commission, and Ohio Division of Unclaimed Funds. His vast sales experience comprises 25 years in retail management including general management of several Brooks Brothers clothing store locations.

Jason Morgan throughout his career has built and led successful growth companies across various industries. Currently, as Chief Executive Officer at Original ChopShop, Morgan has increased unit count from three units to 22 units in the past seven years achieving sales and operating results that are leading the fast casual sector. As Chief Financial Officer of Zoës Kitchen from 2008 to 2015, Morgan was instrumental in the growth of the company, increasing store count from 20 to 150 and revenues from $18mm to $223mm. In April 2014, he led Zoës Kitchen IPO –one of the most successful IPOs in the restaurant sector in the past decade. Prior to Zoës Kitchen, he held CFO positions at a private equity-backed start-up and a gaming technology company. He also held executive positions in strategic planning, investor relations, and treasury at Gaylord Entertainment Co. and Harrah’s Entertainment. Morgan began his career at Arthur Andersen, is a Certified Public Accountant, and received both his Bachelor’s and MBA degrees from Vanderbilt University.

Rashad Moumneh is a seasoned restaurant executive and entrepreneur. He is the Founder and Bird-in-Chief of Dizzy Bird, a modern rotisserie chicken brand built around craveable, fire-grilled chicken. Dissatisfied by the many fast-food options, Rashad created Dizzy Bird around a simple idea: chicken can be craveable, flavorful, fun, and still be something people feel good eating all week long. Dizzy Bird currently has two locations in Orange County, CA; and is preparing for its next stage of growth, including a new flagship store at Playa Vista, CA; and a franchise expansion across Southern California. Prior to Dizzy Bird, Rashad created Falasophy, a modern Middle Eastern street-food brand. His earlier career included leadership roles in marketing and operations at Taco Bell, Corp. in Irvine, CA, and leading the international expansion for Argo Tea. Rashad holds a B.E. in Engineering and an MBA from UC-Irvine. He lives with his family in Costa Mesa, CA.

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.”

Nish Patel is the Global CEO of Paperchase, the hospitality industry's leading outsourced accounting partner. After earning his Bachelor of Commerce from Gujarat University and his master's from the London School of Accountancy and Management, Nish spent 15 years in FP&A roles across restaurant groups before launching the firm's US operations in 2010. Nish was appointed Global CEO in 2022. Under his leadership, Paperchase serves over 3000 hospitality businesses around the world.

Ms. Petokas has served as Chief People Officer of Kura Sushi USA since October 2021. As Kura’s Chief People officer, Ms. Petokas is responsible for developing and executing people strategies that support the company’s operational goals and helps drive performance within the organization. She brings over twenty years of human resources experience, with over a decade spent at quick-service restaurant companies. Most recently, Ms. Petokas was the Vice President and Chief People Officer for Farmer Boys®, the farm-fresh, fast-casual concept known for its award-winning burgers and exceptional service. Her previous positions include Human Resources Director at Del Taco, LLC, and VP of Human Resources at both BLD Brands, LLC, and CKE Restaurant Holdings Inc., which owns Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s Green Burrito, and Red Burrito. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of California, Los Angeles. She is a member of the Professionals in Human Resources Association.

Gracie Prasanson serves as Vice President of Sales for Jason’s Deli, where she has spent the past 26 years leading the development and expansion of the brand’s off-premises channels. With more than 40 years of experience spanning sales management, operations and off-premises strategy, Gracie brings deep industry expertise and a proven track record of driving sustainable growth. Prior to joining Jason’s Deli, she held leadership roles with nationally recognized restaurant brands including Denny’s, Cracker Barrel and IHOP, further sharpening her operational and sales acumen. In 2022, Gracie achieved Ranger status in Salesforce Trailhead, demonstrating her commitment to innovation and data-driven performance. She has also served for the past five years as a chair on the Off Premise Industry Council, helping shape best practices and forward-thinking strategies across the category.

Sarah Rooney is the Vice President of Training and Technology with over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, spanning both corporate and franchise operations domestically and internationally. Throughout her career, she has played a key role in opening multiple restaurant locations across the United States and the Middle East, bringing hands-on operational insight to every project she leads. Sarah specializes in restaurant management, project planning, LTO rollouts, and technology implementations, with a strong focus on creating practical, easy-to-use training materials for both staff and managers. Known for her collaborative and down-to-earth approach, she is passionate about helping teams adopt new systems, improve performance, and deliver consistent, high-quality guest experiences.

Brandon Solano, CEO of RAVE Restaurant Group, has revitalized Pizza Inn through a high-impact "Mission 2030" strategy. In 2025, Solano orchestrated the brand’s fastest expansion in 18 years, highlighted by a triple-store launch in just three weeks. By introducing the viral "All You Can $8" buffet promotion and house-made ranch dressing, he achieved 23 consecutive quarters of profitability. A veteran of Domino’s and Wendy’s, Solano’s focus on modernizing unit economics and franchisee profitability has successfully repositioned "America’s Hometown Pizza Place" for sustained global growth.

Darren Spicer is a QSR growth strategist and restaurant culture consultant best known as the Founder and CEO of Clutch Coffee Bar. He launched the drive-thru brand in 2018 after prior experience at Dutch Bros, scaling it to 20 locations (and achieving 38% year-over-year growth in a franchise-dominated industry) before coming full circle and leading the company through acquisition by Dutch Bros in 2026. Clutch became recognized for its elite customer experience, best-in-class beverages, exceptional 84% loyalty rate, and community-driven marketing model. Today, Darren runs 110 ventures and advises emerging and established brands on founder-led scaling, building high-performance teams and culture, brand building & product innovation , growth marketing & optimization, customer loyalty, operational excellence while rapidly scaling, and scaling towards successful exits. A passionate advocate for building people-first organizations, he serves on the advisory board at the University of Oregon and mentors student-athletes. Darren is also the founder of TimeBack Talent Staffing Agency, BDE Energy, and Cowboy MUD BBQ Rub.

Jim Thompson serves as Chief Operating Officer of Chicken Salad Chick, where he leads company and franchise operations for one of the nation's fastest-growing fast-casual restaurant brands. With more than 30 years of executive leadership experience, Jim has built a distinguished career driving operational excellence and efficiencies, developing high-performing teams, and creating scalable systems that fuel sustainable growth. Before joining Chicken Salad Chick, Jim held senior leadership positions with industry-leading organizations, including Wendy's, Sony Electronics, King's Family Restaurants, D'Angelo, and Papa Gino's, where he gained extensive experience in operations, organizational development, and multi-unit leadership.

Chris Treloar has spent his career exclusively in restaurant operations. With a strong background in multi-unit operations management, team development, and systems innovation, Chris is a visionary leader who has consistently driven success in the food service industry. His dedication to excellence, data-driven decision-making, and people-focused approach make him a standout CEO in the field. His commitment to developing systems and procedures, combined with his strong analytical skills, has left a lasting impact on the organizations he's been a part of.

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.

Along with his two business partners, André Vener co-founded Dog Haus in April 2010, with the mission of elevating stadium food classics into culinary masterworks. Over the last decade, Dog Haus has expanded from its Pasadena, CA, base to nearly 50 locations from coast-to-coast. André and his partners have spearheaded the craft-casual brand’s rapid expansion by forming alliances with leading ghost kitchen networks, an innovative partnership with Live Nation and the 2020 introduction of The Absolute Brands – a suite of virtual restaurant concepts spun off from several of Dog Haus’ signature menu items, such as the Bad Mutha Clucka. André has been interviewed as a restaurant industry expert on multiple national platforms, including CNN, FOX News Channel and MSNBC. He and his Dog Haus partners were featured on the cover of QSR Magazine’s April 2020 edition, and they have been profiled in Entrepreneur magazine, Food & Wine and more.

Erin Walter is the Chief Marketing Officer at Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, overseeing strategic marketing initiatives and execution. Erin leads brand, digital, grand-opening, and local-store marketing programs and works closely with cross-functional teams to accelerate Freddy’s marketing footprint. She is passionate about growing brands and teams. Her background includes more than 20 years in the franchise restaurant industry, with chains such as Round Table Pizza, Marble Slab Creamery, and Great American Cookies. Erin is a proud graduate of the University of Georgia, a wife, and a mom to three wild boys.

Sam Worobec is co-founder of Training Simplified and a human capital executive with deep experience operating at the highest levels of fast growing organizations. His career spans executive leadership roles at Chipotle, Red Ventures and Nexus Executive Search, where he has lead every facet of Human Resources including executive assessment, talent strategy, and leadership development at scale. Sam is an operator who has built the systems that develop leaders from within, resulting in the growth of thousands of frontline employees into managers and executives. Through Training Simplified, he brings together real world executive leadership and proven training frameworks to help organizations build internal pipelines, strengthen culture, and deliver results through people.