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 transitioned her illustrious career as a pharmacist to living her dream as a successful Franchisor of a fast casual concept! 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 to 11 locations in Texas, Georgia and Kansas. The brand is well known for supporting local charities especially homeless shelters by donating freshly made wholesome meals and is a supporter of CORE (Care of Restaurant Employees) a non profit organization.

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.

Alpha Bah is a NYC-based entrepreneur, restaurateur, and operator with experience building and growing hospitality concepts from the ground up. He is the co-founder of Bronx Burger Co., a homegrown brand that began at NYC street fairs and has since expanded to three locations across the Bronx. He is also a partner at Gai Chicken and Rice, further expanding his experience across restaurant operations, growth, and brand development. Originally from Senegal, his entrepreneurial journey has been shaped by hands-on experience, resilience, and a strong understanding of what it takes to turn an idea into a sustainable business. From serving customers at street fairs to opening and operating brick-and-mortar locations, he has developed experience across operations, team building, customer service, marketing, and expansion. Today, Alpha focus on building strong, scalable hospitality brands, creating opportunities within the communities they serve, and continuing to grow as an entrepreneur

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.

Deniz Bayraktaroglu is the CEO and founder of Bounti, the operational platform built for frontline teams in multi-location businesses. The son of migrant parents, Deniz spent his early career in hospitality — which showed him something the tech industry had ignored for decades. While every office worker had software designed for their jobs, frontline teams — the people running restaurants, hotels, shops, and shift-based operations — had nothing. No tools built for their shifts, their languages, or the way they actually work. Just endless workarounds on personal apps that were never meant for the job. Bounti is his answer. A platform designed for how frontline teams actually operate — across locations, languages, and shifts — giving them the tools they should have had all along. Today, Deniz leads Bounti in redefining what modern operational software looks like when it's built for the shift floor, not the boardroom.

Known as the father of the Dallas fast casual industry, Mark Brezinski is a 45-year veteran of the restaurant industry who has created or co-created multiple nationally recognized restaurant concepts, Velvet Taco and Pei Wei Asian Diner. His career includes work with major players such as Yum Brands, and he's known for founding concepts that have earned "Hot Concept" and "Concepts of Tomorrow" honors, along with being named one of North Texas' Top 500 CEOs by D CEO Magazine in 2020. In 2023, Brezinski published his memoir, FORKFIGHT!: Whisks, Risks, and Conflicts Behind the Restaurant Curtain, described by Simon & Schuster as one of the most candid restaurant-industry books since Kitchen Confidential. Most recently, Brezinski was named CEO of Culinary Innovations Restaurant Group, based in Starkville, Mississippi, effective January 2026, where he's working alongside founders Craig and Michele Fant to grow the group's Italian fast casual and full-service concepts nationally.

Dessie Brown is the Director of Marketing for Feng Cha, one of the nation's fastest-growing premium boba tea franchise brands, where he leads national brand strategy, franchise marketing, digital innovation, community partnerships, and customer engagement across the company's expanding footprint. With more than 20 years of experience in marketing, media, and brand development, Dessie specializes in building brands through strategic storytelling, cultural relevance, and data-driven growth. He has worked with clients such as McDonald's, Yum Brands, AT&T, Wingstop, MLB, NASCAR & more. Dessie most recently spearheaded Feng Cha's strategic partnership with TikTok Go and their collaboration with Red Bull.

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.

Christina Coyle is the Founder & CEO of Amp11, the company behind Cait™, the AI Shift Manager helping restaurant leaders run better shifts, build stronger teams, and drive sustainable growth. A recognized workforce operations strategist, Christina led large-scale talent transformation initiatives at McDonald's and has helped enterprise organizations optimize how they attract, deploy, and develop talent to improve business performance. Christina made her mark on high-volume hiring through her work on McHire, one of the restaurant industry's most influential AI-powered recruiting innovations. Today, she is focused on what comes next: bringing practical AI to the restaurant frontline through Cait™, empowering operators and managers to improve shift execution, team performance, and operational consistency. Through Amp11, Christina is helping shape the future of restaurant operations by bringing workforce intelligence and AI to the frontline—built with operators, for operators.

David Daniels is a marketing executive with more than 20 years of experience leading some of the world’s best-selling consumer brands. He brings a strong blend of marketing and sales expertise across consumer products, QSR, hospitality, retail, and e-commerce, with a proven track record of revitalizing underperforming businesses and driving growth. He has led high-impact initiatives for well-known brands including Stella Artois, Michelob Ultra, Bud Light, and Pizza Hut, delivering award-winning campaigns and measurable results. David currently serves as Chief Marketing and Digital Officer at Potbelly Sandwich Works, where he leads brand, digital, and growth strategy for the iconic sandwich concept known for its hot, oven-toasted sandwiches and craveable menu offerings since 1977.

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.

Kelly Dykhuizen is a Vice President at Datassential, where she specializes in helping her customers analyze food and beverage trends and providing actionable insights to help grow their businesses. Her background includes over 15 years of experience in both custom and syndicated research, primarily for CPG, foodservice, and retail clients, and has been with Datassential since 2017. Kelly has a BS in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from Indiana University.

Stacy Fields is the Vice President of Marketing at MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, where she leads brand strategy, digital marketing, loyalty, and franchise marketing initiatives. Passionate about building brands that people genuinely connect with, Stacy believes the best marketing starts with great relationships—between teams, franchisees, and guests. With more than a decade of experience in the restaurant industry, Stacy's background includes MOOYAH, Krispy Krunchy Chicken, and UMI (now HYVE), a restaurant marketing agency focused on franchise growth. She combines data-driven strategy with authentic storytelling to create marketing that builds loyalty, drives growth, and reflects the heart behind the MOOYAH brand.

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.

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.

Traci Graziani is a seasoned marketing executive with more than 15 years of experience building iconic brands. She has a proven track record of developing integrated brand strategies, forging impactful partnerships, and bringing consumer-first ideas to life across retail, food, and entertainment. As Head of Brand Marketing for Kraft Heinz Away From Home, Traci leads the B2B2C marketing strategy for powerhouse brands including Heinz, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, and Kraft Mac & Cheese, driving brand growth through strategic partnerships, customer marketing, and consumer engagement. She also plays a key leadership role in Kraft Heinz’s strategic alliance with Disney.

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.

Mohaimina (“Mina”) Haque is a trailblazing CEO, attorney, and educator, breaking barriers as the first woman CEO of Tony Roma's in its five-decade history. As she spearheads the global restaurant chain, Mina is also actively engaged in the legal sphere, serving as the founder of the Law Office of Mohaimina Haque, PLLC, based in Washington DC, and as an Adjunct Professor of Law Practice Management at American University Washington College of Law. In her legal practice, Mina's expertise spans various areas, including corporate law, immigration law, and litigation. Mina's commitment to innovation extends to her tenure at Tony Roma's, where she is always at the forefront of testing innovative solutions for an agile and adaptable workforce. Her leadership and vision drive the chain's expansion and innovation, while her ongoing legal practice keeps her abreast of legal developments.

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.

Jamie Mack is a passionate communications leader that loves to build brands in fun, creative ways to help drive culture and growth. Jamie currently leads brand communications for the iconic HEINZ brand. Her work on HEINZ contributed to KraftHEINZ being named the #1 US Marketer of the Year by the Effies this year. Prior to her brand communications role on HEINZ, she spent 15 years+ as an account leader on the creative agency side, building and shaping iconic brand platforms such as Allstate’s Mayhem and Coors Made to Chill campaigns.

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.

Trey Moats is the CEO of RASA and a 20+ year restaurant leader who turns around and scales multi-unit brands across fast-casual and full-service. He drives performance through a relentless focus on prime costs and the repeatable financial models that make growth scalable. He began at Potbelly, growing the DMV from 12 to 50 restaurants and the broader Mid-Atlantic to 104 units. He later led Vapiano's operations across the Americas, then served as COO of PE-backed Roti Modern Mediterranean, redeveloping the brand and culinary program, launching a hospitality program, and expanding revenue channels. Now CEO of RASA, a venture-backed fast-casual Indian brand he joined as COO and equity partner, Trey improved store-level EBITDA by 1,900 basis points in six months and built the plan to scale from five to seventy units. He is also the founder of Prime and Proof, an advisory firm helping founders and small- to mid-size companies fine-tune their profits and prove out their business models.

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.

Rachael Nemeth, CEO and Co-Founder of Opus, is a multifaceted leader in the res-tech space. With a career spanning several decades, she has made an impact not only as a business professional but also as a public speaker and educator. Opus, revolutionizes learning and engagement for the "deskless" workforce in the restaurant industry. Her journey features work at renowned establishments like Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group, Baked, and Hot Bread Kitchen, an NGO empowering underrepresented women through baking skills. Beyond her corporate roles, Rachael's influence extends into the education sphere, where she has championed instructional design and second language acquisition. Her first company, ESL Works, brought industry-relevant English training to kitchen staff via SMS text message. Widely respected in the res-tech space, Rachael is a public speaker, sharing her insights and expertise as a tech leader, restaurant veteran, and educator.

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.”

Jenna Oliver is a brand strategist specializing in helping restaurant brands find opportunities for growth and differentiation. As Strategy Director at LOOMIS, the country’s leading challenger brand agency, she leads brand strategy, consumer research, positioning, and campaign planning for restaurant, retail, franchise, and multi-unit brands. With more than a decade of agency experience, Jenna helps brand teams uncover opportunities for growth, sharpen their market position, and build stronger connections with consumers. She has helped shape and steward restaurant brands including Texas Dairy Queen and Golden Chick, partnering with marketing leaders to develop strategies and campaigns that drive both immediate business results and long-term brand growth.

Jessa Parette leads design and experience strategy as Head of Design for Byte by Yum!, the AI-driven platform behind KFC, Taco Bell, Habit Burger and Pizza Hut. Over a career spanning enterprise financial services, retail, and restaurant technology, she has built and led design and research organizations at Capital One and Walmart before joining Yum!. Her work sits at the intersection of AI, scale, and getting new technology to actually take hold across distributed operations — the gap between what corporate builds and what frontline teams and franchise operators actually use.

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.

Lori Primavera is VP of R&D and Product Marketing at Smoothie King, one of the largest smoothie destinations in the world and the first health and fitness fast casual brand of its kind. An experienced leader in Food Innovation for over 20 years, Lori joined Smoothie King in January 2019 and is responsible for all innovation and new product development. During her time at Smoothie King, Lori led the most successful new product launch in company history in 2023 with the introduction of Smoothie Bowls and is now leading the development and first national rollout of food at Smoothie King with the new Power Eats menu. Prior to Smoothie King, Lori was at PepsiCo in Culinary Innovation where she worked on successful product launches for many foodservice customers. When she's not drinking smoothies, she likes to travel and scope out the food scene looking for the next innovative flavor to launch at Smoothie King.

Toni Ronayne is a Fractional Chief Executive Officer and founder of The C Society, a modern executive collective that gives hospitality brands access to elite fractional C-suite leadership. With executive leadership experience spanning restaurant operations, franchising, brand strategy, and organizational transformation, Toni advises founders, boards, and leadership teams during periods of growth, reinvention, and scale. Known for translating complexity into clear priorities and decisive action, she is a trusted advisor, speaker, and writer focused on the future of leadership, talent, and growth in hospitality.

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.

Nipun Sharma is the Co-Founder and CEO of Appetronix, a company building fully autonomous robotic restaurants that cook made-to-order meals with zero on-site staff, 24/7. In June 2025, Appetronix launched first-in-market in the US with Donatos Pizza at Columbus International Airport, operated by HMSHost. Nipun brings 17+ years of leadership in restaurants and food manufacturing, having managed 10+ brands across QSR and full-service concepts as a former COO of global public restaurant chains. Before moving into food and beverage, he built a Wall Street career in investment banking and private equity. He is a McGill University graduate. Nipun speaks to the real-world deployment of AI and robotics in food service, not as a future concept, but as something operating today.

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.

Howard Terry is chief marketing officer of Golden Chick, where he has helped guide more than a decade of growth and transformation. Since joining in 2015, Golden Chick has grown from roughly 100 restaurants to more than 250 and improved its ranking among U.S. restaurant brands from No. 267 to No. 151 on Nation’s Restaurant News’ Top 500 list. Terry’s work has spanned menu innovation, value strategy, digital engagement and loyalty, including $6 Golden Deals and the brand’s first loyalty program. He also championed a school fundraising initiative that has generated more than $450,000. Most recently, he helped lead the “Gimme That Golden” relaunch, created to modernize Golden Chick’s identity and sharpen its position in the QSR category. With decades of restaurant marketing experience at brands including Raising Cane’s, TGI Fridays and Denny’s, Terry has earned recognition as a 2026 Dallas CMO ORBIE Awards finalist and a 2023 AMA DFW Marketing Maverick.

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.

Chef Charlie Torgerson is a 2008 Celebrated Chef for the National Pork Board (NPB), 2022 Pork Promoter of the Year in Minnesota, and Contractor for the National Pork Board in foodservice. Pork 101 2017 - Iowa State University - Meat Laboratory NAMI Foundation 2015 Center of the Plate Training – Texas A&M University A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (85’) in Hyde Park, New York, he spent over 19 years as an integral part of Famous Dave’s as their Executive Chef/Sr. Director of Culinary. Charlie owns Charlie T’s Foods & Consulting and co-owns RC’s BBQ at the Minnesota State Fair.

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.

Angell has worked in startups his entire career, from e-commerce and social networks, to marketing platforms, medical, and big data. Five restaurant locations and an initial seed investment round in, Angell finds himself in the food-tech industry as Chief AI Officer and co-founder of an online-only restaurant built on its own custom tech stack

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.