Hospitality Pathways Conference

Culinary Programs Manager, Services to Enhance Potential

Alyson Stauder is the Culinary Programs Manager at Services to Enhance Potential (STEP), a nonprofit organization serving Wayne County and surrounding areas. Having worked in food services since she was 15, Alyson has dedicated her passion for food and customer service to STEP, where she has developed and expanded the cooking program to include technical knowledge and employable skills. After several years in direct care and earning a degree in Mental Health, she leverages her combined expertise to design and continuously improve a program tailored to diverse learning styles and abilities. Alyson manages two kitchen classrooms, one located in Detroit and the other in Westland, MI, with plans for future expansion.

Workforce Development Coordinator, National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation

Katherine Magee is the Workforce Development Coordinator at the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. With multi-year and multi-cycle grant experience in workforce development, Katherine specializes in managing data reporting for workforce development grants and fostering partnerships across sectors. The focus of her work includes developing effective data reporting and maintenance strategies that adhere to grant compliance as well as strengthening and driving continual performance measure growth. Her unique skillset blends analytical expertise and community engagement, providing a valuable voice and lens in conversations around data innovations, program implementation, and reporting ethics.

Hospitality and Culinary Instructor, EntreNous Community Empowerment Services

Mario Morales is the Hospitality and Culinary Instructor for Impactful Bites at EntreNous Community Empowerment Services. He brings over 20 years of hands-on experience in the culinary and hospitality industry, including time as a General Manager and Executive Chef with Sodexo Corporate Services.

A Le Cordon Bleu graduate, ProStart Educator, and OSHA 10 Trainer, Mario combines industry expertise with a deep passion for teaching and mentorship. His journey started at Job Corps as a disengaged youth, which is why he’s so committed to giving back. Mario now works with justice-impacted youth, formerly incarcerated individuals, and adults reentering the workforce, using culinary education as a powerful tool for change, confidence-building, and career development.

Founder, Mercy Chefs

Gary, a 2024 Restaurants Advance Leadership Awards recipient, is a New Orleans-trained chef. LeBlanc formed Mercy Chefs in 2006 following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina with the goal of providing handcrafted, chef-prepared meals to victims, volunteers, and first responders impacted by disasters. Responding to the need he saw for quality meals that can both nourish and comfort people as they’re facing some of their most challenging life circumstances, Mercy Chefs has served more than 27 million meals, responding to more than 200 deployments across 33 U.S. states and 31 countries, with the help of more than 15,000 volunteers.

Director of Workforce Development, Delaware Restaurant Foundation

Ruthann leads initiatives that connect individuals to meaningful careers in the hospitality industry. With over a decade of experience, she specializes in building workforce pipelines, supporting underrepresented populations, and helping individuals overcome employment barriers. Her work focuses on aligning training with industry needs through strong partnerships, data-informed strategies, and a commitment to grant compliance, capacity building, and collaboration.

Director of Vocational Services, Peckham, Inc.

Emily has been working in the field of Vocational Rehabilitation for over ten years in public, private, and non-profit sectors. She currently leads a team of vocational rehabilitation professionals working with youth and adults with disabilities. Emily has a passion for helping others reach their full potential and has dedicated her career to helping individuals with disabilities find meaningful employment. She is a certified Rehabilitation Counselor a Licensed Professional Counselor and has a passion for guiding employers to include people with disabilities in their Diversity and Inclusion initiatives.

Vocational Training Specialist, Peckham, Inc.

Over the past four years, Nichole has built Peckham’s Pre-Vocational Training program from the ground up, designing and delivering comprehensive instruction in soft skills, transferable skills, and industry pathways for students and adults facing barriers to employment. With 25 years of experience utilizing Universal Design practices in training, Nichole brings a deep commitment to accessible and inclusive education. She was also a contributing author of the Universal Design Toolkit, developed to accompany the Restaurant Ready Curriculum.

Manager of Recruitment and Student Services, Work Options

Brittany has a unique background that blends over 10 years in the culinary world with early experience in justice and law enforcement. Since joining Work Options in 2019, she’s worn many hats—from chef instructor to recruiter to case manager—and now serves as the Manager of Recruitment and Student Services. Brittany is passionate about helping people access opportunity and stability through supportive, inclusive programs.

Director of Education and Workforce Development, Virginia Restaurant, Lodging, and Travel Association

Jai leads statewide initiatives to build and strengthen the hospitality talent pipeline. With over 15 years of experience spanning industry operations, postsecondary education, and nonprofit leadership, she brings a practitioner’s lens to hospitality workforce strategy—bridging classrooms, careers, and communities. A Certified Hospitality Educator and state coordinator for both ServSafe and ProStart, Jai spearheads programs that support career readiness, youth registered apprenticeships, and employer engagement across Virginia. 

Principal, Harper & Associates, LLC

After serving as Philadelphia’s Chief of Staff for Public Safety, Carolyn started her own consulting business. Over the past 18 years, she has worked with executive leadership in project management and business development strategies for major corporations, numerous national consulting firms, non-profits and multiple Federal Government Agencies in leadership development, training, and strategic direction to clients in social justice, labor sector strategies, workforce development, and effective program design. Nationally she is known as a subject matter expert in social justice and reentry policies and programs.

Chef & Instructor, Lakeland Correctional Facility, Michigan

Chef Hill has dedicated 32 years to improving education inside of Michigan’s Correctional System. When Chef arrived at the Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater, the program was a simple cooking class without textbooks. Today, the program is robust using industry-recognized curriculums and certifications, including the Foundations of Restaurant Management & Culinary Arts Level 1 and Level 2, ServSafe Food Manager, and the AHLEI, Start Program. Chef Hill has also developed an employer network to support his graduates upon parole in gainful employment.