Speakers

Liz-Boone.jpgLiz Boone

Project Manager, Corporate Dining

Pre-Conference Session: Your Story... Your Journey... Your Data

Liz has been a Project Manager for Corporate Dining, Inc. since 2015. She was the former executive Director of Nutrition Services at Aultman Hospital, an inner city acute-care 804-bed hospital. Liz was an Adjunct Professor at Aultman College of Nursing & Health Sciences and a participating member of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and Ohio Board of Dietetics. She has a BS in Dietetics/Nutrition from Ohio University and MBA Healthcare Admin from Regis University. Awards include the Presidential Special Service Award for Benchmarking from Association of Healthcare Foodservice, where she has been the Benchmarking Chair for 3+ years, and the Illuminating Excellence Award from Premier (GPO) for demonstrated excellence in the food service field. Liz is responsible for the Assoc. of Health Care Foodservices (AHF), FoodMark program and has performed work at Google, USAA, Capital One, Intuit and the PASSHE Universities.

Boublis.jpgCheri Boublis

Palos Community Hospital

Concurrent Education: Make Your Retail Relevant: Creating Competitive and Compelling Retail

Former Director of Hospitality Services at Palos Health. Cheri successfully managed an full renovation of the Woodland Café, Production Kitchen and Dining Room. Cheri has an extensive background in the retail and foodservice industry, including management positions with Rush Medical Center in Chicago, ServiceMaster Global Holdings Inc and the ARAMARK Corporation. During her work with ARAMARK, Cheri supported Healthcare design development nationally. In addition, Cheri provided consulting services to hospitals in design development and retail brand strategy through her firm, B.ourguest.

Leisa_Bryant.jpgLeisa Bryant, MA, RDN, CDN

Director of Food and Nutrition Services at MD Anderson Cancer Center

Pre-Conference Session: In the Eye of the Hurricane—Crisis Management and Survival

Leisa Bryant is a Mastered prepared Registered Dietitian, and Director of Food and Nutrition Services at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Leisa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Food and Nutrition from Hunter College, a Master’s degree in Community Health Education from Brooklyn College, and is currently pursuing her MBA at the University of Houston Downtown.

Leisa has over 20 years of healthcare experience in Food and Nutrition, and has long championed “finding the sweet spot” for good nutrition, patient and employee satisfaction and business operations. Leisa is featured as one of 2018 Future Foodservice Leaders by Foodservice Equipment and Supplies, recognized in Foodservice Equipment Reports for her leadership in transforming the dining services program at Cobble Hill Health Center to a patient centered service, and was selected as Director of the month of November 2016 by Foodservice Director Magazine.

Leisa has a passion for teaching and mentoring and seize every opportunity to do just that. Leisa was an Adjunct lecturer at Brooklyn College, and shares her knowledge with colleagues via her active memberships in AHF, AND, ANFP and ACHE.

Ben_Butler__002_.pngBen Butler

VP Culinary Services & Operation, MD Anderson Cancer Center

Pre-Conference Session: Your Story... Your Journey... Your Data

Currently Ben is the Vice President, Culinary services & Operations- at the Kendal corporation, a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Kendal provides advice, leadership and support to the communities and services in eight states that make up the Kendal System, primarily by helping to develop and disseminate model practices, facilitate economies of scale and advance responsible growth. Ben has 25 plus years’ experience in food service, working as an owner/operator, contract service manager/director in hotels, restaurants, campus dining and Senior Living venues.

carson.jpgSandra Carson

Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management and Compliance, Sysco Corporation

Pre-Conference Session: In the Eye of the Hurricane—Crisis Management and Survival

In her role as Vice President, she works closely with Sysco’s executive team and board of directors to integrate and leverage risk management practices into Sysco's overall business strategy and operations.

Sandra was responsible for creating Sysco’s Crisis Management program which follows National Incident Command System (ICS) and uses the incident command structure. Sysco has over 700 associates trained in ICS and 250 of those associates are certified

She also leads Sysco’s emergency preparedness, and business continuity efforts and also oversees the company’s compliance, ethics, occupational health & safety, security/asset protection, environmental, casualty insurance/claims management and vendor compliance programs.

Sandra holds a position on the Board of Directors with the American Red Cross Gulf Coast Chapter, serves on other board/advisory council positions and provides assistance and expert testimony to help legislators and industry organizations make informed decisions in the areas of risk management.

She is a graduate of WFF Executive Leadership Program at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and Board Certified in Occupational Health Nursing.

Craig_Claude.jpgCraig Claude

Manager, Culinary Services, Schwan's Foodservice Division

Pre-Conference Session: Culinary Innovations: Hot Trends and Global Cuisine

Craig Claude brings more than 35 years of food industry experience to the Schwan Food Company as Corporate Chef, Manager Culinary Services for Schwan’s Foodservice Division. Craig’s current responsibilities include managing the Culinary relationships with contract management accounts, supporting Field Sales and National Accounts with product presentations and trainings. Providing Marketing support through recipe development, product presentations, product video’s and photo shoots.
Craig’s industry experience includes that of a baker, a chef instructor in baking and pastries, a Corporate Chef and Culinary Services Manager. Craig’s work with frozen baked goods also includes Research and Development management as well as Sales experience.

In his spare time, Craig enjoys Corvettes, golf, anything outdoors, wine collecting, motorcycling and cooking and baking for friends and family.

GeorgeC.jpgGeorge Cranmer

Executive Director, Trinity Hospital Services

Concurrent Education: After the Merge: Going Self-Op

George has system leadership responsibility for EVS and FANS, as well as additional areas, to support Regional Health Ministries (RHM's) across Trinity Health.  In addition to developing the strategy and overseeing RHM integration into the THS shared services model, George is also responsible for overseeing a diverse portfolio of contracts to support the FANS and EVS, Laundry and Linen service lines.

George has a proven track record of success, particularly in Support Service Management. His diverse background touches on many support service areas to build successful patient and customer centered operations while maintaining optimal scales of sustained efficiency.  As a true collaborator with stakeholders, suppliers and communities alike, Mr. Cranmer's focus and expertise has been in leveraging systems to drive operational standardization to reduce variation in care and continually improve patient and customer outcomes.

Since 2005, George has served on the Food & Nutrition Advisory Board for HealthTrust Purchasing Group.  Mr. Cranmer also formerly served on the Board of the Pennsylvania/South Jersey Society for Healthcare Foodservice Administrators.  Mr. Cranmer is a member of the American Culinary Federation, the Association for the Healthcare Environment and the Association for Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals.

Over his 23 year career, George has worked in a number of support services leadership capacities with firms such as Catholic Health East, Sodexo, Compass and Genesis Health Ventures.

Mr. Cranmer holds both a B.S. degree in Healthcare Administration and a Masters of Business Administration from Rutgers University.  George has also completed his certificate in foodservice management and culinary internship at the Academy of Culinary Arts and is a Certified Executive Chef (CEC) by the American Culinary Federation.

Jacquelyn_Duplantis.jpgJacquelyn W. Duplantis, RN, MSN

Surveyor, Joint Commission

Concurrent Education: Prepping for the Joint Commission

Jacquelyn Duplantis has been a Joint Commission surveyor since 1993 and is trained under the Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals, the Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Critical Access Hospitals, and the Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Behavioral Health. She is a Small Hospital Specialist as well as a Teaching Hospital Specialist.
Prior to joining The Joint Commission, Ms. Duplantis was Vice President of Patient Services at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler, Texas; Director of Nursing at Lakeland Hospital in Athens, Texas; Director of Maternal Child Health Nursing at the Bexar County Hospital District in San Antonio, Texas; and a consultant for the Texas Hospital Association. Her experience includes medical surgical nursing, extensive experience in women's health, IVF, gynecological oncology, general oncology, bone marrow transplantation, as well as head and neck, abdominal and thoracic surgery.
Ms. Duplantis is affiliated with the American Nurses Association, Texas Nurses Association, Oncology Nursing Society, Sigma Theta Tau National Honor Society for Nursing, American Organization of Nurse Executives and Texas Organization of Nurse Executives.
Ms. Duplantis received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Texas at Austin, and her Master of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. She is a licensed nurse in the state of Texas, and is also a Joint Commission certified Yellow Belt.

Stephanie_Earleywine.jpgStephanie Earleywine

Director of Analytics, Business Intelligence at RealTime Solutions

Concurrent Education: Foodservice Operation Trends

Stephanie Earleywine has been in the role of Business Intelligence at RealTime Solutions for the past 8 years as a Director of Analytics. Since she began her career in foodservice 18 years ago, she has developed a wealth of industry knowledge from her experiences in foodservice marketing, brand management, manufacturing and distribution. Earleywine is a self-professed data geek with a passion for numbers and intelligence. She is constantly searching for insights and identifying trends that help drive growth in the foodservice industry. She has earned an MBA and a Bachelor of Business Marketing from the University of Phoenix.

Cherise EckelCherise Eckel

Dining Operations Manager, Immanuel

Concurrent Education: Senior Dining Confidential: The Industry Playbook

Cherise Eckel, Dining Operations Manager for Immanuel is responsible for developing best practices within the dining and culinary department. Including regulatory compliance, training, and personal professional growth.  Through the many positions she has held within Immanuel, most recently as the Corporate Executive Chef, she has been able to expand her knowledge and understanding within all facets of the dining operations in the senior living industry. 

Born and raised in Omaha, NE, Cherise began her career in hospitality operations at various hotels throughout the area.  Cherise attended Iowa Western Community College where she received a degree in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management.  She went on to graduate with a business degree from Bellevue University.

r_farmer.jpgRick Farmer

Executive Chef, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Concurrent Education: Culinary Bootcamp

Chef Rick has been in the foodservice industry for over 40 years. While working on the west coast, he made New York connections which led to positions at several of the trendiest American regional restaurants which led to the connections that would allow him to travel and learn in France. Chef Rick worked at a Michelin starred restaurant, in Geverey-Chambertin, near Dijon for 14 months.

 Later, he moved to Biarritz on the coast, where he worked alongside the chefs that would really influence the way Rick thought about food. The “Basque” cuisine, with an emphasis on seafood, blended French and Spanish influences, which was a departure from the strictly traditional French cuisine he had experienced thus far. Rick then continued his culinary journey through Europe.

 In 1994, Rick and his wife Barbara opened JARRETT’S Restaurant to critical acclaim and remained on The Commercial Appeal restaurant critics Top 10 Best list for fifteen years. They later had a Discovery Series Dinner at the James Beard house in New York and did several regional Beard events.

 After closing the restaurant in 2010, Chef Rick went on to teach culinary arts until 2012 at which time he was hired on at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as one of their two Executive Chefs, and is continuing his culinary quest. 

 Rick is especially moved by the opportunity to interact with patients and their families from several different countries and cultures. Those interactions often result in the opportunity to learn how to cook different dishes that even through his travels may not have ever heard of.

TonyF.jpgTony Finnestad

Foodservice Business Development Chef, Hormel Foods

Pre-Conference Session: Culinary Innovations: Hot Trends & Global Cuisine




SFisher.jpgScott Fisher, MBA

Hospital Controller, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center's University Hospital

Pre-Conference Session:Your Story... Your Journey... Your Data

In Scott's role as Hospital Controller, he is responsible for all financial planning and analysis, budgeting, strategic planning, and revenue cycle functions as it is related to the flagship hospital of the Medical Center. Scott enjoys sharing his expertise in finance to partner with a wide variety of clinicians and operational leaders to continue providing high quality patient care to the patients OSU serve in Central Ohio.

Scott has more than 10 years of experience in healthcare finance. He has been fortunate enough to have a wide variety of opportunities during this time including managing the finances of physician practices, hospitals, and the opening of a new one million square foot Cancer and Critical Care Tower. Scott uses the sum of these experiences to put himself into the shoes of his operational partners to best align operations to successful performance metrics.

Scott graduated from The Ohio State University Max M. Fisher College of Business with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting and a Master’s of Business Administration with a focus in Organizational Behavior and Structure. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and one year old son

John-Gamble.jpgJohn Gamble

Managing Partner Tenacity Incorporated

Concurrent Education: Tenacity—How to Retain Your Self Op Status

In the mid-80’s, when John W. Gamble was Vice President of Marketing for a division of ARA Services, he was charged with finding a client-retention consultant to solve his division’s growing account retention problems. After a fruitless search, he realized that no one, not even the largest and best known consulting firms, offered a focused plan for retaining clients in a management services environment. Left to sort out the issues themselves, Gamble led the division’s client retention efforts and successfully reduced losses by more than $20 million per year.

Based on the lessons learned during this effort, Gamble launched Tenacity Incorporated in 1986. Today, Tenacity Incorporated has helped its clients in the advertising, public relations, engineering, food service, medical services and temporary personnel industries hold onto over $23 billion in management contracts.

As managing partner, Gamble shows executives how they can save significant resources by devoting a fraction of the energy directed at replacing clients to retaining them.


Gelletta_Photo.jpgJon Gelletta

Direct Services Manager, American Red Cross

Pre-Conference Session: In the Eye of the Hurricane—Crisis Management and Survival

Jon Gelletta is the Direct Services Manager for the Minnesota Region of the American Red Cross, serving as the lead functional expert for the Mass Care, Recovery, and Individual Disaster Care functions in the state of Minnesota. His previous Red Cross experience includes serving as the Illinois State Mass Care Planner, supporting the full rewrite of the Illinois Emergency Operations Plan. With the Red Cross, Jon has responded to disasters ranging from single family home fires to floods, tornadoes and hurricanes. When his work with the Red Cross allows, Jon also deploys as a logistician with Doctors Without Borders, most recently serving as Deputy Project Logistician in Carnot, Central African Republic. Jon has a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Washington.

Robin-Goldbeck.jpgRobin Goldbeck

Certified Yoga Instructor RYT200

Additional Session: Yoga Practices for a Zen Kitchen

Robin came to her yoga practice later in life, and still possesses a great passion for growth. Starting this part of her journey as a practitioner 8 years ago, Robin undertook the RYT 200 hour program in 2014. Always eager to share the benefits yoga brings to her mind, body and spirit, teaching seems a perfect trajectory for Robin’s life arc. An architect by profession, an enthusiastic runner and ever evolving student of life, Robin guides students through asana and pranayama practice to mindfully unite experiences both on and off the mat.

A San Joaquin Valley native, Robin enjoys travel and outdoor adventures with husband Ralph and two canines, Kona and Posey. Their two adult sons are included on many such sojourns. Robin loves sharing life’s discoveries, big and small, with all fellow travelers.


Dan-Henroid.jpgDan Henroid

Director, Department of Nutrition and Food Services, UCSF

Pre-Conference Session:Your Story... Your Journey... Your Data

Dan is the director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Services at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Health system where he is responsible for patient meal services at two hospitals totaling 716-beds, seven retail food operations with a combined sales of $12 million, catering and conference services with annual sales of $3 million, 3 gift shops with annual sales of $2 million plus oversight of inpatient and outpatient nutrition services. He has overseen the creation or renovation of all retail food outlets at UCSF and implemented new retail programs for cashless payment, mobile ordering, healthy food branding, mobile loyalty, and nutritional information on POS receipts and digital signage. They have also implemented an on-demand room service dining program which includes a patient self-service ordering solution that has been translated into 8 languages. He and the team opened a state-of-the art 289-bed women’s, children’s and oncology hospital in 2015 where he oversees digital signage and the robot fleet. In addition to these responsibilities, he serves as the health system’s sustainability officer.

Dan and his team have been recognized for innovative programs and operational excellence including the Food Management Magazine Best of Show Award (2015), National Restaurant Association Operator Innovator of the Year (2014), Foodservice Director Magazine Top 15 Healthiest Operator (2014), Foodservice at Retail Exchange (FARE) Retail Leader (2013), Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF) Spotlight on Innovation (2013, 2010). He is also is the 2012 recipient of the prestigious IFMA Silver Plate for healthcare foodservice operations and the AHF Lifetime Achievement award (2017).

Dan has worked in various capacities within the food industry over his 20+ year career as a clinical dietitian, a researcher, an educator, and in food operations management. He is a registered dietitian, a doctoral candidate in Hospitality Management at Iowa State University, holds a Master’s degree in food and nutrition from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and a Bachelor’s in family and consumer sciences from Bradley University. He gives back to the food services industry with regular presentations at meetings, professional publications, and participation on industry advisory boards and committees.

Kristi_Hester.jpgKristi Hester

Regional Manager of Starbucks, Swedish Health Services

Concurrent Education: Make Your Retail Relevant: Creating Competitive and Compelling Retail

She is currently overseeing 4 Starbucks licensed café’s as well as providing consultation in the expansion of cafes throughout the Providence St. Joseph Health organization.

Kristi is an active professional with over 20 years’ experience in foodservice operations. Her background with Starbucks as a district manager includes results driven leadership in an organization where the relationship with the customer is paramount. At Starbucks, she opened locations and piloted programs to drive sales, meet changing needs and locally connect with each store’s customer base. Her awards include recognition for the highest sales globally at a single location, innovation in channels of service for customers and championing diversity in the workforce. At Swedish, she has overseen development of 2 additional Swedish locations and provided support for the opening of 3 Providence locations.

She participates in the local Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF) chapter as well as belonging to the national membership group.

Kristi is a demonstrated leader of optimizing work flows and removing barriers to meet customers’ expectations of speed and quality.  She champions progress and tirelessly advocates for her team. She understands the critical role food and coffee play in the experience of the patient, visitor and staff.  Her work to connect the Starbucks culture with Swedish and Providence values has contributed to a compassionate, meaningful and high quality experience at each café.


Julie-Jones.jpgJulie Jones, MS, RD, LD

Director of Nutrition Services for Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Pre-Conference Session: Your Story... Your Journey... Your Data

General Session: Stretch into Strategy…How to improve performance for you and your team

Julie is currently Director of Nutrition Services for Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio and is responsible for food and nutrition services provided across the five hospital system. She has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare food and nutrition services and her strengths lie in financial oversight, technology applications and the integration of food and nutrition services to improve patient outcomes.

Julie fosters a strong team environment, embraces technology solutions for routine foodservice tasks and converts ideas into practice. She and her team have won awards for innovative design, service delivery and technology applications and Julie was awarded the Silver Plate for Healthcare Foodservice from the International Food Manufacturers Association in 2015.

She has served on a number of professional boards at the local, state and national level. She is currently serving as the immediate past president of the Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF).

She graduated from The Ohio State University, Division of Medical Dietetics with both her undergraduate and master’s degrees.

Mike-Kasperek.jpgMike Kasperek

Executive Chef, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Concurrent Education: Culinary Bootcamp

Mike Kasperek, Executive Chef at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital a 610 bed Academic Medical Center in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Chef Mike has been instrumental in increasing patient Press Ganey scores and reducing overall food cost in his short tenure in healthcare foodservice. Chef Mike was part of the culinary team that won the Silver Medal in the AHF Culinary Competition in Dallas 2016. Prior to RWJ Chef Kasperek was Executive Chef at Forsgate Country Club and Executive Sous Chef at Upper Montclair Country Club both exclusive private golf clubs in New Jersey where he was featured in Club and Resort Magazine. Chef Mike graduated from Pennsylvania Culinary Institute, Le Cordon Bleu in 2001.

Yury.jpgYury Krasilovsky

Executive Chef Foodservice, Barilla

Pre-Conference Session: Culinary Innovations: Hot Trends & Global Cuisine

Raised in Flint, Michigan in a Ukrainian family, Barilla’s Foodservice Chef Yury Krasilovsky is a proud graduate of Chicago’s prestigious Kendall College School of Culinary Arts. Upon graduation in 2007, Chef Krasilovsky honed his craft at Sunset Ridge Country club in Northfield, IL and later became the Executive Chef and Manager of The Culinary Experience, a kosher catering company. Chef Krasilovsky later joined the Barilla family in the company’s Chicagoland headquarters, and trained at the famed Academia Barilla in Parma, Italy. Chef Krasilovsky has been part of the Barilla family in a multitude of roles over the past 10 years and continues to grow and shape the food culture of Barilla’s future. Recent projects include explorations of “upcycling” food waste in pasta contexts, incorporating global cuisines into contemporary pasta dishes, and developing menu concepts for the company’s many chain restaurant customers.

Chef Krasilovsky is also a graduate of The Business School at Roosevelt University with a concentration in Business Management. In his spare time he loves to spend time traveling the world with his wife; enjoying new cuisines and learning about different cultures. Most recently he is most proud of becoming a father to his son Milan.

rkurowski.jpgRebecca Kurowski

Account Director, RealTime Solutions

Concurrent Education: Foodservice Operations Trends

Rebecca is an Account Director at RealTime Solutions, where she directs marketing strategies and oversees data intelligence for national foodservice manufacturer clients. She is a company leader who is also the resident expert in creative strategy and integrated marketing planning. As a professional communicator with 20 years of progressing marketing, PR and communications experience, Kurowski has enjoyed partnering with independent hospitals, large healthcare conglomerates, a senior care corporation, as well as with a regional food retailer and numerous national and international food manufacturers. She holds BAs in Mass Communications and English from Minnesota State University – Moorhead.


Melissa_Larsen.pngMelissa Larsen, MPH

Account Director, RealTime Solutions

Concurrent Education: Foodservice Operations Trends

Melissa Larsen has been an Account Director for the past decade at RealTime Solutions, a foodservice data aggregation and analytics company with an industry‐leading proprietary operator‐centric database. At RealTime Solutions, she directs research development and business strategy. Larsen has worked in previous roles in the areas of healthcare research development at Mayo Clinic and NorthShore University HealthSystem. She holds a Masters of Public Health, Nutrition and a BA in Psychology from the University of Minnesota. She enjoys continuous life-learning and exploring.

Gerry-Ludwig.jpgChef Gerry Ludwig, CEC

Corporate Consulting Chef, Gordon Food Service

Pre-Conference Session: Culinary Innovations: Hot Trends & Global Cuisine

Chef Gerry Ludwig is a nationally recognized food writer, speaker and trend tracker, and leads the Culinary R&D department for Gordon Food Service, based in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Using a proprietary street-level research method as his exclusive data source, Gerry and his team create trends-based menu solutions that are executed at the operator level by the company’s team of Culinary Specialists.

He is a columnist and editorial board member for the foodservice trend magazine Flavor & The Menu, conducts seminars and workshops at numerous industry events in both the U.S. and abroad, and executes restaurant research tours in major cities throughout the United States.

MOJICA.jpgAngelo Mojica

Johns Hopkins Health System

Concurrent Education: Make Your Retail Relevant: Creating Competitive and Compelling Retail

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Angelo has earned a Bachelor’s degree in dietetics, a Master’s degree in public Health, a Culinary Arts degree and a Doctor of Public health degree in Health Policy. He holds the distinction of being the only Certified Executive Chef and Registered Dietitian to practice at the Doctoral level. He has worked for nearly 30 years in foodservice management in a variety of acute and long term care settings. Angelo is fortunate to have worked at such prestigious institutions as UNC Health Care, Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins. He has taught at several universities including his most recent position at the UNC Gillings School of Global Health.

Angelo is a leader that is dedicated to his team. He is enthusiastic about health care and passionate about food. His persistence in striving toward the goal of elevating hospital food quality and service has led to a variety of industry leading programs. Angelo believes that hard work and fun can mutually exist. His decisions are driven by a simple principle: team members must hold one another accountable for the highest standards and treat each other with unwavering respect.

Tamara_Moore.jpegTamara Moore

Vice President, the Reis Group

Concurrent Education: Public Relations Training: Know your Brand, Find your Audience

Tamara, named Ragan & PR Daily’s 2016 PR Professional of the Year, leads clients through strategic communications efforts to raise an organization’s profile and to heighten awareness of important health issues. She is currently working with a major pediatric health system to create thought-leadership opportunities for its C-suite, position association leaders at the forefront of care, and draw attention to complex policy issues.

morris.jpgPeter Morris

Managing Partner, Excelsus Hospitality

Concurrent Education: Senior Dining Confidential: The Industry Playbook

With over 20 years of consulting experience in the hospitality industry Peter Morris has contributed to the growth and prosperity of 120 CCRC’s, Assisted Living & Skilled Nursing Facilities. As a seasoned Administrator, Peter understands the needs and challenges of the hospitality industry. His leadership led ongoing transitions at 40 communities and assisted in the opening of 25 communities.

Peter’s unique approach and style to hospitality has led to a plethora of successful industry innovations. He’s the creator of the “The Answer is Yes” hospitality program and developed the concept of compression dining, employee ladder system, and cooked to order systems for CCRC’s.

In addition to recruiting & training over 200 F&B Directors, Peter has designed kitchens, dining venues, dining concepts, and menus for over 170 communities.

Peter is a true pioneer in the hospitality industry. When he is not helping CCRC’s run more efficiently, Peter enjoys sailing on his boat and spending time with his lovely wife!


Pam_Ohm-Pitock.jpgPam Ohm-Pitock, MS, RDN, LDN

Senior Business Solutions Specialist, US Foods

Pre-Conference Session: Your Story... Your Journey... Your Data

Pam is Senior Business Solutions Specialist with US Foods, a food distribution organization based in Rosemont, Illinois. In her role, Pam has the fortunate opportunity of partnering with customers to maximize their purchasing program while leveraging Business Solutions resources to improve operational and financial performance. Through analytics and conversation, she helps customers tell the challenging, successful, sometimes bumpy story of their foodservice operation journey.

Pam has an extensive career in healthcare foodservice operations and leadership, spanning over 20 years. A passion for health and wellness keeps her rooted in the healthcare industry. Pam began her career as a clinical dietitian which then lead her into foodservice leadership roles over single and multi-site healthcare systems, as well as regional positions.

Pam earned her Bachelor of Arts in Food and Nutrition and Dietetics from St. Catherine University in St Paul, Minnesota. She also was awarded a Masters of Science degree in Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics from Finch University of Health Sciences, The Chicago Medical School in North Chicago, Illinois. Pam has numerous professional certifications and service awards. Pam and her husband, Andy, have three children, and reside in Naperville, IL.

Drew-Patterson.jpgDrew Patterson

Culinary Director, Wexner Medical Center

Concurrent Education: Culinary Bootcamp

Drew is the culinary director for the Wexner Medical Center in Columbus Ohio. He has over 25 years of food service management experience and strong ties to the American Culinary Federation. Drew has competed and won multiple national cooking competitions and also works closely with the Ohio Department of Education to teach the Menus that move program. He is the 2016 Chef of the Year award recipient for Columbus, Ohio.

Sharon_Reis.jpgSharon Reis

Principal, The Reis Group

Concurrent Education: Public Relations Training: Know your Brand, Find your Audience

Sharon is a 25-year veteran of the public relations industry who has long been dedicated to representing top-tier clients in health and social causes. Recognized as one of the top Washington Women in Public Relations, her expertise lies in media, messaging, and organizational positioning.

Tim_Schoonmaker.pngTimothy Schoonmaker, CEC, CCA, CDM, CFPP

Director and Executive Cehf of the Centra Culinary Group

Concurrent Education: Culinary Bootcamp

Chef Timothy Schoonmaker is a Certified Executive Chef, Certified Culinary Administrator, Certified Dietary Manager, and Certified Food Protection Professional. He is a member of the Southwestern Virginia Chapter of the American Culinary Federation. Chef is also a member of the Association for Healthcare Food Service, and Serves on the Nominating committee, and is an active member of the benchmarking committee. Additionally, Chef is a Certified Dietary Manager and an active member of the Virginia Chapter of the Association of Nutrition and Food Service Professionals, where he serves as the Membership Chairperson.

Chef is also a mentor and Big Brother through the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Central Virginia, and is a board member for the organization. Chef Schoonmaker is a graduate of Johnson and Wales with his Bachelors of Science in Culinary arts and currently is attending Johnson and Wales for his MBA.

Centra is a regional nonprofit healthcare system based in Lynchburg. It was created in 1987 through the merger of the Lynchburg General (LGH) and Virginia Baptist (VBH) hospitals. In 2006, Southside Community Hospital (CSCH) in Farmville joined Centra as an affiliate. In 2014, Bedford Memorial Hospital, in Bedford, joined Centra’s network and became the 4th hospital in the system. With more than 6,400 employees, 300 employed providers and physicians and a medical staff of nearly 600, providing care in 64 locations, Centra serves over 380,000 people throughout central and southern Virginia. Centra provides medical services to patients across a geographic area roughly the size of the state of New Jersey. Centra’s service to the community and commitment to excellent care is demonstrated by its many physician practices, outreach programs, screenings and tests, educational media and publications, and community health programs.

Gary-Seldon.jpgDr. Gary Selden

Director, Tenacity Center for Account Management and Client Retention

Concurrent Education: Tenacity—How to Retain Your Self Op Status

Dr. Selden is Professor of Marketing and Professional Sales at the Coles College of Business, Kennesaw State University, and Director of The Tenacity Center for Account Maintenance and Client Retention. He is also associated with the Center for Professional Selling at the Coles College. His teaching and research interests lie with the Human Side of Enterprises. This includes Marketing, Sales, Account Management, Client Retention, Creativity, Organizational Learning, and Team Development.

He comes to that position with over 25 years of marketing, sales and training experience. He has worked for and consulted with fortune 200 companies including Syntex Pharmaceuticals, Shaw Industries, WorldSpan, Appollo MD, Post Properties, Dupont, Allied Chemical, Kroger, and many others. He has also worked with hundreds of small and emerging enterprises while working as Associate State Director of The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center.

Gary has a doctorate from the University of Georgia. Dr. Selden also has a BA in Mathematics from Ithaca College and a Masters in Business Administration from Kennesaw State University.

Areas of Expertise: Business Development, Sales, Customer Retention, Account Management, Innovation, Creativity, Organizational Learning and Team Development.

GeorgieS.jpgGeorgie Shockey

Principal, Ruck-Shockey Associates, Inc.

General Session: Stretch into Strategy…How to improve performance for you and your team

Georgie Shockey, is the Principal of Ruck-Shockey Associates, Inc. She has over 30 years of operational and project experience including operational review & assessment studies; service integration, oversight reviews; implementation processes and request for proposal (RFP) leadership. She has extensive knowledge in all aspects of hospitality management, including the management of daily operations, training, retail trends, for food and environmental services, patient transport as well as linen/laundry programs.

Georgie is experienced in conducting assessments for strategically transforming operations, making appropriate recommendations, and providing customized implementation plans. In the last two years, she and her team have helped transition over 20 major operational changes. Georgie utilizes detailed project management skills to assist in creating actionable plans that are effective and set the new leadership up for success.

Georgie is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelors in Nutrition. Georgie currently serves as a Director for The Ohio State University Alumni Association, (serving over 550,000 living Alumni worldwide), Board Member for OSU’s Hospitality Management Program and is a member of the Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF) Industry Advisory Board and Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) Industry Advisory Committee. She is a frequent speaker at leading hospitality and healthcare industry events and contributing author to industry publications.

Eric_Sholty.jpgEric Sholty

Executive Vice President Development, Pacific Retirement Services

Pre-Conference Session: In the Eye of the Hurricane—Crisis Management and Survival

Since 1997 Eric Sholty has provided leadership to multi-site and single site Continuing Care Retirement Communities (Life Plan Communities) across the country serving in numerous capacities including Facilities Director, Executive Director, Executive Vice President and his most recent role, Chief Operations Officer for Pacific Retirement Services, where he leads the operations and development of 12 Continuing Care Retirement Communities serving more than 4,000 residents and 2,000 employees.  During his more than two decades of service with not-for-profit organizations, Eric has used his extensive background in operations, development and finance to help organizations drive strategic initiatives, deliver uncompromising customer service and create an environment of service excellence.  Eric has led the development of more than 500 million in startup and redevelopment of CCRC’s.  Eric is a graduate of Colorado Christian University, is a certified Administrator in California and past board member of Leading Age California.

Gilles Stassart, CEC, CCA

Corporate Chef, Global Culinary, General Mills

Pre-Conference Session: Culinary Innovations: Hot Trends & Global Cuisine

Bruce-Thomas.jpgBruce Thomas

Vice President Guest Services, Geisinger Health System

Concurrent Education: After the Merge: Going Self-Op

Bruce joined Geisinger in 1987 as Production Manager of Foodservices at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa. In his current leadership role Bruce has administrative oversight for Guest Services functions including the Digital Print and Mail Center, Volunteer and Retail Services, Guest Services Operations, (Valet, Shuttle Bus services, Greeters) Foodservices, Environmental Services, The Pine Barn Inn Hotel and Restaurant and he chairs the Travel and Business Reimbursement committee for the system.

Bruce is the 2011 winner of the International Food Manufacturers Association Silver Plate Award for the healthcare sector and he received the Association for Healthcare Foodservice Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. Additionally he received the Alumni of the year award from the Penn State Hotel and Restaurant Society in 2011. He is a Past President of the National Association of Heath Care Foodservice Managers (HFM) and was instrumental in the creation of the Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF).

Bruce is a graduate of the Hotel Restaurant and Institutional Management program at Pennsylvania State University and earned his M.B.A. at Bloomsburg University. In his spare time, he tries to spend as much time as possible with his wife, two children and three grandsons.

Michelle_Tucker.jpgMichelle Tucker, MS, RD

Senior Nutrition Scientist, General Mills Bell Institute of Health, Nutrition and Food Safety

Concurrent Education: Senior Dining Confidential: The Industry Playbook

Michelle is a Senior Nutrition Scientist at the General Mills Bell Institute of Health, Nutrition and Food Safety. During her 13 years at General Mills, she has led projects related to food and nutrition policy and regulation, coordinated health influencer outreach and activations, and shaped health and nutrition-focused brand communications. In her current role, Michelle focuses on building relationships with a wide range of health influencers from dietitians and foodservice managers to fitness professionals. She creates campaigns, communications, and educational offerings focused on health and nutrition. She also partners with our Convenience and Foodservice business to provide nutrition guidance and leadership to the Healthcare Channel team.

Prior to General Mills, Michelle worked in both clinical and outpatient dietitian roles in the healthcare setting with expertise in weight management and eating disorders. She also worked in research and development at Pillsbury before pursuing her graduate degree.

Michelle has a B.S. in Dietetics from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, and an M.S. in Nutrition from the University of Minnesota.

Michelle is a Minnesota native with an enthusiasm for exploring the great outdoors. She lives with her husband, two boys, and dogs and enjoys many outdoor activities, from knitting outdoors to trail running, and is always planning her next adventure.

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