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SPEAKERS OF 2021
An exceptional list of experts and thought-provoking keynoters.

General Session Speakers

Aaron
Marshall

VP, Strategic Planning
McLane Company

Jose
Armario

CEO
Bojangles

Christine
Barone

CEO & President
Dutch Bros Coffee

Jim
Bitticks

President and COO
Dave's Hot Chicken

Sara
Bittorf

Chief Experience Officer
Red Lobster

Tom
Boland

Chief Marketing Officer
Bojangles

Nelson
Cade III

Recording Artist, The Voice Contestant

Peter
Cancro

Founder & CEO
Jersey Mike's

Pat
Cobe

Senior Editor
Restaurant Business, FoodService Director

Kelly
Costanza

Chief People Officer
CAVA

Ryles
Dodd

Chief Information Officer
Chicken Salad Chick

Joe
Donnelly

President, Media and Events
Informa Connect Foodservice

SG
Ellison

CEO & President
Diversified Restaurant Group

Paul
Fabre

Senior Vice President, Culinary & Innovation
Subway

Anne
Fink

President, Global Foodservice
PepsiCo, Inc.

Scott
Gladstone

Chief Development Officer & President, International
Dine Brands Global

Joe
Guszkowski

Senior Editor
Restaurant Business

Michael
Halen

Senior Restaurant Analyst
Bloomberg Intelligence

Josh
Halpern

Chief Executive Officer
Big Chicken

Kerri
Harper-Howie

Franchisee
WEH Management

Dave
Harris

Chief Information Officer
Shake Shack

Mark
Hatch

Vice President, Trade Relations
Informa Connect Foodservice

Shannon
Hennessy

CEO
The Habit Burger

Sara
Jamshidi

Sr. Director, Corporate Partnerships
Share Our Strength | No Kid Hungry

Lisa
Jennings

Executive Editor
Restaurant Business

Dan
Jones

Chief Operations Officer
First Watch

Chris
Keating

EVP, Conferences
Informa Connect Foodservice

Alicia
Kelso

Executive Editor
Nation's Restaurant News

Liza
Maschi

Head of Sales Away From Home Chain Restaurants
Kraft Heinz Away From Home

Jonathan
Maze

Editor-in-Chief
Restaurant Business

Beth
McCormick

Chief Information Officer
CAVA

Barry
McGowan

Chief Executive Officer
Fogo de Chão

David
McKillips

Chief Executive Officer and President
CEC Entertainment

Scott
Mezvinsky

President, North America & International
Taco Bell

Jim
Norberg

CEO
Krispy Krunchy Chicken

Emily
Nordee-Rogers

Vice President, Content
Informa Connect Foodservice

Sam
Oches

Editor-in-Chief
Nation's Restaurant News

Joe
Pawlak

Managing Principal
Technomic, Inc

Peter
Romeo

Editor-at-Large and Vice President of Content Innovation
Restaurant Business

Hugh
Roth

Senior Vice President, Chief Customer and Business Development Officer
PepsiCo Global Foodservice Division

Julien
Rouanet

VP Sales, KHC Away From Home
Kraft Heinz Away From Home

Laura
Rueckel

Chief Marketing Officer
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Jennifer
Schuler

CEO
Handel's Homemade Ice Cream

Dale
Schwartz

Founder and CEO
Pinstripes

Rich
Shank

Senior Principal and VP of Innovation
Technomic, Inc

Randy
Sharpe

CEO
Wahlburgers

Martha
Stewart

Food and Lifestyle Icon

Cindy
Syracuse

Chief Marketing Officer
BurgerFi

Benny
Tadele

Executive Vice President and President, Restaurants
NCR Voyix

Robert
Thompson

CEO
Camp Pickle | Jaguar Bolera

Danisa
Tumbusch

Chief Technology Officer
Alamo Drafthouse

Joe
Vrankin

CEO
Puttshack

Innovation Forum Speakers

Paul
Hebert

Director, Enterprise Strategist
Marigold

Todd
Kaufman

Vice President of Information Technology
SSP America

Nabeel
Alamgir

CEO & Co-Founder
Lunchbox

Michael
Alberici

Senior Vice President, Head of Marketing
Smalls Sliders

Geoff
Alexander

President and CEO
Wow Bao

Bob
Anderson

President
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill

Clinton
Anderson

Chief Executive Officer
Fourth

Jose
Armario

CEO
Bojangles

Emily
Austiin

Director of Marketing
Ziosk

Christine
Barone

CEO & President
Dutch Bros Coffee

Kevin
Bentley

Head of Technology, NA
Jollibee Foods Corporation

Sara
Bittorf

Chief Experience Officer
Red Lobster

Beth
Brewer

Executive Vice President
Burgerville

Kendra
Bruton

Senior Manager, Global Digital Engagement
McDonald's

Jessica
Bryant

Vice President of Marketing & Inside Sales
NCR Voyix

James
Byrne

Enterprise Director
Crunchtime

Jeff
Caplan

Chief Information Officer
Hooter’s of America

Marisa
Carona

Chief US Franchise Operations Officer
Wingstop

Vishwa
Chandra

Vice President of Enterprise Restaurant Partnerships
DoorDash

David
Chang

Head of Digital Strategy & Product Management
WWT Digital

Pat
Cobe

Senior Editor
Restaurant Business, FoodService Director

Annica
Conrad

Chief Brand Officer
City Barbeque, LLC

Doug
Cook

Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
Jack in the Box

Kelly
Costanza

Chief People Officer
CAVA

Carissa
De Santis

Chief Technology Officer
BRIX Holdings

Ryles
Dodd

Chief Information Officer
Chicken Salad Chick

Paul
Fabre

Senior Vice President, Culinary & Innovation
Subway

Brian
Farris

Chief Development Officer
WOWorks

Elisia
Flores

Chief Executive Officer
L&L Hawaiian BBQ

Nandu
Gandhi

Chief Technology and Data Officer
GoTo Foods

Liz
Geavaras Bunker

Fractional CMO
Wahlburgers + Flecha Cantina

Scott
Gladstone

Chief Development Officer & President, International
Dine Brands Global

Kacie
González

Senior Director of Partnerships
Olo

Charles
Gray

Chief Revenue Officer
Paytronix

Ross
Groeneweg

Chief People & Strategy Officer
Pizza Ranch

Beto
Guajardo

Chief Executive Officer
Blaze Pizza

Joe
Guszkowski

Senior Editor
Restaurant Business

Josh
Halpern

Chief Executive Officer
Big Chicken

Betsy
Hamm

Chief Executive Officer
Duck Donuts

Dave
Harris

Chief Information Officer
Shake Shack

Morgan
Harris

Co-Founder and Chief Community Officer
Restaurant365

Jamie
Harrison

Chief People Officer
Pizza Hut

Troy
Hooper

CEO
Hot Palette America

Amir
Hudda

Chief Executive Officer
Qu

Mike
Javaherian

Senior Vice President of Restaurant & Corporate Technology
Wingstop

Lisa
Jennings

Executive Editor
Restaurant Business

Josh
Kern

Chief Executive Officer
SPB Hospitality

Kevin
Kruft

Chief Financial Officer
Someburros

Nancy
Kruse

President
The Kruse Company

Sarah
Lockyer

President
Elliot Leadership Institute

Matt
Lukosavich

Sales Team Lead, Restaurant
Vericast

Pern
Lundell

Senior Director, Client Services
Entegra

Kelly
MacPherson

Chief Technology and Supply Chain Officer
Union Square Hospitality Group

Gregg
Majewski

Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Craveworthy Brands

Azita
Martin

Vice President and General Manager Artificial Intelligence for Retail & CPG
NVIDIA

Ann
Marvin

Director, IT Digital Solutions & Services
Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc.

Dane
Mathews

Chief Digital and Technology Officer
Taco Bell

Marc
Mathies

Senior Vice President, Marketing Technology
Vericast

Denise
McCarthy

Patron and Operator Insights, Away From Home
KraftHeinz

Phil
McGahey

Vice President of Loyalty Sales
Mastercard Data & Services

Jason
McGowan

Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Crumbl

David
McKillips

Chief Executive Officer and President
CEC Entertainment

Scott
Mezvinsky

President, North America & International
Taco Bell

Dan
Morrisroe

Principal, AI & Management Consulting
WWT Digital

Pamela
Nedwetzky

Director of Marketing
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria

Hope
Neiman

Chief Marketing Officer
Tillster

Jason
Noorian

Senior Director Operations Finance
Brinker International

Jim
Norberg

CEO
Krispy Krunchy Chicken

James
O'Reilly

CEO
Ascent Hospitality Management

Nick
Patrick

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Radar

Chris
Patton

Head of Product
VirtuousAI

Sergio
Pérez

Senior Director of Omnichannel
Bojangles

Stacey
Pool

Chief Marketing Officer
Noodles & Company

Andy
Rebhun

Chief Experience Officer
CAVA

Kim
Redstall

Vice President, International Sales and Operations
DTiQ

Joe
Reinstein

Executive Director
Digital Restaurant Association

Robin
Robison

Chief Operating Officer
Modern Market Eatery

Deric
Rosenbaum

President
Groucho's Deli

Andy
Rosenbloom

Vice President of Marketing
Buyers Edge Platform

Paul
Rubin

Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Vice President of Product
PAR Technology

Laura
Rueckel

Chief Marketing Officer
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

Michael
Schatzberg

Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Branded Hospitality Ventures

Chris
Schefler

Director of Brand Management
Mr. Pickles Sandwich Shops

Rich
Shank

Senior Principal and VP of Innovation
Technomic, Inc

Matt
Smith

Chief Data Officer, West & Midwest Enterprise Operating Unit
Microsoft

Matt
Stewart

Senior Director of Strategic Consulting
Epsilon

Cindy
Syracuse

Chief Marketing Officer
BurgerFi

Jeremy
Theisen

Chief Growth and Development Officer
Craveworthy Brands

Jason
Valentine

Chief Strategy Officer
Botrista Beverages

André
Vener

Founding Partner
Dog Haus Worldwide

Brandi
Villarreal

Head of Online Food Delivery, Uber Direct
Uber

Kendall
Ware

Chief Operating Officer
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux

100+Speakers
1700+Attendees