A 5-Week virtual Speaker Series
A Conversation With HER
Starting
March 1, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Presented by
PRIME Strategy with support from
restaurant brands and industry partners
Join us during Women’s History Month 2021
Celebrate, Inspire & Empower
Women Owner-Operators
All Brands Invited
#BetterTogether
We are celebrating current and aspiring women Owner-Operators through a speaker series “A CONVERSATION WITH HER”.
This inaugural industry level celebration is designed to Celebrate, Inspire, and Empower women to new heights as Owner-Operators across the Restaurant Industry.
Owner-Operators Will Cover A Broad Range Of Topics
The series will include a dynamic combination of diverse industry leaders and Owner-Operators speaking within individual “Fireside Chats” and via a set of “HER Panel Discussions”. We will cover a wide range of topics affecting women across the industry from resources to the leadership pipeline.
Speakers & Panelists | March 1st
Operator ”Deep Dive” Story
Ashley Lamothe
Chair, Chick-fil-A AAON Women’s Forum
Operator, Chick-fil-A Operator 7th & Fig
Los Angeles, CA
Ashley’s Chick-fil-A career began when she was 15. At Spelman College, she originally pursued a career in theatre, but a restaurant Operator encouraged her to pursue a career in leadership – and she did. At 26, she became the youngest African American female franchise owner in the company’s history.
Moderated by:
Stephanie Davenport
PRIME Strategy, Inc.
President & CEO
Before founding PRIME Strategy, Inc., Stephanie spent decades in strategic leadership and solution-oriented roles for industry-leading organizations. She is passionate about uniting teams, business leaders, and/or community members in a manner that builds synergy and strengthens their focus on the common good.
Events
Week 1
March 1, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 2
March 8, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 3
March 15, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 4
March 22, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 5
March 29, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Speakers & Panelists | march 8th
Women’s Operator Panel – Fast Casual Brands
Building, sustaining, and growing your brand
Panelists:
Pinky Cole
Slutty Vegan ATL,
Founder & CEO
Just two years old, the company’s revenues grew to 4 million within the first 6 months of its grand opening. With a rotating menu and a standard 2-hour wait, to pick up made to order food, Slutty Vegan is a game changer. If you think the phenomenon is only about food, you’d be greatly mistaken. Cole has hit the trifecta of community, commerce and compassion.
Serial Entrepreneur, Brand Strategist, and a Veteran Television Producer, Cole pours all her love, experience and talent into a recipe for success increasing revenues this year by 15%. When restaurants were closing, Slutty Vegan opened two locations with socially distanced lines down the block. While record numbers of people are unemployed, Slutty Vegan is providing sustainable employment. Cole’s impact does not stop there. As an economic engine for the Atlanta community, Cole (in partnership with another philanthropist) has also paid rent for local businesses, paid the tuition of 30 Clark Atlanta students, and provided coats to those in need. Cole also purchased a car and life insurance for the family of Rayshard Brooks who was slain by police in the Spring of 2020 outside an Atlanta fast-food restaurant. She is on a campaign to support the health and generational wealth of the community by encouraging Black males under a particular income threshold to get life insurance, among other initiatives.
Defying the odds is in her DNA. The daughter of Jamaican immigrants, Cole watched her mother work 4 jobs supporting their family, while serving the needs of others. Working, serving, and giving are part of her divine design. And although her father (sentenced to Federal Prison on the day she was born) was not physically present, he has provided Cole with business strategy from behind bars. One of his greatest lessons was to create your own opportunity.
Cole has done just that. She is a visual aid pointing audiences toward the direction of their dreams. As a business mogul, she has created a new curriculum – a case study in breaking the rules to turn passion into profit.
Pinky Cole
Slutty Vegan ATL,
Founder & CEO
From her beginnings in a shared kitchen to a food truck to 3 locations and pandemic grand openings, Pinky Cole is building an empire as the owner and visionary of Slutty Vegan, an Atlanta-based restaurant.
Stacey Pool
Noodles & Co.,
Chief Marketing Officer
During her time at Vail Resorts, she was responsible for Epic Pass brand marketing and delivering and executing the Vail Resorts digital experience. With over twenty years of experience in consumer marketing across multiple industries, Stacey has a strong track record of utilizing guest insights to deliver strong business results. Before joining Vail Resorts, Stacey was at Nike, Inc., where she defined the vision and strategy for the NIKEiD.com digital experience. Prior to Nike, she worked in consulting at Accenture, where she supported both Verizon Wireless and Qwest Communications. Stacey holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Arizona.
Stacey Pool
Noodles & Co.,
Chief Marketing Officer
Stacey Pool has served as Chief Marketing Officer of Noodles & Company since January 2020. Prior to joining Noodles, Stacey held a variety of leadership roles at Vail Resorts, Inc., including Senior Vice President of Season Pass Marketing, Chief of Staff to the CEO, and Vice President of Digital Experience.
Moderated by:
Stephanie Davenport
PRIME Strategy, Inc.
President & CEO
Before founding PRIME Strategy, Inc., Stephanie spent decades in strategic leadership and solution-oriented roles for industry-leading organizations. She is passionate about uniting teams, business leaders, and/or community members in a manner that builds synergy and strengthens their focus on the common good.
Events
Week 1
March 1, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 2
March 8, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 3
March 15, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 4
March 22, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 5
March 29, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Speakers & Panelists | march 15th
Women’s Operator Panel – Quick Service Brands
Panelists:
Danica Anderson
Chick-fil-a Drexel Town Square,
Operator
Prior to opening her Drexel Town Square Location, she was the Director of Business Development and Chick-fil-A Loyola Water Tower for four years. She has a Bachelors Degree in Chemistry from Florida State University.
Danica is a member of a local church in Milwaukee, WI and volunteers with Hunger Task Force of Wisconsin. She is passionate about health and wellness + mental health and is a competitive Olympic weightlifter.
Danica Anderson
Chick-fil-A Drexel Town Square,
Operator
Danica Anderson is the Franchise Owner of Chick-fil-A Drexel Town Square which she opened in March 2016. She has led her team to more than triple their annual sales in the first five years of business and has been in the top 15% of sales growth for 3 consecutive years. She is believes the restaurant industry is the best place to develop the future leadouters of tomorrow and create meaningful long term employment in local communities.
Emily Ellwell
Domino’s Multi-Unit Operator,
Midwest
In 2002 she met her husband at an Assistant Manager event. They started dating a month later, and they both worked their way up the ranks, being promoted on the same day to General Manager in 2003.
The couple started a family and were married in 2008. In 2010 they purchased their first franchise store. They have grown their enterprise to 11 stores, with 5 more locations in their 5-year-plan. They have been awarded the prestigious Gold Franny twice, which is awarded to the top 2% of Domino’s Franchisees. Emily also starred in a commercial for Domino’s in 2019.
Emily has 3 children, Andrew, Anna, and Asher. She enjoys running, traveling, and playing with her 4 dogs which include a dachshund, a lab, and 2 Mastiffs.
Emily Elwell
Domino’s Multi-Unit Operator
Midwest
Emily started at Domino’s Pizza as a CSR in 2000. Her goal was to work until she had enough money to buy Christmas presents for her family, and then quit, because, well…who works for Domino’s their whole life. She ended up loving the people she worked with and stayed. She fell in love with the competitive atmosphere and that it was both physically and mentally challenging.
Tanya Hill-Holiday
McDonald’s Multi-Unit Operator,
Philadelphia, PA
Her journey started as crew while working her way through college and graduating Cum Laude with a B.S. degree in Business Administration and Management. She is proud to have been the 1st African American female to purchase and own McDonald’s restaurants on the Main Line, in the City of Philadelphia, and in Allentown, Pa. Over the years, she has gainfully employed more than 40,000 employees.
Through her McDonald’s corporate journey, Tanya achieved levels of success and was, therefore, the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the McDonald’s President’s Award which is given to the top 10% performers nationwide, and the Ray Kroc Award, named after the founder of McDonald’s Corp. Since becoming an owner and truly owning her communities, she has been rewarded and recognized as follows:
- Women of Excellence” Award by WDAS 105.3FM (the 1st of this event)
- Philadelphia Tribune-Influential African American Leader (last 6 years)
- Madam CJ Walker Award by National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. Philadelphia Chapter
- Women Presidents’ Organization Philadelphia Chapter of the 100 Black Men
- MLK Award was the “Keeper of the Dream” by Bethlehem Baptist Church
- “Trailblazer” Award by Sharon Baptist Church
- Essence of Women Award by Metropolitan Philadelphia Area Chapter, Continental Societies, Inc.
- R.O.S.E. Foundation by The AKA Sorority, Inc., Phi Beta Omega Chapter
- Bethesda Field Office Ambitious Growth Award (Community Connection)
Today, Tanya serves as Vice Chair of the NBMOA, National Black McDonald’s Association. This organization is 49 years old and is dedicated to the equality of African American Owners in the McDonald’s system. She is also proud to be a member of the Delaware Valley PA Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, a Non-Governmental Organization of the United States. Lastly, Tanya was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame at her High School in Richmond, Va for the levels of success in track and field.
On the personal side, Tanya is married to a devoted and supportive husband, Wayne Holliday with one child, Latanya Holliday King. Latanya is a doctoral graduate from Immaculata University and is the wife of Jay King. Together, they have two sons, Jaxson and Lincoln King, who are the pride and joy of their grandparents. Praising God and Serving People will continue to be the walk of Tanya and her family as they worship together at Bethlehem Baptist Church, pastored by the Rev. Charles B. Quann.
Tanya Hill-Holliday
McDonald’s Multi-Unit Operator
Philadelphia, PA
Tanya started out as a part-time crew member at McDonald’s while working her way through college. Raised by her single mother in the City’s Public Housing of Richmond, VA and in West Philly, Tanya now owns and operates 12 McDonald’s restaurants, resonating as the largest black-owned McDonald’s franchise in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.
Moderated by:
Libby Saylor
Chief of Staff,
Retail & Consumer Goods
Prior to her role at Microsoft, Libby was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF), the food industry’s thought leader on gender equity providing research, insights, and best practice solutions to enable some of the world’s most recognized brands in the food ecosystem to close the workplace gender gap. In her role as COO, Libby lead a cross-functional team, with P&L responsibility, to deliver WFF’s mission of accelerating the advancement of women leaders in the food industry.
With more than 20 years marketing and innovation experience, Libby has leveraged her client and agency experience to build business and brand strategies and lead cross-functional teams to improve business results.
Prior to WFF, Libby served in several roles with increasing responsibility during her 13 years with The Coca-Cola Company, including the Vice President of Strategy for the Kroger business unit, Portfolio Innovation Lead, Vice President of Marketing and Menu Innovation for The McDonald’s Division and Retail Sales Director. Given the ever-changing dynamics of the beverage industry, Libby was fortunate to play a leadership role in the development of three new organizations within The Coca-Cola Company: Shopper Marketing, Retail Sales and Portfolio Innovation.
Engaging with and on behalf of women in business has been a passion area for Libby as reflected in several of her speaking engagements and special projects, including the #breadwinnersproject, the Working Mother’s Mentor Podcast and her keynote address on personal branding with the McDonald’s Women’s Owner / Operator Network.
In addition to her professional experience, Libby has served the community in multiple capacities, including as a member of the University of Connecticut’s Women’s Leadership Council, on the board of EWOE, the Dallas Regional Chamber, as a career coach for the Posse Foundation, as the President of the Atlanta Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and The Links, Inc. and holding membership in several other service organizations.
Libby is married to Dr. Gary Wright. The couple has a teenage son, Sef, who is a student at The Shelton School in Dallas Texas.
Libby Saylor Wright
Chief of Staff, Retail & Consumer Goods
Microsoft
Libby Saylor Wright is the Chief of Staff for the US Retail & Consumer Goods Operating Unit at Microsoft. As Chief of Staff, Libby is responsible for the organization’s strategy, performance management, operations, and culture.
Events
Week 1
March 1, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 2
March 8, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 3
March 15, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 4
March 22, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 5
March 29, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Speakers | march 22nd
Casual Dining Discussion
A Day in the Life, The People Factor and the Retail Perspective
Christine Elsesser
Cracker Barrel,
Retail District Manager
Prior to joining Cracker Barrel, Christine has held various leadership roles with Starbucks and Target. During her time with Target, she successfully led the transition of her unit from a general merchandise unit to a fresh grocery unit. She also held an international assignment with Target Canada. With 15 years of experience in retail, grocery, and food service leadership, Christine has a track record of transformational leadership, strong team development, and driving bottom-line results through ensuring an incredible guest experience.
Christine holds her undergraduate degree from Loyola University Chicago in Finance and Economics and her MBA from Central Michigan University. She lives in Michigan with her husband Brock and their three wonderful cats.
Christine Elsesser
Retail District Manager
Christine has had the role of Retail District Manager since 2017 for units in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Since joining the organization, she has made in impact on overall business growth of her units and has been recognized with the company Leadership in Execution Award. She is actively involved in a leadership capacity in the company’s Diversity Council, LGBT Alliance, and has represented the organization at the Women’s Foodservice Forum.
Moderated by:
Gerry Fernandez
Founder and CEO,
Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance (MFHA)
An engagingly energetic Speaker who practices “straight talk”, he travels across the US and internationally, bringing authentic perspective on building Cultural Intelligence that raises the topline, improves the bottom-line, and builds brands’ cultural authenticity. Gerry was named to Nation’s Restaurant News 2018 Power List of the 50 Most Influential People in Foodservice, “the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today, but also shaping them for tomorrow”.
Gerry Fernandez
Multicultural Food Service and Hospitality Alliance (MFHA)
As President and Founder of MFHA – an educational non-profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace- Gerry has spent decades educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry.
Events
Week 1
March 1, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 2
March 8, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 3
March 15, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 4
March 22, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Week 5
March 29, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Speakers & Panelists | march 29th
Women’s Operator Panel – Fine Dining
Joanna James
Founder and CEO
Zoel Productions
Joanna created MAPP, a non-profit empowering women to lead through mentorship and advocacy. This is personal for Joanna as she saw the unfair obstacles her mother and many women in hospitality and beyond face trying to advance in their careers.
Now as a mother of three little girls, she is on a mission to ensure all women are provided the tools to reach their full potential and become leaders in their fields.
Joanna James
Zoel Productions
Joanna James is an award winning filmmaker whose directorial debut with A Fine Line, which she produced and edited, has led to her passion of storytelling within the food system. She is the founder and CEO of Zoel Productions, an independent film, television, and multimedia productions company out of New York.
Moderated by:
Stephanie Davenport
PRIME Strategy, Inc.
President & CEO
Before founding PRIME Strategy, Inc., Stephanie spent decades in strategic leadership and solution-oriented roles for industry-leading organizations. She is passionate about uniting teams, business leaders, and/or community members in a manner that builds synergy and strengthens their focus on the common good.
Event
Presenters
Event Registration
Enjoy complimentary registration to
A Conversation With Her
We invite the collaboration and support of all brands and industry partners as we seize the opportunity to make this celebration an ongoing and impactful success for the industry and your organizations.
Contact ACWHSupport@primestrategyinc.com to ensure that your brand is represented with a celebratory Women’s History Message. Messages will be posted throughout the month of March.
Supporting Brands
Supporting
Industry Partners
Our mission at PRIME Strategy is to help people and organizations thrive while remaining relevant in the face of an accelerating pace of change.
Stephanie Davenport, President & CEO
We Celebrate, Inspire & Empower HER
We are pleased to present this inaugural 2021 Women’s History Month Celebration of Women Owner-Operators across restaurant concepts, brands, and cultures.
And we welcome collaboration with restaurant brands and industry partners in a united effort to make this celebration an ongoing and impactful success for the industry and your organization.
#BETTERTOGETHER
We serve as a trusted Strategic Partner providing Advisory Services, “Real” Leadership Coaching, Transformational Change Leadership and Strategic Forums & Events.
We partner with you to get #BETTERTOGETHER!
Your Logo Here
Your leading message here. This could be your statement of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion or Corporate Social Responsibility or a Quote from your CEO, DE&I or Franchisee Recruitment Executive.
Leader Name, Job Title
Contact Us for More Info:
P: 770-880-9164
E: acwh@primestrategyinc.com
Your Logo Here
Your leading message here. This could be your statement of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion or Corporate Social Responsibility or a Quote from your CEO, DE&I or Franchisee Recruitment Executive.
Leader Name, Job Title
Contact Us for More Info:
P: 770-880-9164
E: acwh@primestrategyinc.com
ABOUT
A Conversation With HER
A 5-Week Virtual Speaker Series
Starting March 1, 2021, at 2 p.m. EST
Presented by PRIME Strategy with support from restaurant brands and industry partners