JWU Magazine Spring 2019

SPRING

2019

The Ascent TWO-TIME NATIONAL CHAMP JAY ALBIS ’19

Spring 2019

“ When I was four and five, my grandfather would take me to the family restaurant, and we’d walk through the kitchen with a handful of spoons to taste the sauces.”

GEORDIE BROWER ’14 NEW ORLEANS

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TRADITION

Chancellor Mim L. Runey, LP.D., is formally recognized as the university’s third chancellor in a celebratory investiture ceremony.

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FUTURE FOOD

Johnson & Wales University forges revolutionary directions with the Food Innovation Nexus.

20 To our great faculty, staff and students at this university: Let us imagine what the future can be for Johnson & Wales. By working collaboratively, we can advance our mission and make this institution even stronger.�

New Chancellor Mim L. Runey, LP.D.

PROFILES IN SUCCESS

We hear from several graduates on how Johnson & Wales pointed them closer to their True North.

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The Backstory JWU Views Athletics Giving in Action Alumni News Class Notes Career Update

Cover photo by Geoffrey Riccio

JWU

Senior Vice President of Communications DOUG WHITING

Director of Design & Editorial Services BRIAN MURPHY

Editor

DENISE DOWLING

Designer

PATRICK MITCHELL

W T H E

Contributors

B A C K S T O R Y

JENNIFER BROUILLARD MIKE COHEA PATRICK COLE RYAN CROWLEY ANDREA FELDMAN DAYMON GARDNER ROBYN HANKERSON MELINDA HILL MICHELLE HUNT

HEN THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS BRIBERY SCANDAL was

exposed this spring, I reflected on my own application process. I attended a prep school aimed to groom students for elite colleges; many of them did gain acceptance to that institutional stratosphere and moved on to high-powered careers. Yet the classmates whom I consider most successful are those whose careers entail doing what they love.

This annual theme issue strives to illustrate that success may be defined by

barometers other than titles and salaries. Rob Palleschi ’86, ’14 Hon., now the CEO of G6 Hospitality, left a prestigious executive role at Hilton for an opportunity to grow the G6 brand. Palleschi was fortunate to have unearthed his passion for hotels after initially pursuing culinary studies. He and other JWU graduates had an advantage: Our experiential-based approach grounds students in career exploration before their first post-graduate job.

CAITLIN ISLES ’18 TAYLOR CLARK JOHNSON LISA KAUFMAN BILL KOCH BRIDGET KOCHEL MARY BETH KOETH RACHEL LACAILLE MELINDA LAW DAVID LEVIN ANDREW LUDWIG JOE MAGENNIS SCOGIN MAYO HOLLY MILLER ’19 LISA PELOSI ED PEREIRA PETER ROSS JEANNE RYAN

For Natily Santos ’03, director of supplier diversity strategic sourcing at Aramark, a professor’s pep talk nudged her to gamble on accepting a job offer in an area other than her specialty. A first-generation college student, she is committed to paying it forward by mentoring others at organizations that sponsor scholarships, professional development and economic growth programs.

GENE SMIRNOV STEPHEN SMITH GAIL SOLOMON DAMARIS R. TEIXEIRA LAUREN TKACS MIRIAM S. WEINSTEIN ’08 MBA LORI ZABATTA ’95

Our cover image of Jay Albis ’19 illustrates another tale of determined ascension: The two-time national wrestling champion “stayed hungry to stay on top” by doubling his training efforts after that first national accolade.

As JWU continues to gaze forward with its programming, this issue examines the university’s partnership with the Food Innovation Nexus (FIX), which promises to revolutionize the culinary industry with its products. Next year, the university will launch a College of Food Innovation & Technology (CFIT), at the intersection of food, innovation, technology, design, health and community to address the evolving needs of society and industry.

As Chancellor Mim L. Runey, LP.D., explains in her investiture speech excerpted on

JWU Magazine is published three times a year including a special supplement for recent graduates. Photos (black and white or color prints), high-resolution digital images and news can be sent to JWU Magazine, 8 Abbott Park Place, Providence, RI, 02903 or emailed to jwumagazine@jwu.edu.

Selection and publication of entries are at the editor’s discretion. JWU Magazine is produced by University Communications in cooperation with Resource Development and Alumni Relations.

Page 12, the college will prepare graduates for jobs that don’t yet exist. And someday we hope to profile those cutting-edge CFIT graduates in this annual issue — as they define success on their own terms.

Chancellor MIM L. RUNEY, LP.D.

Campus Presidents MARIE BERNARDO-SOUSA, LP.D., ’92,

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Denise Dowling

PROVIDENCE

Editor, JWU Magazine

LARRY RICE, ED.D., ’90, NORTH MIAMI

RICHARD WISCOTT, PH.D., DENVER TARUN MALIK, ’90 M.S., ’11 ED.D., CHARLOTTE

AR E YO U CO NN EC TE D ?

ACC E SS alumni perks ME E T fellow alumni or reconnect with old classmates FI N D volunteer and mentorship opportunities D I S COV E R live and virtual events

G E T CONNECT E D at JWUCONNECT.C O M

VIEWS

JWU

News from Campus

Providence North Miami Denver Charlotte

Denver

JWU STUDENTS STAFF ESPN WINTER 2019 X GAMES E S P N ’ S W I N T E R 2 0 1 9 X G A M E S in Aspen, Colorado — the biggest extreme sports event

of the year — was a great opportunity for JWU Sports, Entertainment, Event — Management students from JWU’s multiple campuses to gain staffing experience at a major production.

The event highlights more than 200 of the world’s best athletes in the disciplines of ski, snowboard and snowmobile during four action-packed days of competition for the most coveted medals in action sports.

Denver Associate Professor Sean Daly — who teaches courses in coaching, sports marketing, media relations, venue management and strategic planning — was the lead faculty member coordinating JWU’s participation. “Working events like this is critical for the sport event professionals of tomorrow,” he says. “On-the-job experience provides students with integral knowledge of how their course content comes to life; this is experiential education at its best.”

“It was the most immersive experience I have ever had in the SEEM industry,” says Providence senior Sophia Falconeiri ’19. “ESPN’s staff was incredibly supportive of our career goals and encouraged us to expand our boundaries.”

Students learned about the guest experience and how to manage event marketing and artist relations while working with musicians and production crews. Staffing this unique event opened many doors for students, including networking and job opportunities, management experience, community engagement, and professional experiences they can speak to in future job interviews.

Students also received awards from ESPN for their overall professionalism and performance.

“Our hardworking and humble attitudes distinguished us from other schools and students who don’t have as much hospitality experience,” says Daly. “We look forward to making it four in a row at the 2019 Summer X Games in August.” s e a n d a ly

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Providence

JWU Alumna Appointed Providence Campus Presıdent many years ago,

a young couple emigrated from Portugal to the United States to pursue the American dream of upward mobility. Their daughter welcomed all of the educational opportunities, studying hard to first receive her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Johnson & Wales University, then later a master’s degree and, ultimately, a Doctorate in Law and Policy from Northeastern University.

On March 19, 2019, this daughter of Portuguese immigrants and firstgeneration college student — Marie Bernardo-Sousa, LP.D., ’92 — was appointed president of the Providence Campus of Johnson & Wales University.

Bernardo-Sousa had been serving as the JWU senior vice president of administration and enrollment management since 2017. Her ascension to the presidency follows the October 2018 appointment to chancellor of Mim L. Runey, LP.D., who had been serving as the Providence Campus president since 2011.

“Dr. Bernardo-Sousa’s deep knowledge of the campus’ operations, her strong communication and leadership skills, and her lifelong commitment to all things JWU made her our unanimous choice to be the next president of the Providence Campus,” says Runey.

“I am inspired by this opportunity to lead the Providence Campus, a community that takes pride in both its educational mission and the character of its faculty and staff, and has the courage to embark on bold and ambitious plans,” says Bernardo-Sousa.

The JWU community takes pride in having an alumna as our president who embodies the transformative power of a Johnson & Wales education.

lisa pelosi www.jwu.edu

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JWU

North Miami

JORDYN ALLEN ’20 NAMED JUNIOR MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NORTH MIAMI

WHEN THE CITY OF North Miami launched its first-ever youth council, Fashion Merchandising & Retailing major Jordyn Allen ’20 knew having a seat at the table would give her an opportunity to create change and identify ways to help her peers.

As a campus leader with the Student Government Association, Allen was a prime candidate to represent JWU on the youth council. Once student representatives from each of the seven universities and public schools in the city were convened as the new youth council, they were tasked with selecting the first youth mayor among them. Allen prepared a speech and campaigned leading up to the election, where she was selected as the city’s first junior mayor.

“I love having the opportunity to represent JWU,” says Allen.

“And it’s a chance to lead my peers on making decisions on city issues, like transportation and affordable housing, that impact us as students who are also city residents.” r o by n h a n k e r s o n

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Providence

Alumni and Students Honored with Induction

by Upsilon Pi Epsilon Honor Society

jwu providence has joined the International Honor Society for the Computing and Information Disciplines, Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE), which recognizes students, alumni and faculty for their excellence in scholarship, leadership and ethicality. Of the 36 members inducted, two were faculty members and seven were alumni.

“Over the last year, we documented and presented the state of our program, the expertise of our faculty, the capabilities of our labs and resources, the abilities and potential of our students, and JWU’s commitment to computer science learning,” says Tom Calabrese, Ph.D., a professor in the College of Engineering & Design and faculty advisor of JWU’s UPE chapter.

“This prestigious honor spotlights the talents, skills and readiness of our students on a global scale.”

Professor Sol Neeman, Ph.D., and Associate Professor and Department Chair James Sheusi were the two faculty members nominated and selected by students to join JWU’s UPE inaugural class. “Professor Neeman is an expert in imaging and Artificial Intelligence (AI) computer vision microcontrollers,” says Frank Tweedie, dean of the College of Engineering & Design. “He was instrumental in developing our robotics and engineering programs, as well as the new biomedical engineering program coming in 2020.” Tweedie also highlighted Sheusi’s accomplishments: “He’s an Android guru, the author of two books, an expert programmer and an application developer.” h o l ly m i l l e r

’19

Charlotte

A Championship Season The Charlotte women’s volleyball team celebrates winning the 2018 USCAA Division II National Championship. The Wildcats won four matches in straight sets to claim the first-ever Division II title.

www.jwu.edu

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JWU

SHARKFEST AWARDS $10,000 TO BUDDING ENTREPRENEUR

North Miami

in front of a panel of potential investors to pitch your business idea for the chance to win $10,000. This was a reality for six entrepreneurs, including Food & Beverage Entrepreneurship major Davian Watson ’19, who participated in the North Miami Campus Sharkfest competition this February.

With concepts ranging from custom cupcakes to a plus-size lingerie line, it was Watson’s company, Lōkō Nutz, that left the judges awed by the potential for this entrepreneur. The uniquely flavored gluten-free, vegan-friendly nuts made with all-natural ingredients have been a big attraction since Watson launched the company in 2017. With almond flavors like Indian Chai, Kansas City BBQ and Cinnamon Apple Pie, Lōkō Nutz can be found at special events, local breweries and at lokonutz.com.

“I’ve been promoting Lōkō Nutz for the past two years at farmer’s markets and events around Miami, but Sharkfest pushed me to think bigger and consider different aspects of the business that would appeal to an investor,” Watson says. “A takeaway from the event is that when things get challenging, never give up — follow the plan.” robyn hankerson

i m a g i n e s ta n d i n g

Davian Watson ’19

Denver

Building Executive Function Skills in Students partnered with Landmark College, a global leader in educating students with learning differences, to host a new summer program that will help high school students prepare for success in higher education.

Set to begin this July on the Denver Campus, the Preparing Students for College Success program will provide college-capable high school juniors and seniors with learning strategies and hands-on experiences to help them transition to life as an independent college student.

Over the course of two weeks, the program will provide a sampling of the Universal Design for Learning teaching model, which Landmark College uses to help students improve executive function skills, including focus, organization,

JWU DenVer Has

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planning, tasks initiation and self-monitoring.

In addition, students will take classes that help them better understand their learning strengths and challenges, strengthen their writing process, develop better habits for academic success, and take a course in either culinary arts or sports management.

Afternoon recreational activities and weekend excursions will balance the program and allow students to learn to navigate independently in a variety of non-academic settings. Parents may also attend a workshop that will give them a better understanding of their student’s needs regarding college readiness.

“JWU was among the first universities to build a curriculum around hands-on learning, and we see the value

of an experiential education,” says Denver Campus President Richard Wiscott, Ph.D. “We are thrilled to partner with Landmark College because they also appreciate a unique and transformative learning approach.

Together we can offer an extraordinary educational experience that incorporates industry experience into a program designed for students who learn differently.” b r i d g et ko c h e l

Charlotte Providence

Christin Boone of Empower of Hope

Empowering Hope T H E C O L L E G E O F Business at JWU

Charlotte is helping a local nonprofit grow its philanthropic goals. Retail Executive Decision Making seniors prepared case studies for Empower of Hope, a local organization that provides holistic and vocational support to impoverished women in Africa; it helps support their economic stability via sales of the women’s handcrafts.

Founder Christin Boone told students how she learned of the plight of women in war-torn Burundi — one of the smallest countries in Africa — and how the women survived genocide as young girls. One hundred percent of sales from products such as tote bags and skirts created

by Burundian women in Africa, along with refugees in Charlotte, support the cause. Boone asked students for input on how Empower can become self-sustaining given challenges such as astronomical shipping and prohibitive fabric costs.

Two months after Boone’s visit, student teams presented their case studies, which included a situational analysis, perceived strengths and weaknesses and final recommendations. “It gave me a chance to view my business from a different perspective,” says Boone. “I will take parts of every team’s recommendations and gradually incorporate them. Luckily, student volunteers are willing to help with the implementation of social media strategies, marketing and branding.” m e l i n da l aw

L-R: JWU Providence hospitality associate professors Brenda Eckler and Jane Boyland; Colin Brady ’19; Alana Méndez ’19; Marriott VP of Multicultural Affairs Apoorva Gandhi; Elizabeth Hamilton ’19; Brad Dubisz ’19; and Dean Paul McVety, Ed.D.

THE TIEFEL PROJECT

A RENEWED APPROACH TO HOSPITALITY EDUCATION fifteen years ago , William “Bill” Tiefel ’98 Hon., a hospitality industry icon and longtime Marriott executive, sponsored Johnson & Wales University’s first endowed chair. A staunch advocate for education, Tiefel championed a program to engage industry professionals with college students. Recently, he sought to strengthen the eponymous chair and deepen its scope in light of the rapidly evolving technologies, increasing consumer demands and critical global issues of the industry.

Heeding Tiefel’s challenge, a four-campus team explored pathways to transform the Tiefel Chair, which was originally designed as a one-day event for students and faculty, and held independently at each campus. The effort resulted in The Tiefel Project, a comprehensive academic year endeavor that centers on a current issue affecting the hospitality industry.

Tiefel Student Scholars and Tiefel Faculty Fellows, selected to represent each campus, explore the issue through research projects anchored to the theme.

The 2018–19 theme was “Diversity Issues in the Hospitality Industry.”

Apoorva Gandhi, vice president of Multicultural Affairs for Marriott

International, took the helm as the first Tiefel Industry Professional. Throughout the year, he provided regular touchpoints through video conferences with each campus team, sharing his real-world vantage point and lending insight to navigate the complexities of the topic.

Tiefel Scholars expand their awareness of the issue through a series of three seminars, one per term. Similarly, across the College of Hospitality Management, relevant readings and activities are embedded into the curriculum. In April, Tiefel Scholars and Fellows gathered at the Providence Campus to present their research at The Tiefel Showcase in Schneider Auditorium.

Bill Tiefel’s business acumen and vision for a thriving hospitality field remains a valued component of a JWU education. “The Tiefel Project provides an exceptional forum for students, faculty and industry leaders to explore relevant issues impacting the industry in real time,” notes JWU Associate Provost Jennifer Galipeau. “Through this work, our Tiefel Scholars and Fellows exemplify Mr. Tiefel’s legacy and commitment to hospitality education. m i r i a m s . w e i n st e i n ’08 m b a

www.jwu.edu

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ATHLETICS J

AY ALBIS ’19 WILL NEVER FORGET the phone call that changed his young life. The JWU Providence Wrestling Coach Lonnie Morris was on the line. Albis answered, walked to the front porch of his New York home and heard something that pleasantly surprised him.

“I don’t say this to anyone,” Morris told one of his young stars. “But I truly believe you have the ability to be a national champ.” What seemed a bit outlandish in 2016 was actually an underestimation. Albis is now a two-time national champion after his performance at March’s National College Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Division III Wrestling Championships in Roanoke, Virginia. Personal and team glory went hand-in-hand, as Albis and his fellow Wildcats helped lift the program to new heights.

JWU closed in third place behind perennial power Augsburg University of Minnesota and Loras College in Iowa. It was a new best for a team Morris founded barely two decades ago and a third straight finish in the top six. The Wildcats have grown into a national contender under Morris thanks to the dedication of athletes like Albis, who plans to pursue an advanced degree in sports psychology after graduating this spring. “It’s one thing to say it: I’m going to graduate from high school and become a national champ,’ ” Albis says. “But when you have coaches saying that, it changes everything.”

Albis pinned the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater’s Mike Tortorice to seal his place in program and school history.

It cemented a two-year reign in the sport’s 125-pound ranks and brought an end to a three-year period where Albis captured nearly 150 matches. The bonus team points that came courtesy of the pinfall also helped JWU overcome what was a difficult start to the two-day meet.

“We could have taken second — we had such a horrific first day,” Morris says. “It really looked doom and gloom — the fact that we still came out with a trophy is down to Jay Albis.”

Bobby Jordan ’19 (133 pounds) and Khamri Thomas ’20 (184 pounds) took home bronze medals and Morris was named the national coach of the year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Two Division I powers, Rutgers University and Fresno State (California State University at Fresno), and Division II Wheeling-Jesuit University accounted for three of the four dual meet defeats suffered by the Wildcats this season. They swept to Northeast Regional, NEWA Duals, New Standard Invitational and Roger Williams Invitational team crowns.

“Iron sharpens iron,” Albis says. “You go into every practice ready to battle: ‘I don’t want to lose this match. And if I do, why did I lose it? What can I do better?’ ”

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Morris didn’t fully grasp that competitive zeal bubbling just below the surface while recruiting Albis, who was a 113-pound state finalist at John Jay High School in 2015. The talent on the mat was obvious. Whether or not Albis would be able to bulk up 12 pounds and impose his will in the lowest college weight class was the only real physical question mark. “I didn’t know how special Jay was until his first year here,” Morris says. “His wrestling IQ is off the charts; he picks stuff up so fast.”

Albis also wasn’t afraid to take on a challenge. Standing between him and an immediate starting spot was Jordan, a returning sophomore on his way to becoming a two-time All-American in 2016–17 and 2018–19. Jordan did so in a higher weight class after bumping away from Albis, who went 19-3 in an injury-shortened first year and remained a fixture in the lineup over the next three campaigns.

“Jay said, ‘I know who you’ve got. And he’s going to help me win a national title,’ ” Morris says. “That’s what he said as a freshman.

At the time I was like, ‘You arrogant, cocky little…’ But I loved it at the same time. Usually it’s like, ‘I’m not going to Johnson & Wales.

They’ve got Bobby Jordan. I can’t start there.’ This kid came in and said, ‘You’ve got

BY BILL KOCH Bobby Jordan? He’s going to be an amazing workout partner for me.’ ” Albis was a marked man throughout this season after defeating Wheaton College’s Carlos Fuentes in the finals at last year’s national meet in Cleveland. Simple reminders to himself allowed Albis to remain patient and disciplined through five grueling months of workouts, lifting and cutting the final few ounces of body weight to slip under the limit. He dominated each of his four opponents at nationals, outscoring them by a combined 28-7 and recording the lone pinfall victory among the 10 championship bouts.

“On his mirror every day, right after he won a national title, Jay wrote, ‘Two-time national champ,’ ” Morris says. “On his water bottle at practice he had, ‘Two-time national champ.’ The kid was just super-focused on what he wanted to accomplish.”

“People think once you’re on top, it’s easier,” Albis notes. “It’s harder. What I did the summer leading into my first national title, I did that double this past summer. I stayed hungry to stay on top.

“I can’t picture a day where wrestling is not a part of me,” says Albis, who would welcome an opportunity to stay involved with the wrestling team after graduation. “Whether it’s me coaching or whatever it may be, I want wrestling to be part of my life.”

Iron

Photograph by Geoffrey Riccio

After winning his first national championship, wrestler Jay Albis ’19 doubled his efforts for a second title

Sharpens Iron

Chancellor Investiture On March 12, at an Investiture Ceremony attended by hundreds at the Providence Performing Arts Center and hundreds more online at our branch campuses and elsewhere, the October 2018 appointment of Mim L. Runey, LP.D., as Johnson & Wales University’s third chancellor was celebrated. She took the occasion to reflect on JWU’s remarkable past, its current strengths, and the excitement of new initiatives.

Here are selected excerpts from Chancellor Runey’s inaugural address.

I often reflect on the university’s history.

It inspires me, it informs my decisions, and it reaffirms our longstanding commitment to always putting our students first. Just imagine how amazed Miss Johnson and Miss Wales would be today to see this school that bears their name — in four states, encompassing 100 buildings on more than 200 acres of land, offering more than 80 academic programs, with an economic impact of more than half a billion dollars.

They surely would be impressed, but I also believe they would gently remind us that the school started because of one student. Brick and mortar is the visual dominating presence, but the essence of Johnson & Wales University and who we are — our fundamental reason for being — is our students.

For many of our students, the road to Johnson & Wales has not been easy. They had to work hard to earn their high school diplomas, coming from families where most, if not all, did not have college degrees.

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College savings accounts were modest, if at all. But what brought them here was the drive and determination that in spite of some naysayers, a college degree was attainable for them. They believed in the transformative power of higher education … that the time and money spent to achieve a diploma was a worthy investment … because they were investing in themselves and their dreams.

Their investment is now allowing them to reap the rewards of lifelong mobility and higher earning potential, balanced by knowing the value of community service and giving back to help those in need.

Our students have grit. You see it every day in the classrooms, in the labs, at our stables, on the athletic fields, at competitions.

That resolve and strength in character comes from knowing that they are not alone. Their faculty, staff, coaches and advisors have been by their side during their time on campus. They have encouraged them to explore, create and push themselves.

And just as important, they have given

them permission to fail so that they would take the risks to succeed. It is no surprise that our graduates are sought after by employers all over the world for their talent and grit.

I am forever grateful for the leaders who came before me. Misses Johnson and Wales, Mo Gaebe and Ed Triangolo, Jack Yena and John Bowen. Because of them, the university has a tremendous foundation.

Now it is our turn to begin a new era at Johnson & Wales. As history guides our future, let me quote this passage from von Goethe’s Faust. Written 270 years ago, it is very relevant today: “ Seize this very minute – What you can do, or dream you can, begin it, Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it, Only engage, and then the mind grows heated Begin it, and the work will be completed!”

This has to be the clarion call for all institutions of higher education today.

During this time of a rapidly changing higher education landscape, if institutions cannot nimbly adapt then they will be forced to close.

For decades, the university’s senior leadership has had the perfect blend of prudent fiscal management while taking bold moves to move the university forward.

Mo Gaebe believed we should take our academic programs to where the students are instead of expecting all of those students to come to Providence. Through his wisdom and guidance, with Jack Yena and John Bowen following his lead, that was how our branch campuses came to be.

What vibrant communities Providence, North Miami, Denver and Charlotte are today and yes, let me say this is because of the presence of Johnson & Wales.

The food economy and hospitality industry have benefited from the presence of Johnson & Wales. We are an integral member of every community we are in and a major reason why they are top destination cities for students and visitors.

A new frontier for Johnson & Wales has been in the area of healthcare. In 2014, the university began offering the state’s first program in physician assistant (PA) studies.

At the time, Rhode Island was one of only four states without a PA program. We knew the need and demand was there. By offering rigorous classroom learning, state-of-the-art lab experiences and

top-flight clinical rotations, we knew we could prepare PA students for high paying, in-demand jobs in the expanding health care sector that would make a real difference in our community.

We are continuing to grow in the healthcare arena. Like physician assistants, the demand for occupational therapists is high with strong predicted job growth in the coming years. Johnson & Wales is offering the state’s first entrylevel occupational therapy doctorate program for students with bachelor’s degrees seeking a rigorous three-year program that will address the vital importance of people’s physical, psychological and emotional needs.

Innovation & Technology in the fall of 2020. The core of this new college — called CFIT — is the intersection of food, innovation, technology, design, health and community. This is an exciting step forward for the university as more students are seeking programs to explore the multiple ways food impacts the world.

CFIT’s success will be its ability to foresee the future and prepare our students so they can adapt to the evolving needs of society and industry. We are asking students enrolled in CFIT to take a leap of faith because we will be preparing them for jobs that do not exist today … because the Johnson & Wales student is bold, fearless and full of grit.

This holistic approach to a person’s well-being includes the food that they eat.

The university has long recognized the role food plays in people’s lives through the introduction of culinary arts, nutrition and dietetics degrees. We also recognize the power of food innovation, which is why we have invested in the aptly-named Food Innovation Nexus.

Their focus has been the development of patient and consumer-centric products and ventures that focus on food as the medium to deliver a wide array of health benefits.

We are now leveraging all of this expertise to launch a new College of Food

To our great faculty, staff and students at this university: let us imagine what the future can be for Johnson & Wales. By working collaboratively, we can advance our mission and make this institution even stronger and more resilient in this shifting landscape of higher education.

You have my promise that I will do everything in my power and to the best of my abilities to live up to the responsibilities of the office of chancellor and always put what is best for this university — for our students — first.

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A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE FOOD INNOVATION NEXUS AND JOHNSON & WALES PROMISES TO REVOLUTIONIZE FOOD, MEDICINE AND HEALTH  BY DAVID LEVIN 14

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY

MIKE COHEA

Future Food

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From its parking lot, 63 Baker Street doesn’t look remarkable.

Its only features are a flat stucco façade and broad windows with partially-raised blinds, each framing a collection of houseplants and used coffee mugs inside the glass. It’s a dead ringer for countless other anonymous office buildings around Providence — but inside its doors, something extraordinary is happening.

Baker Street is home to the Food Innovation Nexus, or FIX, a startup funded and fueled by Johnson & Wales and run by an unusual team of chefs, entrepreneurs, food scientists, product developers and designers.

Together, they’re crafting revolutionary new directions for the food industry, starting in areas as diverse as hospital cuisine, frozen snack food and edible pharmaceuticals — using food itself as a drug delivery system.

“The goal of JWU and the FIX is to map the future of food; to explore a deep ocean that sits at the intersection of food, society, medicine and health,” says Co-Founder Michael K. Allio.

“Here in Providence, we have amazing culinary expertise. We have deep resources in the biotech, pharma, design and health industries. We have entrepreneurs moving here daily. We want to use all those assets to create something new and innovative.” “ T H E G OA L O F J W U A N D T H E F I X I S TO M A P T H E F U T U R E O F F O O D ; TO E X P L O R E A D E E P O C E A N T H AT S I TS AT T H E I N T E R S E C T I O N O F F O O D , S O C I E T Y, M E D I C I N E A N D H E A LT H . ” FIX C0-FOUNDER MICHAEL K. ALLIO (RIGHT)

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This interdisciplinary approach isn’t exactly common in the food world. Thanks to a partnership with Johnson & Wales, however, that may soon change. The university helped co-found the FIX in 2014 as a departure from its usual kitchen-based curriculum. Now, it’s parlaying ideas hatched at the startup to develop new areas for academic study, while giving students access to real-world business ventures.

In that sense, says JWU Chancellor Mim L. Runey, LP.D., the FIX forms the innovation side of the university’s new focus on food, and will work in concert with the new JWU College of Food Innovation & Technology (CFIT), which launches in fall 2020.

“Employers want these bright and talented graduates to accelerate innovation — to create the future,” Runey says. “My vision for CFIT is to arm our students with the multidisciplinary perspective, skills and tools they need to impact the world.”

B O STO N C H I L D R E N ’ S H O S P I TA L Staff members at the FIX have already begun to take on those sorts of challenges at the famed Boston Children’s Hospital. Four years ago, the hospital revamped its food court, transforming it into a place where culinary staff can interact with patients and families. The space is now airy and comfortable, with long curving walls and soft lighting. In one section, a semicircular open kitchen is manned by chefs in tall white hats, and a central food prep station hosts cooking classes and demonstrations.

As food courts go, it’s downright homey, and for good reason. Its goal is not only to serve healthy, nurturing food, but to provide a nurturing environment for meals — a welcome resource for patients and families going through long-term treatments. The only catch, according to Shawn Goldrick ’96, is that those patients make up just a small percentage of kids seeking treatment at the

Culinary Product Developer Rebecca McCartin ’15 measures Hummus Pod ingredients.

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McCartin ’15 preps the Hummus Pods.

“J W U A N D T H E F I X ’ S R E S E A R C H I N T O PAT I E N T A N D FA M I LY N E E D S , P L A N TBASED FOOD TRENDS AND THE P H YS I CA L S PAC E PA R A M E T E R S U LT I M AT E LY L E D U S T O H A N D P I E S A S A F O R M FAC T O R .

E V E R Y C U LT U R E H A S O N E . ” MICHAEL K. ALLIO

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hospital — there are thousands more who don’t have time for a full sit-down meal.

“We have more than 4,000 ambulatory visits a day,” says Goldrick, the hospital’s patient support services director, who oversees its culinary staff.

“There are a lot of families coming in for an hour-long appointment with their child and then going home. They may not have time to take advantage of the healthy, plant-based meals we’re developing, no matter how good they are.”

On a Monday morning, that’s abundantly clear.

A long line of bleary-eyed parents, kids in wheelchairs and harried staff members are streaming through the front doors, crowding a Starbucks before running off to appointments.

Goldrick gestures in their direction.

“We have some amenities for those sorts of visitors, but the food they can grab and take with them is pretty limited. We wanted to partner with JWU and the FIX to help provide the same nutritious diets we offer in the food court, but in a form that people can use as a meal replacement wherever they go.”

There’s an additional twist, he adds: The hospital plans to replace an existing restaurant stand with these new delicious “better for you” healthy offerings, without retrofitting the space with stoves or other open-flame appliances.

To meet these challenges, FIX staff worked with JWU faculty and students to develop a food experience with broad cross-cultural appeal (more than 30 percent of patients are foreign visitors, Goldrick notes) — one that could be eaten easily on the run, and prepared using nothing more than an electric oven.

“Our research into patient and family needs, plant-based food trends and the physical space parameters ultimately led us to hand pies as a form factor,” says Allio. “Every culture has one.

They’re familiar, comforting, and they can deliver a variety of healthy fillings.” To be successful at the hospital, though, they’ll also need to be large enough to satisfy, resist getting soggy after time, be sturdy enough to hold their shape when halfway eaten, and yet still be delicious.

Hitting all those targets is tougher than you might think, says T.J. Delle Donne ’04, ’07 M.A.T., associate instructor and assistant dean of culinary relations and special projects at JWU. He was part of a faculty team that developed entirely new types of dough and fillings for the pies, while exploring a range of global culinary influences.

“Everything on the food side of this project was developed at JWU with the help of our students: the ins and outs of how the pies are made, the

flavors, sauces, side, dishes, drinks and so on,” says Delle Donne. “But the FIX brought our work to the next level by tackling the business elements of the product and designing how customers will actually experience the food. That was huge.”

The FIX’s new hand pies may be in the Boston Children’s Hospital food court by the end of this year, as the centerpiece of a dramatic new restaurant format. But another FIX project that deeply influenced that work is already commercially available at more than 2,000 grocery stores nationwide. They’re Hummus Pods— small, dumpling-like pitas pre-filled with creamy hummus. Like the hand pies, they’re plant-based, easily portable, convenient, delicious and healthy, says Delle Donne, who — with a team from JWU — was intimately involved in their development.

“Hummus turned out to be a perfect product,” says Delle Donne. “It contains a good amount of olive oil, which has lots of known health benefits, and it’s already part of a billion-dollar market.”

When the FIX team challenged Delle Donne to develop a new spin in 2014, he enlisted the help of (then) students Luis Rivera ’15 and Rebecca (Giambarresi) McCartin ’15, and spent months at a time working on new ideas and formats.

“One version looked almost like a cannoli, with hummus piped into a pita shell,” he recalls.

“Another had a lining of fruit leather to keep the pita from getting soggy. I think we worked eight months to perfect the dough alone.”

As with the hand pies, adds Allio, the key to bringing Hummus Pods to market was not only constant experimentation, but the ability to bring multiple disciplines together to collaborate successfully on the project. “We had product designers talking to Generation Z students talking to production engineers and culinary folks, all working to fine-tune the product. We had to collaborate with manufacturers to adapt tools and equipment, and even bring in process innovations from other industries to make them with consistent quality at commercial scale.”

Today, the FIX has secured several patents for the Hummus Pods and is already shipping them to major grocery chains like Whole Foods and Kroger, coast to coast.

DA N T E ’ S E I G H T H C I R C L E The innovations coming out of the FIX go far beyond just healthy snacks, however. The company is also developing and launching foods that can be used as medications themselves — essentially making drugs in edible forms that are more appealing to patients.

“People get sick of taking pills and mixing powders. But everyone is comfortable and familiar with eating — so why not combine the two?” asks Corey Siegel, a gastroenterologist at Dartmouth College. “If you have a drug embedded in food, or food as drug itself, it’s not hard to get consumers onboard.”

In some cases, he says, making drugs more palatable could mean the difference between life and death. Colon cancer, one of the most common causes of cancer death in the U.S. today, can often www.jwu.edu

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Above L-R: General Manager Marco Wo, McCartin ’15 and Design Product Developer Erica Pernice on taste-testing duty Right: The team confers on product ideas.

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be treated successfully if it’s caught in its early stages, yet millions of Americans don’t go through with routine colonoscopy screenings.

More often than not, Siegel says, that’s because of the unpleasant drugs they’d need to take beforehand.

If you haven’t yet experienced that unique joy, just know that it involves fasting for at least 24 hours, choking down a gallon of thick, salty liquid, and spending a disproportionate amount of time in your own bathroom. It could easily be Dante’s eighth circle of hell.

“Every single patient tells us how miserable they were taking medications for colonoscopy prep,” Siegel adds emphatically.

He and his business partner, gastroenterologist Josh Korzenik, are working with the FIX to develop products that make colonoscopies easier to bear. Instead of forcing patients to avoid food entirely, the group has invented snacks that taste good, yet also contain polyethylene glycol, the drug that clears out patients’ intestinal tracts. In

doing so, they solve two problems at once: staving off hunger during colonoscopy prep and doing away with the need to drink copious amounts of salty goop.

But making polyethylene glycol appetizing is a tall order, made even more difficult by a few regulatory details. To get this approach cleared by the FDA, the team has to make the products using only substances that appear on a list of pre-approved drug ingredients, and prove that they’re safe and effective.

“You can’t just reach for the spice rack,” says Allio. “Natural ingredients vary a bit in their nutritional content from batch to batch. If you’re making a drug, it has to deliver the exact same thing, every time, without fail.”

The resulting process is a bit like making an elaborate dessert using only items from your medicine chest — the sugar that coats painkillers; the cherry flavoring found in cough syrup, and so on. Creating foods that are actually palatable from those isn’t easy. “We had a few flavor misadventures along the way,” Allio says with a grin. “But let’s just say that there’s some magic in FDA-approved cocoa butter.”

Back at the FIX offices, he shows off the end result: a slim cardboard box covered in colorcoded geometric designs. Inside, six bar-like snacks nestle against one another. They have a dense, pale matte surface, almost like Japanese mochi rice cakes.

Although they look appetizing, he’s quick to remind me that these aren’t really foods at all.

They’re technically drugs that patients “take” at pre-prescribed times — one for breakfast, lunch, an afternoon snack. Compared to the usual thick liquids, though, they’re infinitely more appealing.

Colonoscopy patients seem to think so as well: the bars are already being validated in human clinical trials with success.

That’s exactly the goal that Seigel and Korzenik set out to achieve. The pair partnered with the FIX to start a new company called Colonary Concepts, which is developing the formulations and partnering with larger pharmaceutical companies to commercialize.

They and their partners are also working with the FIX on the next array of similar food-plus-medicine products, focusing on chronic constipation and other ailments.

“The FIX has a broad range of expertise that really appealed to us,” says Siegel. “We needed the sort of multidisciplinary approach they took — not just figuring out the business side, but the food science side, the marketing side, the design and manufacturing side. Everyone else we talked to could do one of those things, but FIX was the first to see 360 degrees on it.”

T H E F O O D I N N OVAT I O N D ES I G N L A B JWU’s philosophy of combining multiple disciplines is also appealing to a growing number of students and graduates. Rivera and McCartin, who helped develop Hummus Pods during their junior and senior years, now work there full-time as product developers, researching, testing and marketing new product ideas for the company.

As the pair walk through the university’s

culinary museum, they point out past food innovations like antique hot dog bun-making machines and early “radar ranges” (a.k.a microwave ovens). They turn a corner, pass a full-sized exhibit of a chrome-covered train car diner, and enter the gleaming new kitchen and test facility — JWU’s Food Innovation Design Lab. “It’s really exciting that the work we’re doing might give future students opportunities that we may not have had as undergraduates,” McCartin adds, gesturing at the CFIT space as JWU staff unpack boxes and assemble metal prep tables behind her. “They’ll have this beautiful design space, and the culinary and creative freedom to start thinking about food differently, including more applied techniques for product development.”

Rivera nods in agreement. “Students at JWU have not traditionally been taught to have conceptual ideas about food,” he says, “Like, how would you deliver the nutritional benefits of lycopene from tomatoes to a client? You’d normally be taught to just make a great dish or food product. But if you start thinking about it chemically, it’s also fat-soluble, which means you could deliver it through the skin. You could put it in a topical cream. You could make it an ingestible that would absorb through the roof of the

mouth or stomach lining, so you don’t need to digest it all the way. Thinking about it that way is sort of the ultimate deconstruction of food.”

This is the sort of mindset that the university aims to teach through both its collaboration with the FIX and its new academic enterprise at CFIT — not just introducing new ways to approach food, but instilling in students a sort of culinary philosophy that’s fluid and open to innovation.

“We want JWU to train the next generation of innovators who marry disciplines together,” says Allio. “At the FIX, our dog in that hunt will be to turn their solutions into products for more people to take advantage of them. JWU has the world’s experts on food prep, delivery and handling. It’s increasingly strong in science and engineering. So what’s the convergence of these?

Let’s let the next generation of students train not just as cooks, but as nutrition scientists, or occupational therapists that understand the link between food, nutrition and medicine. That’s the future we’d like to create.”

“ I T ’ S R E A L LY E XC I T I N G T H AT T H E WORK WE’RE DOING MIGHT GIVE F U T U R E ST U D E N TS O P P O R T U N I T I E S T H AT W E M AY N O T H AV E H A D A S U N D E R G R A D U AT E S . ” R E B E C CA M C CA R T I N ’ 1 5

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Sara Lehman ’12 carved her dream job as a food/wine/travel consultant at a high-end residential building in New York City. Carrie Hegnauer ’05 created an incubator kitchen space where Johnson & Wales grads and others could execute fully-baked ideas. On these pages, we profile eight alumni who have defined success on their own terms.

Whether they gambled on starting a business or abandoned a lofty title at a prestigious company to grow another brand, their True North was not a constellation of dollar signs.

The career miles they accrued while still college students helped them pivot when a position didn’t suit and create a dream job that didn’t yet exist. When asked about their achievements, several note that mentoring others has been their proudest one. As they pay it forward, these graduates recall professors and advisors who steered them at JWU — and how that illuminated their True North path.

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SUCCESS STORIES 2019

A.S., B.S. Business Management Chief Technology Officer and Partner at Yellow Pepper Miami, Florida The transactions you make at a bodega or a department store or a gas station are, Alexander Sjögren ’06 acknowledges, the dullest part of the trip. “Nobody wakes up wanting to make a payment,” he says. “They want to do the shopping.

Payments are not sexy.”

But as chief technology officer of the multinational digital firm Yellow Pepper, Sjögren also sees his job designing payment systems as his window to the world: a way for him, as a technologist, to explore other countries and cultures, and to bring tech to retailers who have a specific problem they need to solve. That could be enabling Latin America’s largest convenience store chain, OXXO, to let customers skip the line as they check out. Or it could be creating a new credit system for Apple retailers in Colombia that lets customers apply for a credit card and immediately use it to buy an iPhone before the physical card is even issued.

“Unless you can prove you’re solving a consumer pain point, no one’s going to adopt a technology just for the sake of it,” says Sjögren.

From a small village in Sweden, Sjögren saw his school friends travel a great deal, and decided to shoot for a school and career that would allow him to do the same. He enrolled in Johnson & Wales’ programs at the Institute of Higher Marketing Business School, which at the time were offered in Göteborg, Sweden. Once acclimated to the American schooling style, he transferred to the Johnson & Wales campus in North Miami. “It was what I wanted to get out of the college experience, which was to be subjected to a lot of different cultures. Everyone seems to be a foreigner in Miami.”

After graduation, Sjögren and his wife, Dominique Oleas — a 2005 Johnson & Wales graduate in Hotel Management — lived in Sweden and Ecuador before settling for good in Miami. A willingness to learn a culture and a language, he says, is essential to making people comfortable enough to do business. And the exchange goes both ways.

“The Latin culture is something I admire — extremely positive, enthusiastic,” he says. “It really helps you get your energy and motivation up. have a lot to learn from 24Scandinavians Spring 2019 Latin America.” S A M E I F L I N G

“Nobody wakes up wanting to make a payment.”

ALEXANDER SJÖGREN ’06

PHOTOGRAPH BY

MARY BETH KOETH

“Professional success is directly connected to how much you’re able to pay it forward. Being a leader is about how you inspire people.”

NATILY SANTOS ’03 Director of Supplier Diversity Strategic Sourcing at Aramark B.S. International Hotel & Tourism Management Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Natily Santos ’03 knows the significance of paying it forward. As a first-generation Dominican-American and the eldest of five siblings, she learned early on the impact her actions could have on others.

“Professional success is directly connected to how much you’re able to pay it forward,” says Santos. “Being a leader is about how you inspire people.” Fifteen years ago, she started working at Aramark as a senior sales manager. Today she develops and executes partnerships that provide solutions for local sourcing, supplier diversity and sustainability-driven product needs.

Looking back, Santos is grateful for the moral support she received from a JWU professor. “In the spring of senior year, I had received a number of job offers, but they were more sales-oriented than operations-based, which was more my specialty,” says Santos. “I told Dr. Fink [Robert Fink, now associate dean of the College of Hospitality Management], ‘I’m unsure I’ll make the right decision. I’m not even sure I can do sales.’

Without hesitation he said, ‘You can do sales, go for it. You can do anything!’ When I really doubted myself, he was a great advisor and continues to be one today.”

Growing up Latina in the U.S. also shaped Santos’ experiences. “My parents came here hoping for a better life for their children, and encouraged me to experience as much as possible,” she says. She was the first person in her family to attend college and acknowledges that “as soon as I stepped outside my house, there was a huge learning curve.”

Along her journey, Santos benefited from Fortune 200 mentors who helped her push forward. Now that her career is more established, she’s doing the same for others. Santos founded Impacto, Aramark’s first Hispanic Market & Employee Resource Group. She’s been recognized as a member of the 40 Under 40 (current and future leaders) by the Philadelphia Business Journal; serves on the board of PHLDiversity and The Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; and is also the Philadelphia Board President of Prospanica, the Association of Hispanic Professionals.

Santos says, “One of the things I enjoy doing most is mentoring and volunteering with different organizations that sponsor scholarships, professional development and economic growth programs.”

DAMARIS R. TEIXEIRA

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GENE SMIRNOV www.jwu.edu

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SUCCESS STORIES 2019

CARRIE HEGNAUER ’94, ’05 A.S. Culinary Arts; B.S. Food Service Management Owner, The CityKitch Charlotte, North Carolina It would be an understatement to say that Carrie Hegnauer ’05 has done a lot in her culinary career. Before she even had an associate degree in Culinary Arts, she was running her own cater-waiter business. Within two years she had more than 100 employees, but soon after decided to close the business and focus on her full-time job as a food and beverage director in Aramark’s business dining division.

Hegnauer remained connected to former professors after graduation and during one Norfolk Campus visit, the dean begged her to teach. “I took vacation time to teach a dining room class and I was like, ‘Holy crap, I love this!’ ” she recalls. “I have always loved JWU: the environment, the people, the energy.”

Fast forward several years. Hegnauer was teaching full time, had her daughter, got divorced, relocated to the Charlotte Campus when the Norfolk Campus closed, earned her bachelor’s degree in Food Service Management, battled and beat cancer, and even had time to host televised cooking shows. It’s quite an impressive list, but

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she simply remarks, “I just kept plugging along.”

Oh, and she started a new business in 2014. The CityKitch, a commercial shared-use kitchen with private prep suites available, was conceived when Hegnauer couldn’t find a commercial kitchen to rent for her cooking classes. When she discovered the cost and complications of rental space, she and her second husband were inspired to start their own rental kitchen.

They consulted with the North Carolina Health Department to basically write the book on shared use kitchen health codes and have continued to expand.

The CityKitch has now worked with more than 200 businesses, 14 of which are owned by JWU alumni. This number will only grow as their new downtown Charlotte and Greensboro locations open this year. “You have to take leaps at the right time,” says Hegnauer, who retired from teaching at JWU in 2018.

With all these accomplishments, how does Hegnauer measure success? “Contentment,” she says. “That I’m happy with how I’m living my life.” C A I T L I N I S L E S

“I have always loved JWU: the environment, the people, the energy.”

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TAY LO R J O H N S O N

GEORDIE BROWER ’14 A.S. Culinary Arts Operations Manager and Managing Partner, Dickie Brennan & Co. New Orleans, Louisiana

“My family has such big shoes.

It’s a daunting task to even think about how to fill them.”

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DAY M O N G A R D N E R

Geordie Brower ’14 was born with a tasting spoon in his mouth. Well, almost: “When I was four and five, my grandfather would take me to the family restaurant, and we’d walk through the kitchen with a handful of spoons to taste the sauces.”

The restaurant? New Orleans’s legendary Commander’s Palace.

The grandfather? Richard J. “Dick” Brennan Sr. — of the Big Easy Brennans: restaurant royalty who launched the careers of Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse ’78, ’90 Hon. The real treat came when Brower turned six, the family’s inaugural age for dining out: “We’d get picked up to have lunch at Commander’s with my grandfather. I commented that the turtle soup was too spicy, and my grandfather told me, ‘No, it’s well seasoned.’ ” At 14, Brower was running trays at the family steakhouse. By 15, he was a waiter.

But it was a winding path to managing projects for Dickie Brennan restaurants.

Heeding advice to pursue a career with better hours, Brower followed his father’s footsteps and got a finance job. “If I read another quarterly report,” he soon realized, “I might go crazy.”

He could no longer deny his calling.

Encouraged by his family to gain experience elsewhere, he headed for Denver.

JWU coursework filled in key pieces: menu development and costing, running a storeroom. The nutrition classes helped him lose 30 pounds and now inform his work back in New Orleans, opening a café for the Louisiana Children’s Museum.

Before coming home, working in the Mile High City’s restaurant scene — devoid of relatives — was crystallizing: “My family has such big shoes. It’s a daunting task to even think about how to fill them.”

He tips his toque to Rioja’s renowned Jennifer Jasinski, whose tough love inspired commitment.

“I fell apart in the middle of a shift.

She told me, ‘You’re better than this. And if you ever go down cooking again, you’re fired.’ ” Now a manager in his own right, Brower recalls the words of GreatAunt Ella: “It’s not about the numbers. It’s about the asses in the seats.”

That suits the spreadsheet-free Brower just fine: “Success is about people — figuring out the best possible solutions for the people you work with.” J E A N N E RYA N

“They can’t hide from the truth once the forensic accountant uncovers it.”

SUCCESS STORIES 2019

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HUBERT KLEIN ’84, ’86 A.S. Computer Systems Management B.S. Accounting Partner and Leader of EisnerAmper’s New Jersey Forensics, Litigation and Valuation Services Group Freehold, New Jersey Pedalling to his father’s work site — whichever Bergen County, New Jersey, apartment complex was being painted — 10-year-old Hubert Klein ’86 had time to reflect: “Because of my size, my job was to paint closets. I knew, that’s not the job I wanted.”

By the time he had outgrown closets, the 6’3” Klein had an inkling of his future. “Every three months, my dad had to talk to his accountant: this one guy who’s a guru of all businesses.”

First in his family to pursue college, Klein was pretty much on his own. His immigrant parents were supportive but not experienced. So, as a high school senior, he found himself at a JWU information session. “What caught my attention real quick — other than the four-day week and trimesters — was the class size and the professors. And there was diversity at Johnson and Wales — not just ethnic diversity but people from all around the world.”

Now a top executive at accounting powerhouse EisnerAmper — clients include the New York Jets and Michael J. Fox Foundation — Klein emphasizes JWU’s role.

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MIKE COHEA

Coursework in Apple’s seminal spreadsheet program VisiCalc paved the way for his focus on forensic accounting, “the CSI” of the industry, involving investigation to resolve financial disputes and track down fraud: “They can’t hide from the truth once the forensic accountant uncovers it.”

He’s seen big changes, from the “hunt-andpeck” days of sifting through boxes of docs to using sophisticated computer algorithims that do the same in a fraction of the time.

Klein’s changed, too: He’s not as fast as when he escaped a backstairs chase, incriminating copy in hand, implicated businessman in pursuit, promising retribution. He’s learned to excavate records more subtly, holding his cards close until all parties are in conference, primed to settle.

For Klein — who coached when his kids were young and chaired community boards — success transcends profession. Adjuncting at Fairleigh Dickinson University, he mentors the next generation: “You continually need to learn: throughout your career, throughout your personal life. You don’t want to look back and say, ‘All I did was make money.’ ” J E A N N E RYA N

A dare swayed the course of Robert Palleschi’s future. A friend’s father bet the 16-yearold he wouldn’t take a summer job working the desk of a no-tell motel. “He thought I would chicken out,” says Palleschi ’86, ’14 Hon. “But I took the job and it got me hooked on hotels — before, I thought I wanted to be in the restaurant field.” That experience — and his allergy to an overdose of classroom time — led the now-CEO of G6 Hospitality to Johnson & Wales.

Before G6, which owns, operates and franchises more than 1,350 economy-lodging locations under its Motel 6 and Studio 6 extended stay brands, Palleschi was senior VP at Hilton and CEO of TGIFridays.

“At G6, my focus is the future: I spend a lot of time on our fiveyear plan and managing to that strategy. We are a guiding the business to where customers are going and where expectations will be in three to five years; you skate to where the puck is going to be instead of where it is now.”

Palleschi believes the best ideas don’t spring from the corporate boardrooms — they come from the doormen, line cooks and room attendants: “That’s really where you learn not only what’s happening at the property, but what’s happening in the market. Success is not about titles, it’s about helping people develop. My proudest achievement is seeing how people who worked for me are now leading brands and running hotels or other companies. I joke that someday they are going to hire me so I have to be nice to them!”

Palleschi’s ethos is evident in G6 Hospitality’s additional endeavors. Its Operation Next Step program is committed to recruiting veterans, and under Palleschi’s leadership, the company introduced anti-human trafficking training for team members. They also offer multilingual training to help employees identify and report harassment and violence . Plus, they were the first hotel brand to mandate personal security devices for all team members.

“The future is extremely bright in this industry,” he adds.

“We need the leadership that JWU is producing — as innovators and future CEOs. We need that Generation Z driving us forward.” D E N I S E D O W L I N G

ROBERT PALLESCHI ’84, ’86, ’14 HON. A.S. Hotel-Restaurant Management B.S. Hospitality Management CEO, G6 Hospitality Dallas, Texas

“My proudest achievement is seeing how people who worked for me are now leading brands, and running hotels or other companies.

I joke that someday they are going to hire me so I have to be nice to them!”

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S C O G I N M AYO

SARA LEHMAN, ’10,’12 A.S. Baking & Pastry Arts B.S. Baking & Pastry Arts and Food Service Management Owner and Author, Somm in the City New York, New York

“During the interview, I told the management team, ‘There’s no way you want me to do this as a job.’ ” 30 Spring 2019

In the competitive market that is New York high-rises, buildings splurge on amenities to distinguish themselves. Doormen. Boutique bars. Minimovie theaters. Dog runs. So why not a dedicated sommelier? Sara Lehman’s job at the tower One Sixty Madison is that sort of add-on that might set a luxury residence apart: an in-house food and wine maven who holds events, consults on residents’ wine choices and throws dinner parties.

“During the interview, I told the management team, ‘There’s no way you want me to do this as a job,’ ” says Lehman ’12. “My parents were like, ‘What are you going to be doing? You’re working in real estate now?’ ” If the residents feel more like a family when they gather around meals and drinks that Lehman curates, trace it back to her childhood in New Jersey, where her father loved to unwind by making big family meals. She chose Johnson & Wales after hitting it off with a group of girls she met on a weekend college visit. They instantly decided to room together, and that was that — they were all off to Providence.

A study abroad trip to Germany pulled her into the wine world. “When I tried my first smoked salmon with a really nice dry Cab and a Riesling, I was sold on food and wine pairings,” she says.

Her first job out of school was managing a restaurant in Montclair, New Jersey. There she found herself pairing wines with a meal for a food blogger who invited Lehman to try her hand as a wine writer. Later, when Lehman moved to New York, the title “Somm in the City” stuck, and has remained her brand since. She writes on food, wine, spirits and travel, and hangs out her shingle for just about any sort of event related to those pursuits.

Whatever her jobs entail in a given week, it’s assured that few people in the world hold a position quite like Lehman’s.

Maybe she’s a food and wine expert living her best life. Or maybe you could just say she works in real estate.

SAM EIFLING

PHOTOGRAPH BY

PETER ROSS

“Go for long gains, not short ones. Build your foundation. Don’t take a photo of a recipe — write your own!”

SUCCESS STORIES 2019

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MARK MEDIANA

CHRIS COSENTINO ’94 A.S. Culinary Arts Chef and Co-Owner, Cockscomb, Acacia House, Jackrabbit San Francisco, California

Chris Cosentino ’94 is widely considered a culinary pioneer. He pitched his most recent cookbook, “Offal Good: Cooking from the Heart, with Guts,” for 10 years before the subject of whole-animal cookery was deemed publishing-worthy. He became a rising star of food TV in its early days, including a 2012 “Top Chef Masters” win that raised more than $140,000 for Parkinson’s research. He’s done high-profile collaborations with Hong Kong Airlines, Vans and Marvel Comics, among others. In 2017, he opened two restaurants in rapid succession — Jackrabbit in Portland, Oregon, and Acacia House in St. Helena, California — to join his San Francisco spot, Cockscomb.

A native Rhode Islander, Cosentino grew up in a family where food “superseded family feuds, politics and religion.” His grandmother, Rosalie, taught him to love Old World Italian flavors. “I always knew I wanted to cook. It’s hands-on, it’s craftsmanship,” he explains.

He had a rocky start at JWU. His ADHD made concentrating on his studies a challenge; the densely-written textbooks — all charts and few pictures — stymied his “broken brain.” One day, he discovered “La Technique” and “La Methode,”

Jacques Pépin’s step-by-step manuals, in the JWU library. Suddenly, learning clicked for him.

The revelation also helped the young Cosentino focus and gain confidence. He became a teaching fellow and worked on the line at J. Wales, the university’s full-service restaurant at the time, which was an education in itself: “We had the best team. But we got pummeled. We made fresh pasta — that was ahead of its time. We had all-you-can-eat fish-and-chips nights — it was brutal!”

That trial-by-fire set Cosentino up for his first major job — working at Mark Miller’s Red Sage in Washington, D.C. Moving on to San Francisco, he finally found a city that matched his creative energy. Granted “100 percent free rein” at Incanto, where he served as executive chef for 12 years, he fully matured into his talents and took major risks with the offal- and cured-meatcentric menu.

These days, Cosentino is as creatively inspired as ever, juggling restaurant ownership, philanthropy and collaborative projects. Most of all, he’s having fun: “You learn something new every moment.” A N D R E A F E L D M A N

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GIVING IN ACTION Cannon Foundation Grant Used to Upgrade Charlotte’s Beverage and Sensory Labs

In 2017, JWU Charlotte upgraded its beverage and sensory laboratories thanks to a $50,000 grant provided by the Cannon Foundation Inc. With beverage management career opportunities and interests surging in the North Carolina area and beyond, JWU knew it was vital to keep pace with industry needs. The state-ofthe-art laboratories have provided improved learning tools that have enhanced the courses and experiences desired by students and employers. Modifications to the laboratories have also allowed for concurrent beverage classes to be scheduled, immediately

supporting program growth by allowing for additional sections to be offered.

In addition, the newly renovated labs now house the non-credit beverage certification program. Hosted in partnership with the world-renowned Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), it is available to students, hospitality professionals and wine enthusiasts with varying degrees of expertise. Students who complete the WSET certification expand their career-readiness and job skills for prospective employers, giving them a competitive advantage after graduation.

The Cannon Foundation was established in 1943 by Charles A. Cannon, president and CEO of Cannon Mills Company. The foundation continues his philanthropic legacy by funding capital and equipment projects for organizations across Cannon’s home state of North Carolina. JWU Charlotte has been fortunate to be the recipient of multiple grants from the Cannon Foundation and is grateful for the foundation’s continued support of the university. ~ Michelle Hunt and Melinda Law

BOA Gift to Support First-year Transition Program at JWU Charlotte The Experience Anew JWU comprehensive campaign received a boost when Bank of America announced it would support the Charlotte Campus with a gift of $1.5 million, payable over three years. The gift will be used to design and implement a summer bridge program for at-risk incoming first-year students in order to prepare them for the rigors of college. The program will incorporate elements of the successful Jumpstart and Agents for Campus Engagement (ACE) programs on campus into a fiveweek residential credit-bearing pre-college program that will ease admitted students’ transition from high school to college and home to campus.

Participants will complete up to nine quarter credits of coursework in English and math while receiving an orientation to campus resources, including academic advising. There will be no cost to participating students. “Obtaining this gift from Bank of America took more than two years

and the effort of many people in Charlotte and Providence,” says Michelle Hunt, interim director of development for JWU Charlotte. “Our proposal matched well with the bank’s desire to work with local organizations to improve Charlotte citizens’ economic mobility and quality of life.”

The program will begin this summer and is expected to grow to include 50 students. Enrollees will have graduated from high schools within a 60-mile radius of Charlotte and meet one of the following criteria: first-generation college students; from low-income households; and/or they are considered at-risk academically.

“The summer bridge program will enhance our students’ readiness to succeed in college and beyond,” according to Campus President Tarun Malik, ’90 M.S., ’11 Ed.D. “We are extremely grateful to Bank of America and the Albermarle Foundation for their continued support of Johnson & Wales.” ~ Melinda Law

32

Spring 2019

JWU AWARDED GRANT TO STUDY LATIN AMERICAN FOOD SCARCITY

A

s Johnson & Wales prepares to launch its College of Food Innovation & Technology (CFIT), the university has received a grant to research solutions to food scarcity in Latin America.

JWU is one of nine international university partner teams to receive a grant through the “100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund” competition. JWU students from multiacademic programs will join peers from the Universidad de Congreso in Argentina and Regis College in Massachusetts, along with respective faculty and study abroad administrators, to explore sustainable community wellness and nutrition in the Americas.

Throughout June, participants will travel and study at each partner university. They will begin in Argentina, where the North American students will join their “UCongreso” colleagues and become immersed in the community. They will work with local nonprofits on issues of public health and nutrition for families in the region. In mid-June, the entire team will complete their program in the U.S., spending five days at Regis College and five days at our Providence Campus.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger, the central hunger problem in Latin America is not a lack of food, but rather the difficulty its poorest inhabitants face in accessing that food.

Johnson & Wales’ application was coordinated through JWU Global, Regis College’s Center for Global Connections, and Resource

Development at both universities. According to Lisa McAdam Donegan, director of JWU study abroad, this project unites the strengths of all three universities and grew from a collaboration with David Crisci, director of the Center for Global Connections at Regis College. “Our students will bring the culinary and nutrition focus to the project to enhance the public health and nursing perspective of their peers from Regis,” says Donegan.

“Students from UCongreso will share their international relations and resource management focus, and all three universities will share their connection to their local communities.

Together, the team will explore underlying issues of food scarcity, and seek solutions that can be applied internationally to a critical issue that crosses borders, economies, politics and humanity.”

The competition is coordinated by the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Embassies, Partners of the Americas and NAFSA: Association of International Educators. It is also funded by the MetLife Foundation, one of the many sponsors.

“MetLife Foundation recognizes the vital role study abroad programs play in helping students enhance their technical skills while developing valuable cross-cultural skills and experience,” says Dennis White, president and CEO of the MetLife Foundation. “We are pleased to support partnerships between higher education institutions across the Americas and extend the benefits of study abroad to more students.” ~ Miriam S. Weinstein ’08 MBA

The Power of a Like We know advertising can sway behavior, but how do the comments in response to an ad influence us? “Social media marketing is more than just the ad message,” says College of Health & Wellness Assistant Professor Jonathan Noel, Ph.D. “It’s surrounded by other information we might not notice, such as basic user engagement: comments, likes and shares. If a post or ad has been liked by a friend, you are given an incentive beyond what the ads are actually presenting.”

The Rhode Island Foundation recently awarded a significant grant for Noel’s project, “Using Social Media Comments to Reduce the Desire to Drink.” The study will test whether comments left in response to a social media post can influence the desire to drink by examining effects of those responses, warning messages from public health organizations, and

responsibility messages developed by the alcohol industry. Noel’s hypothesis is that the pro-drinking comments will increase the desire to drink, while anti-drinking ones and responsibility messages will be a deterrent.

“From what history has taught us regarding tobacco use, in order to really see a decrease in binge drinking and the consequences of alcohol use stemming from this form of advertising, we would need to change how people engage and interact with these ads,” says Noel. “To do so requires regulatory changes. I’d like the findings to be put into real world use and inform two groups of people: One consists of advocates and policy makers; the other are people who create health campaigns.

If anti-drinking comments reduce drinking, the latter group could be posting messages in direct response to the ads, and the brands could be distributing their message.” ~ Denise Dowling www.jwu.edu

33

ALUMNINEWS

34

Spring 2019

Providence Campus Reunion In April, the Providence Campus was transformed as hundreds of alumni from around the world celebrated their JWU pride during reunion weekend. Graduates from the past five decades reconnected with each other and faculty while exploring changes on campus and JWU’s evolving curriculum.

With 18 events over three days, Reunion 2019 was the biggest alumni celebration yet! The Alumni Relations team sincerely thanks everyone who attended and made the weekend memorable. For more photos, videos and details from reunion, visit alumni.jwu.edu, and save the date for Reunion 2020, April 24–26!

www.jwu.edu

35

ALUMNINEWS 2018 CAREER PROGRESSION SURVEY RESULTS Three out of four JWU graduates believe that attending Johnson & Wales was a worthy investment, and 86 percent of alumni said they would recommend JWU to someone else.

Those are among the encouraging findings that many of you shared in our 2018 Career Progression Survey of JWU alumni, and for that we are grateful. Your participation in this survey helps elevate our reputation and improves the value of your JWU degree.

THREE out of FOUR believe that attending JWU was a WORTHY INVESTMENT Of more than 4,700 alumni who responded to our survey, those graduates who found JWU a worthy investment represent a significant 16 percent increase over the previous survey, taken five years ago. Set against the background of a national conversation around whether a four-year college degree is worth the cost, where the sides tend to be evenly divided, the findings are a strong signal that JWU is hitting the mark in terms of preparing students for a productive and fulfilling career journey.

Another key finding is that more than eight out of 10 alumni would attend JWU again.

There are a number of reasons why so many speak of their JWU experiences so favorably.

First, respondents to the survey tells us that their majors’ core courses and the experiences they received from internships significantly contributed to the launch and advancement of their careers.

Second, students historically have chosen JWU for a specific program of study, and the most recent career progression study affirms those choices.

36

Spring 2019

Eighty percent of survey respondents said they would pursue the same field of study if given the chance.

The entrepreneurial spirit of JWU’s founders, Misses Johnson and Wales, continues to be embodied in many alumni. As we saw in 2013:

Furthermore, two-thirds of JWU grads intend to advance their career in their current occupational field, with 15 percent indicating they will pursue some form of additional postsecondary education within the next three years.

About one-third of JWU graduates have participated in the start-up of one or more businesses.

A third key component of the JWU experience is the contribution that interactions and support they received from faculty and staff had to their career success. Many alumni continue to stay in touch to share professional accomplishments and seek networking opportunities from industry-connected JWU faculty to further their career.

Based on the experience of those surveyed, respondents suggest: Salaries will increase in an upward trajectory as their career progresses post-graduation, surpassing the annual median age-earnings for their non-JWU counterparts in the United States. Their investment in a JWU education will provide them higher earnings potential as they advance in the workforce.

They will possess the job competencies and skills valued by employers, including areas of management/leadership/teamwork/communication, and creative and critical-thinking skills. Their investment in a JWU education will provide them with lifelong mobility in the workforce. This is especially valuable to the seven percent of graduates who are considering changing their current occupational field entirely.

From both the earlier and more recent cohorts surveyed, we continue to see more entrepreneurial activity occurring about 14 years post-graduation and the continuing trend of younger graduates starting their own business much earlier.

More than 8 out of 10 GRADUATES said they WOULD ATTEND JWU again In addition, the 2018 survey found that 57 percent of those businesses are still in operation and 46 percent of those participating in a startup are still actively involved in its operations.

In 2018, Johnson & Wales University conducted a career progression survey for alumni who graduated between 1986 and 2016; more than 4,700 responses were received. Many of the areas surveyed were measured during a previous 2013 JWU Alumni Career Progression Study of which the university received about 4,000 responses from alumni who graduated between 1982 and 2012.

ONE-THIRD of our GRADUATES have participated in the START-UP of one or more businesses

Dear Alumni and Friends, ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL ACADEMIC YEAR is complete and we’re proud to welcome the more than 1,000 recent graduates to the JWU alumni family! The Class of 2019 includes graduates from programs like Biology and Heath Science, while subsequent classes to cross the stage will be from such innovative degree programs as Cyber Threat Intelligence & Defense, Golf Management, and Public Health. The skills our new alumni bring to the workforce are truly cutting-edge and address our world’s most pressing needs. The fact that the JWU experience has evolved exponentially since we were students is a testament to the progressive curriculum at Johnson & Wales.

If you attended events on any of our four campuses in the past year, you’ve seen the physical changes at the university.

SENIORS CELEBRATED IN NORTH MIAMI

B

efore walking down the aisle and receiving their diplomas, North Miami’s Class of 2019 celebrated their successful academic journeys on campus.

The senior lunch featured alumni guest speakers sharing words of wisdom with our newest graduates. For many seniors who were first-generation college students, this event marked their transition to first-generation college graduates! As they embark on new challenges, they will receive the support and guidance of JWU’s alumni community — a reassuring and invaluable resource that lasts a lifetime.

The growth of our academic departments is equally impressive and one of the many reasons why I am a proud alumna and a proud parent of a current JWU student.

If you’re beginning the college search with your child, consider your alma mater. As a Legacy student, your child will be eligible for unique benefits and will carry on your family’s JWU tradition.

Visit alumni.jwu.edu to learn more about becoming a Legacy family, and schedule a visit at any of the JWU campuses to see how much we’ve grown — you’ll be amazed!

Forever JWU,

Lori Zabatta ’95 Director of Alumni Relations

Epicurean? Adventure Seeker? Let the journey begin!

Alumni abroad trips are a chance to travel with fellow graduates while learning about our world’s rich diversity from the same expert guides who lead JWU students’ study abroad programs.

JWU Alumni Abroad in Italy: October 2019 Experience the food, wine and culture of Rome and Florence!

JWU Alumni Abroad in South Africa: February 2020 Experience ecology, culture and adventure on safari!

For more information and pricing, visit the events calendar at alumni.jwu.edu

www.jwu.edu

37

CLASS NOTES 1977

1988

1992

1996

FELIX FIDELIBUS PVD

JONATHAN KAPLAN PVD

KIMBERLY LADEMANN PVD

STACYANN CALLES PVD

OAKLAND PARK, FLORIDA

JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY

JENKINTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

EFFORT, PENNSYLVANIA

Felix is the chief financial officer for CT Capital LP in Pompano Beach.

Jonathan is the associate director of venue hospitality for Union Square Events in New York.

Kimberly is the chef manager at Williamson Hospitality Services in Malvern.

Stacy is the executive sous chef for The Sands Bethlehem.

DAVID LADEMANN PVD

ROLLING MEADOWS, IL

1979 DIANE ROBINSON PVD

1

JENKINTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

Diane is a legal assistant for Sills Cummins & Gross P.C. in Newark.

David is the campus food service director at Arbour Square of Harleysville.

1983

1993

ANNE SEELEY PVD

ANN PIERPONT PVD

LINDEN, NEW JERSEY

HIGHLANDS RANCH, COLORADO

BEL AIR, MARYLAND

Anne is the head of accounting and human resources for Amrein Foods in Joppa.

1986 THOMAS LONGMOORE PVD KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA

Tom is a vice president for Watson Realty Corp. in Longwood.

MICHAEL MOROS PVD MCCORDSVILLE, INDIANA

Michael is the general manager for Dolce Hotels & Resorts in Indianapolis.

1987 ANDREW LISS PVD

[1] MICHAEL ZABATTA PVD COVENTRY, RHODE ISLAND

Michael is now the director of franchise operations for Back Yard Burgers, headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee.

1989 [2] CHARLES WRIGHT ’91 M.S. PVD PEMBROKE, MASSACHUSETTS

Charley is the vice president of operations for Legal Seafoods Inc. in Boston.

2

FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS

Andrew is an investor advisor representative with Strategies for Wealth in Providence, Rhode Island.

Ann is general manager and executive chef for Sodexo at Saint Anne’s Episcopal School in Denver.

ERIK PIERPONT PVD HIGHLANDS RANCH, COLORADO

Erik is general manager for Sodexo at United Club Denver.

1994

38

Spring 2019

REHOBOTH, MASSACHUSETTS

Henry is the president and CEO at HL Innovative in Rehoboth.

MARGARET NOEL PVD CRANSTON, RHODE ISLAND

Margaret is the receptionist at Wingate Assisted Living in Providence.

1997 KELLY CARROLL PVD HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY

WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA

PETER DOIRE PVD

PVD

Kristina is a district manager for Aramark in Philadelphia.

CHRISTOPHER SHIMKUS

PVD

NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Christopher is the director of catering & events at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel.

NORFOLK, MASSACHUSETTS

Peter is a senior chef for Legal Seafoods in Chestnut Hill.

BRYAN HAYMANS VAIL MONROE, GEORGIA

Bryan is a food operations manager for the University of Georgia in Athens.

1995

MICHAEL MEEHAN PVD

FRANK GIUFFRIDA PVD

Michael is the associate vice president for U.S. vaccine sales and customer engagement with Merck Vaccines in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.

1990

SUZANNE MILLER PVD

JANET CIRONE PVD

Suzanne is store manager at the Walt Disney Store at the Tanger Factory Outlet in Hershey.

Janet works at the front desk at the Courtyard by Marriott Boston Danvers.

HENRY LEWANDOWSKI ’98 MBA PVD

Kelly is a culinary arts instructor at Hackensack High School.

Frank is a multi-unit manager for HMS Host in Warwick.

MANCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS

Daniel is the corporate chef-east for Rational Cooking Systems Inc., headquartered in Rolling Meadows.

KRISTINA COBLE ’96 M.S.

BARRINGTON, RHODE ISLAND

PVD Providence NMI North Miami DEN Denver CLT Charlotte CHS Charleston NOR Norfolk VAIL Vail International ONL Online

DANIEL LESSEM PVD

MIDDLETOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

DOYLESTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

ANDREW REH PVD BELLAIRE, MICHIGAN

Andrew is the general manager and COO of Shanty Creek Resorts in Bellaire.

3 [3] DEREK WAGNER ’19 HON.

PVD

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Derek, the chef and owner of Nick’s on Broadway, will open Nick’s on Westminster this spring; it will be in the financial district of Providence.

2000

CAROLYN YODER BELAND

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

PVD

CHRISTOPHER JAECKLE

Tobey is the senior general manager at Hemenway’s Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar in Providence.

NORTH ANDOVER,

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND

Jason owns JTS Property Management in West Warwick.

1998 ANTHONY ALEXANDER PVD SUNRISE, FLORIDA

Anthony is a crew chief of fleet services for American Airlines in Fort Lauderdale.

ADAM GOLOMB PVD PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

Adam is the chief marketing officer for Primanti Bros., headquartered in Pittsburgh.

CHRISTOPHER JONES PVD FREEDOM, PENNSYLVANIA

Chris is an operator specialist for KeyImpact Sales & Systems Inc. in Odenton, Maryland.

JUSTIN YEARWOOD NMI SOUTHWEST RANCHES, FLORIDA

Justin is a regional manager for AUI Fine Foods in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

1999 THOMAS ESTIMABLE NMI MIAMI, FLORIDA

Thomas is a purchasing clerk for Kendall Regional Medical Center in Miami.

SHARON SAVICKI PVD PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND

Sharon is an administration officer at the State of Rhode Island Budget Office in Providence.

CASEY SHILLER PVD SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI

Casey won the Joseph Amendola Award for devoting himself to his profession and mentoring future pastry chefs.

MATTHEW SMITH PVD DENVER, COLORADO

Matt is the CEO of Nutritional Therapy Association Inc. in Denver.

SIMON STEVENSON PVD CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS

Simon is director of baking operations for the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

ANGELA ARMENISE PVD Angela is the owner of Blackie’s Bulldog Tavern in Smithfield.

Elliot is the hospitality manager at Topgolf in Miami Gardens.

JASON STEFON PVD

2002

PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND

HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA

Carolyn is the general manger for Extended Stay America in Burlington.

Michael is the director of food & nutrition at the New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City.

HOPE, RHODE ISLAND

ELLIOT DINES NMI

MASSACHUSETTS

YONKERS, NEW YORK

KYLE BRYANT PVD Kyle is an executive chef for Sodexo at AbbVie Bioresearch Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.

TOBEY SANBORN PVD

MICHAEL WILLIAMS PVD

PVD

Chris is the proprietor at Kitchen Connect Counseling in New York.

ROBERT TESSIER PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Robert is an executive chef for Sodexo at Miriam Hospital in Providence.

2001 KEVIN BARNES PVD ELMONT, NEW YORK

Kevin is a zone manager for Paradies Lagardere at JFK Airport in New York.

SHADEL HAMILTON NMI TAMPA, FLORIDA

Shadel is the senior associate vice president and worldwide administrator for Saint Leo University in Saint Leo. ANDREA HERNANDEZ PVD NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Andrea is a registered dietitian for Boriken Neighborhood Health Center in New York.

MAYRA SEYFARTH PVD MILFORD, MASSACHUSETTS

Mayra is a clinical nutrition manager and general manager at Emerson Hospital in Concord.

KYSHANA GUZMAN PVD MIRAMAR, FLORIDA

Kyshana is a real estate advisor for Keller Williams Realty in Pembroke Pines.

KAREN (SPENCE) LEWIS

NOR

NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA

Karen has retired from the Navy after 30 years of service.

RUDOLPH POINDEXTER NMI MIAMI, FLORIDA

Rudy is a personal chef with Chef

by Nature Inc. in Miami.

ADAM RICHARDS PVD MIDLAND PARK, NEW JERSEY

Adam is a general manager for Red Lobster Restaurants in Secaucus.

MICHAEL RUSSO PVD TRUMBULL, CONNECTICUT

Michael is the district sales manager for EcoLab in New York.

MONICA YORK PVD HOPE VALLEY, RHODE ISLAND

Monica is the director of finance at The Ryan Center and Boss Ice Arena in Kingston.

2003 PABLO CARABALLO PVD PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND

Pablo is an account manager for Coca Cola New England in Providence.

MIRYAM DEANDRADE ’17 MBA PVD JOHNSTON, RHODE ISLAND

Miryam is the project program management specialist at NTT Data in Providence.

www.jwu.edu

39

CLASS NOTES

4

NORMA GOMEZ NMI

RACHEL STEWART PVD

DAVIE, FLORIDA

CHARLESTOWN, RHODE ISLAND

Norma is part of the administrative branch for THG Paris in Fort Lauderdale.

Rachel is president of Greenwich Safety Inc. in Warwick.

2007

SEON YOUNG KANG MBA PVD

SHERLINE AURELUS NMI

DENVER, COLORADO

PEMBROKE PINES, FLORIDA

Seon is the founder and CEO of Golf Plexx Recreation Club in Highlands Ranch.

Sherline is the director of human resources at Yve Hotel in Miami.

KATRIN MANDIOLA PVD

DWAYNE KEYS ’05 MBA PVD

MILFORD, CONNECTICUT

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Katrin is a team leader at Whole Foods Market in Fairfield.

Dwayne is a financial coach with Compass Working Capital in Boston.

JOHN MELTON CHS TRUSSVILLE, ALABAMA

John is the president of Rhaglan Hospitality in Birmingham.

LISA NOVELLI ’05 MBA PVD HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS

Lisa is director of services for Marriott Boston Long Wharf Hotel.

ORLANDO PAGAN NMI MIAMI, FLORIDA

Orlando is executive chef at Cannon Green in Charleston, South Carolina.

JULIUS SANDI NMI SUNRISE, FLORIDA

Julius is a physical education teacher for The Sagemont School in Weston.

MICHAEL THRASH PVD SEMINOLE, FLORIDA

Michael is a chef instructor at the Art Insitute of Tampa and a corporate executive chef at JR Simplot.

COLLEEN WEBBER PVD KINGSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Colleen is the events manager at Black Rock Country Club in Hingham.

SEAN WILLCOXON PVD ALBANY, NEW YORK

Sean is the chief operating officer of hospitality for Mazzone Hospitality LLC in Clifton Park.

BLAKE SANCHEZ DEN DENVER, COLORADO

2004

MATT SCHECHTER PVD

JOSEPH CLEMKO PVD

Matt is the regional director of national accounts at NYC & Company in New York.

DALLAS, TEXAS

Joseph’s firm has merged with CKR Law, an international law firm with more than 300 attorneys and 50 offices globally. He and his partners will head up the Dallas and Plano, Texas, offices for the firm.

KRISTI DUKOFF PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Kristi is the manager at The Grange in Providence.

BARRY RUBIN CHS FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

Barry is the director of sales and marketing for Newport Beachside Hotel & Resort in Sunny Isles Beach.

2005 ROBERT GOULART PVD FRANKLIN, MASSACHUSETTS

Robert is the northeast sales manager at Superior Farms in Boston.

JOHN MACKAY PVD NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS

John is a police officer for the city of Pawtucket.

DAMARIS MESSINA ’14 MBA

PVD

NORTH SMITHFIELD, RHODE ISLAND

Damaris is a senior account executive for Marriott International Inc. in Medford, Massachusetts.

40

Spring 2019

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

SUSAN SERRANO PVD MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT

Susan is a prepared foods associate coordinator at Whole Foods Market in Engelwood Cliffs, New Jersey.

JEAN TINNELLY PVD BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

Jean is a marketing associate for Sysco in New York.

2006 [4] ANDREW ADAMS CHS ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA

Drew was recognized by StarChefs as one of the DC-Chesapeake Rising Stars of 2018.

ALISSA FRICE DEN CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA

Alissa is the owner of Frice Cream in Coral Gables.

KRISTEN HUBBARD PVD BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Kristen is a human resources manager for InterContinental Hotels in Boston.

NICHOLAS MUDGE PVD GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK

Nick is the general manager for FLIK Hospitality in New York City.

Blake is the assistant general manager for Best Western in Denver.

2008 KAILIE BENNETT CLT MARYVILLE, TENNESSEE

Kailie is the assistant director of food & beverage at Blackberry Farm in Walland.

KELLE BERTAGNOLLI PVD BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Kelle is a talent acquisition manager for GID in Boston.

JARRED BROWN CLT WALHALLA, SOUTH CAROLINA

Jarred is a partner in Greasy Guru Inc. in Walhallla.

NANCY (PAPAGNO) CRIMMIN ’08 ED.D. PVD WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS

Nancy was recently inaugurated as Becker College’s 11th president.

ROBERT DOHERTY PVD WOBURN, MASSACHUSETTS

Rob is a financial planner for Harding Financial in Woburn.

OPIA ESPINOSA CLT CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

Opia is the general manager of suites for Levy Restaurants at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.

JUSTIN FLEMONS CLT JOPPA, ALABAMA

Justin is an analyst for Delta Airlines in Orlando, Florida.

BIRTHS DANUTA FRANCIS CLT YONKERS, NEW YORK

Danuta is the customer service lead for Ross Aviation in White Plains.

LISA HAMILTON CLT CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

Lisa is a corporate escalations specialist for Republic Services in Charlotte.

ALTAIR RASCO PVD Altair is an administrative assistant for SYPartners in New York.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

Autumn is an account manager for GO Healthcare Staffing in Charlotte.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA

Davd is the bar operations manager at the Marriott World Center in Orlando.

STEVEN MARTELL PVD LITTLE FALLS, NEW JERSEY

Steven is a police officer for Wayne Police Department.

DEVIN MONTI PVD BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

Devin is the regional sales manager for Maison Marcel Fine Wines in New York.

THOMAS MOTTL PVD PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND

Thomas is a corporate chef and product developer for Home Market Foods in Norwood, Massachusetts.

[5] ALLISON PANGAKIS PVD BRAINTREE, MASSACHUSETTS

Allison is the operations manager for the Newport Festival Foundation in Newport, Rhode Island.

5

ANDREA MURRAY NMI SCOTT MURRAY ’09 NMI Mia Sage

CORNEJO ROGERS PVD

JAPHET KERR PVD

DAVID LIEBERMAN CLT

2012

Jessica is a jewelry consultant for Traci Lynn Jewelry.

Cornejo is a technician for SFI Electronics Inc. in Raleigh.

Japhet is a self-employed physical trainer in Pompano Beach.

[6] JOSEPH CLEMKO PVD and Silvia Clemko Camilla Lee

JESSICA REYNOLDS CLT

DEBBI-JO HORTON MBA PVD Riverside, Rhode Island Debbi-Jo is a founding member of Neora International in Riverside.

POMPANO BEACH, FLORIDA

2004

MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY

6

AUTUMN STERLING CLT CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

JASMINE TAYLOR CLT RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

Jasmine is a purchasing agent for Caterpillar Inc. in Sanford.

MICHAEL WENGZN PVD CROMWELL, CONNECTICUT

ANTOINE MCLOYD PVD ASTORIA, NEW YORK

Antoine is the campus director at the Citizens School in Brooklyn.

SCOTT MURRAY NMI ANNA, TEXAS

Scott is the food service director at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Michael is a financial representative for Northwestern Mutual in Hartford.

PHILIP SANTINI ’11 MBA PVD

2009

Philip is the quick service restaurant general manager at Eataly in New York.

MELISSA CELLI PVD FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS

Melissa is an associate team leader at Whole Foods Market in Newton.

VINCENT EGAN PVD JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY

Vincent is an account manager at Vintage Epicure Distribution LLC in New York.

ROBERT GILBERT PVD MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY

Bob is the director at Citrin Cooperman in Livingston.

JARROD JOHNSON NMI MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA

Jarrod is a correctional officer for Miami-Dade Corrections in Miami.

WHITNEY KIDD NMI NORTH LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

Whitney is a marketing analyst for Office Depot in Boca Raton.

XAVIER LEWIS PVD LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

Xavier is a manager/solutions architect at Verizon in Los Angeles.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

SANTOSH SHANBHAG PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Santosh is the general manager of Rasa Restaurant in East Greenwich.

JENNA SHARPLES ’11 MBA

PVD

LOS ALTOS HILLS, CALIFORNIA

Jenna is the global marketing event manager for Facebook in California.

TIFFANY SMITH NMI UNION CITY, GEORGIA

2010 ARTHUR BARRETTE PVD HOPE VALLEY, RHODE ISLAND

Arthur is the chef de cuisine for New York Yacht Club in Newport.

EMILY BONENFANT PVD NORWALK, CONNECTICUT

Emily is an event planner for Luna & Charlie in Fairfield.

MARQUIS DONES NMI MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA

Marquis is a child advocate for Childnet in Fort Lauderdale.

LAURA GOMEZ PVD BERGENFIELD, NEW JERSEY

Laura is the administrative manager at NYU Steinhardt in New York.

SUSAN GORMAN MBA PVD BARRINGTON, RHODE ISLAND

Susan is a tax manager with Orefice & Caliri in Riverside.

7

Tiffany is a field training officer for the State of Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice in College Park.

[7] DAVID SQUILLANTE PVD BRIGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS

David is the chef de cuisine at Harvard University’s Cabot & Pforzheimer House in Cambridge.

TARAH WARNER ’16 MBA PVD EAST GREENWICH, RHODE ISLAND

Tarah is the president and CEO of TMW Productions LLC in East Greenwich.

www.jwu.edu

41

CLASS NOTES DOMINICK HAYMAN PVD

SPENCER COHN PVD

NORTH PROVIDENCE, RHODE

SCARSDALE, NEW YORK

ISLAND

Spencer is the operations manager for Union Square Events in New York.

Dominick is a regional product developement chef for Revolution Foods, headquartered in Edison, New Jersey.

BLAIRE KATZ PVD MIDDLETOWN, NEW JERSEY

Blaire is an event manager for The Wagner Hotel in New York.

JENNIFER LEMIEUX PVD ASTORIA, NEW YORK

Jennifer is an experiential event producer for Momentum Worldwide IPG in New York.

STEPHEN MITTONOSWORTHY NMI MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA

Stephen is a customer care professional at American Express in Miami.

MICHAEL SARFATI PVD SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY

Michael is the associate manager for regulatory supervision for Prudential Financial in Iselin.

DAVID TUCKER NMI MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA

David is a manager for Hilton Worldwide Inc. in Miami Gardens.

JACQUELINE TURTUR PVD JAY, VERMONT

Jacqueline is a marketing coordinator for Windows and Doors by Brownell in Williston.

KARA ZANNI PVD WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND

Kara is a vice president and senior marketing partner for Citizens Bank in Johnston.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Darren is the advertising operations manager for AKI Technologies in New York.

LOUIS FERRERAS PVD WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND

Louis is a police officer for the Providence Police Department.

ASTRID HORN PVD HASTINGS ON HUDSON, NEW YORK

Astrid is the senior manager of university relations for Marriott International Inc. in New York.

JAMIE LEIVA PVD CUMBERLAND, RHODE ISLAND

Jamie is the manager of volunteer resources for Waterfire Providence.

KIRA LICHOROWIC PVD NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Kira is the director of client and office service at Speakeasy.

COLLEEN MARASCO PVD NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS

Colleen is the event analyst for Ticketmaster in Braintree.

CASSANDRA MUNIAK PVD RIVER VALE, NEW JERSEY

Cassandra is the vice president of institutional marketing for Blackrock in New York.

DANA NOVELLO PVD

NICOLE LAU PVD

AUZERAIS BELLAMY PVD Auzerais is the founder of Blondery in New York.

Nicole is the performance development manager for Marriott International Copley Place in Boston.

JAMIE BLEA CLT

LINDSAY LEBLANC PVD

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

FLORHAM PARK, NEW JERSEY

Jamie is a senior human resources manager for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in Parsippany.

AARON BOWMAN PVD MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY

Aaron is the purchasing manager for the Passaic Board of Education.

CATHERINE BRAVO PVD TOA BAJA, PUERTO RICO

Catherine is a sous chef at Condado Vanderbilt Hotel in San Juan.

ALEXANDER CARSON PVD BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Alex is a human resources generalist for Eataly in Boston.

DIANA COLEMAN NMI FORT MEADE, FLORIDA

RICHMOND HILL, NEW YORK

ALLSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Lindsay is a pastry chef at Oak Long Bar + Kitchen in Boston.

DONTE MURPHY PVD PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

Donte is the chief marketing director for Conglomerate Marketing Agency in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.

DOMENIC RECCHIA PVD STERLING HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN

Domenic is a staff accountant for Mattina, Kent & Gibbons P.C. in Rochester.

RIPUDAMAN SALWAN PVD SEAFORD, NEW YORK

Ripudaman is an executive at Excellent Business Consultants Inc. in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.

Diana is a rural carrier associate for the United States Postal Service in Miami.

2013

ELIZABETH COLEMAN PVD

HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY

FARMINGDALE, NEW JERSEY

Elizabeth is a senior event producer for Saphire Event Group in Sharon.

BREANNA COOK NMI

CHRISTINE BOPP PVD Christine is a marketing coordinator for WorkFusion in New York.

MICHAEL CALVERT PVD NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Breanna is the assistant manager for Silvercar Rental in New York.

Michael is a sales executive for Renaissance Hotels & Resorts in New York.

JOSEPH COPPOLA PVD

JONATHAN CLARK ’16 MBA

FREEPORT, NEW YORK

WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK

PVD

Dana is a kitchen manager for Del Posto in New York.

Joseph is an engineer for Hellman Electric Corporation in the Bronx.

BELLINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS

2011

KEVIN POPLOSKI PVD

MEGAN FERGUSON PVD

JUSTIN ADAMS PVD

Kevin is the director of talent for Hyatt Hotels in New York.

Megan is an event coordinator for House39 in New York.

BRIAN RICCIARDI PVD

SHAUN LA GALA PVD

NORTH PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Justin is a personal trainer at Cronan’s Gym in North Providence.

JOSEPH BAILLARGEON PVD WALPOLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Joseph is the manager of Tru by Hilton in South Portland, Maine, which recently received the Connie Award, the highest award for all brands across Hilton.

42

DARREN FAUST PVD

2012

Spring 2019

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

Brian is a business development executive for ADTRAV Travel Management in Birmingham, Alabama.

HILLARY WESSON PVD SHARON, MASSACHUSETTS

Hillary is an event coordinator for Saphire Event Group in Sharon.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY

Shaun is the director of front office at The Westin New York at Times Square in New York, NY.

Jonathan is a development officer for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Brookline.

BRIAN FISCHER PVD WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND

Brian is a front-end engineer for Linchpin in Pawtucket.

ANTHONY GLIECO PVD BARRINGTON, RHODE ISLAND

Anthony is the executive chef at The Dorrance in Providence.

CHRISTOPHER HOMOLA PVD MERRIMACK, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Christopher is a master planner ll for BAE Systems in Nashua.

REBECCA KAHME PVD

FRANCESCA DE FRANCESCO

ALEXANDRA O’NEIL PVD

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

PVD

Rebecca is the catering and events supervisor at Allen & Overy LLP in New York.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Francesca is the senior operations coordinator for Informa in New York.

Alexandra is a senior account executive for Advantage Marketing Solutions.

REBECCA KRAUS PVD

JULIE HOUTCHENS PVD

[9] JONATHAN PASION PVD

EAST ROCKAWAY, NEW YORK

WAKEFIELD, RHODE ISLAND

Rebecca is the assistant general manager for Sherry-Lehmann Wine & Spirits in New York.

Julie is a registered dietitian for Rhode Island Hospital in Providence.

SOFIYA LUCHYNSKA NMI

[8] SAMANTHA KAYE PVD

NORTH BAY VILLAGE, FLORIDA

Sofiya is the director of learning for Hotel South Beach in Miami Beach.

KAITLIN MCGLYNN PVD LITTLE NECK, NEW YORK

Kaitlin is the operations manager for Jes Gordon in New York.

MICHELLE MEEHAN ’15 MBA

CLT

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Michelle is an assistant food service director for FLIK International Corporation in New York.

ATLANTIC BEACH, NEW YORK

Samantha works at the JW Marriott Essex House in New York City, where she received the Rising Star Award, which showcases a new member of the Marriott team whose exemplary work ethic and enthusiasm had a tremendous impact on the hotel.

8

LAURENANN BARBARINO

PVD

STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK

LaurenAnn is an account executive for The Manhattan Center in New York.

KEIKO CARBERRY PVD WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND

Keiko is the assistant store manager at Kohl’s in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

TAYLOR COYNE ’15 MBA PVD PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Taylor handles strategic accounts for Amadeus IT Group in Portsmouth.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Matthew is the continuous improvement project manager at Clifford Chance in New York.

TOMMY SETO PVD QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS

Heather is the lead designer for Rukket Sports in Greenville.

MARGARET WALSH PVD

2014 Brittany is a touring and events specialist for Columbia Records in New York.

MATTHEW ROSS PVD

SMYRNA, DELAWARE

Carlos is a manager in training for Cemex in Cocoa.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Jonathan was the champion in Hyatt Hotels’ Good Taste Series Annual Culinary Challenge, besting more than 220 chefs from Hyatt hotels and resorts in more than 40 countries. He is the chef de cuisine at the Andaz Maui Wailea Resort on the island of Maui.

HEATHER VEGA PVD

COCOA, FLORIDA

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

SHAWN KENNEDY PVD NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Shawn is a business economics associate with BlackRock Inc. in New York.

JONATHAN KOSTA PVD

Margaret is an event manager for Columbia Records in New York.

PORSCHA WILLIAMSON NMI TAMPA, FLORIDA

Porscha is a certified grill trainer for Metro Diner in Tampa.

NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS

NAKESHA WILSON PVD

Jon is a network operation specialist at Well in Boston.

ISLAND

CURTIS LUCAS ’17 MS PVD BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

Curtis is a financial adviser for Merrill Lynch in New York.

ADAM MAIN PVD PLAINFIELD, CONNECTICUT

Adam is a UX (user experience) designer for Sonalysts Inc. in Waterford.

HARALABOS NIKOLOPOULOS PVD COVENTRY, RHODE ISLAND

Bobby is an electronics design engineer for Vet Innovations Inc. in West Greenwich.

9

KAHULUI, HAWAII

Tom is the assistant general manager at Yvonne’s in Boston.

ANGEL MONTILLA NMI

BRITTANY ABBER PVD

LINCOLN, RHODE ISLAND

NORTH PROVIDENCE, RHODE

Nakesha is a senior financial analyst at CVS Health in Cumberland.

GEORGIA WODDER PVD NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Georgia is the executive pastry chef for Del Posto in New York.

2015 SEAN BANNO PVD WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND

Sean is the facilities coordinator for Brown University in Providence.

JAMES BESSETTE PVD PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND

James is a buyer for Blue Marble Brands LLC in Providence.

JAQUAN BOWSER CLT CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

JaQuan is a food and beverage supervisor for the Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge in Charlotte.

KRISTINA BRIDGES NMI JONESBORO, GEORGIA

Kristina is a mentor and teacher at Aventura Charter Elementary School and Pear Programs in Aventura.

CLAYTON BURROWS PVD RUMFORD, RHODE ISLAND

Clayton is a research and development assistant for Blount Fine Foods Corporation in Fall River.

PATRICK DIZON ’16 MBA DEN DENVER, COLORADO

Patrick is a general manager for Comida at The Stanley Marketplace in Aurora.

PVD Providence NMI North Miami DEN Denver CLT Charlotte CHS Charleston NOR Norfolk Vail VAIL International ONL Online

www.jwu.edu

43

CLASS NOTES NATALIE FALATO PVD JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY

10

ERICA KELLY PVD

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

Natalie is the catering sales manager for Columbia University in New York.

Kyle is the COO of SSUPP Foods LLC in Richmond.

Erica is the client relations coordinator at Diamonds International in New York.

CHANDLER FARRO PVD

DORAL, FLORIDA

GABRIELA RUIZ NMI Gabriela is the executive chef and partner for Bulla Gastrobar in Doral.

MAYWOOD, NEW JERSEY

Chandler is a data manager for Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC in New York.

ALICIA SHEPPARD NMI MARGATE, FLORIDA

Alicia is a front desk agent for Hampton Inn & Suites in Hollywood.

MATTHEW HARKER PVD DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS

Matthew is the owner of Epicured in Boston.

JOANNE TRAN NMI

MICHAEL KUROWSKI DEN

CORAL SPRINGS, FLORIDA

Joanne is an operations coordinator for Element Packaging in Deerfield.

DENVER, COLORADO

Michael is a pastry cook for the Four Seasons Hotel in Denver.

THOMAS KURZA PVD RINGWOOD, NEW JERSEY

Thomas is the director of sales for Global Food Solutions in Hauppage.

NYAZIA LINDSEY NMI EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY

Nyazia is a supervisor for Chartwells Educational Dining Services at Montclair State University in Little Falls.

JACLYN LYONS PVD HILLSBOROUGH, NEW JERSEY

Jaclyn is an associate food technologist for Symrise in New Jersey.

MICHAELA MANCO PVD WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND

Michaela is a product marketing specialist for Displays2Go, headquartered in Fall River, Massachusetts.

DONNA MCCAIN PVD CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA

Donna is an executive performance chef for Clemson University.

VICTORIA MCCORMICK PVD PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY

Victoria is the head baker at Baked

by Vic LLC in Piscataway.

TIMOTHY MORAN NMI NORTH MIAMI, FLORIDA

Timothy is the owner of Justtim LLC in North Miami.

OLIVIA MORIN PVD NORTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Olivia is a regional manager for Road Scholar in Boston.

KRISTEN MUSZYNSKI PVD AGAWAM, MASSACHUSETTS

Kristen is a catering sales manager for Levy Restaurants at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston.

JENNIFER OJITO PVD SLEEPY HOLLOW, NEW YORK

Jennifer is a key account manager at Monsieur Touton in New York City.

JOSEPH RAINONE ’17 MBA

PVD

WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND

Joseph is the founder of Green Friends Inc. MAFERLY REYES PVD

PVD Providence NMI North Miami DEN Denver CLT Charlotte CHS Charleston NOR Norfolk VAIL Vail International ONL Online

44

[10] KYLE ROSEN-LONG PVD

Spring 2019

BRONX, NEW YORK

Maferly is an associate market manager at Expedia Inc. in New York.

LAURA RIJO FLORIMAN PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Laura is a loan officer with Capital Good Fund in Providence.

DALLAS WYNNE NMI

JOEL KUKULU NMI MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA

Joel is a manager in training for Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Pembroke Pines.

JEANINE LAMADIEU PVD CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Jeanine is a pastry chef at Yugen LLC in Chicago.

BENJAMIN LAUDICANO PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Ben is the co-founder of Chasing Brunch in Providence.

TERRELL PAYNTER NMI

MIAMI, FLORIDA

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA

Dallas is an executive pastry chef for Stubborn Seed in Miami Beach.

Terrell is a culinary supervisor for Levy Restaurants at Marlins Park in Miami.

2016 RYAN AVIGNE-KENNEDY

PVD

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

ALEX PYSER PVD GRAPEVINE, TEXAS

Alex is a sous chef at the Orlando World Center Marriott.

Ryan is an account manager for AdTheorent in New York City.

ERIN QUEVEDO PVD

KIMBERLY BURNS PVD

Erin is the co-founder of Chasing Brunch in Providence.

CHARLOTTE, VERMONT

Kim is a human resources generalist for Big Night Entertainment Group in Boston.

TYLER DELGADO PVD NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Tyler is a catering manager for FLIK in New York.

HALI FOREMAN PVD PENDLETON, SOUTH CAROLINA

Hali is a performance chef at Clemson University.

BRONCONIE HALL NMI MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA

Bronconie is a line cook for Vista Restaurants in Miami.

ANTWAN HILL NMI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Antwan is a branch manager for Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Crest Hill.

STEPHEN JARRELL PVD COVENTRY, RHODE ISLAND

Stephen is a sales and marketing associate for BiMedical in Coventry.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

SUBMISSIONS If there’s news in your life you’d like to share with fellow alumni, please send us photos and announcements about your career, recent weddings, unions and additions to your family.

Images: To submit images

from your event, please provide high resolution digital files ( jpeg format, 1 MB minimum) or actual photographs.

Entries may be emailed to alumni@jwu.edu or sent to: Alumni Relations ATTN: Class Notes, c/o Johnson & Wales University, 8 Abbott Park Place, Providence, RI 02903.

SANDRA RISTAU PVD NEW MILFORD, CONNECTICUT

Sandra is a graphic designer for Giant Vapes in East Providence.

SARAH TAFUR NMI MIAMI, FLORIDA

Sarah is the owner of Sarahlu Confections in Miami Shores.

EMMETT TETER PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Emmett is a multimedia specialist with Teter Media in Providence.

2017 CAROLINE ABBOTT NMI NEWTOWN SQUARE, PENNSYLVANIA

Caroline is the human resources leader in development for the Omni Hotels & Resorts in Providence, Rhode Island.

WEDDINGS

2016 [11] SOFIA HERNANDEZ NMI and TIM MORAN ’15 NMI January 19, 2019

2010 [12] LOGAN TAYLOR DEN and GREG HOLMAN September 21, 2018

SAMANTHA APUZZIO PVD PORTLAND, MAINE

Samantha is a live events coordinator for Townsquare Media Group in Portland.

11

OMOYOSOLA AREGBESOLA ’18 MBA PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Omoyosola is the assistant volunteer coordinator for WaterFire Providence.

BRENDAN BAKER PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Brendan is an inside sales specialist for Core & Main LP in Dedham, Massachusetts.

RICHARD BLINKHORN PVD WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND

Richard is a financial advisor for AXA Advisors in Warwick.

ANDREW BUENO PVD FAIRHAVEN, MASSACHUSETTS

Andrew is a shipping and receiving manager for Team Bonding in Stoughton.

CHRISTINE CASSIMATIS

PVD

HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY

Christine is a coordinator of experiential events for New York Road Runners in New York.

12

www.jwu.edu

45

CLASS NOTES JUSTIN DEFREITAS PVD DOUGLAS, MASSACHUSETTS

WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS

Justin is an auditor with Citrin Cooperman in Providence.

Chainey is a junior sous chef at Sycamore in Newton.

KATINA FORD PVD

TAYLA MANSON PVD

NORTH PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Katina is a food technologist for Home Market Foods in Norwood, Massachusetts.

RAYNA FOSTER PVD SMITHFIELD, RHODE ISLAND

Rayna is an accountant with DiSanto, Priest & Company in Warwick.

BRIAN GOODMAN PVD SYOSSET, NEW YORK

Brian is the manager of revenue management for Real Hospitality Group in New York.

TARYN HANN PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Taryn is a contract brand designer for Hasbro Inc. in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada.

ONE LUV HULL ’18 MBA DEN AURORA, COLORADO

One Luv is a pastry cook for Sushi Den in Denver.

ERIN HUNERBERG PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Erin is a pub manager at Babson College Dining in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

UCHECHUKWU ILOANUSI

PVD

NORTH PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Uchechukwu is an admissions counselor for Job Corps in Providence.

MEGAN JANIS PVD COMMACK, NEW YORK

Megan is a production assistant for Empire Entertainment in New York.

KWANNITA JANVIER NMI MIRAMAR, FLORIDA

Kwannita is a public saftey officer for Nova Southeastern Universitry in Fort Lauderdale.

46

CHAINEY KUYKENDALL CLT

Spring 2019

HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY

Tayla is an events concierge for Marriott International in New York.

MARIA MELGAR MBA PVD WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND

Maria is the director of marketing and communications at Lumetta in Warwick.

ERIC MENDIA NMI AVENTURA, FLORIDA

Eric is a dock worker for TNT Custom Marine Inc. in North Miami.

CAMELIA NILES PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Cammie is a designer at Moo Inc. in Providence.

RAMON NUNEZ PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Ray is a communications and engagement specialist for Leadership Rhode Island in Providence.

JOELLE PATTERSON NMI COCONUT CREEK, FLORIDA

Joelle is a juvenile probation officer for the Department of Juvenile Justice in Margate.

MICHAELA RUFFINO PVD PLAINVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS

Michaela is an educational travel specialist for Go Educational Tours in Wakefield.

JOSEPH SANTO PVD WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY

Joseph is a marketing manager at Gourmet Dining in Madison.

2018

LORDD JONES NMI

MIA BARTOLOTTA NMI

Lordd is the kitchen manager for Lotus House in Miami.

WAKEFIELD, RHODE ISLAND

Mia is an assistant golf professional at Plantation Preserve Golf Course & Club in Plantation, Florida.

KATARINA BRUNETTE PVD NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Katarina is a digital merchandise assistant for Macy’s in New York.

KANILA CHANG PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Kanila is an associate food technologist for Home Market Foods Inc. in Norwood, Massachusetts.

HAYDEN CRUST PVD BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Hayden is a marketing demand generation specialist for Aberdeen Group in Waltham.

MAEGAN DELSON PVD SAINT ALBANS, NEW YORK

Maegan is a café manager for Compass Group in New York.

JOHN FALCE PVD BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

John is a patient services manager for Boston Children’s Hospital in Massachusetts.

DARIA GOOGINS PVD NORTH ANDOVER,MASSACHUSETTS

Daria is an event planning assistant at The Chef’s Table in Marshfield.

DORYANNE HAMEL M.S. PVD

AVENTURA, FLORIDA

STEPHANIE LAFORCE PVD CHARLTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Stephanie is a tour coordinator for Go Educational Tours in Wakefield.

MATTHEW LAVASSEUR PVD SALEM, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Matthew is a graphic designer for the RMS Media Group in Andover, Massachusetts.

NADINE PIZZUTO PVD NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Nadine is a café manager for FLIK Hospitality in New York.

DANIELLE ROLFE PVD BUZZARDS BAY, MASSACHUSETTS

Danielle is a registration coordinator for Convention Data Services in Bourne.

MICHELLE WALKER PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Michelle is a production associate with Veritude in Smithfield.

GRACE WILMOTT ONL PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Grace is the assistant ice rink manager at The Bradford Boss Ice Arena in Kingston.

VICTORIA WOODARD PVD AVERILL PARK, NEW YORK

Victoria is the assistant to the director of sales for Mazzone Hospitality LLC in Clifton Park.

WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND

Doryanne is a prinicipal of Piccerelli, Gilstein & Company LLP in Providence.

DOLAN SIMMONS MBA PVD PAWCATUCK, CONNECTICUT

Dolan is a supervisory auditor with the Defense Contract Audit Agency in Groton.

MORGAN THOMPSON PVD PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

Morgan is a learning and development specialist at Upserve in Providence.

SUBMISSIONS If there’s news in your life you’d like to share with fellow alumni, please send us photos and announcements about your career, recent weddings, unions and additions to your family.

Images: To submit images from your event, please provide high resolution digital files (minimum one megabyte [1 MB] in size, in jpeg format), or actual photographs.

Entries may be emailed to alumni@jwu.edu or mailed to Alumni Relations, ATTN: Class Notes, c/o Johnson & Wales University, 8 Abbott Park Place, Providence, RI 02903

IN MEMORIAM ALUMNI

ROBERT KEE ’83 November 24, 2018

REGINA HUNTER ’06 November 9, 2018

DARLENE J. BLACKETT ’67 February 14, 2019

MATHEW LICHOROWIC ’83 HON. February 16, 2019

MICHELLE L. FARRUGGIA ’07 February 21, 2019

EDWARD JACOBS ’67 January 4, 2019 CHRISTINE M. ALBUQUERQUE ’68 March 15, 2018 JAMES GARY II ’69 November 1, 1986 JOSEPHINE ANDREOZZI ’72 February 28, 2019 LEONARD A. HARETER ’73 April 11, 2018 MICHAEL MCMURRER ’75 October 9, 2018 JOSEPH R. BENETTI ’76 December 24, 2018 JANET COTE ’76 February 21, 2019 FRANCIS S. KLUCZNIK ’76 November 22, 2018 ROBERT D. LABONTE ’76 October 12, 2018 PAUL A. WINTHROP ’76 February 11, 2019 JILL COLLIN ’78 March 6, 2009 JOHN M. FERREIRA ’78 March 7, 2019 PAUL F. REDIHAN ’78 November 13, 2018 PETER BUIAK JR. ’79 September 10, 2017 SUELLEN A. O’NEILL ’79 January 8, 2019 WILLIAM M. TRIPP ’79 October 12, 2018 KATHLEEN EARLEY ’82 January 23, 2019 CARL J. DELUCE ’83 November 15, 2018

JEFFREY A. BARNWELL ’87 July 23, 2013 STEVEN F. PUTNAM ’87 February 21, 2019 DEBRA A. RICCI ’87 January 20, 2019 CAROL A. CHURCH ’88 November 12, 2018 ROBERT D. BARRY ’89 February 24, 2019 PHILLIP E. PASTORE ’90 December 4, 2018 DANIELLE M. DURRAH ’93 April 27, 2017 JEFFREY S. MANDIROLA ’94 December 26, 2018 CHRISTOPHER CLIFFORD ’95 December 28, 2018 JEFFREY A. DOLAN ’95 January 2, 2019 KRISTOFOR JOHNSON ’96 March 1, 2019 KAREN MOORE ’96 October 11, 2018 KRISTEN L. FURS ’97 December 27, 2018 MARIA J. BLAKE ’98 November 7, 2018

ADAM B. HALL ’08 January 18, 2019 LAUREN ISE ’13 March 13, 2019 ANTHONY MONGILLO ’14 March 2, 2019 ALEXANDER C. WILCOX ’15 December 9, 2018 CHRISTOPHER KATINSLEY ’16 May 17, 2017

FACULTY, STAFF AND FRIENDS ALICE M. BURROWS October 13, 2018 JEAN CASSIDY January 20, 2019 DAVID M. DIRKS November 28, 2018 KAREN A. GLADNEY September 25, 2018 IVANNA HANUSHEVSKY December 13, 2018 NICOLE M. LEAO January 21, 2019 RONALD J. RUSSO January 27, 2019

ADAM D. CARON ’98 November 30, 2018 JAY PARKYN ’98 October 6, 2018 DAMON PISANI ’99 October 30, 2018 JOSHUA WOODRUFF ’02 April 3, 2019

www.jwu.edu

47

CAREER UPDATE

Cooking Up Social Justice Ysanet Batista ’13 doesn’t defer dreams: The graduate launched Woke Foods from her kitchen with $200 and a wallet full of food stamps. Her socially conscious cooperative focuses on Dominican food, offering catering, community cooking classes and food justice education.

“I

WAS TRYING TO START A BUSINESS that was socially

conscious — that would create jobs and hire immigrants, for example — but the general response was, ‘You are not going to save the world with catering,’ ” says Batista. “Eventually I found a home at a green worker cooperative program where I learned business concepts like value proposition [a feature intended to make a company or product attractive to customers].” Batista’s commitment to social justice includes paying employees a healthy wage and hiring women upon their release from Rikers Island prison complex.

“It is very important who you hire for a cooperative [since any employee can become part owner],” she explains. “It’s like any relationship or partnership in that if you get to a point where you don’t want to be in business together, it feels like a divorce.”

Although Batista is now immersed in the culinary field, her degree in International Hotel and Tourism Management shaped the entrepreneur. “I learned skills related to organizing for effectiveness

48

Spring 2019

and sustaining a business,” she says. “I also developed my leadership skills at Johnson & Wales because I was involved in many clubs and organizations. Running a co-op is about sharing responsibility while keeping people on top of their tasks.

“At [what is now] The BRIDGE Center, we did trust-building retreats; at the time I questioned why we were doing them, but I use the tools learned in team-building workshops to strengthen my teams at Woke Foods.”

Batista plans to hire a head chef so she can devote more time to outreach and developing partnerships. “We’re expanding into health coaching, working with hospitals and health insurance companies on plant-based diets,” she explains. “We are a for-profit, but I found a way to get fiscal sponsorship. For example, we received a grant to do free cooking classes with people in affordable housing. We can take a percentage of grant money and use the rest for community work like the free cooking classes.”

Since Batista is always plotting a future course, her five-year plan involves buying land in the Dominican Republic to establish an organic farm that will also operate as a bed and breakfast. The farm would provide jobs for island workers and supply food for Woke’s endeavors, and the B&B units will be constructed from abandoned shipping containers. The win-win, according to this tourism grad?

The business would offer island visitors an alternative means of boosting the local economy. ~ Denise Dowling

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID

8 Abbott Park Place, Providence, RI 02903

JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY

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Charlotte skyline at dusk with Cedar Hall North student housing in the foreground