Christine Lorusso
Christine Lorusso is the Senior Director of Digital Marketing at Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. With More than 12 years’ experience in the digital industry, Christine began her career on the agency side, working with clients to reach their digital marketing goals. After developing a passion for the restaurant and hospitality space, Christine transitioned to the […]
Bonnie Iavaroni
In 1998, two years after receiving a culinary arts degree from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, Mrs. Iavaroni began her career at Turning Point, as the Head Chef of the Little Silver, NJ location. She has been instrumental in the success and growth of the company; her corporate management team oversees the successful day […]
Jen Hidinger-Kendrick
Jen, along with her late husband, Ryan Hidinger, is a founder of Giving Kitchen. She advises on brand awareness and community involvement while providing a personal account in telling the story of GK to audiences near and far. As spokesperson for GK, Jen has received the Community Hero Award from the Atlanta Braves and Fox Sports South, and has […]
Melissa Hariri
Melissa is the head of communications and public reations for one of America’s most-loved restaurant brands. As executive director of communications at Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar, Melissa has helped catapult the brand back into the hearts and minds of Americans looking to be “Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood.” In her role, Melissa is the […]
Ginger Flesher-Sonnier
Ginger, dubbed the “Entrepreneur of Fun”, is the founder & CEO of the experiential hospitality group, the Ginger Brands, which includes Palm Beach Social, THRōW Social®, Escape Rooms Live®, and Kick Axe Throwing®. A former high school Mathematics teacher, Ginger spent many years teaching high schoolers Calculus, AP Statistics, and acting as the competitive Mathletes […]
Christine Ferris
Christine Ferris is the Director of Marketing for True Food Kitchen, a chef-driven upscale restaurant brand with 43 locations across 17 states nationwide. Christine’s 10+ years in the restaurant and hospitality industry has given her a wide range of experience in brand strategy, consumer research, digital marketing and more. She currently oversees True Food Kitchen’s […]
Kim DeCarolis
Kim DeCarolis is a driven professional with a diverse background in the restaurant industry and expertise in marketing and finance. Having spent 14 years in the restaurant space, Kim has gained valuable experience and a deep understanding of the industry. Kim began their career in PCI Compliance and Network Security, working their way up from […]
Cristal Craven
Cristal Craven joined SynergySuite in 2022, bringing more than 25 years of experience in hospitality at the operator and vendor levels. As Director of Strategic Partnerships, Cristal uses her expertise in restaurant technology to build alliances across partners in ways that benefit and enhance SynergySuite’s clients. Her focus is on providing solutions and strategies that […]
Christina Clarke
Christina Clarke has held pivotal marketing and leadership roles with well-known and beloved restaurant and CPG organizations. Most recently, Christina was with Raising Cane’s as Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for marketing strategy, insights, creative, media, social, digital, public relations, e-commerce, and restaurant marketing. During her time at Raising Cane’s, the brand entered 10 new markets […]
Tammy Calhoun
Tammy Calhoun manages educational and developmental initiatives for all levels of operations and oversees Firebirds’ new restaurant opening process. Since 2019 she has also served on the board of directors for the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers (CHART), focusing on membership and networking, and has been a proud member of that organization since 2005. […]