WiRL x GLEAM Mentor Program

A Six-Month Mentorship Experience for Women in Restaurant, Foodservice & Hospitality Leadership

Registration open until end of 2025, join us now!

Since July 2020, GLEAM Network, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the foodservice industry, has supported more than 500 professionals through its acclaimed Signature Mentor Program. Now, GLEAM is partnering with Women in Restaurant Leadership (WiRL) to bring this transformative experience exclusively to women across the restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality industry. WiRL was founded to foster community, confidence, and connection among women in restaurant leadership—and has become a driving force for equity and empowerment across the industry. Through high-impact programming, the annual WiRL Together Summit, and a growing national network, WiRL creates space for women to learn, lead, and lift one another. The WiRL x GLEAM Mentor Program is the next evolution of that mission: a six-month, 1:1 structured mentorship experience pairing emerging leaders and executives with seasoned mentors from across the sector.

The program officially launches in February 2026, with an in-person kickoff at the WiRL Together Summit in Charleston, South Carolina, and runs through August 2026.

Program Details

This special WiRL-only cohort matches mentees with deeply experienced female leaders based on individual aspirations and career goals. Together, each pair will co-create a personalized six-month Development Plan supported by leadership tools, behavioral assessments, expert content, and structured milestone tracking.

Mentees receive:

Two one-hour 1:1 mentoring sessions each month
A 2-hour in-person kickoff session at the WiRL Summit
Access to GLEAM’s national network of 1,000+ industry professionals
Exclusive leadership content, webinars, and peer resources
A wrap-up celebration session
Access to Wisdom Share, GLEAM’s mentoring technology platform

The program is open to women at all career levels—from district/area managers to RSC/HQ professionals, director-level leaders, and C-suite executives.

Kickoff at the WiRL Together Summit

The program launches live at the WiRL Together Summit 2026, the premier annual gathering for women in restaurant and hospitality leadership. Taking place Feb. 25–27, 2026, in Charleston, the Summit brings together hundreds of women for three days of meaningful connection, leadership development, and candid conversation.

Leadership Insights & Research

The immersive kickoff will be co-hosted by Sheri Miksa, GLEAM inaugural board member and mentor program leader, and Kelly Primus, CEO of Leading NOW.

Mentees will explore leading research from Leading NOW—including The Missing 33%® and The 9 Key Differentiators™, which outline the competencies required for advancement into senior leadership. Participants will also learn the difference between CAKE (supportive) and PIE (strategic) mentoring—and why strategic mentoring drives lasting career impact.

Registration Information

Participation in the WiRL x GLEAM Mentor Program is $250 per mentee, representing just $20 per one-hour session across the six-month experience (or $10 each for mentees selecting half-hour sessions twice as often). Mentors participate at no cost as volunteers.

Registration is open Nov. 5–Dec. 14, 2025.
Space is limited.