Sarah Noll Wilson

Best-selling author and leadership consultant

Sarah Noll Wilson is an Executive Coach, in-demand Keynote Speaker, and bestselling author of Don’t Feed the Elephants. With over 15 years of experience in leadership development, she has worked with more than 500 organizations and thousands of leaders globally to transform workplace cultures, strengthen relationships, and build high-performing teams. A trusted voice in leadership, Sarah is a contributor to Harvard Business Review and Forbes, and her expertise has been featured in BBC Radio, The Washington Post, Business Insider, and The New York Post. She also hosts Conversations on Conversations, a podcast with listeners in over 80 countries. When she isn’t empowering leaders to create thriving teams, Sarah is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness, enjoys playing games with her husband, Nick, baking focaccia bread, and cuddling with their fur baby, Sally. 

Elaine Powell

Thought Disruptor™ Keynote Speaker

Elaine is a dynamic thought disruptor, keynote, and TEDx speaker. Renowned for her T.H.I.N.K. Methodology—a five-principle framework that can transform your performance, productivity, and profits. With a passion for mental growth, she helps people turn challenges into opportunities. Elaine has spoken at over 250 global events, training 35,000+ people, including members, senior leaders, and thought leaders, in the art of transformational thinking and effective communication. Her career highlights include serving as a TEDx curator, being featured in Forbes, and producing Amazon Prime's Speak UP series.

Eric Barker

Director of Dining Services, Northwood Dining

With a career in campus dining spanning 24 years, at several different institutions, and involving development of standards of operations, menus, concepts, and facilities Eric Barker has strived to understand that complexities that go into the campus dining decision making process, customer service needs, and the ever-changing demands of our customers. With a deep understanding of food production and location design Eric works to ensure that all the pieces are in place to achieve success and build a quality dining program. With a focus on customers, quality, and freshness he currently leads the Dining Services team at Northwood University 

Eric Goodrich

Design Principal and Partner, Rippe Associates

A Principal with Rippe Associates, specializing in Higher Education Foodservice Design. His journey with the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) project began in 2019 during its initial stages. Eric played a pivotal role, collaborating closely with the UMD team to ensure the project’s success for future generations.

Betsy Helgesen

Director of Dining Services, University of Minnesota Duluth

A distinguished leader and award-winning manager with extensive experience in dining and retail management. She has led teams at Fortune 500 companies like Starbucks and Aramark. She holds a degree in English and American Literature from Harvard University and a Culinary degree from the Western Culinary Institute. Her blend of culinary skills and leadership makes her a thought leader, dedicated to creating exceptional dining experiences and fostering innovative environments. 

Jason Horzewski

Associate Director of Dining Services, University of Wisconsin-Stout

With over 11 years of progressive leadership in university dining, Jason has played a pivotal role in enhancing operational efficiency, improving customer satisfaction, and mentoring the next generation of food service professionals. 

A graduate of the NACUFS Food Service Management and Leadership Institutes, Jason brings expertise in food service operations, human resources, and financial management. His passion for elevating campus dining experiences drives his commitment to industry best practices, innovative service models, and student development. 

Beyond his professional role, Jason enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Kellie, and their children, Addie and Landon. 

Channie McCall

Executive Chef, University of Minnesota Duluth

Serves as the Executive Chef with UMD Dining Services, a role she embraced in 2022, but she began her journey with UMD in 2013. Her culinary journey includes positions as Sous Chef at Fosters Kitchen and Daylight Mind Coffee Co. in Hawaii, and Lead Line Cook at Sara’s Table in Duluth, Minnesota. Channie has earned accolades such as Bronze Medalist in the 2016 NACUFS (ACF) Culinary Challenge and Silver Medalist in 2018 and 2022.

Flora Mendoza

Assistant Director Dietitian of Dining Services, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Flora Mendoza, MS, RD, LDN (she, her, hers) turned to the field of dietetics after over a decade in the foodservice industry. Passionate about food service and consumer safety, she now works as the Assistant Director Dietitian for Dining Services at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Here, she educates staff about food allergies and intolerances and helps students with dietary concerns navigate the dining halls safely and confidently. She is able to put her industry experience and nutrition expertise to work daily through medically and culturally inclusive menu assessment and revision, student-centered events, and empathetic strategizing with culinary teams when seemingly insurmountable situations arise. And of course, she enjoys working with students as they forge their own path towards independence and a healthy relationship with food!

Deb Nelson

Reuse Solutions Specialist, OZZI

Deb is passionate about changing the world to reusables one meal at a time. The OZZI Simply Reusable solution has demonstrated proven cost savings and a positive impact on the environment by eliminating waste in landfills and oceans. 

With extensive experience across multiple industries, she is known for bringing customized, cost-effective solutions to help clients achieve their goals. Deb’s results have been published nationally, she has spoken at many industry conferences and appeared on network television. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and her goldendoodle, Cody. 

Megan Wasylow

Training Specialist Manager, University of North Dakota

Megan Wasylow serves as the Training Specialist Manager at the University of North Dakota. She has worked for the University for 10 years and has been in her current role for two and a half years. Her efforts have been instrumental in shaping the UND Dining Student Leadership Program, providing the essential tools and guidance needed for its success. This Leadership Program won Silver for Employee Development Program of the Year in NACUFS’ 2024 Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards. Megan’s commitment to empowering student leaders has created a lasting impact on the university community. Megan holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and has completed some Master’s level courses in Instructional Design.

Megan Wasylow

Vice President of Business Development Touchwork

Jennifer Wood is the Vice President of Business Development at Touchwork, bringing 25 years of strategic expertise in helping institutions navigate complex challenges. By leveraging customer feedback, audits, and AI, she empowers organizations to make data-informed decisions that enhance operations, improve CX and drive better outcomes. With a passion for innovation and efficiency, Jennifer specializes in turning insights into actionable strategies that create lasting impact.