EMPOWERED HOSPITALITY - Key Persons
Allysun's passion for hospitality began with her first foray into New York's diverse restaurant culture at Chanterelle, an institution in the downtown Manhattan fine dining scene. It was here that she saw firsthand the positive impact a people-first culture can have on a business. When she later joined the service team at a cheese and wine bar as a manager, her now 10+ year journey to become an effective operations and human resources leader began in earnest. And now having been a general manager of several iconic brands and esteemed New York restaurants, Allysun knows what it takes to lead a successful team. Beyond leading teams, Allysun strongly advocates a people-first approach for all hospitality businesses. Allysun holds a B.A. in English literature from the University of Tennessee, an M.A. in experimental humanities from New York University, and a PMP certification from the Project Management Institute.
Anthony's experience supervising a quick service establishment awoke his passion for developing others. Having recently graduated with his master's degree in psychology, Anthony has an analytical mind and an interest in organizational behavior and group dynamics. At E|H, Anthony hopes to broaden his perspective on people and culture while developing his own consulting style. Anthony holds his bachelor's in business administration and German literature from UC Riverside, and his master's in psychology from NYU.
Aurora brings over a decade of hospitality experience with brands such as Hyatt, Marriott and Hilton, as well as a deeply rooted "people first" approach to everything she does. In her most recent role as a senior HR manager of a growing multistate restaurant group, Aurora managed compliance initiatives, employee relations, and payroll and benefits administration for over 1,000 employees. While establishing leading practices for her clients in all areas of HR, Aurora advocates for a strong company culture with employee engagement at its core. Aurora earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Montclair State University.
Bradley was always fascinated by restaurants; while other kids wanted to be doctors or astronauts, Bradley wanted to be a waiter. In 2005, while studying Mathematics at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Bradley got his first restaurant job as a server and cemented his passion for hospitality. Bradley turned his passion into a career and moved to New York City in 2012 to join North End Grill, part of Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG). Bradley grew in his career by earning his level 2 Sommelier Certification, teaching classes at Murray's Cheese, and later joining the opening management team at Marta. Bradley thrived at USHG in a variety of roles, including as a Business Intelligence Analyst on their corporate finance team, where he was actively engaged in the Hospitality Included, non-tipping initiative, as well as finance, technology, and human resources. In 2022 Bradley led the opening of Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi as the General Manager, working to create an employee-first culture of inclusion and excellence that helped lead to the restaurant's vibrant success. Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi quickly became a cultural destination, earned a coveted 3-star review in the New York Times, and was named the #1 restaurant in New York City.
Bradley is excited to bring nearly 20 years of hospitality experience to Empowered. He believes that people are the center of every great restaurant and is excited to support our incredible clients in building better work practices and cultures for people to truly thrive.
Having grown up in her family's breakfast and lunch restaurant, Brittany's experience in hospitality couldn't be any more personal. Through her years working at and eventually running the restaurant, she grew to love the ideas of entrepreneurship, hard work, and hustle, but also yearned to explore other interests. So, after studying fashion merchandising in college, she later joined Elite Model Management NYC as a communications manager, all while supporting the family business on weekends. After a few years in fashion, however, she returned full time to the restaurant as a people operations manager and also established a fashion consulting business, coaching women from all walks of life on personal branding and confidence. At this point in her career, Brittany realized that talent development, coaching, and fostering inclusive workspaces were very meaningful to her. This prompted her to pursue a master's in HR management and to join Empowered Hospitality.
Emily has over 15 years of experience as a hospitality operations and HR leader. Her passion developed at a young age in her family's restaurants, and, after an early career managing museums, she returned to her roots in hospitality and relocated to NYC. There, she joined the James Beard Award-winning restaurant group, Officina 1397 (Via Carota, Bar Pisellino & I Sodi). A student at heart, Emily now lives her passion as a human resources leader supporting those she knows best: restaurants and their people. Combining hands-on hospitality experience with leadership, organization, and problem-solving skills, Emily is a high-impact partner to her clients. Emily's bachelor's is in art history from the University of Minnesota. She is also a level 1 sommelier and a SHRM certified professional (SHRM-CP).
Emily is a career hospitality professional with over 20 years' experience in beverage and front of house leadership roles. Emily worked in San Diego, San Francisco and Philadelphia before finding her home in Brooklyn, NY, where she pivoted her career to recruiting during the pandemic. Emily's passion for fostering relationships, service-oriented mindset, and entrepreneurial spirit help her establish lasting partnerships with her clients. Emily earned her bachelor's in social science with a minor in women's studies from the University of Rhode Island, and has completed certifications in entrepreneurship, employee relations and sales strategy. Emily is also a SHRM certified professional (SHRM-CP).
Gabriel's upbringing in the Bronx fostered his deep appreciation for home cooking, as he discovered a love for the incredible creations crafted by his mom and grandmother in the comfort of their own kitchen. Embarking on his hospitality journey at the young age of sixteen, Gabriel started out as a short order cook, returning to the industry after earning his bachelor's in chemistry. Gabriel's passion for food led him to work in quick service restaurants, rising quickly through the ranks to general manager and director of operations roles. Leveraging his background in operations, Gabriel later found an opportunity to apply his expertise to HR strategies, focusing on recruitment, compliance, and employee satisfaction. As a SHRM Certified Professional with an unwavering commitment to employee well-being, Gabriel finds inspiration in the intersection of his profession with his other passions, including interior design, real estate, and music.
Job Titles:
- Senior Client Services Director
Jessica's love of hospitality began unexpectedly while waiting tables as a college student, leading her to pivot from a planned career path in academia toward a new one studying wine. After working her way up through front-of-house and beverage leadership roles, Jessica opened her own restaurant in Oakland, CA in 2015. Always striving to do and learn more, Jessica then joined Bon Appetit Management to oversee large food-service operations including Twitter HQ and Oracle Park, gaining an abundance of HR skills along the way. Now firmly planted back on the east coast, Jessica is happiest when helping restaurants succeed. She holds a bachelor's in linguistics with honors from The University of Connecticut-Storrs, a master's of management and hospitality from Cornell University, and SHRM-CP and level 2 sommelier certifications.
Joe brings 20 years' experience serving Fortune 500 clients to E|H, managing key accounts at Randstad in his early career and more recently leading strategic consulting projects at Alvarez & Marsal, Acquis Consulting Group and EY-Parthenon. Through decades of business travel, Joe has curated a deep and personal love of hospitality, connecting with clients, colleagues and friends around the world through shared culinary experiences. At home in NYC, Joe enjoys the city's diverse restaurant scene, and especially loves visiting Empowered's clients with the team. Joe earned a BSc in mechanical engineering from Boston University and an MBA in strategy from the University of Notre Dame. Joe is also a PMI-certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) and an ISM Certified Professional Supply Manager (CPSM®).
Joe's passion for HR began in 2011 as an executive development trainee at Macy's. As an assistant store manager, Joe's keen sense for identifying and developing talent helped make his department among the most successful in the company. In his last year at Macy's, Joe oversaw the day-to-day operations for seven departments and over 120 employees. Joe's passion called him to pursue a master's degree in industrial and organizational psychology, and to join as E|H's first talent lead, where he brings his skill for identifying and developing talent to E|H clients and partners. Joe has his bachelor's in marketing with honors from CUNY William E. Macaulay Honors College, and a master's in industrial and organizational psychology from CUNY Baruch College.
Kaeleigh's hospitality career began at a young age, working for a mom-and-pop establishment in her hometown in Connecticut. A high school field trip to The Culinary Institute of America significantly impacted her, driving her to graduate early from Fordham University and pursue a second degree at CIA. During her time at CIA and since graduating, she has accumulated nearly fifteen years of operations and human resources experience at esteemed restaurant groups including Myriad, Patina, USHG, and Make It Nice. Her love of the industry and respect for hospitality professionals drove her to focus her full attention on human resources, where she most recently supported the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group and Elior North America. In addition to earning a bachelor's degree in mathematics and economics from Fordham University and a degree in culinary arts from The Culinary Institute of America, Kaeleigh also earned an MBA from Pace University and holds an SPHR designation from HRCI.
Kaelin has a strong connection to hospitality, having started her hospitality journey as a teenager and bartending alongside full-time HR positions ever since. Her diverse HR background spans several industries, including not-for-profits, law firms, and software start-ups, as well as hospitality. With over seven years of HR experience, Kaelin has excelled in managing the full employee lifecycle - from employee onboarding and orientation, employee relations, benefits administration, learning and development, offboarding, and many other areas - all while fostering a positive workplace environment. Her unique blend of HR and hospitality experience has prepared her to excel at Empowered, where she combines her passion for HR with her deep understanding of the hospitality sector, promising an exciting and positive experience for her clients and teams. When she's not traveling to different corners of the country to visit friends and family, you can find Kaelin cheering passionately at college football games or attending other sporting events. Her love of different music genres often leads her to exciting concerts, and her taste buds are always on an adventure as she discovers new bars and restaurants. Kaelin graduated from the University of Alabama with a BA in Communication and Information Sciences, and has also earned her SHRM-CP.
Kelly's career in hospitality began early, working in local San Diego restaurants in high school and returning years later with a psychology degree and an interest in people development. After five years of steadily increasing responsibility, Kelly committed herself even more fully to the industry by not only attending the Culinary Institute of America but by graduating as Valedictorian, earning multiple achievement awards as well. From the CIA, the NYC market beckoned - leading Kelly to excel first at Hillstone Restaurant Group and later at DIG Food Group, overseeing operations in single and multi-unit capacities, participating in more than 15 restaurant openings and training over 100 salaried restaurant leaders. A major source of pride for Kelly was opening DIG's first teaching kitchen, a live restaurant focused on training culinary fundamentals and achieving ever higher operational and culinary standards. An enthusiastic advocate for personal and professional development, Kelly is thrilled to bring her operational experience to clients in support of creating better workplaces with Empowered.
Growing up in an Italian household filled with heaping bowls of casual home cooking and endless hours gathered around the kitchen table, Kristyn knew from a very young age that no matter what she did for a living, it would involve food. She has never strayed from that mentality. After moving to New York City on a whim, Kristyn began private cooking for families, then fell into restaurant marketing and eventually hospitality recruiting. Throughout Kristyn's career, she gained experience with high volume hourly recruiting, career site development, and all things marketing - from overseeing and managing job ad spend and performance, managing media platforms, supporting new restaurant openings, and managing employer brands. In addition to being an all-star recruiter and marketing authority, Kristyn is a food marketing graduate of Saint Joseph's University and also has a culinary certification from Le Cordon Bleu London.
Job Titles:
- Senior Client Services Director
Since her first job as a host, Laura knew she belonged in hospitality. After studying hospitality at Boston University, she built a foundation in operations at Hillstone Restaurant Group, thriving in the service-focused, high intensity environment. Eager for growth, Laura then joined California startup Eureka! Restaurant Group's 8th location as a general manager, later becoming a senior training manager as the group expanded to 22 locations. 5 years later, Laura pursued a challenging role as an HR and training leader at Alicart (the name behind iconic NYC restaurants Carmine's and Virgil's), eventually becoming the chief of staff and working across HR, finance, marketing, operations, and catering. Laura brought her passion and experience for human resources, project management, and the restaurant industry to Empowered Hospitality, where she continues to serve our industry with enthusiasm.
Originally from New Orleans, Laura comes to Empowered Hospitality after fifteen years in NYC's renowned theatre industry. Her wide range of experiences - from the front lines of customer service at a Broadway theatre to building a brand-new human resources department at an established licensing company - has given her unique insights into what helps people thrive in every stage of their career. Laura's passion for building community and making local cultures feel invigorating to the people who live in them - and like home to the people who don't - make her an incredible teammate and resource at Empowered. Laura earned a BA in theatre from City College of New York, an MFA in creative writing from Hunter College, and a PHR certificate from HRCI.
After studying linguistics at Hunter College, Leah's passion for communication blossomed, laying a solid foundation for her subsequent decade plus HR career predicated on her ability to connect with people. Leah has honed her HR leadership skills spanning a diverse array of industries, leaving an indelible mark at each juncture of her career. From initiating HR functions at Roberta's Pizza and Russ & Daughters to reinvigorating practices at Glossier, Leah's adaptability and innovative approach have transcended boundaries. Her journey reflects not only a commitment to excellence but also a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within various sectors.
Melissa's love for HR has grown over the past 10 years as she's worked in generalist roles across the quick service retail and hospitality industries in Australia and the US. Prior to joining E|H, Melissa implemented HR processes and systems for a fast-growing café & coffee shop concept with over 40 locations nationwide. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Melissa has always had a passion for travel and food, which has led her to visit over 40 countries and influenced her decision to move to New York City in 2017. Melissa has her bachelor's in psychology from Monash University and a graduate diploma in psychology from Deakin University. She is also a SHRM certified professional (SHRM-CP).
Michel discovered his love for restaurants at a young age, holding various positions at local restaurants through high school and college. After earning a degree in organizational leadership, he set out to pursue a career in NYC hospitality. The next 10 years would include leadership roles as the general manager of BRGuest's flagship location in Rockefeller Center, and as an operations leader at Host Restaurant Group's iconic Bill's Townhouse in midtown. Although Michel never lost his passion for hospitality, he transitioned into HR consulting serving many industries, spending 3 years delivering strategic solutions to organizations both domestically and internationally. At Empowered, Michel's unique blend of experiences allows him not only to provide HR best practices and solutions to his hospitality clients, but also to help navigate their operational and people challenges. Michel is a SHRM Certified Professional and specializes in employee relationship management and leadership development.
After studying fashion design at FIT, Michelle worked as a designer for renowned clients such as Givenchy, Ralph Lauren, and Ranjana Khan before pivoting her artistic talents to food. Michelle earned a certificate in pastry arts from the French Culinary Institute and joined an artisanal candy company, where she wore many hats. Upon realizing her strengths -- leading with empathy and compassion, the ability to navigate employee relations issues, and a fearless approach to 'tough conversations' -- Michelle shifted her focus to HR and worked alongside E|H founder Sarah Diehl at the Wythe Hotel. Michelle honed her HR skills at the Wythe Hotel and Troutbeck Resort for nearly four years before joining E|H full-time. Michelle has her bachelor's from FIT, a certificate in pastry arts from the French Culinary Institute (now International Culinary Center), and her SHRM-CP.
Raised in Atlantic City, Rachel's early start in hospitality - working as a teenager in casino food and beverage operations - had a tremendous impact on her education and career. After earning degrees from Boston University and Cornell, Rachel held various positions in F&B and hotel operations before shifting her focus to people and HR during the pandemic. Recently, her strengths in HR data & analytics, compliance, and systems positioned her to successfully manage the logistics of a four-startup merger and implement a global payroll system for the combined entity. And she's just getting started. When Rachel isn't busy thriving at Empowered, she volunteers as a crisis counselor and enjoys adventures all over the world.
Since working in hospitality in high school, Samin has had a profound appreciation for workers in the service industry and is happy to support them through her role at Empowered. Samin began her human resources career as a college intern with a Swedish construction company, where an initial three-month internship turned into a two-year HR journey that inspired her to focus her career there. Later earning a master's in human resource management from Rutgers, she then began a people operations role at Unilever, finding her passion in HR technology, operations, and employee experience. While working in corporate environment was a tremendous learning experience, Samin's compulsion to rejoin the hospitality industry was strong (and fortunate). Samin's strengths lie not only in HR generalist expertise, but also in HR technology, process improvement and making HR operations simple, automated, and efficient.
Sarah began her career in restaurant operations with Hillstone Restaurant Group, becoming one of the youngest general managers at a $10m+ location before transitioning to a corporate HR role. After several years as an HR director, however, her position was eliminated, prompting her to pursue a similar HR leadership role in NYC's bustling hospitality industry. To her dismay, many of the small hospitality businesses she was drawn to simply did not need full-time HR support, despite their struggle with HR. In many of these initial conversations, Sarah instinctively pivoted her interview into a strategy session, focusing not on her career goals but on the HR needs of each business - often offering to complete small HR projects as a freelancer. A few months of working in this capacity was all Sarah needed to embrace her calling to build a sustainable, scalable consulting business. Empowered Hospitality was born.
Sarah earned her bachelor's in political science with honors from Yale University, and holds her SHRM-SCP, WSET Advanced Certification (Wine & Spirits Educational Trust), and CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine). Sarah was selected as a 2021 Tory Burch Foundation Fellow for her passion for building an equitable, collaborative, and socially conscious small business, is a perennial speaker at the annual FAB Conference in Charleston, SC, a frequent panelist on topics related to people and organization for the James Beard Foundation, and a guest lecturer at the School of Hospitality Administration at Boston University.
Tim has dedicated his career to the food & beverage industry. He has bussed tables, managed restaurants and led HR from the Jersey Shore to Charleston, SC. Most recently, Tim was a top salesperson at a high-volume NYC butcher before taking the reins as their HR generalist, responsible for nine business units and 90 employees. With his passion for recruiting, training and compliance, Tim saw an opportunity to further develop his career by joining E|H, where he currently works with clients ranging from large steakhouses to boutique retail outlets. Tim holds his bachelor's in communications from The Richard Stockton University of New Jersey and is a SHRM certified professional (SHRM-CP).