Women in Restaurant Leadership (WiRL)

This April, we're also featuring 11 women who are leading the future of FSR, from breaking barriers and reshaping the dining industry, to menu innovation and marketing and communications to operations, training, and mentorship at the highest levels. ✨ Read here: https://lnkd.in/eka-pPEK Featuring: Felicia White Ed.D, CHT, Nichole Robillard, Caroline Skinner,Mindy Armstrong, Tammy Calhoun, CHT, Rachel Richal, CHT, Julie Zucker, Melissa Hariri, Christine Lorusso, Ginger Flesher Sonnier, M.Ed., Bonnie Iavaroni

Balance is bullshit. This idea that you can “achieve work-life balance”—that if you just organize your calendar well enough, you can give 100% to everything, all the time—is a lie we’ve been sold. What I’ve found instead? It’s not about balance. It’s about integration. When Maya was younger, she traveled with me and Sarah on every work trip. When Emy was still nursing and I had to spend a full week in Vegas for IFA? She came too—and we integrated her into the schedule. She was in the hotel room while I prepped for panels. She napped between meetings. It wasn’t perfect. But it worked. I’ve worked from home for over a decade, which means I’ve been able to integrate school drop-offs, pickups, holiday performances, and doctor appointments into my workdays. It doesn’t mean it’s easy. It just means we’ve stopped chasing the idea that there’s some magical finish line where work and life are finally “balanced.” Instead, in our house, we weave them together. We improvise. We adjust. We do what we need to do, and we do it together. (Shoot out to my amazing wife who literally is CEO of our household and makes it all happen so I can do what I need to at work.) So if you’re feeling like you’re failing at balance? You’re not. You’re just playing by a rulebook that was never made for you. Maybe it’s time to rewrite it. #WorkingMoms

Nichole Robillard isn’t just leading a brand—she’s leading a movement. As the CMO of Red Lobster, Robillard has stepped into a rare, career-defining role: breathing new life into one of America’s most iconic restaurant brands. Featured on the cover of FSR’s April Women in Restaurant Leadership issue, she opens up about what it means to be a woman in power, the importance of intentionality, and how she’s using this platform to inspire the next generation of women leaders to rise, lead, and make meaningful impact. ✨ “My story is not one of luck. I set my intentions and I worked like crazy toward them. If you want to grow into a place of power and authority, make sure it’s an industry you want to be a part of. Making an impact on others requires passion and connectivity,” Robillard says. “You can make a difference at every level … I’ve had people in coordinator roles make dramatic impacts on me. I learn something from my team every day, and it’s important to surround yourself with a community of people who challenge you to be better and, most importantly, have fun.” #WiRLPower ❤️ 🦞 Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eu4BD2T6

WiRL is going on the road again, and this time, we’re bringing the signature #WiRLPower experience to the QSR Evolution Conference this September in Atlanta! 🔥 Introducing the first WiRL Workshop! This exclusive lunch-and-learn, presented in partnership with LEAD | Leadership, Exploration and Development, GLEAM Network, and Full Course, is designed to fuel your leadership journey with four engaging, no-fluff workshop sessions. We’re diving into leadership development, financial acumen, and mentorship, with a fourth session still under wraps (but we promise, it’ll be worth the wait). Plus, lunch! ✨ For those who missed the WiRL Together Summit in February, consider this your bite-sized version—a high-energy, no-holding-back opportunity to connect, learn, and level up. You’ll walk away with real insights, real connections, and maybe even a few new mentors in your corner. 👀 The WiRL Workshop is an exclusive add-on at QSR Evolution, built for women ready to sharpen their skills and shake up the industry. It can be paired with our popular WiRL Networking Reception, hosted with Olo! Join us as we keep pushing for a stronger, more inclusive future—because leadership should be bold, and so should you. Register now to snag a spot before they're gone: https://lnkd.in/eZJpvRiT

Press play and meet one of our newest WiRL Advisory Board members, Toni Ronayne (because this week is dedicated to our dream team) 👋 ❤️ With decades of leadership across QSR, FSR, and fast casual brands including Starbucks, Freshii, Little Caesars, and most recently, Perkins—Toni knows a thing or two about scaling brands, building culture, and launching bold new concepts. 🔥 Toni shares a warm hello with our WiRL community and her excitement for what’s ahead. As a champion for women in the restaurant industry, we know her impact will be big—and her coffee, probably strong... #WiRLPower

Hey there, dream team. The 2025-2026 WiRL Advisory Board has arrived. 👀 👋 Sunny Ashman, MBA Reilly Berk Rachel Richal, CHT Erin Levzow Jennifer Loper Heather McIntyre Alexis Parra Lyndsey Patel A'ysha Callahan Alayna Sullivan Alice Crowder Amy Hom Anne Pritz Avery Meetre Brooke Hluza Casey Halbach, MSM, SPHR Dawn Keller Eleni Kouvatsos Gates Erin Walter Heather Leed Neary Hillary Frei🍦 Jenifer Kern Jennifer Dodd Kathleen Bush Lisa Cheatham Liz Brady DiTrapano Mariana Marques Marita Swift Mary Anderson Camp Olivia Ross Rhonda Levene Stacey McCray Suzie Tsai Toni Ronayne Allie H. Devon Croom, PMP, ACS-CF, CSM Jericho Lopez Kelly Sennatt Esten

We’re proud to debut the very first edition of QSR and FSR dedicated entirely to our platform. This special issue is moving fast — copies are nearly gone — but you can still access the full digital edition for free right here: https://lnkd.in/gCBHc22c Join us in celebrating and amplifying women across the industry! #WiRLPower ❤️🔥

Meet Flynn Group's Jessica Reicher and Rasheeda C. — two trailblazers offering a blueprint for women aiming to break barriers in the male-dominated restaurant industry. They carved their paths by leading the Arby's and The Wendy's Company brands for the world's largest franchisee organization. “And I think it’s so important to be able to be authentic because you create space for others. You have to have the diversification and the leadership within the room. And that’s not so much about our gender or the color of our skin. It really is just in our approaches and how we solve problems and how we show up for one another. And then it just creates more room for others that come after you," says Rasheeda. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/e46gykhh

Melissa Fry is on a mission to inspire the next generation of women leaders—championing innovation, inclusivity, and the power to own your story. She started her journey with Hooters of America at just 18 years old, and over the past 25 years, she’s become a driving force behind the brand’s evolution. Fry has been instrumental in repositioning this legacy brand to resonate with today’s employees and guests, empowering both current and future Hooters Girls to lead with confidence—and she’s only getting started. “I remember walking in as a young woman trying to find myself, figuring out where my confidence was, where my strengths lay, and what the next step in my career path would be,” Fry says. “I’ve met some of my best friends, lifelong mentors, and amazing leaders in this organization. In this family, we all bleed orange. That was clear right away.” 🧡 Read the full feature here: https://lnkd.in/eSMeRYm6

FSR/Callie Evergreen sat down with First Watch Restaurants brand insight manager Melissa Walsh to learn how she is leading the popular brunch chain into the future with data. "The challenge I think everyone faces is being able to connect all the right data pieces together; I still think that is an issue many brands face. We are in the process of making them all talk together so we can action on it, so future state, I think being able to focus and understand our customers in full. This is going to sound cliche, but having the right message at the right time in the right channel, and being able to measure that whole journey at each touch point is going to be a game changer. I think for me, the focus and goals are really to track each part of the journey and understand how we can continue to just connect with consumers in the way that resonates with them," she says. Read the full Q&A here: https://lnkd.in/e5DtYy7k