SPEAKERS

Rev Ciancio is a New York City restaurant owner and knows exactly how hard it is to operate and brand a hospitality business. He is a hospitality marketing consultant, customer and technology evangelist at Branded Strategic Hospitality, with more than 20 years experience in B2B digital marketing and business development, specializing in hospitality marketing, content, local SEO, reputation management and demand generation. He helps technology companies, brands and restaurants to acquire and retain more customers. Rev is known as an “expert burger taster,” pens hospitality and marketing tips on his Instagram @revciancio, as well as his LinkedIn Profile and hosts the Restaurant Marketing Podcast. He believes that Pizza is a religion.

Ladd Biro is the proud founder and leader of the best damn PR & Digital Media agency in the business. Prior to launching Champion in 2002, he cut his marketing teeth at American Airlines as Director of Worldwide Sales Promotion, then served as Senior VP of Marketing & Member Communications with the National Association of Manufacturers in Washington, DC. He is a strategic thinker, brand builder and hands-on team leader. An award-winning publicist, Ladd was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing and is a two-time national Fantasy Football Writer of the Year.

Before joining Networld Media Group as Vice President of Events, Cherryh Cansler spent several years as VP of Editorial managing the Networld’s nine B2B publications. Throughout her 20-year career as a journalist, she’s written about a variety of topics, ranging from the restaurant industry and technology to health and fitness news. Her byline has appeared in a plethora of newspapers, magazines and websites, including Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine. She also serves as the managing editor for FastCasual.com.

Annica Conrad oversees the brand's image, guest experience, culinary innovation, and catering strategy. She is responsible for crafting a world-class brand vision while defining and evolving the company's identity, culture, and direction. In addition to her role at City Barbeque, Annica brings extensive experience from her previous roles as Chief Marketing Officer at FAT Brands and Global Franchise Group, where she led marketing strategies for iconic brands such as Round Table Pizza, Great American Cookies, Marble Slab Creamery, Pretzelmaker, and Hot Dog on a Stick. Her career also includes top marketing leadership positions with Mellow Mushroom, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and McAlister’s Deli.

Digital marketing, eComm and loyalty leader with 20+ years’ experience at Domino's and Tropical Smoothie Cafe. At Tropical Smoothie, Melissa led Loyalty, CRM, 3PD and Digital Listings, growing loyalty by 50% in one year and leading MarTech strategy. She crafted promotions that drove the highest sales days in Tropical Smoothie’s history and drove the app to #1 in Food. At Domino’s, she oversaw one of the largest loyalty programs and implemented the largest A/B testing wins in the brand’s history. Melissa also led store tech, including the self-driving pizza delivery test, ordering & check-in kiosks and digital menu boards.

Brad Haley has been CMO for Dave’s Hot Chicken since 12/22 after consulting for the brand the previous year. In his role as CMO, Brad is responsible for all aspects of marketing, advertising, guest insights, and PR for the almost 200-unit chain. Prior to joining Dave’s, Brad served as CMO for IHOP, where he most notably led the IHOb (International House of Burgers) activation that generated global attention for the brand. His earlier career included marketing leadership roles at CKE (Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants) and Jack in the Box. Brad has been named one of the top 50 Power Players in the communications field by PRWeek, one of the 50 Most Daring Entrepreneurs by Entrepreneur Magazine, and one of the Adweek 50, celebrating innovative leaders for blazing new trails and achieving the best results.

As the Senior Manager of Guest Insights and Off-Premise Strategy at Eggs Up Grill, Haley Hendrix leads the brand’s efforts to enhance the digital and off-premise guest experience. With a passion for leveraging data to drive actionable insights, she develops strategies that connect the brand with guests—wherever and however they choose to engage. Haley specializes in optimizing online ordering, third-party delivery, and catering, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience for guests. She also spearheads guest behavior initiatives, using real-time data to uncover trends and inform strategic decisions across marketing, operations, and technology. Her ability to translate analytics into meaningful insights has helped franchisees and brand leaders create guest-centric solutions that drive both revenue and loyalty.

Stacey Kane has more than 25 years of experience working with multi-unit restaurant chains as a Head of Marketing and Marketing Consultant. She has worked with such brands as California Tortilla, Think Food Group, Subway and East Coast Wings. Known for her incredible creativity and obsession with data she was one of the pioneers of using social media in the restaurant space and has been named a Top 20 Movers and Shakers by Fast Casual Magazine five times. Her passion is leading emerging brands as they scale for growth. Currently, Stacey is a fractional CMO for several fast casual brands including Fresh Baguette, Garden Catering, HCK Hot Chicken, Mahana Fresh and Mamoun's Falafel. Kane is passionate about the industry. She has been a National Pro-Start Judge for 3 years and after serving as a consultant, she was asked to sit on the board of CORE:Children of Restaurant Employees in 2022. CORE’s mission is to provide short-term financial relief to food and beverage service employees with children when navigating a qualifying circumstance.

Abhinav Kapur is the co-founder and CEO of Bikky, a Customer Data Platform (CDP) built exclusively for multi-unit restaurants. Bikky integrates across all in-store and off-premise channels to help brands understand how marketing, menu, and operational decisions impact guest frequency and lifetime value. This empowers everyone from the C-Suite to the marketing team to make better, data-driven decisions across the guest experience. Bikky powers data-based decisions for brands like MOD Pizza, Dave's Hot Chicken, SPB Hospitality, Krystal, and Eggs Up Grill, and thousands of other locations across the U.S.

Toni Martinez has years of experience in the direct mail industry and a genuine passion for helping businesses grow. Toni and the team at direct2you specialize in connecting businesses with the right customers at the right time, leveraging data to craft tailored marketing strategies that drive success and elevate brand impact.

Courtney Mazzella joined Champion in 2011 and since then has established herself as a dynamic leader within the agency and a trusted, "invaluable partner" to many of Champion's clients. As Vice President of Client Services, Courtney is passionate about immersing herself in her clients' brands to become their strongest advocate and strategic ally. Her expertise spans media outreach, influencer marketing and strategic planning, and she has been the driving force behind several high-impact initiatives. Courtney also leads Champion's proprietary Local Restaurant Marketing practice, a cornerstone of the agency's offerings. In this role, she helps brands create buzz, build awareness and generate goodwill at the local market level. Over the past decade, Courtney has overseen more than 2,000 grand openings across the country for powerhouse brands such as Raising Cane’s, Dog Haus, Logan’s Roadhouse and many more.

Rosa Romero is the co-founder of SANGUICH™, the celebrated Cuban sandwich shop that has set the standard for authentic Cuban cuisine. With over 17 years of experience as a legal professional, Rosa made the bold decision to leave her corporate career and partner with her husband, Daniel Figueredo, to create a Cuban sandwich concept rooted in tradition and authenticity. Together, they envisioned a dining experience that would capture the spirit of Cuba—combining rich flavors, vibrant culture, and a sensory atmosphere that engages sight, sound, and taste. Rosa played a crucial role in the development and growth of Sanguich, applying her sharp business acumen and attention to detail in every aspect of the venture. From perfecting the menu to overseeing operations, Rosa's leadership has been instrumental in the brand's success. Since opening their brick-and-mortar location in 2017, Sanguich has earned numerous accolades, including three Bib Gourmand awards, solidifying its place as a gold standard in the Cuban culinary scene.

A noted serial entrepreneur with many successful businesses across the hospitality and F&B space, Jason Sobocinski brings over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience to the team. Born and raised in New Haven, he also carries a Master’s degree in Gastronomy from BU. At Haven Hot Chicken, Jason is a thought leader in hospitality and guest experience, which impacts all facets of the business, from training, operations, branding, and culture. Jason also leads real estate expansion efforts for the team.

Julie Wade currently leads marketing efforts for Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe, a 100-unit elevated fast-casual brand headquartered in Birmingham, AL. As the head of marketing since 2000, she oversees brand strategy, customer experience, and marketing campaigns across all channels. Prior to Taziki's, Julie held leadership roles at Yogurt Mountain, Huddle House and a large franchisee of Blockbuster Video, driving product development, franchise relations, and field marketing initiatives. She also brings entrepreneurial experience as the owner of Retail Connections Consulting and Vestrain Consulting. Throughout her career, Julie has consistently demonstrated a strong ability to build brands, foster customer loyalty, and achieve business growth.

Kathleen Wood is the Founder of Kathleen Wood Partners (KWP), an innovative, award-winning growth strategy firm committed to scaling businesses for success for over two decades. Kathleen and her team specialize in transforming visions into reality through strategic growth solutions, business optimization, competitive sales building, and leadership development. Kathleen's work spans across various industries, focusing on transforming small companies into national brands. She is a nationally recognized strategist who has scaled businesses into market leaders and billion-dollar brands. Kathleen also authored Founderology, a guide for improving workplace dynamics. Kathleen has extensive leadership and operational experience as the former President and COO of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers and executive roles with MasterCard, TGI Friday’s, and the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association.