Speakers

Rick Rosenfield is a former federal prosecutor and defense attorney. He is the co-founder of California Pizza Kitchen, the restaurant brand that helped redefine how America eats pizza and reshaped modern casual dining. Before entering the restaurant business, Rosenfield began his legal career at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, DC, where he worked on cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Courts of Appeals. He later served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, prosecuting major criminal cases, including organized crime matters, before transitioning into private practice representing high-profile clients. In 1985, Rosenfield and his partner, Larry Flax, made the unconventional decision to leave the law field and open the first California Pizza Kitchen in Beverly Hills. What began as a single restaurant grew into a global brand while maintaining a distinctive culinary vision and culture. Rosenfield lives in Palm Beach, Florida, with his wife, Esther. They have three children and two grandchildren.

Sharlene Smith is Chief Operating Officer of Zaxbys, where she unites teams and franchisees around a shared vision for growth, innovation, and exceptional guest experiences. Sharlene oversees 144 corporate restaurants and partners with franchisees to grow the brand spanning over1,000 restaurants in 24 states, building commitment to shared priorities and inspiring focused action system wide. A champion of restaurant modernization, she helps operators see the possibilities of change to enhance the guest experience and expand capacity. With 40 years of restaurant leadership experience at Zaxbys, McDonald’s and Papa John’s, and as a multi-unit franchisee herself, Sharlene pairs an operator’s perspective with a passion for developing people. She builds systems that turn shared goals into consistent execution, stronger training, and a commitment to brand standards. Sharlene holds degrees in business and finance from Towson University and serves on the National Restaurant Association board.

David Bloom's early career in the restaurant and hotel industries included working with and for some of the most iconic brands and leaders in their respective industries where he learned how to strategically accelerate sustainable brand expansion. Having grown up in the restaurant industry in and around NYC, David’s entrepreneurial career began as a large multi-unit franchisee and serving as the SVP of Brand Expansion for Quiznos, growing it from a small regional brand of 18 restaurants to opening over 5,000 locations in 28 countries. Subsequent senior roles included the rapid growth of numerous enterprises including; Clockwork Home Services, Bridge International Academies based in Nairobi, Kenya, Famous Brands International and as President of Office Evolution. Today, David is responsible for all aspects of franchise development and operations for Capriotti’s and scaling a recently acquired fast casual concept Wing Zone to new heights.

Cherryh Cansler is VP of Connect Food, publisher of FastCasual, and co-host of Fast Casual Nation. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star, and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

Amy Hom brings over 25 years of impactful leadership in the restaurant industry and technology innovation space, Amy is currently the COO at Barcelona Wine Bar. Previously, Amy served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief People Officer for Bluestone Lane, where she played a pivotal role in shaping operational strategies and fostering a culture of excellence. Before her tenure at Bluestone Lane, she held the position of Executive Vice President of North American Retail and Kitchens at REEF Technology, where she led transformative initiatives to convert static neighborhood spaces into dynamic community hubs, including building a food safety team, training department, and an operational excellence strategy. With a keen eye for operational efficiency and a passion for nurturing talent, Amy has contributed in key leadership positions at prominent restaurant brands. She served as the Vice President of Operations at sweetgreen, providing operational support to over 100 locations.

If you've laughed at a Tahini's video, stopped scrolling at one of our campaigns, or walked into a restaurant that just felt different, chances are Aly had something to do with it. As co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, he has helped build Tahini's into one of Canada's most recognizable restaurant brands — leading brand strategy, menu innovation, product launches, and the creative vision behind every guest touchpoint, from social media to the in-store experience. Never afraid to challenge the ordinary, Aly believes the best brands don't follow trends — they create them. His passion for storytelling and fearless marketing has built a brand that sparks conversations and creates loyal fans. Behind every bold idea is someone who genuinely cares: known for his kindness, generosity, and infectious energy, Aly leads with the authenticity, humility, and passion that have shaped not only the Tahini's brand, but the culture behind it.

Erin consults across the CapitalSpring Portfolio as a CMO. Erin previously was Chief Marketing Officer for Musuem of Ice Cream. Prior, she was the Vice President of Marketing Technology for Del Taco Restaurants. Recently Erin was awarded Top 25 Future is Female Award by Advertising Week New York as well as in 2002 CMO of the Year and Global MarTech Leader of the Year Awards. Prior to Del Taco, Erin was the CMO for Marcus Hotels & Resorts. Levzow has served as vice president of customer relationship marketing (CRM), loyalty and marketing for Hathway in Austin, Texas, a customer service experience company specializing in helping billion-dollar brands develop mobile-first strategies. Levzow’s extensive marketing and digital experience also includes serving as senior director of digital, social, CRM and e-commerce for Wingstop Restaurants in Dallas, Texas, and serving as vice president of marketing and technology for Freebirds World Burrito, where she oversaw the marketing initiatives for nearly 100 restaurant chains. Levzow began her career at Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas and went on to work for MGM Resorts International and Palms Casino Resort & Palms Place Hotel and Spa.

Angelina Maranon is Vice President of Supply Chain at JINYA Holdings, bringing more than 15 years of hospitality industry experience to the role. Throughout her career, she has led supply chain initiatives focused on optimizing processes, strengthening supplier partnerships, negotiating contracts and improving third-party logistics to support restaurant operations and growth. Prior to joining JINYA, Angelina held executive roles with brands including Grill Concepts, Menchie’s, Pinkberry, Disruptive Restaurant Group, Dine Brands and Sizzler. At JINYA, she works collaboratively across the organization to strengthen supply chain operations and support the company’s continued growth

Kevin O’Connor serves as executive vice president of Chester’s Chicken, bringing extensive experience in leadership, growth strategy and culture development. He previously served as COO at Appletree Answers, guiding the company through 200% revenue growth while building a world-class culture. Kevin began his career at MBNA America and later oversaw HR for over 11,000 employees in North America. At Chester’s, he focuses on driving growth, strengthening company culture and supporting franchisees.

James O’Reilly is the CEO of Latitude Food Group, operator and franchisor of leading regional fast casual brands Tijuana Flats and &pizza.  James is a 10-year Private Equity CEO spanning quick service, casual dining, family dining, and fast casual. James is former Chief Marketing Officer of KFC USA, Sonic Drive-In, Pizza Hut UK, and Einstein Bros Bagels.  James is a multiple recipient of Nations Restaurant News Most Influential CEOs, multiple Great Places to Work, Newsweek Favorite Restaurant Chains, and Fast Casual Top 20 Fast Casual Brands to Watch.  He is a resident of Orlando FL, the home of Latitude Food Group.

Karla Patino is vice president of U.S. marketing and sales for Pollo Campero, where she leads strategies to deepen the brand’s connection with U.S. Hispanic consumers and drive continued growth. With nearly two decades of experience across the U.S. and Latin America, Patino has held marketing leadership roles with Taco Bell, KFC, Burger King, Chipotle and Subway. Before joining Pollo Campero, she served as chief marketing officer for Taco Bell Latin America, leading the brand’s first international artist partnership with Latin music star Myke Towers across 10 countries. She also helped launch Taco Bell in Ecuador and build its marketing team in Brazil.

Peter grew up working in the restaurant industry, waiting tables at 12 years old in Skyline Chilis his family operated. He has done everything from washing dishes to being a line cook, to bartending, to being a store manager. He has spent the last 20 years developing brands and marketing materials across a wide variety of platforms, including live events, TV, radio, print, web, mobile apps, and social media. In 2007, Ray recruited him to help develop the Hot Head Burritos brand, where he now serves as the Vice President of Marketing and IT. He also oversees the operation of 10 Hot Head Burritos locations in the Toledo, Youngstown, Akron, and Cleveland markets. Peter is married with 5 kids, 3 grandchildren, 3 cats, and 2 dogs. He enjoys fine bourbon, wine, camping, and running sound for a local country band in his free time.

After growing her career in restaurant marketing working with larger brands, Liz Worley has been excited to contribute to the growth of Teriyaki Madness over the past 9 years, first as a brand marketing director and then leading all aspects of digital marketing. At the core of this role, Liz supports Teriyaki Madness’ focus on loyalty program growth as a way to increase revenue and guest frequency and also helps manage other digital channels like third-party delivery, Flybuy curbside pickup, kiosk ordering, as well as other technologies to continually reach guests and increase growth.

Kian Yazdi is CEO of Tops Pizza, the British family-founded pizza franchise established by his father in London in 1988. The business now operates nearly 100 locations across the UK. Before joining the company, Kian pursued a professional tennis career after earning a scholarship in the United States, before gaining experience in finance and technology. These experiences shaped a leadership style that combines the discipline of elite sport with commercial thinking and a strong focus on innovation. As a second-generation leader, he is focused on strengthening franchisee relationships, improving operational efficiency, advancing technology capabilities, and building foundations for sustainable growth. Kian brings a practical operator's perspective to discussions on franchising, leadership, and business transformation, balancing innovation with consistency while preserving the values of a family business in a changing market.