The full-service restaurant sector is entering a new phase of growth – and the women leading today’s standout brands are setting the pace. From polished casual and family dining institutions to chef-driven and experiential concepts, executives are redefining how full-service organizations scale, innovate and deliver elevated hospitality in a competitive environment.
This International Women’s Day spotlight highlights the leaders advancing full-service brands across marketing, operations, franchise development, culinary innovation and multi-brand strategy. Across established and emerging growth concepts, these executives are broadening market reach, reinforcing operational foundations and fostering people-centered cultures built for long-term success.
The following full-service restaurant brands, and the women driving their continued evolution, are shaping what’s next for modern hospitality:
Erin Amadeo
Chief Marketing Officer
R&R Brands
Erin Amadeo serves as the CMO of R&R Brands, a newly formed parent company that acts as a franchisor, franchisee and operator for a growing portfolio of restaurant and entertainment brands. With nearly 50 locations across seven states, Erin specializes in blending high-level operational marketing and brand positioning to create strategies for each concept that makes up R&R Brand’s portfolio to help drive measurable results. She also brings a wealth of expertise in franchise development, digital marketing and operational sectors from over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Her primary focus in her new role is to build marketing strategies for all R&R Brand’s concepts that align with brand growth while also producing quality sales results. With a goal to scale each concept and maintain their authenticity, Erin plays a crucial role in elevating each brand through strategic planning. In her previous endeavours, she worked with or led brands like Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, Off the Hook, and Taffer’s Tavern through successful marketing campaigns while also working with celebrity talents such as Drew Brees, Dak Prescott and John Taffer. Wherever Erin has worked, she has fostered a marketing-forward approach to help strategically leverage brands to achieve new levels of brand awareness while maintaining consistent messaging pillars.
Joanne Forrester
President & Chief Operating Officer
Moxies
Joanne was previously at Boston’s Pizza for over 20 years. She began as the Director of Marketing in 1998 and held a variety of positions including VP of Marketing, VP of Operations and Real Estate, and lastly SVP of National Operations. She began as the President and COO of Moxies in 2019. Joanne graduated from Simon Fraiser University in 1995.
Melissa Fry
Chief Marketing Officer
Twin Peaks
Melissa Fry brings over 25 years of restaurant and hospitality marketing experience to her role as Chief Marketing Officer at Twin Peaks. Recognized among Ragan’s Top Women in Marketing 2024, she has built a career developing award-winning campaigns and leading high-performing teams that bring brands to life through experiential dining and large-scale activations. Before joining Twin Peaks, Melissa led national and local marketing strategy for globally recognized restaurant brand Hooters of America, overseeing brand storytelling, field marketing, influencer partnerships, and signature activations such as international pageants and creative collaborations that delivered measurable sales growth. Known for her creative vision, digital expertise, and people-first leadership, she is focused on advancing Twin Peaks’ position as the leader in delivering an unparalleled experiential dining experience.
Kristen Hohl
Executive Vice President of Marketing
SPB Hospitality
Kristen Hohl joined Logan’s Roadhouse in 2018 as a Marketing Manager, marking the beginning of her journey with SPB Hospitality. In 2020, she became SPB’s Marketing Director, followed by a promotion to Senior Director of Marketing in 2022. Demonstrating exceptional skill, leadership and a significant impact on the company’s marketing efforts, Kristen now serves as SPB Hospitality’s Executive Vice President of Marketing. As EVP, Kristen oversees the development and execution of all marketing strategies and initiatives, ensuring all efforts align with SPB’s long-term objectives while providing essential support to franchise partners. She is distinguished by her achievements in driving sales, profit and positive brand awareness through successful marketing campaigns across multiple restaurant industry segments, from QSR to casual-plus and fine dining. Kristen excels at fostering collaboration between marketing and operations cross-functional teams, which has been instrumental in achieving significant and impactful results for the SPB brands.
Jacklyn Mitosinka
Director of Brand Marketing
Polly’s Pies
Jacklyn Mitosinka is a brand strategist, growth-focused marketing executive and third-generation hospitality leader helping shape the future of Polly’s Pies, one of Southern California’s most recognizable restaurant brands. As Director of Brand Marketing for Polly’s Inc., she leads brand strategy, media planning, local store marketing and performance analytics across the company’s multi-unit portfolio, driving measurable ROI through data segmentation, test-and-control modeling, geo-targeted media, loyalty strategy and digital ordering platforms. A granddaughter of founder Eddie Sheldrake, she carries forward the company’s 58-year legacy while modernizing it for the next generation, aligning marketing with operations and finance to increase guest counts, catering revenue, labor efficiency and EBITDA. In addition to her leadership at Polly’s, Jacklyn serves as President of the Southern California KFC Ad Board, representing 189 franchise restaurants and overseeing strategic regional media investment. She is known for building structured, KPI-driven marketing systems that balance creativity with accountability and for advising emerging hospitality brands on scalable, data-driven growth. In addition to her corporate leadership, Jacklyn consults emerging hospitality brands on data-driven marketing strategy and long-term positioning, mentoring smaller operators and building scalable marketing playbooks that bridge creativity and operational excellence. Her work reflects a rare combination of legacy stewardship, performance analytics, and entrepreneurial vision – positioning her as a rising voice in restaurant marketing and multi-unit brand growth.
Dawn Petite
President
BRIX Holdings
Dawn is the President of BRIX Holdings, a Dallas-based multi-brand franchising company specializing in food service chains including Friendly’s, Orange Leaf, Red Mango, and Clean Juice. Dawn began her career at Friendly’s Restaurants as an operations manager and has been with the Friendly’s brand for over 40 years. Currently, she oversees a multi-functional team of employees from BRIX corporate operations to franchise operations and training. Dawn previously worked as the Chief Operating Officer for J&B Restaurant Partners, overseeing operations for the largest franchisee in the Friendly’s organization and multiple beach restaurants, bars, and the Gatsby on the Ocean Catering Hall.
Anne Pritz
Chief Marketing Officer
Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay
Anne Pritz is an innovative, hands-on marketing executive with more than 20 years of experience driving brand growth across publicly traded, privately held and private equity–backed restaurant companies. She currently serves as chief marketing officer of Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay, where she is a key force behind the brand’s strategic growth, nationwide expansion and marketing innovation. Anne has helped redefine how a chef-driven concept scales with purpose and discipline, building scalable marketing systems, franchisee-focused toolkits and go-to-market strategies that translate brand vision into local success while strengthening franchisee partnerships and brand consistency across markets. Anne’s leadership and impact have been widely recognized. She serves on the 2025–2026 Women in Restaurant Leadership Advisory Board and has been named to Nation’s Restaurant News’ Power List and Fast Casual’s Top Movers & Shakers in Restaurant Marketing. She is a featured industry speaker and podcast guest, known for her insights on modern marketing leadership, brand values and the evolving role of the CMO. Prior to Bobby’s Burgers, Anne held senior leadership roles at Tim Hortons USA, Sbarro International and Royal Cup Coffee & Tea, leading brand repositioning efforts and strategies that drove awareness, sales growth, innovation and profitability.
Yasaman Stewart
Senior Director of Marketing
Friendly’s Restaurants
Yasaman Stewart is a dynamic marketing and operations leader with over 25 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality sectors, including a decade in franchising. She kicked off her career at Outback Steakhouse, where she spent 16 years executing events, new store openings and serving as Head Bar Trainer. Yasaman has a proven track record of driving brand growth and profitability through innovative marketing strategies. During her time at Nothing Bundt Cakes, she played a key role in creating co-branded retail products and designing signature cake designs that became brand staples. She has also led major partnerships and experiential activations, including collaborations with the Jonas Brothers, Museum of Ice Cream, and CHAIN at Friendly’s. Her expertise spans brand strategy, product development, and design, with leadership roles at Friendly’s Restaurants, Radiance Holdings, and Nothing Bundt Cakes. She holds a BFA from the University of North Texas and certifications in franchise management and retail design.
Maria Swallie
Director of Off-Premise Business Development
Sunny Street Café
Maria Swallie is a force in the foodservice industry blending innovation, leadership, and family-driven values to shape the future of off-premise dining. As Director of Off-Premise Business Development for Sunny Street Café, Maria has played a vital role in the brand’s growth, expanding it to 22 locations and ensuring its continued success. Since joining Sunny Street Café at its inception in 2007, Maria has worn many hats, from brand developer and nutritionist to menu ideation board member and Catering Director. Her ability to balance strategic growth with operational excellence has positioned the brand as a leader in community-driven hospitality. Being the youngest director in the company’s history reflects her drive, expertise, and ability to deliver results. Maria’s leadership in the catering sector has been especially influential. She spearheaded Sunny Street Café’s off-premise business, expanding catering capabilities and introducing streamlined solutions that have driven incremental revenue. Through her vision, Sunny Street has strengthened its presence in corporate dining, events, and beyond, making the brand a local go-to destination for quality breakfast and lunch catering. Maria’s passion for the industry runs deep, initially rooted in her father’s dream of building a family business. Alongside her two brothers, Maria honors her father’s legacy while creating a path for the next generation of restaurant leaders.
- Courtesy of Champion