Today, we are excited to announce the 2024 fall cohort of the Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) program. The flagship initiative of our Women’s Leadership Programs, WEL is an advanced educational, training, and networking program for owners or co-owners of brick-and-mortar food or beverage businesses in the United States. Each cohort is comprised of 20 participants.
Through the ten-week virtual program and extensive curriculum, participants work to refine and articulate their goals and vision for growth, develop long-term strategies to scale their business(es) and increase revenue, grow as a leader, and create a network of support with each other and the broader WEL community.
The Foundation invests in this group of established women entrepreneurs to ensure there are more successful women-owned businesses and a growing network of female entrepreneurs across the country.
Following completion of the program, participants join a community of WEL alumnae with regular opportunities to connect with each other and the Foundation. Check out our state-by-state directory of WEL alumnae businesses across the country to learn more.
The 2024 fall WEL cohort overview:
- 20 women
- Representing 15 states: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin
- Own 44 units collectively
- Average business revenue in 2023 of over $3.3M; $66.9M collectively
- Employ 22 people on average; 951 collectively
- Have been in business 6 years on average
- Serve an average of 84,793 covers a year; 3.7M covers a year collectively
Read on to get to know our 2024 fall WEL participants!
Susan Bae
Doki Doki Sushi, Doki Doki BBQ, and Moon Rabbit, Washington, D.C.
Susan Bae is the executive pastry chef and partner of Moon Rabbit in Washington, D.C. Bae draws pastry inspiration from nature and pushes the boundaries of ingredients and composition. Before Moon Rabbit, she worked at preeminent restaurants including Lukshon, Michelin-starred Kali, Animal Restaurant Group, and AccorHotels Group. Bae is a 2024 James Beard Award nominee® for Outstanding Pastry Chef. After experiencing much personal tragedy through the loss of her parents and sister, Bae is dedicated to elevating the importance of mental health and meaningful community. She believes in the inherent value of every cook and helps others make their voices heard.
Kelsey Bush
Green Engine Coffee Co. and Bloomsday, Philadelphia, PA
Kelsey Bush is the co-owner and chef of Bloomsday, a female-led neighborhood restaurant, wine bar, and bottle shop; Loretta’s, a cafe slated to open in fall 2024; and Green Engine Coffee Co. In 2015, Bush began her entrepreneurial journey, joining forces with Zach Morris to found Green Engine Coffee Co., a neighborhood coffee shop named Best Coffeehouse by Main Line Today. In 2019, the pair teamed up again to open Bloomsday, which Philadelphia Magazine named Best Wine Bar. Her culinary chops and farming roots are on display across a robust menu that celebrates locality with informal, seasonal dishes.
Ashley Davidson
Kiesling and Milwaukee Caffe, Detroit, MI
Ashley Davidson is a hospitality entrepreneur, creative director, and filmmaker with a background in urban design and luxury marketing. Her work supports community building through design, story, and service. In 2018, she restored a 120-year-old tavern called Kiesling then went on to open a walk-up espresso bar, Milwaukee Caffe, in 2020. She established both businesses in a now-bustling Detroit neighborhood that was lacking a common meeting place. Kiesling won the American Institute of Architects’ award for commercial design, among other accolades since opening. Davidson serves on the board of the Detroit Institute of Art's Film Theater and the Villages Community Development Corporation.
Erica Dunn
The Pheasant and Dunn & Sons Wine, Dennis, MA
Erica Dunn is the owner and operator of The Pheasant and Dunn & Sons Wine. After making the move from New York City, Dunn brought with her a wealth of experience in hospitality, marketing, and branding from her time with prestigious publishers like Architectural Digest, New York Magazine, and Maxim.
Together with her husband, Adam, she manages both The Pheasant and Dunn & Sons Wine, blending her marketing expertise with a deep love of Cape Cod's charm and access to local sustainable food. Dunn’s vision and dedication are at the core of both businesses, creating a welcoming space uniting community, wine, and food.
Jamie Erickson
Poppy’s, Brooklyn, NY
Jamie Erickson is a mother of two, fourth-generation New Yorker, and the sole owner of Poppy’s, a hospitality brand comprised of a catering business, intimate event space, and two cafe-markets.
As the granddaughter of a counterman of East Village’s B&H Dairy, hospitality runs in Erickson’s blood. She began to host at New York City’s top restaurants in high school, working her way through college at The Kitchen, a farm-to-table restaurant in Boulder, Colorado. There, she became fascinated by their focus on seasonality and care for ingredients and later went on to lead events and catering at City Bakery before starting Poppy's.
Erickson has a passion for nourishing people, building community, and developing a workplace that feels sustainable for parents— especially moms.
Caroline Glover
Annette and Traveling Mercies, Denver, CO
Caroline Glover founded her first restaurant, Annette, in 2017 and Traveling Mercies in the fall of 2023. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, she worked at The Spotted Pig then spent several years working on farms in Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Colorado—experiences that continue to inform her cooking. Following multiple James Beard Award nods, Glover won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mountain in 2022. Other accolades include being named Best New Chef by Food & Wine and recognitions for Annette, including Eater Denver’s Editor’s and Reader’s Choice for Restaurant of the Year and Bon Appétit’s Top 50 Best New Restaurants.
Ahu Hettema
Istanbul Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
Ahu Hettema weaves the rich flavors of the Mediterranean with the bounty of the Pacific as co-founder of Istanbul Hawaii, alongside her mother, chef Nili Yildirim.
In 2022, Hettema was honored with the Small Business Association’s Women-Owned Business of Hawaii, acknowledging her support for local farmers and commitment to sustainability. Under her leadership, Istanbul Hawaii has won best Mediterranean, best new restaurant, and best restaurant awards. Hettema believes food is not just sustenance but a way to heal, travel, and understand cultures. Through her culinary artistry, she invites guests to experience the timeless city of Istanbul—nourishing body, mind, and soul.
Julia Kesler-Imerman
Stop Think Chew and Daily Chew, Atlanta, GA
Born Jewish in South Africa and raised in Atlanta, Julia Kesler-Imerman went to neither culinary school nor business school. While a student at New York University, she created her own major focused on entrepreneurship and urban food systems, then worked for Ted Turner’s Captain Planet Foundation, where she specialized in school gardens. Next, she took on private chef gigs, small-scale catering, and eventually meal prep and delivery for a health-conscious clientele and started Stop Think Chew in 2017. Daily Chew is the physical manifestation of Kesler-Imerman's passions and experience in one space. The space is intended to build community around nourishing food that supports one’s body and the planet.
Hilarey Leonard
Leo Annapolis, Lost & Found, and Free State, Annapolis, MD
Throughout Hilary Leonard’s life, she enjoyed working in restaurants. When she met her husband, Brian, who worked for a Washington, D.C. restaurant group, she discovered their shared passion for entertaining. While still holding her full-time job, Leonard helped Brian open their first shared venture, Lost & Found Bar. When they opened Free State two years later, Leonard left her career to help run the businesses. After six years and a pandemic, the couple opened Leo, a farm-to-table restaurant in Annapolis, Maryland. Today, Leonard handles special events, marketing, community outreach, and front of house duties at Leo; she also runs the wine programs at all three locations as sommelier.
Christy McKenzie
Pasture and Plenty, P&P Makeshop, Edible Madison, and Parametric Property Group, Madison, WI
Christy McKenzie is the owner of Pasture and Plenty (P&P), a food business with a specialty market and cafe, demonstration kitchen, catering, events, and a meal kit service. McKenzie is driven by a mission to create and connect community around issues of food equity, access, and agency. P&P gives the community access to healthy, locally sourced meals, and food products and was recognized as a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist® for Outstanding Hospitality. In 2021, she launched the P&P Makeshop, a food business incubator kitchen for POC- and women-run food manufacturing businesses. She is also the owner, publisher, and culinary director for Edible Madison.
Joeleen Medina
Truman House Tavern, North Hills, CA
Joeleen Medina studied at Le Cordon Bleu-Pasadena then embarked on a savory adventure that later evolved into a passion for the sweet. Medina worked under great pastry talents throughout Los Angeles and New York City, then decided to open her own a café, A Sweet Design. She developed her own style of memorable hand-piped designs and earned recognition, including being featured on The Knot’s Best of Weddings list seven years in a row. In 2018, Medina and her husband opened gastropub Truman House Tavern in Downtown San Fernando, which received the United States Chambers of Commerce’s Small Business Award in 2023.
Aniece Meinhold
Mad Phucs Hospitality, Miami, FL
Born in Puerto Rico and infused with a multicultural spirit, Ani Meinhold is passionate about blending creativity and innovation with rich flavors. As the co-founder of Mad Phucs Hospitality, her concepts include the Michelin-awarded Phuc Yea; over-the-counter casual pho concept Pho Sho; and high-volume catering for sports arenas with concepts like Rice & Noods and Hott Chixx. In partnership with chef Cesar Zapata, Meinhold has been a pioneer of the pop-up restaurant movement in Miami since 2011. Meinhold is dedicated to mentoring aspiring hospitality professionals, leveraging her communications skills to connect with the community, and creating a company culture that prioritizes growth and provides a nurturing space for women to thrive and prosper.
Gillian Muralles
Lilac Pâtisserie and Lilac Montecito, Santa Barbara, CA
Gillian Muralles is the co-owner and executive chef of Lilac Pâtisserie and Lilac Montecito. At age 16, Muralles’ diagnosis of celiac disease changed the trajectory of her life, and she vowed to redefine what gluten-free dining could be. She studied baking and pâtisserie at Le Cordon Bleu-Pasadena, where she experienced classic French baking and sought to develop recipes with gluten-free ingredients that meet the same standards of taste, texture, and presentation. After training in some of Los Angeles’ best bakeries, she relocated to Santa Barbara and opened gluten-free bakery/café Lilac Pâtisserie. In early 2024, Muralles expanded the Lilac brand and opened a full-service bistro in Montecito.
Jennifer Park
Diesel Cafe, Bloc Cafe, and Forge Baking Company and Ice Cream, Cambridge, MA
Jennifer Park was born in Northern California but spent the early half of her life in Japan. While she has spent the last 25 years in Massachusetts, she attributes a great deal of her love for food, service, and work philosophy to her Japanese roots. Prior to opening her first cafe, she only had a handful of jobs, which included selling high-end comfort shoes, cleaning the Harvard dormitories, and scooping ice cream. Currently, she focuses her time on the long-term growth of her three businesses, developing staff, thinking about food, and tasting food and drinks.
Celia Pellegrini
Suerte, Este, and Bar Toti, Austin, TX
Celia Pellegrini is the director of operations and partner of Suerte, Este, and Bar Toti in Austin, Texas.
Pellegrini studied hotel and restaurant management and accounting at the University of San Francisco. While living in San Francisco, she worked at Michelin-starred Lazy Bear, natural wine darling Donkey & Goat, and a restaurant consulting company servicing Bay Area restaurants. In 2018, Pellegrini returned to Austin and worked up through the ranks from service manager at Suerte to her current leadership position across all three businesses.
She is also WSET Level 3 certified and acts as the wine director for the restaurant group.
Sara Quinteros
Ampersandwich DC and Shilling Canning Company, Washington, D.C.
Sara Quinteros is the co-owner and chief executive officer of Shilling Canning Company and Ampersandwich DC. Her career in hospitality began at Penn State University, where she first discovered her natural aptitude for navigating the world of restaurants and hotels in the university’s acclaimed hospitality program. While a student, she worked with hospitality companies including Marriott International and Kimpton Hotels. Upon graduation, she became assistant general manager of restaurants for Kimpton Hotels in New York City, which strengthened her hospitality management skills and sparked an interest in nutrition. Motivated to learn more about nutrition and cooking science, Quinteros completed the Culinary Institute of America-Napa Valley’s eight-month accelerated program.
Forough Vakili
Le Bon Nosh, Atlanta, GA
Forough Vakili is the founder of Le Bon Nosh, a restaurant and market in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded on her ethos of building community through food, Vakili created Le Bon Nosh to celebrate the simplicity of good food and authentic hospitality.
Vakili was always drawn to the beauty of simple, seasonal cooking and envisioned her own culinary destination, which she pursued by attending Le Cordon Bleu-Paris. She went on to work at a two-Michelin star restaurant in Brittany, France. Upon returning to Atlanta in 2013, Vakili became the exclusive food operations consultant at Porsche’s North American headquarters, overseeing a fine-dining restaurant, staff canteen, and catering operations.
Stephanie Valencia
Lasita, Los Angeles, CA
Stephanie (Steff) Valencia is co-owner of Lasita, a vibrant Filipino rotisserie and natural wine bar in Chinatown, Los Angeles.
Valencia was introduced to the restaurant world in 2013, when she joined the opening team of LASA, a Filipino-American pop-up-turned-restaurant. As part of front of house, back-end operations, and business development, Valencia developed a love for hospitality. LASA was named Food & Wine’s Restaurant of the Year in 2018 and number 18 on Jonathan Gold’s 101 list, though it closed during the pandemic. Alongside two partners, Valencia opened Lasita in 2021, which quickly earned recognition in The New York Times, Bon Appétit, and The Los Angeles Times.
Michelle Vanderwalker
Kingfisher, Queeny's, and QueenBurger, Durham, NC
Durham-based ceramic artist Michelle Vanderwalker is the co-owner of beloved downtown Durham establishments Kingfisher, Queeny’s, and QueenBurger, which are known for their cocktails, creativity, and community. Vanderwalker and her business partner Sean Umstead opened produce-driven cocktail bar and James Beard Award nominee® Kingfisher in 2019; neighborhood restaurant and bar Queeny’s in 2021; and pandemic-borne concept QueenBurger for ballpark-inspired smash burgers in 2022. Vanderwalker creates all of the ceramic dishware for Queeny’s and Kingfisher, both functional and decorative, as well as the graphics and branding for all concepts. Durham Magazine named Vanderwalker in their 2022 Women of Achievement list.
Corrie Wang
Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ, North Charleston, SC
Corrie Wang is the owner of neighborhood joints Jackrabbit Filly and King BBQ. In her twenties, Wang landed in New York City in the publishing and restaurant worlds, where she met her future husband, chef Shuai Wang. In 2014, the couple moved to Charleston, South Carolina and launched Short Grain food truck, which made Bon Appétit’s 50 Best New Restaurants list, among many accolades. Next, they opened Jackrabbit Filly, serving New Chinese American cuisine alongside quirky cocktails and natural wines, and King BBQ in 2023. Today, Wang is the group’s front of house service manager, interior decorator, wine selector, and harshest food critic.
Applications for the next cohort of WEL will open in January 2025. Learn more about the program and application process here.
Get updates on the program, application deadlines, and related events by signing up for our Industry Support Newsletter.
