National Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Name 2026 Boards

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (Foundation) today announced their 2026 board officers, directors, and trustees.

Mike Axiotis, CEO and president of Lehigh Valley Restaurant Brands, will serve as chair of the National Restaurant Association Board of Directors, and Carrie Leishman, president and CEO of the Delaware Restaurant Association, will serve as chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees.

Vice Chair Jeanne Cretella, co-founder and president of by Landmark, and Treasurer Theodore "Teddy" Balestreri, executive vice president of Hospitality Operations and Community Relations for Cannery Row Company, complete the Association's 2026 Board leadership.

Other Foundation officers include Vice Chair Susannah Ryan, head of sales, National Restaurants for PepsiCo Foodservice, and Treasurer Greg Cocchiarella, vice president of Industry Relations for Ecolab Inc.

"As a cornerstone of American communities, the restaurant industry is a stabilizing force in our economy, with its resilience and strength standing as a benchmark for the nation's overall business landscape," said Michelle Korsmo, President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association and CEO of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. "Mike Axiotis and Carrie Leishman bring deep experience and unrivaled dedication to our industry and the people we serve. Their leadership will guide the Association and Foundation boards to advance and promote the restaurant industry as an economic leader and as a space that brings people together." 

Each of the officers serves a one-year term. Following is the list of 2026 Association and Foundation Board Leadership, along with new Directors and Trustees. 

National Restaurant Association

Chair: Mike Axiotis is CEO and president of Lehigh Valley Restaurant Brands (LVRB). Through tireless hard work, love of the hospitality business and people, and his commitment to excellence, Axiotis worked his way up the ranks at LVRB, eventually being elected as CEO in 2018. Since becoming CEO, he has strategically diversified the business from one brand to multiple major brands, growing revenue through the new business streams. His history in the industry extends back nearly 40 years, starting with his family's restaurant. Axiotis believes his success is an opportunity to give back through impactful community involvement and support of the team members of LVRB.

Vice Chair: Jeanne Cretella is co-founder and president of by Landmark, a multi-faceted company which owns and operates fine dining restaurants, event spaces, and boutique hotels throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Cretella believes strongly in the connections built in the hospitality industry, focusing on creating a business culture based on making memories, and connecting with the communities where their businesses are located through a corporate-giving program, "Help Us Give." She devotes much of her time to supporting education programs and partnerships. She serves on the Foundation Board of Hudson County Community College, is a past Chair of the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association, where she is currently a Board Member, and serves as a Board Member for the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce.

Treasurer: Theodore "Teddy" Balestreri is executive vice president of Hospitality Operations and Community Relations for Cannery Row Company, where he oversees a portfolio of boutique hotels; acclaimed restaurants, including The Sardine Factory and Esteban; and foodservice-based retail. With decades of experience in restaurant and hospitality management, Balestreri has also served as Chairman of the California Restaurant Association and is a past Chair of the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. His leadership extends to numerous industry and community boards, reflecting a deep commitment to advancing hospitality and supporting local initiatives.

Newly elected Association Directors include:

• William Downs, Ford's Garage
• Ellis Winstanley, El Arroyo
• Erin Vranas, Parthenon Gyros
• Harshraj Ghai, Ghai Management Services
• Hugues Labrecque, Golden State Foods
• Jennifer Ray, The Monarch
• Joshua Secrest, Paradox
• Kajal Patel, The Hena Group
• Kelly Lefferts, Bloomin' Brands
• Kevin King, Donatos Pizzeria, LLC
• Marquis Heilig, Lazy Dog Restaurants
• Jane Tidwell, Chick-fil-A, Inc.
• Richard Frank, Lawry's Restaurants, Inc.
• Ronald DiNella, Swensons Drive In Restaurants
• Sharlene Smith, Zaxby's
• Susan Nelson, Dine Brands

National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation

Chair: Carrie Leishman is president and CEO of the Delaware Restaurant Association (DRA) and the Delaware Restaurant Foundation. Leishman is a passionate and fearless advocate for the industry and is credited with strengthening the DRA into one of the most influential business organizations in the state. The DRA created the first industry training for substance abuse awareness and prevention, and for this work, received recognition from the White House in 2018. Leishman grew up in upstate New York and graduated from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

Vice Chair: Susannah Ryan leads National Restaurants for PepsiCo Foodservice. Her team is responsible for developing and executing annual operating plans across all lines of business for PepsiCo's strategic national chain restaurant customers. Ryan has held several sales leadership roles across Foodservice and Retail since joining PepsiCo in 2000. She is also a member of the Women's Foodservice Forum and the Society of Fellows of The Culinary Institute of America. Before joining PepsiCo, Ryan held several sales and customer supply-chain roles with Ralston Purina Co. and Phillip Morris USA.

Treasurer: Greg Cocchiarella is vice president of Industry Relations for Ecolab Inc., where he is responsible for fostering strategic industry association and business relationships across foodservice and hospitality. For more than 35 years at Ecolab, Cocchiarella has been instrumental in supporting the industry through innovative programs and strategic partnerships. He serves in key roles for major industry organizations including the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA), the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the AHLA Foundation (AHLAF), and the International Food Away from Home Association IFMA), advancing education and workforce development initiatives.

New Foundation Trustees include:

• Angela Melton-Fray, Dat Jerk Caribbean Chargrill
• Carlos Bernal, Areas USA, Inc.
• Emily Williams Knight, Ed.D., Texas Restaurant Association
• Jason Wallace, Hospitality Concepts, LLC
• John Horne, Oysters Rock Hospitality
• Melvin Rodrigue, Galatoire's Restaurants
• Sara Quinteros, Cowbell Seafood & Oyster
• Scott Redler, Redler Hospitality, LLC

About the National Restaurant Association

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises more than 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.7 million employees. Together with 52 State Associations, we are a network of professional organizations dedicated to serving every restaurant through advocacy, education, and food safety. We sponsor the industry's largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation

As the supporting philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the NRAEF's charitable mission includes enhancing the industry's training and education, career development, and community engagement efforts. The NRAEF and its programs work to Attract, Empower, and Advance today's and tomorrow's restaurant and foodservice workforce. NRAEF programs include: ProStart® – a high-school career and technical education program; Restaurant Ready/HOPES – Partnering with community based organizations to provide people with skills training and job opportunities; Military – helping military servicemen and women transition their skills to restaurant and foodservice careers; Scholarships – financial assistance for students pursuing restaurant, foodservice and hospitality degrees; and the Restaurant & Hospitality Leadership Center (RHLC) – accredited apprenticeship programs designed to build the careers of service professionals. For more information on the NRAEF, visit ChooseRestaurants.org.

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SOURCE National Restaurant Association