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Robert F Nelson, CAE

Campus Dining: 2030 and Beyond, Thursday, April 9, 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm

Robert Nelson, a Certified Association Executive (CAE), is chief executive officer of the National Association of College & University Food Services, an organization dedicated to promoting excellence in college dining. Prior to NACUFS, Nelson led Nelson Strategic Consulting, a firm focused on strategic problem solving, and creating high impact strategies and governance systems.

Robert also served for almost two decades as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Coffee Association (NCA) of U.S.A. Nelson and his team transformed the association into a strategic thinking entity, resulting in a financially healthy, internationally influential, growing organization, successful at advocating for the industry. During his tenure, he worked with the private sector and governments worldwide to design and facilitate strategy development and strategic problem-solving think tanks to address complex challenges and issues ranging from acrylamide to producer sustainability to small farmer access to credit. In fact, his strategic response to a global economic crisis resulted in a Harvard Business School case study.

While at the NCA, Nelson served as a member of the official United States government delegation to the International Coffee Organization, where he actively participated in multi-lateral negotiations. Further, Nelson sat on Harvard University’s Institute of Politics Global Food Policy Advisory Board and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Executive Seminar on Agribusiness.

Nelson has successfully advocated for businesses interests in front of governments at the local, state, national and international levels for over a quarter of a century. In addition, he has developed successful voter referendum strategies.

For a decade, Nelson served at the Florida Restaurant Association, where he was Senior Director of Government Affairs, Information, and Education. In addition to his executive level positions in association management, Nelson held corporate level management positions with two restaurant chains: York Restaurants of General Mills, Inc. and RAX Restaurants.

He is the recipient of the Colombian Manuel Mejia Medal of Merit and The Mayor’s Award for Distinguished Public Service (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania).

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Dr. Beth McCuskey

Campus Partnerships: The Gateway to Student Success, Tuesday, April 7, 1:15 pm - 2:00 pm

Dr. Beth McCuskey is Vice Provost for Student Life at Purdue University, leading programs, places, and services that integrate with academics to create a transformative residential learning experience. She emphasizes student leadership, arts and culture, and well-being. Dr. McCuskey began her career in student housing and dining at West Virginia University, later serving at the University of Wyoming. She joined Purdue in 2010 to lead Housing and Food Services and became Vice Provost in 2014, embedding a philosophy of “academicizing” across Student Life. She holds a clinical faculty appointment in Purdue Polytechnic and has served as president and foundation board chair for ACUHO-I. Her publications include co-editing Foundations: Strategies for the Future of Collegiate Housing and the forthcoming Handbook of Well-being in Higher Education from Oxford University Press. She is committed to helping students discover the transformative power of their Purdue home.

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Christie Pink

Ritz Carlton Training Session at WashU, Thursday, April 9, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

In her current role as Practice Director at The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center, Christie is a dynamic inspiration behind the implementation and delivery of diverse solutions for clients seeking to create competitive advantage across employee engagement, customer experience and culture transformation.

With over a decade of experience with The Ritz-Carlton and serving as an exemplary brand ambassador throughout her tenure, Christie is a distinguished luminary in the realm of sales and marketing.

Bringing adept problem-solving skills and innovative vision to each client engagement, Christie’s legacy is defined by her masterful ability to cultivate enduring, strategic relationships with a diverse array of stakeholders, while also inspiring teams to consistently exceed their objectives.

Throughout her tenure with The Ritz-Carlton, Christie has been a paragon of exceptional leadership, demonstrating unwavering commitment to the mentorship and development of her team members.

A selection of Christie’s career accomplishments include:

• Achieving record-breaking results across all facets of the scorecard, making an indispensable contribution to the hotel's resounding success.

• Spearheaded all group, transient, and banquet sales activities as the Director of Sales and Marketing at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis.

• Recipient of The Ritz-Carlton Leadership award for Revenue Management, multiple Manager of the Quarter Awards, and Luxury Sales Team Special Achievement Awards.

• Successively trained and mentored future leaders within the organization.

Her academic foundation is rooted in a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Restaurant Administration from Missouri State University.

In addition to her dynamic experience, Christie brings an unparalleled passion for The Ritz-Carlton to each presentation which powers her charismatic, skilled delivery. Christie is a devoted (and extremely skilled) Pickleball player when she’s not traveling and intersecting with clients of The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center.

Creating and Cultivating Gateways to Success

The 2026 NACAS Central CX conference in St. Louis, MO, April 7-9, provides the Central region’s premier exchange of campus-centric ideas, solutions, and connections. Designed and delivered by your own professional peers at WashU, Saint Louis University and Saint Louis Community College. The NACAS Central CX gives you the best opportunity to address your needs, nurture relationships, and easily seek out other campus service leaders that have similar interests, requirements, and visions for how to empower campus communities. Join us as we create “Gateways to Success” in St. Louis, Missouri.

Explore St. Louis and Washington University

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Benjamin M. Perlman, PhD

Benjamin M. Perlman, PhD serves as Assistant Vice President for Student Engagement at Saint Louis University, where he provides executive leadership for residence life, housing, student involvement, orientation, dining, bookstore, and student center operations. He brings more than two decades of experience in higher education administration, including senior leadership roles at Emory University, where he oversaw large-scale student life operations and capital projects. Dr. Perlman has led multimillion-dollar auxiliary enterprises, managed complex RFP and vendor transitions, and guided strategic initiatives focused on student engagement, belonging, and operational excellence. He holds a PhD in Education from the University of Georgia, a M.A. in Higher Ed. Admin from Florida State University, and a bachelor's degree from Emory University.

Robert also served for almost two decades as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Coffee Association (NCA) of U.S.A. Nelson and his team transformed the association into a strategic thinking entity, resulting in a financially healthy, internationally influential, growing organization, successful at advocating for the industry. During his tenure, he worked with the private sector and governments worldwide to design and facilitate strategy development and strategic problem-solving think tanks to address complex challenges and issues ranging from acrylamide to producer sustainability to small farmer access to credit. In fact, his strategic response to a global economic crisis resulted in a Harvard Business School case study.

While at the NCA, Nelson served as a member of the official United States government delegation to the International Coffee Organization, where he actively participated in multi-lateral negotiations. Further, Nelson sat on Harvard University’s Institute of Politics Global Food Policy Advisory Board and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Executive Seminar on Agribusiness.

Nelson has successfully advocated for businesses interests in front of governments at the local, state, national and international levels for over a quarter of a century. In addition, he has developed successful voter referendum strategies.

For a decade, Nelson served at the Florida Restaurant Association, where he was Senior Director of Government Affairs, Information, and Education. In addition to his executive level positions in association management, Nelson held corporate level management positions with two restaurant chains: York Restaurants of General Mills, Inc. and RAX Restaurants.

He is the recipient of the Colombian Manuel Mejia Medal of Merit and The Mayor’s Award for Distinguished Public Service (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania).

CentralSpeakers261-01

Ashawnte Thompson

Ashawnte Thompson serves as Executive Director of Auxiliary Services at Johnson County Community College where he provides leadership for the Bookstore, dining services, and the Hiersteiner Child Development Center. He has worked for JCCC for 13 years and has 20 years of leadership and management experience. Ashawnte currently oversees a 10 million dollar budget and has led the Auxiliary Services team through major construction and remodel projects, multiple system changes, and strategic initiatives to improve processes and operational efficiency. He holds a master's in Organizational Leadership from Colorado Christian University and a bachelor's from the University of Kansas.

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Sojo Alex

Sojo’s background spans over 25 years in the higher education hospitality industry. She is highly experienced in master planning, dining assessments, facility planning, marketing and strategic planning for complex foodservice programs and provide comprehensive support for the firm’s strategic planning work. Sojo is a Professional Member at Foodservice Consultant's Society International (FCSI). Other associations and notable volunteer work include 2019 NACUFS National Conference Task Force, Member-at-large; NACUFS 2020-21 Industry Advisory Task Force, NACUFS 2023-2025 Industry Board of Trustees, FCSI Educational Foundation Foodservice Essentials for Effective Design (FEED) Mentor, (FCSI Board of Trustees, Recipient of the 2024 Daryl Van Hook Industry Award at NACUFS. Sojo resides in Memphis, TN and enjoys restaurant adventures with her family to make up for defeating them at every table tennis game.

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Rachel Bly

Rachel Bly ’93 (she/her/hers) is the Assistant Vice President of Auxiliary Services and has served in the role since 2023. She served as Director of Conference Operations and Events for 17 years prior to this transition. Auxiliary Services coordinates and supports the activities of the College’s dining and catering services, mail services, the Pioneer Bookshop, Event Coordination and Scheduling and the Grinnell College Golf Course. Rachel is thrilled to work with such a great group of seasoned department heads as we serve the campus community in a variety of ways. She especially enjoys the relationship building across campus, the opportunities to work on a variety of projects and programs, and the fact that her days are never dull! Rachel currently serves on the NACAS Central Board as the President-Elect and served on the Planning Committee for the Las Vegas C3X. She appreciates all the opportunities that NACAS has provided! When not on campus you can find Rachel serving on the Grinnell City Council, active in Poweshiek County politics, and serving and volunteering for a number of Grinnell organizations and groups. She can also be found biking around town, spending time trying out new creative outlets, and traveling to complete a sprint triathlon in every state in the US. Rachel has a B.A. in Political Science, Grinnell College; M.P.A., Drake University; Certificate in Emergency Management and Disaster Preparedness, Park University recently completed the Harvard Business School On-line CORE Certification program.

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Mary Larkin Thornton

As Founder and President of the Harvest Table Culinary Group, Mary lives her passion for hospitality and delivering an exceptional experience to each campus served. She has dedicated her career to Higher Education, having served educational institutions of all sizes and types.

Mary’s desire to bring the Harvest Table Culinary Group to life is grounded in her belief that each meal served should be treated with the same care, energy and attention to detail as when hosting guests in your home. That belief has evolved into our company philosophy that bringing students, campuses and communities together to share a meal is a force for good.

Harvest Table Culinary Group embodies Mary's "YES" philosophy – an approach that essentially means that "yes," while it may not be the easiest answer, in most situations it can and should be the right answer. With over 30 years in higher education hospitality and service, Mary is proud that many student workers and managers who began under her tutelage have found success in campus hospitality and beyond, some of whom are part of her today.

Mary holds a B.S. in Political Science from Longwood University. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Independent College Fund of North Carolina and the Longwood University Foundation Board.

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Jermaine Bozier, CPCE

Jermaine comes to the Harvest Table Culinary Group with over 20 years of industry experience. Throughout his tenure with the Company, Bozier has served in many capacities within premium services leadership, and the last eight years as the Premium Services Director at Clemson University. Along with various industry awards and designations, in 2017 Bozier was selected as a Ring of Stars recipient, the organization’s highest honor.

When Jermaine started his career, he was determined to become a museum curator. He soon realized, however, that his focus was on studying what people ate. He started working in higher education hospitality as a freshman in college and earned his Bachelor of Arts in cultural anthropology at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington.

While food service may seem like a far cry from building museum exhibits, Bozier believes the common thread is creating memorable experiences. “Introducing interesting cuisine that is presented in a unique way with the hope of taking a guest on a journey—seems like a modern museum experience to me.” says Jermaine.

As Associate Director of Guest Experience, Jermaine assists with the leadership of onsite Guest Experience Managers and Digital Coordinators with the development, implementation, and measurement of their business plans. He also supports sales growth, market penetration, customer retention, quality image and improved margins and market share.

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Allyson West, RD, LDN

Allyson began her dietetic career as an inpatient clinical registered dietitian. It was when she became Registered Dietitian for Harvest Table Culinary Group at High Point University that she realized she could combine her passion for student wellness advocacy and ingredient transparency. Not long after, she became Harvest Table's first Director of Health and Wellbeing.

In her role, Allyson provides nutrition leadership for all Harvest Table partner accounts, ensuring that all guests, regardless of dietary needs or preferences, can find healthy, clearly labeled options that meet their needs. She helped develop Harvest Table's innovative ingredient transparency platform that provides critical ingredient information on all digital platforms and facilitates accuracy and compliance in food production. She also directs Harvest Table’s approach to allergen-related programs, including training and certification of our team and facilities.

Allyson leads our campus-based registered dietitians in their efforts to engage with students wherever they are on their health journeys, so they can build healthy habits to support their academic and professional endeavors. She creates engaging educational pop-ups and events for groups, including student activities, wellness clinics and athletics, in collaboration with student groups to reach as broad a campus audience as possible.

Allyson earned bachelor’s degrees from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Contemporary Dance and from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Human Nutrition and Dietetics. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Management in Food and Nutrition Systems and the Food and Culinary Professionals Group. She received the 2023 Best Allergy Champion for Universities Award from MenuTrinfo^®, a leading expert in food allergy training and certification. Allyson currently sits on the Food Allergy Food Service Advisory Council (FAFSAC) with the Food Allergy Research & Education Organization (FARE^®) as well as the 2025 Celiac Disease College Guidelines Summit by the Celiac Disease Foundation^®.

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Carrie Ryan, MBA, CASP

Carrie Ryan serves as Assistant Vice President for Auxiliary Services at Elon University, providing strategic leadership for a broad auxiliary portfolio that supports the academic and co-curricular mission of the university, including dining, bookstore, hotel operations, vending, laundry, mail and print services, trademarks and licensing, and other auxiliary programs. With more than 23 years of experience in higher education, she leads complex auxiliary operations through close collaboration with internal campus partners and external service partners. Carrie is committed to advancing institutional goals through collaborative leadership, continuous improvement, and aligned partnerships that deliver innovative, effective, connected auxiliary operations, drive revenue, enhance the student and guest experience, and support university priorities. She holds a BA in Psychology and an MBA from Elon University, is a Certified Auxiliary Services Professional (CASP), and has completed Cornell University certificates in Hospitality Management 360 and Restaurant Revenue Management. She is an active member and leader within NACAS and other national higher education associations.

Jamie Hodgson

Jamie Hodgson

Jamie Hodgson is a seasoned hospitality and technology leader with more than 20 years of experience across operations in hotels, stadiums, and complex foodservice environments. With a deep understanding of day-to-day operations, Jamie brings a practical, customer-first mindset to technology strategy. Over the past eight years, he has led SaaS sales organizations and currently serves as Vice President overseeing Higher Education and key vertical markets. Jamie is focused on ensuring customers are equipped with the right solutions to support operational excellence and long-term success. He resides in Green Bay with his wife and has three grown children.

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Dr. Ashton Cleveland

Dr. Ashton Cleveland is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Lincoln University of Missouri, where he oversees auxiliary services, enrollment management, information technology, facilities, advancement, and government relations. He works to align institutional operations with strategic priorities, enhance the student experience, and support long-term sustainability.

Previously serving at the University of California San Diego, Dr. Cleveland brings a student-centered perspective to operational leadership. His work focuses on positioning auxiliary services as strategic assets that shape campus culture, strengthen institutional brand, and support student success.

He holds a law degree as well as a doctorate in higher education leadership, and is actively engaged in national conversations on auxiliary services and institutional effectiveness.

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Dr. Tyler Page

Dr. Tyler Page serves as Senior Director of Student Affairs at the University of Missouri, where he provides strategic leadership for university housing and related student services. In this role, he oversees a large residential portfolio, supporting thousands of students across multiple facilities while focusing on enhancing the student living experience, maintaining strong occupancy, and contributing to student retention and success.

Tyler’s work centers on aligning housing operations with broader institutional priorities, including student engagement, financial sustainability, and capital planning. He has led initiatives that strengthen residential communities, improve operational effectiveness, and support long-term infrastructure stewardship.

He is particularly interested in the role of auxiliary services as strategic infrastructure that shapes student experience, supports enrollment outcomes, and reinforces institutional mission.

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David Harr

David Harr is an operations and hospitality leader with over 30 years of experience managing enterprises across higher education, hospitality, and auxiliary services. At the University of Notre Dame, he shaped campus operations through strategic leadership of a diverse portfolio, including campus dining and retail outlets, athletic concessions and premium clubs, hotel and conference services, bookstore, licensing, on-campus cemetery, landscaping, and facilities. During his tenure at Notre Dame, David applied innovative approaches to ensure high standards of service and operational excellence while improving efficiency and enhancing campus experiences.

Today, he advises organizations through his consulting practice QZ Consulting LLC, helping University and business leaders strengthen strategy, operations, and long-term performance.

David holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and a BS in Management from Bloomsburg University.

Kyle Linback

Kyle brings over 25 years of hospitality experience to his role as Director of Dining Operations at Purdue University, where he has helped lead one of the nation's largest campus dining programs.

During his five years at Purdue, Kyle transformed an hourly staff hiring process that once took over a month into one that moves from application to first day of work in as little as 5-7 days, driving a 75% reduction in chronic full-time vacancies. In an industry where 90-day hiring timelines are common, Kyle's team is winning the race for top talent.

Purdue Dining is made up of a dedicated team of 240 full-time staff, 90 temporary employees, and approximately 1,000 student workers who together serve more than 5 million meals each year to over 17,000 meal plan holders. Purdue Dining consists of five all-you-care-to-eat dining courts and multiple on-the-go locations.

Kyle published an article titled The Dining Application Marathon in Campus Dining Today, the official magazine of NACUFS, and most recently presented at the Spirit of Hospitality Summit at Purdue University. He holds a master's degree in Nonprofit Management, a graduate certificate in Human Resources, and the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification from HRCI.

Robots are coming, but they haven't taken over yet. If your operation has more open roles than you'd like to admit, come learn how to turn the tide and get great people in the door fast.

Tiffany De La Roche

Tiffany De La Roche is an accomplished professional with two decades of extensive experience in operations, currently serving as the Director for Campus Dining Operations. Tiffany has honed her skills over the years, demonstrating a strong foundation in financial management and strategic planning. With a robust background encompassing five years of senior accounting experience, and 20+ years in operations, Tiffany has played a pivotal role in ensuring the fiscal health and efficiency of various organizations.

Beyond financial management, Tiffany has dedicated over a decade to supporting and developing staff and operations. Her leadership has been instrumental in fostering a positive work culture and achieving operational excellence. Tiffany's commitment to staff growth and empowerment has resulted in high-performing teams and enhanced overall organizational effectiveness. Her multifaceted expertise, coupled with a passion for operational excellence, positions her as a valuable asset in the field of business and management.

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Jeff Tolke

Over 40 years in business, Jeff Tolke has brought new technology to market. From Agricultural production methods, to Chemical handling systems, to consumer packaged goods, Jeff has launched new technologies to improve productivity, safety, and Sustainability. As CEO of Compaction Technologies, Inc., Jeff leads the creation of waste handling automation technology deployed in over 1,200 Quick Service and Fast Casual restaurants, 200 hospitals, and dozens of Colleges, Airports, Shopping Malls, and Office buildings. He’s a certified LEAN Leader, certified Youth Sport Coach, and serves on multiple Boards. He lives in suburban St. Paul, MN with his wife of 37 years.

Rebecca Miller

Rebecca is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Board Specialist in Sports Dietitian. Rebecca earned her Master’s in Public Health degree from Tulane University in New Orleans. Her career in dietetics has included outpatient and community nutrition through a hospital-owned fitness center and cardiac rehab facility as well as research and program implementation with LSU’s health sciences research division. Rebecca has provided nutrition expertise on local news and radio platforms and authored nutrition articles for publication in Louisiana’s Health & Fitness Magazine.

Rebecca is currently the Director for Dining’s Nutrition Services at WashU. She has been with the university for over 6 years and leads the nutrition team within dining services. Rebecca works closely with students, parents, campus partners, and food services providers to evaluate and improve nutrition and dining services to students throughout campus. In her role she supports students with various dietary needs as well as students with eating disorders and performance nutrition.

Jennifer Paiotti, CASP

Jennifer Paiotti is the Associate Director of Auxiliary Services at Xavier University, where she leads a broad portfolio of auxiliary operations and partnerships focused on enhancing the campus experience and driving revenue. With expertise in business operations, customer experience, strategic partnerships, organizational leadership, and revenue generation, she brings a practical, forward-thinking perspective to higher education. Jennifer holds an MBA from Xavier University, a BA from Northern Kentucky University, and the CASP designation through NACAS. She is currently a Doctor of Business Administration candidate at Capella University and is committed to advancing the future of auxiliary services through strong leadership, operational excellence, and strategic growth.

Christine Coughlin

Christine Coughlin is a coordinator with Food Service Innovation at Humane World for Animals, where she works with a team of chefs and dieticians to help institutions add delicious, nutritious, plant-based options to menus. In this role she has had the pleasure of collaborating with culinarians at some of the country’s largest self-operated K-12 school districts and universities as well as food service management companies, and the team’s work has been featured in media outlets like The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and CNN. Prior to this, she worked as a lobbyist for two decades, including serving as the Minnesota state director for Humane World for Animals. She is a seasoned public speaker who enjoys bringing practical and inspirational content to audiences.

Chef Mohamed Alqamoussi, C.C., C.P.C., C.N.S.

Chef Mohamed Alqamoussi is a passionate culinary professional with more than eight years of experience in the industry and a deep commitment to plant-based nutrition. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts along with multiple certifications, including Certified Nutrition Specialist and Certified Culinarian. Currently serving as a Senior Culinary Specialist with Humane World for Animals, Mohamed develops innovative plant-based programs for institutional food services, helping schools, universities, and organizations create healthier, more sustainable menus.

His journey into plant-based living began during his time at Disney’s Culinary Program, where adopting a plant-based diet became a transformative experience that shaped both his career and personal philosophy. Since then, Mohamed has combined his love for cooking with his dedication to health, sustainability, and animal welfare, making plant-based cuisine approachable, exciting, and impactful.

Mohamed is recognized for his leadership and creativity, having led numerous live and virtual cooking demonstrations, trained institutional culinary teams across the country, and judged multiple plant-based culinary competitions. His work has been featured in outlets such as All Animals Magazine, VegNews, and CBS News. Beyond the kitchen, he connects with his community through educational webinars and interactive demos, inspiring others to embrace nutritious, plant-based meals that create lasting change in the culinary world.

John Buck

Appointed Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students in 2018, Buck provides leadership for all functional areas of student affairs, works closely with campus student leaders, develops student life policies and procedures and consults with colleagues throughout Webster’s international campuses.

Buck's responsibilities include Campus Dining Services, Career Planning and Development Center, Counseling and Life Development, Dean of Students Office, First-Year Experience Program, Housing and Residential Life, Multicultural Center and International Student Affairs, Office of Student Engagement, Student Health Services, Student Conduct and the University Center.

As an Adjunct Full Professor at Webster, Buck has taught courses on leadership thought and theory for undergraduate and graduate students. His research interests include decision making in crisis situations occurring on college campuses, which was the focus of his dissertation. Buck is also a long-time faculty member for the Foundation for Teaching Economics “Economics for Leaders” program.

Buck holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Colorado State University, a master’s degree in Management and Leadership, and a doctorate in Management (D.Mgt), both from Webster. He is also a 2014 graduate Webster University’s Global Leadership Academy.

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Connor Leahy

Connor Leahy is a Senior Consultant at JGL Consultants, a foodservice management advisory consultancy serving the higher-ed sector. Connor has led nearly all of JGL’s higher-ed work over the past five years and has been a key driver in the firm’s growth. Connor’s approaches each project looking to balance operational requirements, financial results, and student experience to build the best dining program possible. Connor is a regular attendee and presenter at NACAS conferences.

Rachael Amick

Bio Coming Soon.

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Shabnam Islam

Shabnam Islam is the Academic Director at Greener by Default, where she works at the intersection of higher education, sustainability, and behavioral science. With a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy and a Master's in Kinesiology, her background blends public health promotion with systemic policy change. Drawing on more than a decade of experience as an adjunct professor, Shabnam brings an insider’s understanding of the university landscape to her role at GBD. She leverages this expertise to empower campuses to implement delicious, plant-forward menus that improve student health and achieve institutional sustainability goals.

John Monica

John Monica serves as Vice President of Partnership Strategies and Solutions at Sodexo. John’s start in the industry began while he was in college as a student manager and moved into a full-time management position after graduation from Tusculum University in Tennessee. Since joining Sodexo in 2000, he has served in multiple positions, working in the universities segment as a General Manager and quickly moving into a District Manager position for the Louisiana and Texas markets. In 2011 John decided to take his talents to the Business Development side of the industry becoming the Senior Director of Retention for the Western United States. After great success, in 2018 he was promoted to Vice President of Retention for the Western US and Canada. He has since served as Vice President of Retention for the Southeastern US and now serves as the Vice President for Partnership Strategies & Solutions for the entire US portfolio. In his current role, he works with his team of 8 to assist the operating teams and client partners in identifying innovative solutions to ensure continued student satisfaction, continual community engagement and creative financial solutions.

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Jim Dwyer

Jim Dwyer, Vice Chancellor for University Business Services at Washington University in St. Louis, is responsible for the strategic direction and operational oversight of WashU’s auxiliary enterprises and service centers.

Dwyer previously served as Assistant Vice President for auxiliary business services at Arizona State University. In that role he has overseen strategy, operations, fiscal planning and compliance for a wide variety of university services.

Accommodations

The Knight Center at Washington University in St. Louis offers a perfect balance of collegiate charm and modern sophistication, making it an ideal home for the 2026 NACAS Central CX. Located in the heart of the university’s campus, this recently renovated venue features elegant guest rooms, inviting dining options, and state-of-the-art meeting spaces designed to inspire learning and connection. Attendees will enjoy the convenience of staying on-site while experiencing the vibrant academic atmosphere that defines Washington University.

Room Rates are $174 per night, upon registration you will receive an email with the link to book your stay at the group rate.

Explore the Knight Center (Group Rate Deadline Passed)

The Element St. Louis - Midtown (Group Rate Deadline Passed)

See hotel information

Additionally the NACAS conference committee has added:

The St. Louis Aloft* (Group Rate Deadline Passed)

See hotel information

*Shuttle service is not provided from the Aloft hotel, please check updates one the conference website one week prior to the conference on parking accommodations at WashU, SLU and STLCC if you are selecting the Aloft. All conference events will have parking available.

Member Full

Conference

Rate: $375

Non-Member Full

Conference

Rate: $450

Day Pass

April 7

Rate: $200

Day Pass

April 8

Rate: $200

Day Pass

April 9

Rate: $300

Diamond

$5,000

Sponsorship includes:

Sponsorship of one (1) marquee conference event
30 minutes flash session
Four (4) conference registrations
Recognition in conference signage and program
Listing on NACAS Central website
Premium booth location (if also registered for Business Partner Showcase)

Platinum

$3,000

Sponsorship includes:

Sponsorship of one (1) higher profile conference event
Three (3) conference registrations
Recognition in conference signage and program
Listing on NACAS Central website
Enhanced booth location (if also registered for Business Partner Showcase)

Gold

$2,000

Sponsorship includes:
Sponsorship of one (1) conference event
Two (2) conference registrations
Recognition in conference signage and program
Listing on NACAS Central website

Silver

$1,000

Sponsorship of one (1) conference item or giveaway
One (1) conference registration
Recognition in conference signage and program
Listing on NACAS Central website

Tuesday, April 7

6:00 am – 6:30 am

Morning Walk at WashU

Knight Center Oval lobby 3rd floor

8:30 am – 5:00 pm

Registration

2nd Floor of the Knight Center balcony

10:00 am – 12:30 pm

WashU Dining Tour & Lunch

Progressive lunch tour, meet at Knight Center Oval lobby 3rd floor

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Welcome & Keynote Speaker

Knight Center room 200

Campus Partnerships: The Gateway to Student Success by Dr. Beth McCuskey

1:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Hospitality table

Knight Center 2nd floor balcony

2:15 pm – 3:00 pm

The Guest Experience is Our Superpower - presented by Harvest Table Culinary Group

Knight Center room 200

Our campuses share a strong focus on community impact and relationship-driven service models. This session showcases Elon University and Harvest Table Culinary Group’s proven ability to enhance guest experience as a transformational driver across campus a superpower. Presenters will share how our commitment to engagement, transparency, and personalized experiences—along with a strong emphasis on health, wellbeing, and culinary inclusivity—creates measurable value for students and the campus community. By prioritizing nutritious choices, supporting overall wellness, and ensuring that diverse dietary needs and cultural traditions are respected, Elon University and Harvest Table foster a welcoming atmosphere where every guest feels valued and supported. Elon University will highlight practical examples of collaboration—from menu innovation and inclusive dining options to engagement platforms, feedback loops, and wellness initiatives—that can be replicated across the region. Attendees will leave with actionable tools, region-specific insights, and renewed inspiration to enhance hospitality and wellbeing within their own programs.

Speakers

Carrie Ryan, Assistant Vice President for Auxiliary Services, Elon University
Mary Thornton, Founder and President, Harvest Table Culinary Group
Jermaine Bozier, Associate Director of Guest Experience, Harvest Table Culinary Group
Allyson West, RD, LDN, Director of Health and Wellbeing, Harvest Table Culinary Group

2:15 pm – 3:00 pm

When Parking Meets Innovation: AI, ALPR, and Robots Transforming Xavier University - presented by Xavier University campus partners

Knight Center room 201

Discover how Xavier University turned one of the most historically challenging campus operations—parking—into a strategic, data-driven success story. This session walks through Xavier’s transformation from fragmented processes and labor shortages to a fully modernized mobility system powered by ALPR, AI, and autonomous robotics. Learn how automation increased enforcement coverage by 260%, reduced administrative workload by 70%, and generated a 242% revenue lift in just nine months, all while improving customer experience and operational consistency. Attendees will gain practical insights on change management, vendor partnerships, staffing impacts, financial modeling, and how robotics can scale beyond enforcement to support campus logistics, delivery, and student services. Whether you’re ready to deploy automation or just exploring what’s possible, this session provides a real-world roadmap for innovating auxiliary services with confidence.

Speaker

Jennifer Paiotti, Associate Director, Auxiliary Services

3:15 pm - 4:00 pm

Real-world strategies to achieve staff and student excitement for new menu offerings - presented by Humane World for Animals/Forward Food Collaborative

Knight Center room – 200

As demand for plant-based meals continues to grow, college and university dining programs are uniquely positioned to lead meaningful, scalable changes that benefit students, operations, and sustainability goals.

This session will explore proven strategies for increasing the adoption and success of plant-based meals in higher education dining. Drawing on real-world examples from colleges and universities across the country, Chef Mohamed Alqamoussi will share how food service teams have successfully incorporated elevated plant-based dishes that appeal to all diners—not just those seeking plant-based options.

Through an interview-style conversation, participants will learn how to make plant-based food the star of the menu by focusing on flavor, presentation, and confidence behind the line. The session will highlight practical approaches to staff training, recipe development, culinary competitions, and hands-on education that empower teams to work comfortably with plant-based proteins. Attendees will also see examples of successful trainings, webinars, and campus partnerships that led to high participation and strong student engagement.

In addition, Christine Coughlin will share how campuses can access available resources, trainings, and technical support, including how to engage with the organization’s menu of services, goal-setting opportunities, and ongoing support for dining teams.

Attendees will leave with concrete ideas, real examples, and actionable strategies they can immediately apply to strengthen plant-based dining on their campuses.

Speakers

Christine Coughlin, Food Service Innovation Coordinator, Humane World for Animals
Mohamed Alqamoussi, Senior Culinary Specialist, Humane World for Animals

3:15 pm - 4:00 pm

Elevating Auxiliary Services as a Strategic Brand: Aligning Operations, Student Engagement, and Community Partnerships – presented by Lincoln University and University of Missouri, Columbia campus partners

Knight Center room 201

Auxiliary services play a critical role in shaping institutional identity, strengthening student engagement, and building meaningful connections between campuses and their surrounding communities. When aligned with institutional mission, culture, and strategic priorities, auxiliaries become powerful drivers of brand recognition, student success, and community partnership.

This session brings together executive and student affairs leadership perspectives from Lincoln University of Missouri and the University of Missouri to explore how auxiliary operations can be elevated from transactional services to strategic assets that enhance institutional brand and community engagement. Presenters will share how intentional alignment between operations, student experience, and institutional messaging creates a cohesive campus culture while reinforcing institutional values and visibility.

Participants will gain insight into how collaborative leadership across divisions strengthens student engagement, fosters campus pride, and builds trust with external partners. The session will highlight practical strategies for aligning auxiliary services with institutional priorities, leveraging auxiliary touchpoints to reinforce brand identity, and building partnerships that extend impact beyond campus.

Through real world examples and leadership level perspectives, attendees will leave with actionable approaches to positioning auxiliary services as essential contributors to institutional strategy, student success, and community connection. This session is ideal for auxiliary leaders, student affairs professionals, and senior administrators seeking to strengthen alignment, elevate auxiliary impact, and enhance institutional brand through purposeful engagement.

Speakers

Ashton Cleveland, J.D., Ed.D., Executive Vice President/ Chief Operating Officer, Lincoln University of Missouri
Tyler Page, Ph.D., Senior Director, University of Columbia, Missouri (Mizzou)

4:15 pm – 5:00 pm

AI-Powered Personalization & Preference-Driven Campus Dining – presented by Agilysys Inc and campus partners

Knight Center Board Room- 2nd floor

“Preference-driven dining” is rapidly becoming a strategic priority for higher education, with 58% of foodservice campus executives citing experience as central to student expectations. This session explores how AI translates individual student preferences—from how they order and pay for food services, to dietary needs and wellness considerations—into personalized recommendations, allergen-smart menus, and location-based promotions. We’ll also examine how AI helps campus foodservice operators overcome resource and modernization barriers by improving forecasting, procurement, and operational efficiency. Attendees will learn how preference-driven driven by AI strengthens student satisfaction, optimizes campus staff operations and creates a competitive differentiator for institutions.

Presented by Agilysys

4:15 pm – 5:00 pm

BP Flash Session sponsored by Aramark

Knight Center room 201

5:15 pm – 6:00 pm

Anchors Away (First Timers Event)

Knight Center room 201

Meet NACAS representatives that will give you a glimpse into opportunities at our regional and get Anchored in what the “World of NACAS” has to offer YOU!

6:15 pm – 7:15 pm

Shuttle from Knight Center/Element to Missouri History Museum

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Opening Reception

The Missouri History Museum

8:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Shuttle from Missouri History Museum to KC/Element

9:30 pm – 11:00 pm

Networking Mixer at the Emba Pub

Knight Center 4th floor

Wednesday, April 8

ALL Events beginning at 7:30 am at Saint Louis University (SLU)**

6:00 am – 6:30 am

Morning Walk at WashU

Knight Center Oval lobby, 3rd floor

7:00 am – 9:00 am

Shuttles from Knight Center to Saint Louis University

Grand Hall drop off

7:30 am – 12:00 pm

Registration at SLU Grand Hall

Grand Hall Courtyard

7:00 am – 8:30 am

AYCTE Breakfast

Grand Hall Dining room

7:30 am – 10:30 am

Continental breakfast at Busch Auditorium

Front lobby of the Anheuser-Busch Auditorium at the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business in Cook Hall

8:15 am - 9:00 am

BP Flash Session: The Art of the Ask: Constructing the Modern RFP for Plant-Rich Dining Panel discussion - presented by Greener by Default and campus partners

Anheuser-Busch Auditorium at the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business in Cook Hall

Writing an RFP is easy, writing one that actually delivers student satisfaction, financial results, and sustainability is a balancing act. Join Jim Dwyer, Vice Chancellor for University Business Services (WashU) and John Monica, Vice President Strategic Partnerships (Sodexo) for a candid look "behind the curtain" of a major dining solicitation. We will deconstruct the disconnects between what universities say they want and what their contracts really deliver.

Moderated by Dr. Shabnam Islam (Academic Director at Greener By Default), this dialogue aims to bridge the gap between the "Buyer" (WashU) and the "Provider" (Sodexo) with the missing piece: behavioral science. We will reveal how specific RFP clauses like ‘default plant-based catering’ and ‘integrated station design’ can resolve the operational conflict of driving student satisfaction and managing food costs, while seamlessly achieving climate goals as a byproduct. We invite attendees to bring their toughest contract challenges, as we will be workshopping solutions live with our panel of experts.

Speakers

James Dwyer, Vice Chancellor for University Business Services, Washington University in St. Louis
John Monica, Vice President Strategic Partnerships at Sodexo
Shabnam Islam, Academic Director at Greener By Default

9:15 am - 10:15 am

Reimagining the Auxiliary Enterprise: A New Reality hosted by Envisions a higher-ed panel from SLU, JCCC, Grinnell College and Northwestern University

Anheuser-Busch Auditorium at the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business in Cook Hall

Higher education is experiencing significant disruption due to shifts in the political landscape. Funding cuts are impacting public institutions, private colleges, and Ivy League universities alike, creating new financial realities that are already being felt across campuses. As major revenue generators, auxiliary services are facing increasing pressure to adapt. Hiring freezes, halted construction schedules, and growing expectations to generate additional revenue have placed auxiliaries at the forefront of institutional change.

This session will bring together a distinguished panel from the Northwestern U, Purdue U, Johnson County Community College, Saint Louis U, Grinnell College to discuss the impacts of these changes on their institutions and how they are strategically responding. Panelists will share insights into the specific challenges they are encountering, including workforce management issues, shifting operational priorities, and the need for not just greater financial self-sufficiency, but for the ability to assist the greater university community.

Attendees will learn how these institutions are proactively re-strategizing their auxiliary services, with a focus on innovative revenue strategies, efficiency improvements, and the reimagining of dining services to meet new demands while maintaining student satisfaction. The panel will also explore how auxiliary units collaborate more closely with academic and administrative stakeholders to align with broader institutional goals during this period of transition.

Panel Members:

John Eckman – Assistant Vice Provost for Student Life, Purdue University
Ben Perlman – Assistant Vice President, Student Engagement, Saint Louis University
Ashwante Thompson – Executive Director, Auxiliary Services, Johnson County Community College
Rachel Bly – Assistant Vice President for Auxiliary Services, Grinnell College
Jeremy Schnek - Associate Vice President for Operations and Services, Northwestern University

10:30 am - 11:15 am

Listening at Scale: How Student Feedback Is Driving Dining Innovation hosted by Upgrade Dining a student panel discussion

Anheuser-Busch Auditorium at the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business in Cook Hall

Campus dining teams hear a consistent message from students: sustainability matters, and many students say they want more plant-forward options. At the same time, translating those stated preferences into menu changes that perform well in practice can be challenging. What students say they value does not always align neatly with what they choose day to day, particularly when it comes to plant-forward dining.

Developed in partnership with Purdue University and anchored in NACAS NextGen Dining, this interactive session explores how large-scale, student-centered data can help dining teams better align student values with real dining behavior. The session will share findings from an innovative nationwide student survey on campus dining and plant-forward food, designed to capture not only preferences, but the conditions that drive satisfaction, trust, and engagement.

Purdue University dining leadership and a Purdue student representative will jointly spotlight Purdue’s survey results and discuss how student insights are being applied in practice—informing menu strategy, communication, piloting, and implementation on campus. The discussion will highlight how dining teams and students are working together to test ideas, reduce friction, and build support for plant-forward options while maintaining choice.

The session emphasizes application. Attendees will preview practical resources in development, including a plant-forward menu ordering guide being designed with Foodbuy and a chef spotlight series featuring plant-forward recipes that resonate with students. Live polling and a facilitated activity will allow participants to reflect on their own campus experiences and brainstorm strategies with peers and students. Upgrade Dining student consultants will support the interactive components.

Attendees will leave with actionable insights, adaptable tools, and clearer methods for aligning student values, menu performance, and satisfaction in campus dining.

Speakers

Navin Durbhakula, CEO, Upgrade Dining
John Eckman, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Life, Purdue University and/or Ashley Sarjent, Director of Culinary Operations & Strategic Sourcing, Purdue University
Student Voice, Purdue University

10:30 am - 11:15 am

The Campus Store Showdown: A Lively Debate Around Self-Op vs. Partner Operated presented by The Pioneer Shop at Grinnell College and VitalSource

Busch Student Center Room 351

Campus store leaders face growing pressure from rising costs and shrinking margins to changing student expectations and increasing operational complexity. One of the biggest strategic decisions a campus can make is whether to remain self-operated or partner with an outsourced provider.

In this lively, moderated debate, experienced campus retail leaders will represent all sides of the conversation - sharing the real benefits, challenges, and tradeoffs of each model. Through candid discussion, real examples, and audience participation, attendees will gain a clearer framework for evaluating models. This is not “who’s right,” it’s “what’s right” for your campus, culture, and goals.

Speakers

Cassie Wherry, Bookstore Manager, Grinnell College
Julie Stillman, Senior Auxiliary Manager, STLCC

Moderated by Jaye Lynn Bergers VitalSource

10:30 am - 11:15 am

Educational Session

Busch Student Center Room 352

10:30 am - 11:15 am

How to Build an Award-Winning Nutrition Program” - presented by WashU Dining Services

Busch Student Center Room 353

As an award winning nutrition team over the last 4 years, we would like to share our experience and knowledge gained without other universities so they may be able to apply our program development strategies as well as award submission insights into their campus programs. Part of our nutrition program recognition has been built upon our continued growth and improvement-mindset to enhance the student/guest experience, advocated and received support for increase in staffing, and an integrated nutrition program throughout campus with close ties to campus partnerships.

Speaker

Rebecca Miller, WashU, Director for Dining Nutrition Services

11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Self-guided tour of Samuel Cupples Home

Center Campus

11:30 am – 12:00 pm

Tour of SLU campus and auxiliary service areas

From Cook Hall to Busch Student Center

11:30 am - 12:00 pm

Educational Session

Busch Student Center Room 351

11:30 am - 12:00 pm

Recipe for Success: How a Failed RFP Process Helped Turn Webster University's Dining Program Around - presented by JGL Consultants

Busch Student Center Room 353

Webster University has a somewhat unique experience with dining RFPs. After determining the need to go out to bid, Webster failed to solicit any worthy proposals from a self-managed process in the ’23-’24 academic year. Webster retained JGL Consultants to re-launch the process this past academic year, with dramatically better results. In this presentation, Webster and JGL will explore various snapshots of the two RFP processes and aim to identify the differences which led to a successful contract award.

With the previous unsuccessful RFP in mind, JGL and Webster undertook a comprehensive re-launch of the bidder search. Fact-finding on the prior RFP’s failure and extensive discussions with Webster stakeholders informed how best to re-launch the RFP process to gain more bidder interest. This was combined with Webster’s twin desires to improve the student experience while maintaining financial sustainability of its dining program. We will examine various snapshots throughout the follow-up RFP process to illustrate how goals were identified and communicated to bidders, how Webster undertook its decision-making process, and how Webster went about transitioning to a new dining provider.

While the RFP process has concluded, this was just the first step in an important journey for Webster’s dining vision. We will conclude by looking at Webster’s overall strategic plan, what part its dining program will play in its success, and how it will look to iterate on a constantly changing, rather than static, program, to meet its evolving needs.

Speakers

Tracy Lawler, President at JGL Consultants
Connor Leahy, Senior Consultant at JGL Consultants
John Buck, AVP for Student Affairs & Dean of Students at Webster University
Rachael Amick, Director of Housing & Residential Life at Webster University

11:30 am - 12:00 pm

Practicing Partnership Conversations: A Guided Experience for Campus & Business Partner Leaders presented by City of Hospitality Group

Busch Student Center Room 352

Strong campus partnerships aren’t built in quarterly reviews—they’re shaped in everyday conversations between campus leaders and business partners. Yet in fast-paced environments, even experienced professionals on both sides of the partnership can fall into reactive habits that create misalignment, strain relationships, and slow progress.

This highly interactive, hands-on session brings campus professionals and business partner leaders together to practice the conversations that drive clarity, trust, and shared accountability. Using real-world scenarios common to dining, hospitality, and auxiliary services, participants will learn how to approach partnership conversations with curiosity, listen for what truly matters, and navigate difficult moments with confidence—regardless of role or title.

This is not a lecture or keynote. It’s a guided experience designed for both campus and partner professionals who want stronger alignment, fewer misunderstandings, and better results. Attendees will leave with practical tools they can apply immediately—on either side of the table—to strengthen partnerships, save time, and reduce friction.

Interactivity:

This session is intentionally designed as a guided, participatory experience to ensure immediate application for both campus and partner professionals. Interactive elements include:

• Live polling to capture perspectives from both sides of the partnership

• Small-group breakout discussions that mix campus and partner participants

• Volunteer role-play using realistic partnership scenarios

• Facilitated group debriefs and audience Q&A

Participants won’t just hear about better partnership conversations—they’ll practice them together in a safe, engaging environment.

Speakers

Todd Tekiele - Founder & CEO, City of Hospitality Group
Ben Perlman - Associate VP for Student Engagement, Saint Louis University
Laura Stevens - VP of Operations, Stephens College

12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Business Partner Showcase

Wool Ballroom, Busch Student Center

12:30 pm – 1:45 pm

Lunch in Business Partner Showcase

Wool Ballroom, Busch Student Center

1:45 pm – 2:30 pm

Coffee/Tea and Desserts

Wool Ballroom, Busch Student Center

2:15 pm – 3:00 pm

Flip-A-Coin – Silent Auction

NACAS table in the Wool Ballroom, Busch Student Center

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Business Partner Showcase Continues

Wool Ballroom, Busch Student Center

4:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Business Partner mingle - open bar

Wool Ballroom, Busch Student Center

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Shuttle to Knight Center

6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Dinner On-Your-Own

9:30 pm – 11:00 pm

Networking Mixer

Thursday, April 9

Events at WashU and Saint Louis Community College (STLCC)**

6:00 am – 6:30 am

Morning Walk at WashU

Knight Center Oval lobby, 3rd floor

7:00 am – 1:00 pm

Registration

Knight Center 2nd floor balcony

7:00 am – 8:00 am

Breakfast

Knight Center, Anheuser-Busch Dining Room 3rd floor

8:15 am– 8:45 am

NACAS Central Business Meeting

Knight Center, Room 211

9:00 am - 9:15 am

Shuttle to STLCC for campus tour

Knight Center front desk lobby

9:30 am – 11:45 am - College Campus Tour of STLCC -Auxiliary Services and beyond (STLCC Student Center,

12:00 pm – 12:20 pm – Shuttle to Knight Center from STLCC tour

9:15 am – 10:00 am

Hiring and Retention in the Age of Labor Shortages - presented by Purdue University Dining

Knight Center, Room 211

The hospitality industry is facing a perfect storm: a shrinking workforce, rising turnover, and growing pressure to do more with less. By 2030, nearly 75 million baby boomers will have retired, while U.S. birth rates are at a 100-year low. This drastically reduces the pool of available workers. Add in a 70-80% turnover rate for hospitality jobs, and the challenge is clear. We must rethink how we attract and keep talent.

Learn how Purdue Dining eliminated barriers to hiring, simplified the application process, and brought new full-time staff in the door faster than any other department on campus.

You will also learn some tips on how to retain your best employees and create a workplace where people want to stay.

(Spoiler Alert: It has nothing to do with free pizza and donuts, casual Fridays, pet insurance, years-of-service plaques and birthday cakes)

No gimmicks and no fluff. Just a lot of practical ideas packed into a short amount of time.

Speaker

Kyle Linback, Director of Dining Operations - Purdue University

9:15 am – 10:00 am

Experiential Learning Meets Collegiate Retail: Elevating the Value of Higher Ed- presented by Follet Higher Education and campus partners

Knight Center, Room 201

Too often, students, especially Pell-eligible learners, must reduce their course loads or pause full-time enrollment to pursue high-impact work-based learning experiences. The result: a misalignment between financial aid policies and the very programs that drive career readiness and equitable post-graduation outcomes.

In 2025, Purdue University launched a first-of-its-kind experiential learning program focused on leadership opportunities within the campus store. Their campus employs a “Student CEO” tasked with directing the operations of the campus bookstore, leading a team of their peers, and managing the day-to-day business. Auxiliary services, in partnership with academic departments, are well positioned to launch experiential learning programs, which open up new opportunities for what is possible within the campus retail space. Industry research shows that it takes the average college graduate 5-7 years to take on a role where they’re managing people. Student CEO graduates who have taken on leadership roles with their organizations have done so on average within one year of graduation.

In this interactive session, we'll will share strategies for aligning curriculum, financial aid, and employer partnerships to ensure experiential learning remains within reach for all students.

Speakers

Justin Szymakowski, Follett Higher Education, Director of Talent Development
Emily Foote, Chief Strategy Officer, Saxbys

9:15 am – 10:00 am

Chartwells BP Flash Session

Knight Center, Board Room 2nd Floor

10:15 am – 11:00 am

Advancing Food Equity Through Innovation and Care - presented by Xavier University

Knight Center, Board Room, 2nd floor

Food insecurity is a growing challenge on college campuses, impacting student well-being, academic performance, and retention. At Xavier University, we tackled this issue head-on by creating the first fully autonomous, dignity-centered meal share program in higher education—and we did it using the technology we already had. In this session, we’ll share how Xavier leveraged its mobile ordering platform, campus card system, and cross-campus partnerships to build a scalable solution that supports students with compassion and discretion. Rooted in the Jesuit value of cura personalis—care for the whole person—this initiative shows what’s possible when innovation is driven by empathy and purpose. We’ll walk through the journey from idea to implementation, highlight key insights from student feedback, and offer guidance on aligning operational tools with mission-based outcomes. Whether you're in auxiliary services, IT, student affairs, or dining, you’ll leave with actionable strategies to launch your own tech-powered, student-centered support system. This is not just a story about feeding students—it’s about transforming systems to serve the whole person.

Speaker

Jennifer Paiotti, Associate Director, Auxiliary Services

10:15 am – 11:00 am

Elevating Campus Dining with Autonomous Technologies, from Execution to Delivery – presented by Coca-Cola-Costa Coffee and campus partners

Knight Center, Room 201

Technology is significantly transforming college campus dining in various ways, enhancing the overall experience in both the Front- and Back-of-House. What if you could expand your customer reach, extend hours of operation, or eliminate kitchen safety hazards with push-of-a-button technology? Explore automation that drives simplicity and sustainability, and hear from a prominent campus member, along with vendor partners, who are changing the face of campus dining from kitchen to consumer.

Speakers

Melanie I Marken- Sr Manager Business Development - Costa Coffee
Manny Araujo- Sr Vice President-Sales, Food Service - LBX/Baked Xpress
Jason Mignogna- National Sales Executive, Restaurant Technologies
Kevin Sullivan- National Partnership Manager, BEVI
Tiffany De Le Roach- Director For Dining Services, Washington University

10:15 am – 11:00 am

Bringing effective tech to the table for campus wide student engagement presented by RecRe and campus partners

Knight Center, Room 211

Students want, and often demand, savvy, tech-enabled opportunities in campus programs and services. Leveraging tech can be easy, fun, challenging, and interesting. Especially as the target moves so quickly!

This session will explore how technology helps create active student engagement with a focus on 3rd spaces like dining halls, student unions, and more.

Presenters will share examples of tech enabled solutions that save time, increase efficiency, effectiveness and availability for students and ways that campuses can leverage technology as more than a tool.

With RecRe as a partner presenter, some of the focus will be on managing inventory through automation and the panel will also share examples in e-gaming, social media, and event services that you can use in your operations.

Come to this session to learn about programs in place at multiple NACAS Central Campuses and to gather intel that you can take home to create success.

Speakers

Chris Reed - Oakland University, Executive Director
David Young - Saint Louis University, Director
Carl Dieso - Cincinnati, AVP
Jason Levy - RecRe, Account Manager

11:15 am – 12:00 pm

Mentoring and Leadership Development Plan for up-and-coming University Leaders - presented by David Harr

Knight Center room 211

Implementation of a customized, comprehensive mentoring and leadership development plan that should incorporate the most important leadership competencies needed to succeed in a University setting. The approach combines data-driven insights, innovative strategies, and hands-on execution to empower the leader to overcome challenges, optimize performance, and unlock opportunities. An initial confidential assessment is conducted with the senior leader that creates for the individual a statement of work and a roadmap for success. Regularly scheduled meetings are held to monitor progress. A close-out assessment report summarizes overall findings and recommendations.

Speaker

Owner and CEO of QZ Consulting, David Harr

11:15 am – 12:00 pm

Trash Compactors: They’re not just for loading docks anymore – presented by Compaction Technologies and campus partners

Knight Center, Room 201

Trash management is a thankless, dirty, and critically important function on campus. It
is people intensive, time intensive, and impacts multiple stakeholders. Maybe because
it is so thankless and dirty that nothing has fundamentally changed in decades.
The waste stream flow (beginning at the point of deposit and ending at the landfill) looks
remarkably the same in 2026 and is did in 1956. But there are tremendous efficiencies
and savings to be gained by re-thinking where and when waste is compacted. Re-
positioning the compaction function will dramatically impact Labor costs, Sustainability
results, and space utilization.

Introduced in the 50’s and 60’s, trash compactors were added loading docks to increase
waste storage capacity to reduce the frequency of garbage truck visits. Trash haulers
pushed hard to add compactors because it was a huge economic benefit to them. Over
the last decade, innovation has created smaller compactors used at the point of deposit
to replace traditional trash cans. Instead of having compactors just on the loading dock,
interesting things happen when “compacting” happens at the point of deposit.

This session will discuss the costs (hard costs and soft costs) of handling trash on
campuses and how selectively moving compaction to the point of deposit will create
Labor savings, reduce plastic bag use, and make floor space more available.

Speakers

Jeff Tolke – CEO Compaction Technologies, Inc.
Tiffany De La Roche – Director of Dining Services at Washington University in St. Louis (WUStL)

11:15 am – 12:00 pm

The New Center of Gravity for Campus Community and Belonging: How Liberty University’s 3,000 Seat Reber Thomas Dining Commons Redefines Next Generation Residential Dining in North America - presented by Porter-Khouw

Knight Center, Board Room, 2nd floor

Across North America, campuses are rethinking how and where community is built. Residential dining is no longer a place to eat and leave. It has become the new day-to-day center of gravity for student life, engagement, and institutional identity.

This interactive session uses the SOCIAL ARCHITECTURE™ framework and the nationally recognized transformation of Liberty University’s 3,000-seat Reber Thomas Dining Hall to explore how auxiliaries can intentionally design dining programs that strengthen campus culture, increase engagement, and drive brand recognition.

Grounded in insights from the Social Architect Digest and Porter Khouw Consulting’s work at Liberty University, named Best Dining Hall in America, participants will examine how space, program, policy, and culture align to create a true campus heartbeat.

Speakers

H. David Porter, FCSI, Social Architect, Porter Khouw Consulting
Louis Cambelleta, Associate Vice President, Auxiliary Services, Liberty University

12:00 pm - 1:15 pm

Lunch

Anheuser-Busch Dining Room 3rd floor Knight Center

1:15 pm – 1:45 pm

Closing Keynote presentation & Q&A: Dining 2030 and Beyond with Robert Nelson, CAE -NACUFS

Anheuser-Busch Dining Room 3rd floor Knight Center

2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Ritz Carlton Training Session at WashU

Knight Center room 200

One cannot extend legendary service without having robust systems and processes in place.

As an award-winning employment brand, The Ritz-Carlton shares best practices on how to activate and sustain a culture where valued and empowered employees own the customer experience. Whether you’ve re-opened your business in a changed world or are faced with re-vitalizing a flagging culture that has shifted to a virtual or hybrid work environment, our trusted processes take the guesswork out of selection, onboarding, upskilling and retention of talent.

Leaders ready to transform their organization will walk away with actionable ideas to elevate experiences and engage employees.

Distinctive Topics

The Ritz-Carlton Culture: An in-depth review of The Ritz-Carlton Gold Standards: The Credo, Motto, The Three Steps of Service, The Employee Promise, and the 12 Service Values.
Simple, Sustainable Processes: Learn about the selection process at The Ritz-Carlton and how we onboard, reward and recognize our talent.
Employee and Customer Engagement: The foundation of driving customer engagement is having engaged employees. Employee mindset has everything to do with whether your business survives or thrives, because engaged employees create engaged and loyal customers.
Importance of Empowerment: Empowering employees is an imperative component of our legendary service. At The Ritz-Carlton, empowerment means that our Ladies & Gentlemen can make decisions that impact the well-being of our guests. The Ritz-Carlton’s empowerment model reduces problem resolution costs and creates consistently exceptional service.

Speaker

Christie Pink, Practice Director, The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center

6:00 pm

Shuttles from Knight Center to The Foundry

6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Closing Event “The Putt Shack Experience”

The Foundry

8:30 pm

Shuttles to Knight Center from The Foundry

Friday, April 10

Various activities to be announced.

*Schedule subject to change **Transportation will be available

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