ABOUT WOMEN OF HOSPITALITY

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Women of Hospitality​
The past, present & future.
Our conference is comprised of women working in all aspects of hospitality-- from restaurant and hotels to catering, sales , tourism and related markets . We believe in education, mentorship, connection and inspiration for all...from those starting their career to those already enjoying success in leadership and entrepreneurial roles . Attendees will hear from dynamic role models & industry leaders , and will leave inspired, empowered, and ready to take on the world.

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Inaugural 2019 WoH Conference

For our first year of Women of Hospitality, we had an electric in-person conference with national speakers such as Dawn Sweeney, CEO of National Restaurant Association, Denny Marie Post, Chair of Women's Foodservice Forum/CEO of Red Robin, Kara DioGuardi, former American Idol judge & restaurateur, Jenna Telesca, Editor-in-Chief Nation's Restaurant News, and Joanna James, A Fine Line/MAPP Impact to name a few. Unfortunately when COVID-19 hit in 2020, we had to move our empowering conference to the virtual world--but were still able to secure some top speakers such as Sallie Krawcheck, Ellevest, Chef Dayanny De La Cruz, Miami Hard Rock Stadium, Martha Hoover, Café Patachou, Deborah Brenner, Women of the Vine, Katey Evans, Frozen Farmer, Nicole Marquis, HipCityVeg + more! 

Meet the Women behind Women of Hospitality

Carrie Leishman

Carrie Leishman is the President & CEO of the Delaware Restaurant Association (DRA) and its philanthropic arm—The Delaware Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (DRAEF).  2020 marked Carrie’s 20th year as President & CEO of the DRA, the state trade association dedicated to promoting, educating and advocating for the Delaware’s foodservice industry; which represents close to 2,000 restaurants in the state. In 2021, Carrie was named to the board of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. Carrie was recognized by The White House In late 2018 and attended the signing of President Trump’s landmark, bipartisan legislation to combat substance abuse and addiction. Carrie represented the nation’s restaurants for her organization’s development of the first, industry training for substance abuse awareness and prevention and most recently a new nationwide online certification course in collaboration with The University of Delaware for hospitality human resources. Carrie has spent time mentoring high school youth in Delaware’s foster care system, is an avid writer and national speaker and is an adjunct professor in the University of Delaware’s Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Management Program.
​carrie@delawarerestaurant.org

Yvette Sencion

Yvette brings her wealth of expertise to the Delaware Restaurant Association as our Director of Events and Social Media, joining us in April 2024. With over two decades of experience in event planning and graphic design, she embodies the perfect blend of creativity and professionalism.
Yvette's entrepreneurial spirit led her to found Opulent Celebrations (formerly SDezigns), a premier event planning and design company specializing in social events and luxury custom invitations. Her portfolio boasts a seamless fusion of creativity and precision.  Her passion for orchestrating flawless events, combined with her keen eye for design, ensures that every project she undertakes is executed with finesse.
​With her expertise, our events and social media presence will soar. Furthermore, her Hispanic/Latina roots and immigrant experience, along with her fluency in Spanish, will also help us connect with Delaware's vibrant Hispanic community, ensuring inclusivity and value for all.  We're excited to welcome Yvette to the DRA team! ​
 [email protected]

Karen Stauffer

Karen joined the DRA in 2013, after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh and spending years in the industry soaking up experiences and information from leading restaurateurs and business owners at Abbotts Grill, Nage, Dogfish Head and the Light Up the Queen Foundation. She has worked every aspect of the industry from festivals and large scale events to marketing and fundraising. The restaurant industry will always be her second (very colorful and very diverse) family, and she can’t think of a greater job than to support this awesome industry, through promotion, education and advocacy. Karen chronicles her many travel and culinary adventures on social media, while currently residing in Wilmington as her home base.  Her favorite hobby will always be checking out new restaurants….though traveling, hiking, cooking, learning about wine and watching soccer run a close second. She loves being the go-to person for restaurant recommendations for family friends.
[email protected]