Food Safety & Quality Assurance Expert Exchange
The Food Safety & Quality Assurance Expert Exchange offers you the opportunity to learn the latest on FDA insights, food safety regulations, foodborne illness, health inspections and allergens. Don’t miss your chance to talk through issues and learn directly from other food safety and quality assurance leaders in the restaurant industry.
Conferences
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The Table brings together food safety and quality assurance professionals in the restaurant industry for three days of collaboration, insight, and problem-solving. Designed to support both your daily priorities and long-term goals, this event offers tailored sessions, expert-led discussions, and dedicated networking opportunities. Whether you're tackling today’s challenges or preparing for the future, The Table is where meaningful connections and valuable knowledge come together. Plan to join us next year in September 2026.
The National Restaurant Association Community Platform, Restaurants Connect
We’ve upgraded our Listserv to a robust community platform, Restaurants Connect. This platform provides our members with an exclusive opportunity to engage, network, and connect with other restaurant operators – all through a seamless and intuitive interface.
The platform gives you the opportunity to:
- Tailor your experience and join multiple discipline groups to receive critical resources and knowledge that will help solve your most pressing challenges.
- Share your expertise, learn from your peers, expand on best practices, and improve your personal knowledge and business operations.
- Continue important conversations before, during and after events.
- Stay up to date on the latest Association news, events, discounts, and products that impact your bottom line.
To access the platform, email community@restaurant.org.
*Note: this platform is open to National Restaurant Association Operator Members only.
Food Safety & Quality Assurance Steering Committee
Dr. Al Baroudi
Vice President, Food Safety & Quality Assurance
The Cheesecake Factory, Inc.
Christina Bongo-Box
Senior Director, Global Quality Assurance
Church’s Chicken
Janice Brady
Senior Director, Brand Protection, Quality & Regulatory Compliance
Denny’s
Jorge Hernandez
Vice President, Quality Assurance
The Wendy’s Company
Corrin Howard
Senior Regulatory Compliance Supervisory
Wawa Inc.
Matt Jenkins
Director, U.S. Restaurant Food Safety
McDonald’s
Eric Martin
Director, Food Safety
Texas Roadhouse
Dennis Price
Director, Total Quality & Food Safety
Red Lobster
Kelly Stano
Manager, Quality Assurance
Little Caesars
Jessica Taylor
Senior Project Lead, Food Safety & Analytics
Chick-fil-A, Inc.
Shelly Wallingford
Director, Food Safety
First Watch Restaurants
Thomas Yurchak
Director, Quality Assurance
Restaurant Growth Services
Questions?
Contact Food Safety & Quality Assurance Program Director Jeff Clark at jclark@restaurant.org.