National Restaurant Association Announces 2026 Boards

Mike Axiotis—the CEO and president of Lehigh Valley Restaurant Brands (franchisee for Red Robin and Wingstop)—is taking over as chair of the National Restaurant Association Board of Directors in 2026, after serving as vice chairman in 2025.

Additional National Restaurant Association board appointments, announced Thursday, Jan. 22, are as follows:

• Jeanne Cretella, co-founder and president of Landmark Hospitality (owner and operator of fine dining restaurants, event spaces and boutique hotels throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania), becomes vice chairwoman. She’s also a board member for the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association.
• Theodore “Teddy” Balestreri, executive vice president of hospitality operations and community relations for Cannery Row Company, becomes treasurer. Balestreri previously served as chairman of the California Restaurant Association and past chair of the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.

Newly elected association directors are as follows: 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; Marquis Heilig, Lazy Dog Restaurants; Jane Tidwell, Chick-fil-A; Richard Frank, Lawry’s Restaurants; Ronald DiNella, Swensons Drive In Restaurants; Sharlene Smith, Zaxby’s; and Susan Nelson, Dine Brands.

Meet the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Board of Trustees

Carrie Leishman, president and CEO of the Delaware Restaurant Association, will serve as chair of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Board of Trustees. She also served as vice chair in 2025.

Rounding out the foundation board is:

• Susannah Ryan, who leads national restaurants for PepsiCo Foodservice, will be vice chairwoman. Ryan also a member of the Women’s Foodservice Forum and the Society of Fellows of The Culinary Institute of America. Before PepsiCo, she held several sales and customer supply-chain roles with Ralston Purina Co. and Phillip Morris USA.
• Greg Cocchiarella, vice president of industry relations for Ecolab Inc., will serve as treasurer. Cocchiarella also serves in key roles for major industry organizations including the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance, the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the AHLA Foundation, and the International Food Away from Home Association.

New foundation trustees for 2026 include: Angela Melton-Fray, Dat Jerk Caribbean Chargrill; Carlos Bernal, Areas USA; Emily Williams Knight, Texas Restaurant Association; Jason Wallace, Hospitality Concepts; John Horne, Oysters Rock Hospitality; Melvin Rodrigue, Galatoire’s Restaurants; Sara Quinteros, Cowbell Seafood & Oyster; and Scott Redler, Redler Hospitality.

Each officer will serve a one-year term.