Meet Our Members
Dynamic, deep-rooted, driven— We are a network of women who have achieved success in all aspects of the food, beverage, and hospitality fields.
If you would like to become a Dame please click the membership application below and see how you can join us in our mission.
Each vetted member of the Colorado chapter of LDEI is a respected professional in her area of specialization, from longstanding thought leaders to rising stars and change-makers. As our membership, collective expertise, and inclusivity continue to grow, our organization embodies the many professions and skills of today’s culinary industry as a whole:
Chefs
Restaurateurs
Sommeliers
Spirits Specialists
Caterers
Farmers
Food Tour Operators
Nutritionists
Food Bloggers
Certified Cheese Professionals
Culinary Instructors
Journalists
Public Relations Pros
Social Media Strategists
Publishers
Ranchers
Cookbook Authors
Food Writers
Food Photographers
Food & Beverage
Producers
Entrepreneurs
Alex Jump
Alex Jump originally hails from Chattanooga, TN, where she grew up breathing Southern hospitality. A BAR-5 Day graduate, Alex honed her skills by working behind and running bar programs at multiple James Beard nominated restaurants. Currently Alex spends her time consulting on a variety of food & beverage programs and initiatives through her company, Dim Lights Hospitality, and is the Director of Operations of Focus on Health, a company working towards creating better lives for those who work in the food & beverage industry through community outreach, trainings, and more.
April Stamm
Executive Chef, Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance/SSA Group
Chef April is a classically trained chef, culinary director/manager, chef instructor and writer. She has run culinary programs and taught for Whole Foods Market, The International Culinary Center/French Culinary Institute, Vegan Fusion Culinary Academy, Brookdale Senior Living and now the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance. Feeding our souls and our communities is her passion and the foundation of all she does.
Bonnie Johnson
President
Bonnie Johnson is a marketing leader with 20 years of experience, specializing in strategic partnerships and scientific marketing initiatives. She has developed and executed strategic plans, managed multimillion-dollar budgets, and led cross-functional teams to enhance brand positioning and market penetration. Her expertise includes engaging healthcare professionals, overseeing clinical trials, and managing advisory panels to create credibility for new and legacy brands and products. Bonnie excels at integrating scientific research with marketing strategies to create differentiation and drive growth and demand across various industries.
Brooke Medosch
I am from Colorado originally – raised in Fort Collins. I was the 4th generation in my family to graduate from my high school (my great grandmother graduated CSU in 1905). The wine industry fell onto my lap. I was planning to be a professor of English Literature, when I decided to move to the ocean for a spell to explore my options. I was quickly introduced to the wine industry in California and began my career of working for predominantly family-owned, boutique brands. I am so fortunate to have found a career in a field that I truly love.
Carlin Karr
Wine Director, Frasca Hospitality Group
Carlin Karr has been a sommelier for 15 years, starting in San Francisco, where she was opening wine director and general manager of Sons & Daughters, earning a Michelin Star in the first year open. After four years with Sons & Daughters, Carlin moved to Colorado in 2012 to work under Bobby Stuckey at Frasca Food and Wine. She is wine director for the Frasca Hospitality Group, overseeing all wine programs for their four restaurants and all new projects.
Carol Fenster, PhD
Gluten-free Cookbook Author
Carol Fenster, a pioneer in gluten-free cooking, is the author of 14 gluten-free cookbooks, including her latest, Gluten-Free Cooking for Two. She has developed gluten-free products for industry leader Bob’s Red Mill and appears on PBS as well as radio, newspaper, and web sites. She is a member of the Colorado Authors’ Hall of Fame and the former associate food editor at Living Without magazine.
Carol Maybach
Author, Food Writer
Author, food writer, food stylist, recipe tester, photographer, food critic, winner of Book of the Year Gold Award, IACP Book Award Judge, Academy Member of the National Taste Awards.
Clara Klein
Sommelier
Clara Klein, an Advanced Sommelier with over a decade of experience, began her career at The Little Nell in Aspen under Carlton McCoy MS. She later expanded her wine expertise at Mourad in San Francisco before returning to Colorado in 2017 to join the Frasca Hospitality Group’s wine team. Clara has also worked harvests with renowned winemakers, Chiara Boschis and Maya Dalla Valle and is a proud mentor and contributor in organizations like Bâtonnage and Asian Girl Ignites.
Denise Mickelsen
Communication Director
Denise Mickelsen oversees communication, marketing, and public relations efforts for the Colorado Restaurant Association and Foundation, in support of the state’s dynamic restaurant industry. Before joining the CRA, Denise served as food editor at 5280 Magazine. She holds a culinary arts degree and cooked professionally in renowned Manhattan restaurants before entering food media. She has worked in the test kitchens at Saveur and Martha Stewart Living, on the editorial staff at Fine Cooking, and as culinary acquisitions editor at Craftsy, a Denver-based digital media company. When she’s not dining or writing, Mickelsen can be found cooking (seafood) and baking (pies); reading cookbooks as if they’re novels; and hiking, skiing, and camping with her husband and son.
Elizabeth Yarnell
Traditional Naturopath
By day Elizabeth is a traditional naturopath empowering people with MS or other autoimmune issues to help themselves reclaim control over their futures; by night she teaches moviemaking skills to elementary and middle schoolers through online courses. She has worked with hundreds of MS and other autoimmune sufferers in her nationwide clinic using unique, personalized non-pharmaceutical therapies to empower them to reclaim their health. She’s a TEDx speaker, award-winning author whose cookbook has sold more than 70,000 copies, a patented inventor, and has been featured on CBS, NBC, ABC, and PBS as well as in Good Housekeeping, Health, Martha Stewart Living Radio, and many other outlets.
Ellen Daehnick
Owner
I own Helliemae’s Caramels – indulgent artisan caramels for gifts with nostalgic flair. Before I started Helliemae’s, I worked in tech and consulting. I live in Denver with my husband, Chris, and our giant schnauzer, Whiskey.
Erin Boyle
CEO
I am Erin Boyle, CEO of CHOW. Beyond my professional role, I’m a friend, sister, partner, daughter, dog lover, potter, avid reader, crafter, walker, and chef. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America, I’ve worked in San Francisco, Washington DC, New York, and Denver. After nearly two decades in the industry, I transitioned to teaching, which I found fulfilling.
I’ve faced my own battles with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and PTSD. Seeking help in 2013, I found a therapist who helped me name and manage my challenges. After witnessing struggles with mental health and substance use among my staff, family, and friends in hospitality, in 2019, I committed to improving access to mental health resources for all. As CHOW’s CEO, I focus on outreach, education, and destigmatizing conversations about health in the restaurant industry.
Erin Fletter
CEO, Founder & Food-Geek-in-Chief
Erin Fletter is a serial entrepreneur, founder of Sticky Fingers Cooking®, a nationwide children’s cooking school, CEO of the franchise brand, and author of five kids’ cookbooks. She co-owns the internationally acclaimed Barolo Grill with her dashing husband, Ryan, and together, they’ve created three amazing daughters. Obsessed with food, Erin has spent nearly 30 years creatively exploring how people experience everything from kale to cupcakes—and she’s on a mission to inspire others to do the same!
stickyfingerscooking.com
stickyfingerscookingfranchise.com
barologrilldenver.com
Fathima Dickerson
I am Fathima Dickerson, a Denver native, born and raised. I started in the restaurant industry at six years old working in my family restaurant. My family has owned and operated restaurants in Denver’s Historic Five Points for nearly 40 years. Growing up I learned every area of the restaurant but I took favor in working front of the house. Today, I am the chief operating office of my family restaurant, Welton Street Cafe.
Hydi Verduzco
Owner – East by Southwest and Mamma Silvia’s Italian Kitchen
Jane Hartgrove
La Jefa
Jane Hartgrove is a food and wine aficionado who owns a Mexican food business. She’s involved in wine tastings and is on the board of the Denver chapter of the American Wine Society. She and her husband Shultz travel extensively and are frequent hosts for dinner parties and picnics and celebrations.
Jen Hord
Co-Founder
Jen’s background is in beverage and tourism, specializing in brand creative and strategy, global marketing and luxury partnerships. Former Wine Enthusiast. Media, Brand sales for global companies including importers and distributors. Prior to that based in Dublin, Ireland ad agency side running global advertising and marketing.
Jordan Blakesley
Owner and Principal, B Public Relations
Jordan has more than 15 years of experience in public relations – the majority within the industries about which she is most passionate – hospitality, food and beverage and tourism. Over the course of her career, she has led local, national, regional and social media campaigns for a variety of clients, ranging from luxury guest ranches and boutique hotels, to internationally-known and celebrity chef-driven restaurants and for acclaimed brands like Shake Shack, Hilton, Marriott and many more. Jordan is a Certified Level II Sommelier by the International Wine Guild and was and a previous Public Relations Society of Colorado PR Person of the Year.
Kendra Hendrickson
Food Scientist
Kendra joins LDEI with over 10 years of professional experience in the food industry as a product developer, scientist, and marketer, and is currently a food applications researcher for Mycotechnology, an ingredient company located in Aurora, CO. A strong advocate for education, Kendra also volunteers to inspire youth through engaging seminars that highlight the exciting intersection of food and science. Kendra holds a B.S. in Food Science and a M.S. in Food Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Kimberly Stewart
Editor, Author, Content Strategist
Kimberly Lord Stewart is an investigative food journalist, food-labeling expert and culinary nutrition writer. She is author of Eating Between the Lines (St Martins Press 2007), contributor to the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America (Oxford 2013), and founder of Today’s Practitioner. She has served as an editor-in-chief of numerous publications related to food, health and luxury living.
Kristy Greenwood Bortz
I’ve been in the food industry since my college days (1980’s) and have worked in restaurants, cooking schools, bakeries, always in the kitchen, never the front of the house. I started my own cookie business 2008 and have been serving the community ever since. I see the food industry as both my creative outlet as well as my means of connecting to my community through food and flavor.
Lee Clayton Roper
Cookbook Author, Food Blogger, …
Lee is a cookbook author, food blogger, cooking instructor, public speaker and TV personality. She has authored two award-winning cookbooks, “A Well-Seasoned Kitchen®” and “Fresh Tastes.” She’s passionate making cooking and entertaining at home easy, elegant and fun!
Leigh Skomal
Leigh is a food, beverage, and lifestyle photographer, videographer, and food stylist and has been involved in the food industry for over a decade. She helps brands like Whole Foods Market, Quaker Oats, Niman Ranch, and Driscoll’s create images and videos that effectively tell their story. Whether it’s content creation for websites, newsletters, e-commerce, packaging, or social media, Leigh knows how to collaborate with brands to capture beautiful imagery and visual stories that makes their brand stand out.
Liliana Myers
Liliana Myers has been working in the restaurant industry for 21 years. She has worked mainly in pastry kitchens in New York for Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller, in France for Reine Sammut. She moved to Colorado ten years ago where she was in charge of the pastry programs at the Mediterranean Restaurant group, Frasca Food and Wine, and Pizzeria Locale Boulder. Liliana has been the Pastry Chef since Safta Restaurant Pastry chef since they opened their doors in 2018. Liliana is a member of the Lee Initiative and Star Chefs Rising star Pastry Chef for Denver 2022.
Linda Hampsten Fox
Chef/Owner, The Bindery Denver
From serving ice cream at a Carvel’s soft serve, to tossing cheesesteaks on a grill at a fast food restaurant, to being a waitress in a greek diner all before I left high school, I could never have predicted the course my life would eventually take. I was interested in art and medicine growing up but with jobs as a hostess, as a dish washer, as a prep cook, as a caterer, working my through college the path became clearer. My parents threw parties and picnics and I loved cooking and the celebration of eating interesting food. I found my fortune in travel and learning to cook professionally.
Lisa Balcom
Restauranteur
I am a pastry chef and sommelier turned restauranteur. I own and operate a seasonal farm focused restaurant and wine shop Farow in Niwot, CO. I also own Pie Dog pizza, a neo-new York brick oven pizza ghost kitchen and Baa Hachi- a Japanese street food concept in the Parkway Food Hall.
Loren Matthews
Owner
Loren Matthews is the owner and head distiller of Elevation 5003 Distillery, founded in 2015. Loren has over 22 years of experience in the alcohol industry. She holds a bachelors in Biology, with an emphasis in Genetic Engineering, and an MBA.
Lori Tieszen
Founder, Concrete Marketing Solutions
Lori J. Tieszen is the Founder of Concrete Marketing Solutions, a Colorado based marketing consultancy specializing in business strategy, brand expansion and new product development. Lori brings more than 30 years’ experience – with both U.S. and international companies – in the marketing and sales of premium and luxury brands. Lori is considered an industry expert in the wines and spirits arena, where she worked in both senior sales and marketing roles with Stoli Group USA, Moët Hennessy USA, Wines of Chile USA, and Kobrand Corporation, among others.
Maia Parish
Maia Parish is Denver-based sommelier, wine writer, wine educator, wine judge, award-winning events producer, consultant, and momtrepreneur. Ms. Parish produces wine-educated inspired events. Her wine writing includes stories on wine, winemakers, pay equity, passive income, and food passions. Maia is the Founder of The Wine Suite LLC, an education wine concierge service and wine-producing company in Denver, Colorado. She is a member of the Black Wine Professionals, and is currently a fellow with the Society of Wine Educators studying for the Certified Specialist of Wine Certification.
Mara Tcheunou
Mara Trager Tcheunou, Co-founder of Bibamba Artisan Chocolate, has long held interest in food creation. She worked in food co-operatives and bakeries throughout college and learned restaurant management right out of school. She holds a B.A. in Art History and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology and both fields of study get integrated into the work she does building a brand and operating a small business. Bibamba began in 2020 and continues to grow nationally with it’s award-winning, ethically and sustainably sourced chocolate products.
Megan Bucholz
Chief Tasting Officer
Megan is the founder of Local Table Tours, a boutique food tour company that explores the unique food scenes of Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins. She’s currently the President of the Colorado chapter of Les Dames and co-chair of their signature event, The Big Stir Festival. Megan likes to say it’s her job to have her finger on the pulse of food and beverage across the Front Range of Colorado.
Megan Dunlap
Field Sales Manager for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
Megan is a young professional in the alcohol distribution industry. She has worked for two of the major distributors in CO and now works for one of the leading wine suppliers.
Megan Gray Stromberg
COO
It’s in her blood to lead and work with a team interacting with guests in a high touch hospitality environment where she can build brands, exercise creativity, and offer strategic thinking. She truly enjoys collaborating with owners and thought partners who share her passion for hospitality, the great outdoors, and philanthropy. She is a charismatic, dynamic, and magnetic leader. She is a strong and visible leader who helps drive storytelling mechanisms for the stakeholders she supports. In her role as COO, she focuses on focuses on historic adaptive reuse projects that will materially change the communities in which they reside. NuovoRE is shaping and driving community-centered real estate development endeavors, ensuring they resonate with our core values and mission.
Michele Morris
Food Writer and Culinary Tour Guide
Michele Morris is a professional recipe developer and food photographer who leads food and wine tours in Italy. Her food writing has appeared in numerous regional publications, including The Denver Post, Colorado Homes & Lifestyles, Edible Front Range, and Nourish Food Magazine. She is the award-winning author of two cookbooks, Tasting Colorado and A Taste of Washington, and the author of two popular blogs, one devoted to food and wine, and one covering her worldwide travels.
Reina Bach
Senior Corporate Consultant
I bring my 30+ years of experience to work with organizations that want to attract and retain top talent so they can be a force in their market. More specifically, I work with executive teams (collectively and 1-1) to strategically align through change, market pressures, competing agendas, limited resources and challenging interpersonal dynamics to reach peak performance and goals. And, I spent years working in restaurants (from Friendly’s to fine dining), received the Grande Diploma at The French Culinary in New York, and received an Executive Sommelier designation.
Samantha New
Personal Chef
Chef Samantha New is currently self-employed as a personal chef doing weekly in-home meal prep for a handful of clients. She is the former owner of Eclat Culinary and Avengard Events and has been cooking in the Denver area since 2015. She enjoys camping in the mountains with her dogs and spending time with her two teenage kids.
Sara Schiffer
Founder + CEO
Sara Schiffer brings nearly twenty years of experience and an impressive portfolio to her Denver-based public relations firm, which she founded in 2012. Through her years in the business, Sara has built a strong network of media relationships across the country, giving her clients excellent opportunities to tell their brand stories in the publications that matter. To her Denver business, Sara brings a diverse range of skills, with experience representing clients in a variety of markets including restaurant and hospitality; hospitality technology; health and wellness; and consumer lifestyle.
Shelley Sale
Trade Development Manager SR, Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits of CO
Shelley is a Colorado native and has been in the Hospitality industry for over 30 years. Works for Southern Glazers of Colorado; focusing on Fine Wine and is the Riedel Ambassador for Colorado.
Shellie Kark
Chef and Culinary Educator
Local acclaimed chef and culinary educator, Chef Shellie Kark is passionately dedicated to inspiring and educating around food and cooking bringing renewed joy and communion back to the kitchen and the table. Shellie has worked in a number of renowned restaurants San Francisco and Seattle and was an Assistant Professor at Johnson and Wales University, Denver Campus. She is the co-founder of KitchenCUE™, a series of technique- based videos that teach the fundamentals of food preparation and presentation through a simple, step-based approach. She consults on school food reform across Colorado and participates in product development for the food and beverage industry. She is currently at Metropolitan State University of Denver, School of Hospitality.
Colorado Chapter