Jonathan Morse is the CEO and founder of Tripleseat, a catering and event management platform an event and sales web application platform for restaurants, hotels, and unique venues, used by more than 15,000 customers at restaurants, hotels, and unique venues in 30 different countries. Tripleseat also includes EventUp, the largest global venue directory with more than 15,000 restaurants, hotels, and unique spaces. Morse has been involved in the restaurant and hotel business for more than 30 years, with roles ranging from a busboy at Abadessa’s in Hingham, Mass., to line cook at Atlantic Cafe in Nantucket, to floor manager at Backbay Restaurant Group, to New England regional sales manager for Starwood Hotels. Before starting Tripleseat, Morse was a vice president of sales for a web startup that delivered business intelligence reporting to the restaurant industry.

Joi Alexander, “The Hospitality Hottie,” is a seasoned on premise and off-premise catering sales professional with more than 20 years of experience in sales and events, account management, business development, marketing and stadium event operations.

In 2017, Alexander was named Director of Catering Sales at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium was ranked No. 1 Food and Beverage for the NFL in 2019.  Within her first two years at MBS, Alexander received the Top Sales Performer Award in 2019 for exceeding group sales revenue by $7 million. In 2018, she was the one of lead event planners in managing the catering sales efforts for Super Bowl LIII, College Football Championship and the MLS Cup Championship. 

After a three year run at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Alexander was named Head of Regional Sales for CAVA & Zöes Kitchen in February 2020.  After having the ability to scale their national catering program at the CAVA on 40th & Madison, she was awarded the opportunity to join Slutty Vegan ATL in November 2021. In her current role as National Director of Sales and Catering, Alexander has developed new national partnerships for Slutty Vegan ATL and Bar Vegan while also managing the tour route for the acclaimed Slutty Vegan Food Truck (better known as the “Big Ol Slut” 🙂 Alexander has worked on several large national events like Coachella, Sundance Film Festival and SXSW.

In 2020, Joi launched The G.A.M.E. Consulting Agency, a full-service agency focused on serving the comprehensive needs of black owned restaurants and their private event business and off-premise catering. 

Clea Cosmann is the Director of Sales of Vancouver-based Glowbal Restaurant Group. In her role, she provides strategic guidance to a team of sales managers and drives sales in their portfolio of restaurants: Glowbal, Coast, Italian Kitchen, Five Sails, Trattoria, Riley’s, The Roof, Black+Blue, with their newest location opening in Toronto Spring 2023. Throughout her years in the restaurant and event industry, Clea has gained proven leadership expertise in hospitality operations, sales, and staff development. She sits on the Board of Directors for WORTH Association as the Director of Events, celebrating and advocating for women in tourism and hospitality.

Casey Fechter is the Director of Events for James Beard Nominated Olive + Oak Hospitality Group. Upon graduating from Saint Louis University, she spent seven years growing alongside a new company before being brought on to the Olive + Oak team to build out their events Program. Fechter finds a balance in the events industry by spending time with her husband and two little boys, coaching club soccer, and cooking for a table full of family and friends.

Amira Gertz, currently Director of Corporate Event Sales at First Batch Hospitality, has 20 years as a hospitality leader in private dining, events, and catering. A dynamic leader, she is adept at creating long-term relationships and partnerships and exceeding revenue and operational goals. She has a career history of successfully training and supervising nationwide teams, consistently promoting adherence to industry guidelines and client service standards. Gertz holds a bachelor’s degree in hospitality administration from NYU and recently earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Northeastern University. 

A born-and-raised New Yorker, Melanie Greenblatt spent the better part of a decade working in advertising before she merged her passion for marketing with her love for food and beverage. It was shortly after that she assumed the role of Head of Marketing for Hawksmoor NYC with the goal of introducing the company’s first international location. She has been pivotal in helping to build the brand, forming local charity partnerships, and spreading the word about the company’s sustainability mission.

A proven sales leader with over 18 years of event sales and operations experience, Mary Hettinger is currently Director, Events & Catering Sales for Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar. Hettinger leads a sales team of 35 sales professionals and oversees events and catering sales for a portfolio of 65 restaurants nationwide. She is passionate about developing sales teams, growing revenue, and creating events that mean something to guests.

Andy Husbands is the award-winning chef, author, and pitmaster behind Smoke Shop BBQ, Boston’s acclaimed barbecue restaurants, and four-time winner of Boston Magazine’s “Best Barbecue” in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022. Smoke Shop BBQ currently includes six locations in Cambridge’s Kendall Square and Harvard Square, Boston’s Seaport District, Somerville’s Assembly Row, Hub Hall at TD Garden, and East Boston on the harbor opening in May 2023. With a career spanning over 35 years in the restaurant industry, Husbands serves as one of the city’s most celebrated culinary leaders and a foremost authority on regional barbecue and live-fire cooking in New England. Husbands is the co-founder of internationally recognized BBQ team IQUE BBQ, which became the first non-Southern barbecue Team to win the Grand Champion title at the Jack Daniel’s 2009 World Championship Invitational Barbecue in Tennessee. Husbands is also the co-author of six coveted cookbooks, most notably, “Pitmaster: Recipes, Techniques & Barbecue Wisdom,” awarded Book of the Year by National Barbecue News in 2017.

Kim McCarthy is the General Manager of Portfire Events, a boutique destination management company that specializes in corporate events and incentive travel throughout New England. An accomplished and creative professional with almost a decade of event management experience, she creates trusted industry relations. McCarthy has worked in the field of hospitality since graduating in 2014 with a dual degree in event management from Endicott College and hotel management from the Les Roches School of Hospitality in Switzerland.

Mai Miller is an experienced and enthusiastic planning professional with stellar leadership and relationship-building skills. MIller is action-oriented with a strong ability to communicate and motivate effectively. She leverages broad industry experience that includes detailed event planning and executing large-scale signature events in both the corporate and social space. By curating bespoke experiences that are unforgettable for all attendees, Miller has made an undeniable mark on the events industry and is incredibly respected by clients and industry peers. Her signature mark is going above and beyond with a commitment to over-delivering and exceeding expectations. When Miller is not executing events for BG Catering Concepts, she can be found at her favorite New England beach or training for her next marathon. 

Dorien Morin-van Dam is a leading expert in social media marketing with more than 12 years of experience and is CEO of More In Media. As a certified social media manager and agile marketer, she is well-versed in the latest techniques and best practices for driving engagement and results through organic social media. Morin-van Dam is an accomplished international speaker and hosts her own livestream show and podcast, “Strategy Talks.” You’ll recognize her on stage and online by her always-present orange glasses, a nod to her Dutch heritage.

Melissa Rice has overseen sales and execution as the Director of Events at Early Mountain Vineyards for the last seven years. Over the course of the last 18 years, she has planned weddings, private events, vineyard festivals, as well as events in the corporate and tradeshow sector. Prior to Early Mountain, Rice was formerly with University of Virginia Darden School of Business and Farmington Country Club. Born and raised in New York, Rice attended University of the Arts in Philadelphia as a dance major, and has two of the best teenagers a mom could ask for.

Latha’s (pronounced Lay-ta) interest in hospitality began at a young age, which led her to waitress throughout her high school years in Providence, R.I. After graduating from Barnard College and working in publishing for several years in New York City, she moved to Paris where she tended bar and worked at a magazine. After a brief stint in San Francisco, she made her way back to New York City, where she worked in marketing and events for a variety of companies. She landed at Tripleseat full-time in 2014, where she is the Chief Marketing Officer. Latha currently resides in Maplewood, N.J., with her husband and three kids. She enjoys the summer most of all because Rosé All Day is a real thing!