Join us on Wednesday, July 21st for a live conversation with leading experts from the foodservice industry. We'll discuss how plant-based brands can accelerate their growth through foodservice, opportunities across the industry, and how brands can get foodservice ready. You won't want to miss this high-level conversation with leaders from the world's premier restaurant and foodservice brands, including Copper Branch, Elohi Strategic Advisors, Waypoint, and the LIVEKINDLY Collective.

Hear from Foodservice Leaders:

Trish Paterson, CEO of Copper Branch

Stephanie Lind, Founder of Elohi Strategic Advisors

Annetta Wright, Founder at Transformative Marketing Solutions

Michelle Collette, Head of Foodservice at The LIVEKINDLY Collective

About the Speakers:

Trish Paterson:

As the CEO of Copper Branch, Trish Paterson is able to take her passion for health and wellness, the environment and animal welfare to her job every day. Trish is responsible for overseeing operations for franchised locations worldwide. With over 25 years experience as an executive in a fortune 500 corporation, Trish transferred her skills in strategic planning, operations and international business growth to her role as CEO of the largest Plant Based fast casual restaurant in Canada. With locations across Canada, the US and Europe, Copper Branch is collaboratively working with innovators all over the world to pave the way for a new, sustainable way of looking at the way we take care of ourselves and the planet.

Trish is married with three grown boys and holds a Bachelors degree from Carleton University as well as an Executive MBA from the London School of Business.

Stephanie Lind:

Stephanie Lind, the founder of Elohi Strategic Advisors, spent over 20 years working for Fortune 500 companies such as PepsiCo and Sysco, as well as privately held entities including McDonald's supply chain partner Havi Logistics. During Impossible Foods' breakout year in 2018, she led the global sales initiatives. Stephanie was recently recognized as one of the top Female FoodTech Founders & Leaders for Accelerating Disruptive Food Solutions, as well as a 2020 Nation's Restaurant News Readers' Pick to the Power List of the Most Influential Solutions Providers.

Annetta Wright:

Annetta Wright’s career has included senior brand and product management roles at leading regional and national manufacturers. After 24 years in the foodservice business Annetta launched Transformative Marketing Solutions in June 2020.

She is a marketing executive with combined B2B and B2C marketing and leadership skills. She has experience managing leading brands across the confections, food, office products and sales agency industries with a focus on classical product and brand management, strategic planning, brand revitalization, segment development, digital marketing, training programs, and website strategy.

Annetta has a keen ability to be customer-centric with expertise in leveraging customer marketing resources and relationships to develop and implement collaborative marketing programs in alignment with brand and customer business objectives. She is someone with demonstrated progress in marketing and a record of excellence in managing cross-functional teams, mentoring, coaching high-performing teams and delivering results.

She has an undergraduate degree from Dallas Baptist University and MBA from Texas A&M – Commerce both with a minor in marketing.

Michelle Collette:

Michelle Collette leads The LiveKindly Collective’s North America foodservice division with responsibilities of business development, strategic direction, and execution of the expansion of LikeMeat, one of The LiveKindly founding brands, within foodservice operators across the region.

Michelle’s experience bridges the foodservice industry from broadline distribution to food and non-food manufacturing. Before joining The Collective, she has served the National Account Sales Manager for Labatt Foodservice, the Vice President of Sales Operations and National Accounts with Rembrandt Foods, as well as the Assistant Vice President of Corporate Accounts with Ecolab.

After graduating from Trinity University and earning an EMBA from The University of Texas in San Antonio, she continues to enjoy life in San Antonio, Texas serving as the president of the Trinity University Alumni Association Board and spends as much time as possible with her husband raising their two kids

Passionate about positive disruptors in the foodservice industry, Michelle is thrilled to help lead The Collective’s mission to make plant based living the new norm and help other realize how rewarding, and delicious, the journey can be!

Who can attend?

Attendees of all backgrounds, including all genders, are invited to participate in the VWS community. Whether you are just starting out as a student, a seasoned veteran of the industry, or looking to make a switch in your career, this is the event series for you.