Leading Caterers of America Executive Summit Keynote 2024

Named one of The 100 Most Influential People in the Global Event Industry by Eventex2019-2023 and one of the top 7 speakers in the United States, Laura Schwartz has been a Professional Emcee and Keynote Speaker since 2001. Laura began her professional career in 1993 as the youngest female presidential appointee in history serving as the White House Director of Events for the Clinton Administration. After which, in addition to speaking, published her first book "Eat, Drink and Succeed” and currently appears on television as the American contributor on Australia’s #1 Today Show. Laura has been featured by and is a published writer in Fast Company, Elle Magazine, Marie Claire and other periodicals. In 2021, along with her cast from ITV News, was awarded the International Drum Award for Podcast of the Year.

Laura and her wife reside in Chicago where they are involved in civic and philanthropic endeavors. Laura is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, the City Club of Chicago and the American Heart Association. Globally, Laura serves as an active board member on the Keystone Board of the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab and the WASH Foundation, an endeavor of Clean the World Global, a member of the United Nation’s WASH Cluster.

For more information, please visit www.LauraSchwartzLive.com.

Areas of focus at Technomic

Wade has led Technomic’s supermarket foodservice practice area since 2006. He has partnered with both grocers and manufacturers on how to optimize prepared foods sales. In addition to his supermarket foodservice channel expertise, Wade has done extensive work in the protein, bakery, and breakfast foods’ categories and has spent considerable time advising the industry on the future of sustainability in foodservice.

Experience at every level of the process

Since joining Technomic, Wade has conducted and written numerous multi-sponsor and proprietary studies encompassing all foodservice segments. During his years with the firm, he has had an active role with key clients in interpreting implications and developing targeted strategic plans.

Communication experience

Wade has regularly presented at industry events, including the Foodservice Sales and Marketing Association (FSMA)
Top 2 Top conference, the National Restaurant Association Show and more. He’s been cited by
publications such as Wall
Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Crain’s and USA Today,
and has made appearances across various television news networks.

Ilana Braverman is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Greener by Default, a nonprofit organization that empowers institutions with evidence-based consulting and hands-on guidance to serve inclusive, sustainable, and delicious plant-forward menus. She gave a TEDx talk on the topic, “Moving Beyond a Hamburger Default World.” Prior to co-founding Greener by Default, Ilana served as the Director of Outreach for Better Food Foundation and Program Manager at Farm Forward. Ilana holds a Master's degree in Animals and Public Policy from Tufts University and a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.