Emily cemented her role as a member of the Executive Leadership team at Chick-fil-A Shelby Township (CFAST) due to her drive and versatility, having a positive impact on all aspects of the business, including operations, as well as strategy, being both a thinker and doer.

​

Beginning her journey at CFAST in the Back of House, Emily’s focus was to develop the kitchen team, leading to consistently producing amazing food. Emily was elevated to an overarching role to help oversee the BOH and Front of House, helping to establish cohesiveness across the business with systems and processes, coaching to maintain standards of excellence. Emily later ascended to her current role to lead Talent, which includes recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding. Emily collaborates with the Owner-Operators and the Executive Leadership Team to drive strategies to ensure the restaurant is fully staffed, with talented, caring Team Members. She also is the architect of CFAST’s Leader in Training program.

 

Beyond Talent, Emily’s role includes tracking and measuring analytics in support of business performance, including sales, profits, expenses, as well as Customer Experience Monitor (CEM) scores within great food, fast & accurate service, genuine hospitality, and cleanliness & organization. Emily also maintains key administrative responsibilities in serving as a steward of the business, including accounts payable, scheduling, and attendance.

 

Having joined CFAST with a strong foundation, Emily’s background included 10 years as a general manager at Dairy Freezzz, as well as internships at Disney World and Marriott. Emily studied Hospitality and Tourism Management at Grand Valley State University, with an emphasis in Lodging Management.

 

A native of Warren, MI, Emily is newly married to husband Vince, and they have a dog named Kylo and two cats named Simba and Mufasa. In her free time, Emily enjoys watching the Food Network, listening to podcasts, and scrolling Instagram.

Marissa has been a strong force at Chick-fil-A Shelby Township (CFAST) from day one, steadily rising-up the ranks, proving herself to be an integral member of the Executive Leadership team.

 

In her current role, overseeing Back of House (BOH) Operations, Marissa leads by example. She is a dynamic, organized, collaborative individual who excels within hands-on project management. Marissa strives to ensure that every guest feels welcome and cared for by first focusing on her team serving great food. Marissa also leads the build-out and activation of the BOH Leadership Development program, with an ongoing focus to identify and train future leaders.

 

Partnering with the Senior Head Coach in the Front of House, Marissa co-leads the restaurant in also having a presence up-front. Part of Marissa’s genius is being interchangeable in having full command of systems and processes, back-to-front, inside and out. She has a blackbelt in how to properly prepare amazing food, as well as a deep understanding of the complexities to execute the various sales channels, to help CFAST to win hearts every day in meeting and exceeding guest expectations.

 

Having come from six years of experience in the research and development industry, Marissa has brought her technical skills to CFAST to ensure that the facility and its equipment are functioning at peak performance for top quality food and ease of use for our Team Members.

 

Enrolled at Wayne State University, Marissa is pursuing a degree in Fine Arts to become an educator, to reach those who wish to use art for forms of therapy and emotional support. Marissa is from Knoxville, TN, and is married to her husband, Cody. Marissa enjoys spending time gardening and engaging in automotive restoration.

Jack is a core member of the Chick-fil-A Shelby Township (CFAST) Executive Leadership team, where he truly enjoys creating a welcoming experience to all whom come in contact with Chick-fil-A.

​

Jack is our Sr. Head Coach of Brand Standards. His main focus is on Food Safety & Quality. He directly oversees the implementation of our Winning Hearts Every Day strategy, by analyzing and communicating CEM scores to the team. With a genuine and fun-spirited personality, Jack models, trains, and coaches the team to use correct techniques within each position, while encouraging a selfless approach with hospitality as leader of the CFAST training program. Jack collaborates with leaders across the business to capture storewide systems and processes to maximize efficiency. He also designed and delivers new employee orientations. He leads 3 committees: Food Safety, Food Quality, & Hospitality. 

​

Having a passion for investing in the development of others, Jack also oversees the CFAST Leaders in Training (LIT) program, designed for new and upcoming leaders within the business. His goal is not only to develop a leader’s knowledge of the business so they can serve amazing food, but also their unique role in helping CFAST live out its purpose, to take joy in making someone else’s day.

​

The son of immigrants, Jack cultivated an entrepreneurial spirit growing up “under the counter” of his parent’s business. As a college student, Jack started his own shipping company sending packages to Europe. After graduating from college, Jack began a career in broadcast production with the NBA Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports & Entertainment. During his 10 years at PS&E, starting as an intern, he served as a Producer, Production Manager, and Director of Creative Services. He won a national Golden Matrix award for Best Sports Promotional video, along with being a part of numerous Emmy Award winning projects. Jack also served as in-arena voice of the Pistons and the IHL Detroit Vipers professional hockey team.

​

Jack expanded his entrepreneurial makeup after leaving the Pistons to join his wife’s family-operated specialty business as Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. During his 20 years in leadership at Doll Hospital and Toy Soldier Shop, he was successful in growing sales exponentially and taking an active role in a highly guest centric business. Prior to helping launch CFAST, Jack spent three years in leadership training and development with Chick-fil-A Holland, MI.

​

A native of Dearborn Heights, MI, Jack graduated from Wayne State University. Jack is married to wife Stacey, and they have two boys. In his free time, Jack enjoys making luxurious and mouth-watering meals from scratch for his friends and loved ones. He also enjoys simple pleasures like walking his dog Maya and calling his lifelong best friend for a daily catch-up.

Kristen is a key member of the Chick-fil-A Shelby Township (CFAST) Executive Leadership team, spearheading marketing efforts, utilizing an inside-out approach. She takes joy supporting the business in leading with a servant’s heart.

 

Internally, Kristen utilizes her talent and creativity to help design and execute a year-round Team Member Experience, dubbed TMX365. She works closely with the Owner-Operators to ensure their vision and the core values of Chick-fil-A are the foundation on which the business grows. Kristen helps to plan and organize year-round events and activities to help build togetherness, culture, and fun, as well as ongoing team member recognition.

 

Externally, Kristen is focused on building relationships outside of CFAST, designing, implementing, and managing strategies to grow sales, developing strategic partnerships, and identifying opportunities to positively influence the community via CFAST’s unique resources, including fundraising, an in-kind donation program, and random acts of kindness.

 

Prior to joining CFAST, Kristen spent nearly two decades in education, most recently as an elementary principal. Having worked the first 14 years in the classroom, and then four years in administration, Kristen has a diverse background in creating supportive and welcoming cultures, as well as building relationships with stakeholders. Kristen volunteers as a small group leader in her church’s youth group, while also participating in local outreach events throughout the year.

 

A native of Detroit, MI, Kristen, received her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, MI, before then obtaining her Master’s degree in Educational Technology from Central Michigan University. Kristen is married to husband Jesse, and they have three children, and a dog named Juno. Kristen loves a challenging game of darts or corn hole, a good book, and having spontaneous adventures with her family.

Craig is a key member of the Chick-fil-A Shelby Township (CFAST) Executive Leadership team. Craig joins us most recently from the athletic department at Siena College in Albany, NY where he was associate director for external relations.  Prior to that, Craig spent 20 years leading brand development, marketing, communications, public relations, and sales for the NBA Detroit Pistons and NHL Detroit Red Wings. 

 

At CFAST, Craig will oversee branding, marketing, communications, and outside sales.  In addition, he will collaborate with our leadership team to execute the "Winning Hearts Every Day" operations strategy. Demonstrating high character, competitiveness, and a caring nature, Craig’s superpower is making decisions based on experiencing moments through the eyes of the consumer. 

 

Having a passion for food, Craig and his wife launched Bull & Basil Wood Fired Pizza, a mobile catering pizza experience, in 2019.

 

Craig is a native of Pittsfield, MA, received his undergraduate degree from Siena, where he is a member of the College's Hall of Fame, and earned his Masters in Sports Management from the University of Connecticut. Craig and his wife Carol have three grown children Sara, Laura, and Joe. 

Caleb joins Chick-fil-A Shelby Township (CFAST) as Senior Head Coach, leading our training and leadership development after serving as the Assistant General Manager for the past three years at Chick-fil-A Westnedge in Portage, MI under multi-unit Operator Idris Rashid. 

 

Caleb’s demonstrated superpower is leading and optimizing operations while remaining calm in the middle of a storm. He believes in operational excellence, positive working relationships, and being detail-oriented. He is excited to work with the talented CFAST team and help grow the Chick-fil-A brand in Metro Detroit.

 

Caleb and his wife Nae moved back to Metro Detroit after living in Kalamazoo, MI, for the past seven years, where before CFA Westnedge, Caleb was a General Manager for Dominos. Caleb is looking forward to reconnecting with his hometown, and he and Nae have a chocolate lab (Leroy) and two cats (A calico named Diego and an orange cat named Taz). Caleb also enjoys playing guitar, where he just learned John Mayer’s version of “Free Fallin” by Tom Petty, and video games (Pokemon is his favorite)!

Chance is an exceptional professional who serves with excellence as the Outside Sales Director for Chick-fil-A Shelby Township. He adeptly manages all off-site direct sales opportunities and brings a wealth of experience to the table. His expertise spans various front and back-of-house positions within the restaurant, and he is a valuable member of the catering team.

 

Before joining Chick-fil-A in Shelby Township in 2023, Chance honed his skills in the finance and mortgage industries. He started as a telemarketer and worked his way up to the position of Senior Business Advisor at Rapid Finance. Later, he became a Senior Loan Officer at MortgagePros, where he helped clients with loan origination and debt reduction.

 

Chance started his career in the food industry while in college, working as a server at Red Lobster for 5 years. During the same period, he interned in marketing and promotions at the United Shore Professional Baseball League (USPBL). His dedication to providing excellent client experiences led to his promotion to Group Sales Representative.

 

Outside the restaurant business, Chance enjoys coaching basketball, which he has been doing for six years. He has assisted with both JV and Varsity teams at Hazel Park and St. Clair Shores. Currently, he is involved in player development at St. Clair Shores. He began his coaching career at Hazel Park High School, working with the JV team and as an assistant to the Varsity team.

 

Chance is originally from Algonac, MI, and earned a business degree with a minor in sports management from Eastern Michigan University.

Christina is the Catering Director at Chick-fil-A Shelby Township. She is responsible for identifying catering opportunities, raising awareness, and enhancing the entire catering experience for our guests. By training the team on the best practices found in Pathway, Christina ensures that our guests have an exceptional experience throughout their catering journey. Her role also includes building and maintaining relationships with local community members. It brings her joy to surprise a guest at work with their favorite Chick-fil-A menu item or to send a handwritten thank-you note to express gratitude for their partnership. Christina’s superpower is being detail-oriented, and she uses her skills to build operational collaboration between the front and back of house.

 

Christina came to us in 2023 with an extensive background in the food service industry. She started working in restaurants at the age of fourteen, working her way up in restaurants like Olga’s Kitchen and Outback Steakhouse. She also gained experience in customer service and digital editing as a wedding photographer. 

 

Christina has Big Red pride as an alumnus of Chippewa Valley High School. She enjoys exploring the outdoors with her camera in her free time, kayaking, and soaking in the sunshine. She loves traveling to see the world. She’s a true Disney fan and would never pass up an opportunity to go to Disney World. Family is the most important aspect of her life; she adores spending time with her nieces and nephews and is truly grateful to live back in her hometown near her family. Christina has two adorable cats, Winnie and Delilah.

Nick is a Head Coach in the Back of House (BOH) for Chick-fil-A Shelby Township (CFAST), with an emphasis on food quality.

 

CFAST is Nick’s first professional experience, where he has flourished as a young leader. His dedication to the brand and standards were quickly noticed. Starting as a Team Member, he then carved his own path forward to Trainer, Team Lead, Assistant Coach, and now Head Coach, gaining full command of each level every step of the way.

 

Continually growing as a leader, Nick is considerate, responsible, patient, and dedicated, always striving to create an orderly and harmonious environment. As a result, it was a natural fit for him to expand his role to help lead CFAST’s BOH training program, with a focus on building systems and processes to maximize efficiency in our fast-paced kitchen. He enjoys positively influencing new team members by showing them the necessary steps and proper techniques to execute each position, and how to do it within a culture of care.

 

As part of his dedication to food quality, Nick is responsible for adherence to important systems for breading and quantity control to help CFAST consistently serve hot, fresh food, to meet and exceed guest’s expectations.

 

Growing up in Mt. Clemens, MI, Nick is a big Detroit sports fan, especially the Lions and Tigers! His love for animals goes beyond sports as has two cats named Storm and Rayne. Nick plans to further strengthen his professional acumen by pursuing an advanced education.

Salvatore (Sal) Palazzolo plays a crucial role as the Head Coach overseeing maintenance at Chick-fil-A Shelby Township. With a strong commitment to excellence, Sal ensures that our facilities and equipment are meticulously maintained to the highest standards. He is dedicated to creating a safe, clean, and efficient environment for everyone who visits our establishment.

 

With 13 years of experience in the fast food industry, Sal began his career at Taco Bell at the age of 16. Through hard work and dedication, he rose to the position of General Manager. His strong work ethic and leadership skills have been fundamental to his professional growth. 

 

Originally from Macomb Township, Michigan, Sal attended Eisenhower High School and pursued some college education at Macomb Community College before embarking on his professional journey. Outside of work, Sal is a devoted family man. He is happily married to his wife, Rachel, and they have three children. Sal finds fulfillment in his role as a hands-on father and maintenance professional, consistently striving to ensure that everything runs smoothly for those around him.

Brendan is an exceptional food safety Head Coach at Chick-fil-A Shelby Township. His dedication to ensuring Safe Daily Criticals, EcoSure, and overseeing all food safety activity at the restaurant is commendable. Since joining the back-of-house staff in 2022, Brendan's extensive three-year experience at McDonald's and two years with Michigan Brand Inc. have undoubtedly contributed to his invaluable expertise in food safety management.

 

Brendan is interested in comedy and entertainment and hopes to make people laugh for a living. He’s originally from Montrose, MI, and resides in Shelby Township, MI.

Kimm has established herself as a morning staple at Chick-fil-A Shelby Township, opening the restaurant and leading the Front of House (FOH) Drive-thru during breakfast and lunch.

 

Bursting with energy and positivity, Kimm is up with the morning sun to bring joy and delight to our team and our guests in the FOH, with a knack for remembering guests names and really getting to know them! Kimm possesses a wonderful combination of strength and finesse, having command of operations, while exuding grace within hospitality. She teams-up with the PM Drive-thru Lead throughout each day to maximize efficiency, while also creating an “experience” for guests in the drive-thru.

 

Proficient with systems and processes, Kimm provides training, tools, equipment, and vision to help position the drive-thru team for success. Kimm coaches the team on the principle of going slow to go fast, paying close attention to detail to ensure each order is accurate, doing it correctly as fast as you can. As part of her focus on thru-put, Kimm is also responsible for technology, as well as the exterior cleanliness and organization.

 

Prior to joining CFAST, Kimm accumulated 18 years of leadership experience at McDonald’s restaurants throughout the state of Michigan. Highly regarded at McDonalds, Kimm attended Hamburger University, and was a General Manager in training. Kimm also has experience with Gateway Computers.

 

A native to Sterling Heights, MI, Kimm is married to husband David, they have three boys, and three German Shepherds named Zoey, Scout, and Oakley. Kimm actively volunteers, including being a Scout with her sons. A reflection of her fun personality, she also has a noteworthy collection of bowling balls, Yetti items, Christmas North Pole village decor, teapots, and Care Bears.

Tamryn is an exceptional leader and an invaluable asset to Chick-fil-A Shelby Township. Her role as the head of stewardship involves overseeing the seamless organization and handling finances. She is dedicated to providing the renowned "2nd mile service" to front of house team members, going above and beyond to ensure that guests receive exceptional care and attention. Tamryn's genuine and warm interactions with guests showcase her outstanding leadership qualities.

 

Tamryn started working at the restaurant in 2022, handling cash management, inventory control, and front counter operations. Before that, she worked at AuPair for three years.

 

Tamryn enjoys exploring and meeting new people on her journey. Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, she is married to her husband, Christian.

Jaylen is the Head Coach of PM Drive-thru, focused on maximizing accuracy and speed potential, directly affecting the guest's experience.

 

His professional background includes two years as the General Manager for McDonald’s, where he attended Hamburger University.

 

Originally from Mount Clemens, Jaylen has several interests outside of his work. He is an avid computer programmer, enjoys riding motorcycles (he owns a couple), loves cars, and participates in charity events around his neighborhood.  

 

Jaylen is pursuing a degree in Computer Science at Oakland University.

Danielle is the Head Coach of Hospitality at Chick-fil-A Shelby Township. Her primary focus is on "Winning Hearts Every Day.” She ensures every guest receives a warm welcome, enjoys their meal with friends or family, and is always offered a “refresh” on their lemonade before bidding a fond farewell.

 

Her work history includes seven years as a chef-baker at an award-winning bagel bakery in downtown Detroit. During this time, she baked for well-known icons such as Martha Stewart. Additionally, she assisted in the opening of a popular downtown cafe by developing unique recipes. She also spent a year managing a Crumbl cookie store.

 

Danielle grew up in St. Clair Shores and has lived in the area her whole life. She enjoys baking for her family, creating adventures with her friends, and remodeling her home in her free time. She is married to her husband, Carson, and they have a son.