Transforming a chef-driven culture

Kaelin has a strong connection to hospitality, having started her hospitality journey as a teenager and bartending alongside full-time HR positions ever since. Her diverse HR background spans several industries, including not-for-profits, law firms, and software start-ups, as well as hospitality. With over seven years of HR experience, Kaelin has excelled in managing the full employee lifecycle - from employee onboarding and orientation, employee relations, benefits administration, learning and development, offboarding, and many other areas - all while fostering a positive workplace environment. Her unique blend of HR and hospitality experience has prepared her to excel at Empowered, where she combines her passion for HR with her deep understanding of the hospitality sector, promising an exciting and positive experience for her clients and teams. When she’s not traveling to different corners of the country to visit friends and family, you can find Kaelin cheering passionately at college football games or attending other sporting events. Her love of different music genres often leads her to exciting concerts, and her taste buds are always on an adventure as she discovers new bars and restaurants. Kaelin graduated from the University of Alabama with a BA in Communication and Information Sciences, and has also earned her SHRM-CP.

Ideal Restaurant Experience

I love starting with a cocktail before transitioning to wine. I prefer appetizers to desserts. And I love to order multiple plates to share with friends, tapas style. I love all different types of food - my favorites being Mediterranean, Italian, and Southern - and I like to be in a cozy environment where I can enjoy the company of whoever I am with.

What does creating workplaces where people thrive mean to you?

To thrive means to be happy! A workplace where people thrive is where a person feels empowered to show up as their best self and do their best work.

Anthony’s experience supervising a quick service establishment awoke his passion for developing others. Having recently graduated with his master's degree in psychology, Anthony has an analytical mind and an interest in organizational behavior and group dynamics. At E|H, Anthony hopes to broaden his perspective on people and culture while developing his own consulting style. Anthony holds his bachelor's in business administration and German literature from UC Riverside, and his master's in psychology from NYU.

Ideal Restaurant Experience

For me, food is about the people you are with and the people that create and serve it. From cheap street eats on the streets of Turkey to the high-class resort restaurants of Singapore, I've had almost every class of culinary service imaginable. As long as there is passion and camaraderie, I am sure to enjoy the food that is served.

What does "creating workplaces where people thrive" mean to you?

I believe thriving must start from within. By letting people know the intention and meaning behind why they do what they do, as well as taking into account personal and professional goals, we are able to nurture individual strengths that translate to confidence and camaraderie. Thriving begins by creating an environment that fosters learning and thought, alongside the attitude of progress.