This week, Jessica is joined by Kelli Valade, CEO of Denny’s. They discuss how Kelli’s career in restaurants–which started when she was 16 years old–was shaped by leaders who cared for her, how it continues to be shaped by colleagues and employees, and the responsibility  she feels as a leader to see, care for, and understand the people around her.

Kelli also discusses culture as a business strategy and maintaining the relevance of a legacy brand without losing its heart. She opens up about mental health and Generation Z, scaling culture across thousands of restaurants, and how leadership rooted in service builds brands that last. 

About Kelli Valade

Kelli Valade is chief executive officer of Denny’s Corporation. She joined Denny’s in June 2022 and has spent more than 30 years in the restaurant industry as a purpose-driven leader with an uncompromising dedication to serving guests and her teams. Prior to joining Denny’s, Kelli served as CEO of Red Lobster and CEO of Black Box Intelligence. She also spent several years at Brinker International where she held various management positions at Chili’s including brand president, chief operating officer and senior vice president of human resources. Kelli currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) based in Greenville, SC and has served on past boards of the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation (NRAEF) and Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF).

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelli-valade/
• https://www.dennys.com/kelli-valade

Host: Jessica Kriegel

• Website: jessicakriegel.com
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessicakriegel
• Instagram: @jess_kriegel

Culture Partners

• Website: culturepartners.com
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/culturepartners