Middle management is a critical step on the career ladder to senior leadership, as this is where strategies and processes get executed and culture is defined. It is also where gender inequalities can become more prominent and DEI initiatives disconnected. With a mass exodus of women from the food and beverage industry in recent years, attracting, retaining, and advancing women and people of color within the industry has never been more important if we are to reach gender parity in this lifetime. In this presentation, Angela Dodd, the Founder of Females in Food, will share the key barriers to gender equity in the workplace, why women are leaving the F&B industry in greater numbers than ever before, and how even the best DEI initiatives can get lost if middle managers aren’t fully engaged. Using data gathered from roundtable discussions, client work, and surveys, she will share insights and initiatives companies can adopt to attract, retain, and advance women in the F&B industry to close the gender gap and propel their organizations into the future in the most sustainable way. Speaker: Angela Dodd, MS