During September, we are celebrating the Women of Cura in honor of American Business Women’s Day on September 22! Meet some of our special ladies who continue to make a difference in the lives of our residents, patients and guests each and every day!
Meet Kimmi Campagna, Senior Director, National Partnership Development, an 18-year Cura growth leader, and former Elior North America salesperson of the year, who also led the first dining team to ever be recognized as a Press Ganey National Success Story. Kimmi also notes that “Our president, 75% of our vice presidents, and many other leadership positions are currently held by women, far exceeding business norms, so the gender gap is really non-existent. I would like to note the incredible platform addressing the broader scope of diversity we are embracing developed by Elior. The genuine approach and thoughtful topics continue to inspire me so I can help address this next hurdle in meaningful ways.”
Meet Kristen Azzarello, Vice President, Allegheny Health Network, who is also the Vice President Safety Sponsor! “Having worked for Cura for the past 5 ½ years, one of my biggest career highlights was when Cura was awarded the Allegheny Health Network dining services contract. I’m a passionate advocate of the patient experience. So, I was proud to be a part of Cura’s Completely Satisfied refresh, which contributes to the overall patient satisfaction experience. I’m also proud to make safety a priority in the workplace. I was honored when Cura won the safety award last year at the Growth Conference! My mentor over the years has been Trish Spellman, Our Cura President. Trish is a strong role model and a huge developer of leaders. My advice for women starting off in their careers would be to never settle for a job that you are not passionate about. Set clear goals for yourself and work on goals that matter to you first. Show enthusiasm for what you are doing and stay motivated!
Meet Julie Mancuso, Vice President of Operations who is responsible for our southern teams. She is an inspiration for strong women leaders like Lisa Emeka a district manager for Texas Health Resources whose team was presented the 2023 Professional Support Services Award! “I’m so proud of my teams, and the leadership that creates successful partnerships like this. Mentors are critical to our success. I have been fortunate to have had intelligent and successful women who have also mentored me. So now it’s my turn to share what I know in order to be successful. My advice is to always be willing to learn in every situation. Never be afraid to ask questions, make mistakes, and learn from them. Take care of others and others will be there for you. That’s why I enjoy working for Cura, an extraordinary organization that not only supports its customers but each other!
Meet Jen Bonilla, Vice President of Operations, PhD, FACHE, SHRM-SCP. “Developing employees contributes to the growth of Cura, allowing us to have the talent we need as we win new business. As leaders, we all have a responsibility to recruit and retain a diverse team to serve our diverse client base. I like to focus on our succession planning process annually and to create opportunities for people like Sarah Gerstorff, a newly appointed food service director at Marion Health Hospital in Indiana! Sarah is now building her Cura team with a great group of talented diverse employees.” According to Sarah, “I stand proud as a Woman to have this opportunity to lead this great group of employees to give great care and service to our healthcare community.
Meet Cheryl Torre-Rastetter, a Cura manager for 20 years, currently Director of Dining Services at Providence Point, a Baptist Senior Family Community, one of the most distinctive senior living communities in Pittsburgh, PA. The community’s dining program has been featured in national and local media, and was even featured by Food Management Magazine as a dining services innovator of the month! At Providence Point, Cheryl provides an exceptional guest experience and is well known for her artistic and extensive catering talents that are sought out for weddings, family gatherings, and culturally themed events where global cuisine is routinely prepared by executive chefs. “Cura encourages your creativity and does not expect every account to be the same. I think this is what makes Cura special and different from our competitors. The client and Cura work together to exceed resident and administrative expectations.”
Meet Joeleen Kielkucki, Business Development Director Midwest. In celebration of National American Women’s Business Day, we actively contribute to the growth of our organization, Cura, by adopting a multi-faceted approach:
- Growth of Cura: By fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration, we ensure that women are represented at every level of decision-making. This includes women-focused mentorship programs and initiatives to support female-led projects.
- Promoting Diversity and Inclusion: Our hiring practices emphasize diversity and equal opportunity. We hold regular training sessions to educate our team about the importance of inclusion, unconscious bias, and how to create a welcoming environment for everyone.
- Supporting Local Community: We collaborate with local women-owned businesses and non-profits, offering our expertise and resources to empower women entrepreneurs and community leaders.
- Closing the Gender Gap: We’re committed to equitable pay and regularly review our compensation strategies to ensure gender parity. By openly discussing these policies and statistics, we aim to create a transparent and equitable work environment.
By taking these steps, we not only strengthen Cura but also make meaningful contributions to our broader community, highlighting the role that businesses can play in promoting gender equality.
Meet Trish Spellman, President of Cura!
Trish is a seasoned leader with nearly 30 years of experience in contract-managed services operations working for leading organizations in the U.S. and internationally. Throughout her career, Trish has demonstrated her ability to drive organizational and financial results through disciplined execution, process improvement, quality, and customer focus, while developing talent. She has a proven track record of building performance-based relationships with clients and leading transformational change.
In addition to her expertise serving the healthcare industry in acute care and senior living markets, Trish also has experience in corporate dining, private preparatory schools, and facilities management.
Trish joined Cura Hospitality in 2016 as Vice President of Operations. Trish served as Managing Director, before her promotion to President in 2023.
“Quality and customer focus are the foundation of our business. The key ingredient to our success is our people and our commitment to developing talent at every level. The women of Cura exemplify how we support them to cultivate our clients’ success!”
