AHF-NY 100

Exciting guest speakers join the 2024 Annual Educational Symposium & Vendor Exhibition, offering valuable insights and expertise.

Keynote Speaker Leisa Bryant, MBA, MA, RDN, CPXP, FACHE is the Executive Director for the Food and Nutrition and Patient Transportation departments at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Leisa holds a bachelor’s degree in food and nutrition from Hunter College, a master’s degree in community health education from Brooklyn College, and a master’s in business administration from the University

of Houston Downtown. With over 20 years of healthcare experience in Healthcare Support Services, Leisa has long championed “finding the sweet spot” for quality patient care, patient and employee satisfaction, and efficient business operations. She was an Adjunct Lecturer at Brooklyn College and seizes every opportunity to generously share her knowledge as well as learn from her colleagues and industry experts. Leisa is the 2024 President of the Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF), and is an active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).

Sarah Bennett is the Program Manager at AHF. As a member of AHF’s executive team since 2017, Sarah works with AHF’s Board of Directors, Industry Advisory Board, Committees, Chapters, and members to champion the self-operated industry. She received her B.A. in Visual Arts from Brigham Young University.

Amanda Maucere, MS, RDN, LDN is presently the Dietetic Internship Director at the Florida Department of Health. She is passionate about empowering dietetics professionals in publichealth and community nutrition with cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) tools for superior career preparedness. Amanda is a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) and has also had roles as a wellness dietitian and sports dietitian/instructor at facilities in Florida, and is experienced in managing all aspects of nutrition services including clinical dietetics and food service in the post- acute care rehabilitation setting. She is a Veteran of the United States Coast Guard and holds a B.S. in Biology and Interdisciplinary Studies in Marine Science from University of Georgia, and an M.S. in Health Sciences - Nutrition Concentration from Georgia State University.