Our Team
Meet the passionate professionals who bring our mission to life every day. Each team member brings unique strengths, a variety of experiences, and a shared commitment to transformational excellence. Together we’re dedicated to delivering exceptional service and building strong relationships with the clients we serve.
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Founder and CEO
Todd is the founder of City of Hospitality, living and working in the Great Lakes State of Michigan. With more than 40 years in the foodservice and hospitality industry, Todd is passionate about helping people, teams, and partnerships thrive.
Todd holds a BA in Hospitality Business from Michigan State University (Go Green!), an MS in Management, and a Master Certification in Applied Project Management. His career spans foodservice management, hotel sales and catering, campus services leadership, and many years as a trusted consultant and coach.
As a “side hustle,” Todd teaches graduate-level project management courses to international students. For “fun and relaxation,” he enjoys boating and biking, and he runs at least 1 mile daily, a streak he’s maintained since November 2013. Despite this, Todd is the first to tell you that his “journey is just beginning.”
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Leadership Coach
After graduating from Bates College, Anne began her career in higher education, working with students and alumni. Anne has 30+ years of experience, having run the career programs at Bowdoin, Carleton, Davidson, and Carnegie Mellon. She has consulted for peer colleges and teaches career coaching through the Institute of Life Coach Training. She earned her MS and holds BCC and ACC coaching certifications; Anne is a “Designing Your Life” trained coach. She founded Lighthouse Career Coaching as an encore career. She and her husband Ron live in western New York and have two grown sons.
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Certified Coach and Speaker
Valerie Renee is a speaker, a coach, and a connection enthusiast with a serious love for mountain air. With a career built on relationship-driven roles—from real estate to sales strategy to group fitness—she now helps individuals and teams build lives rooted in authenticity, purpose, and real human connection. As a Master Certified Life Coach and keynote speaker, she empowers audiences to move from merely surviving to truly thriving.
Valerie resides in a small Colorado mountain town, where she embraces her love of adventure by skiing, hiking, mountain biking, running, and anything else that takes her outdoors. She also enjoys good food, good music, and good friends.
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Senior Coach
Rick has been working in higher education for 25+ years and has managed a robust portfolio of multiple auxiliary service areas during this tenure. Included in Rick's background is his work with student housing, university bookstores, dining services and student union (including event services). While Rick enjoys working in all aspects of student development and success, much of his focus over the years has been digging into the operational side of the business of higher education. Rick has had success in client relationship building between various business partners and the university, contract review and management, procurement processes and financial oversight of large operating and revenue budgets. Rick is a native Chicagoan, but also enjoys wherever his travels take him and enjoys spending time at his vacation home on the Michigan side of the great Lake Michigan.
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Strategic Coach
Jim is an experienced engineering manager and workshop facilitator with a demonstrated history of leading teams to creative and robust solutions worldwide. With 20 years of direct customer interface, and 17 years managing global teams, Jim has a unique recipe for driving excellence and delivering outstanding results. Jim is passionate about building team environments where everyone feels informed, aligned, and motivated around common outcomes.
Jim resides in Marshall, Michigan, a.k.a., the "City of Hospitality." He enjoys running (at least a mile a day), camping, photography, cooking, and hanging out with friends and family.
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Marketing and Training Coordinator
Kimberly plays a key role in planning and executing tradeshows, workshops, and masterclasses—making sure the details run smoothly, from behind-the-scenes prep to on-site support. With a passion for creativity and connecting people through meaningful learning experiences, she helps craft events and marketing materials that leave a lasting impact. Kimberly also works closely with the team to keep communications clear, consistent, and engaging.
Kimberly resides in Ohio and enjoys gardening and growing flowers, staying active as an exercise enthusiast, and traveling with her husband. She also loves spending quality time with their two sons.