When I walked out of the restaurant for the last time on February 1st, I took a moment to just look at the house that I loved. Truly. 

Those early mornings, walking around the house with love and intentions – wanting it to be a safe home – meant so much to me….I just had to take a moment and really say goodbye. 

At the time, I didn’t have a perfectly mapped-out plan- just a sense that it was time to pause. 

Three incredible months of pausing. 

And somewhere in the stillness of slower mornings, familiar routines, and a lot of time at home, I started to hear something I hadn’t made space for in a long time: clarity.

Not the loud, urgent kind.
The steady kind.
The kind that reminds you who you’ve always been.

Before restaurants, before leadership roles, before building teams- I was deeply invested in young people.

I spent years walking alongside youth and young adults, helping them navigate life, identity, purpose. You could call it “pastoring,” though today I think of it a little differently.

Not tied to religion.
But rooted in care.
In presence.
In believing in someone before they fully believe in themselves.

And as I sat in this unexpected season of rest, I realized something important:

I’m not stepping into something new.
I’m returning to something original.

If you know me, you know I love the restaurant industry.

Not just for the energy or the creativity- but for the people.

Restaurants are one of the few places where people from all walks of life come together, often early in their careers, often still figuring things out. It’s fast-paced, yes- but it’s also fertile ground.

For growth.
For confidence.
For learning how to show up- for yourself and for others.

I’ve always believed this industry has the power to shape people into stronger, more whole versions of themselves- if we’re intentional about how we lead within it!

Building What Matters

That belief is what makes this next chapter feel so aligned.

I’m incredibly honored to be leading the new Hospitality Service Training Program at our local Community College.

This isn’t just about job skills.

It’s about helping people:

• see their potential
• build confidence
• learn how to work as part of something bigger
• and step into adulthood with a stronger sense of self

It’s about meeting people where they are- and helping them grow into who they’re meant to be.

That’s the work I’ve always loved.

And at the same time, I knew I didn’t want to drift too far from the heartbeat of the industry itself.

So I’m also stepping into a Manager role at another amazing local restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor.

Because leadership, to me, isn’t theoretical.

It happens in real time.
On the floor.
In conversations.
In hard moments and small wins.

It’s where culture is built.
Where people are shaped.
Where growth actually happens.

When I look at all of it together, the throughline is clear:

I care about people becoming whole.

I care about young people stepping into their lives with confidence, resilience, and a sense of purpose.

I care about creating spaces where growth is not accidental- but intentional.

Whether it’s called training, leadership, or something that once looked like pastoring…
at its core, it’s the same work.

And I feel incredibly grateful to be back in it.

These last few months have been absolutely incredible – and as I am learning so much, letting my roots deepen so that I can stand taller! 

Sometimes the path forward isn’t about becoming something new.

It’s about having the courage to return to what’s always been true. What is deeply and unmistakably you–

All my love, xoxo J