Regional Vice President, California

Tayha brings a wide variety of experiences and expertise to our team. Most recently with KBP Brands serving as Regional Vice President, Tayha focused on team building and development, creating systems and processes, delivering operational efficiencies, franchisee relations, acquisitions, and new restaurant openings.

With more than thirty years in the food and hospitality industry, other professional experiences include positions of varying levels with Yum! Brands, Rubio’s Restaurants, Inc., and Boston Market. Additionally, Tayha has held a variety of operational and corporate function roles of increasing levels of responsibility during her career progression. She is grounded in her ‘why’ which is a strong passion for her teams’ success, delivering on her promise to partners and continuous improvement. Tayha holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from University of Phoenix.

Tayha currently lives in Vista, CA, and has two children, Nick and Katie, and two granddaughters, Brooklyn and Audrina. Katie is in Oregon finishing up her pharmaceutical degree and Nick lives nearby. Away from work Tayha enjoys spending time with her family doing watersports, spending time in nature and helping others. She lives by the motto – Love your space, love your people and it will come back to you.

Originally from Indiana a small town farm boy. Have worked in the Food and Beverage industry for over 20 years. Culinary School Graduate of Le Cordon Blue. Minor in Business. Worked in a variety of restaurants from Fine Dining to your Local Café at all different levels.

I have most recently worked as a Resident District Manager for CSUF and before that a Resident District Manager for our Fighting Marines at Camp Pendleton Ca and have been a General Manager for over eight years with Sodexo. Throughout the course of my career, I have honed a variety of skills that required a customer-first, detail-oriented mentality. I excel in face-paced environments which frequently require I transition between prioritized tasks seamlessly.

When leaving a small town in Indiana and heading to California with only a sleeping bag the sky was the limit for me. Scared and Excited at the same time. After working as a dishwasher and getting promoted to Kitchen Manager I decided to go after my culinary degree. After I achieved that goal, the next chapter opened, and I was able to travel around the west coast learning new skills and trades from wonderful mentors along the way to where it landed me here!

In my spare time I enjoy exercising, working on my car and motorcycle, and spending time with my family and my dogs! I have my wife, two kids and four rowdy dogs that keep me busy in my spare time. My wife is a former Marine and runs a tight ship for all of us at the household. Both kids are perfecting their trades and I couldn’t be happier to see their progress.

Born and raised in Southern California, Joan Chang (goes by “Jo-Ann”) began her marketing career as a marketing intern/coordinator at Mt. San Antonio College. After graduating from CSUF with a degree in Communications with a focus in PR, she landed a promotion to Field Marketing Manager at the showcase account of Loyola Marymount University for a major contract service provider. There, she ran the university dining program for 2 years. While there, she further developed her skills for program management, event planning and coordination, graphic design, and team building.

Joan is thrilled and excited to bring her skills and background to the District Marketing Manager position for Chartwells Higher Ed in the Southern California region. She hopes her engagement and support for the clients, managers, associates and guests in her district will blossom under her support.

In her free time, Joan enjoys baking all sorts of sweets for those she loves, as well as for non-profit organizations, lounging around with her adorable yet mischievous kitties, and tending to her small patio garden.

Suzanne Kim comes to Chartwells with a background in marketing, operations, culinary and finance. She worked in the financial services sector before leaving it all behind to begin a career in dining, moving cross-country to attend The Culinary Institute of America. Staying on the east coast, Suzanne coupled her management, marketing and culinary experience in NYC restaurants, corporate dining and higher education locations. Moving back to California, Suzanne is enjoying the sunny winters and working with the Chartwells team!

District Chef

Chef Johnston’s love of food started as a child from sitting on his grandmother’s kitchen counter and watching her cook. That time then translated into attending La Varenne Ecole du Cuisine in Paris, France. After graduating in 1985 Chef Johnston worked in the top hotels and restaurants in the San Diego area for the next 27 years. Chef honed his skills at renowned San Diego places like Mille Fleur, Top of the Cove, The Rancho Bernardo Inn and The Star of the Sea. As Chef of the Star of the Sea, Chef Johnston was invited in 2003 to cook at the James Beard House in New York. Years later Chef Johnston became Executive Sous Chef at the San Diego Convention Center. In this position chef learned the challenges of feeding great food to 3000 people at one seating, buffets for up to 4000 and building themed food courts. All of this led to Compass and Morrison Living as Corporate Executive Chef and then Sr. Corporate Executive Chef for the last 10 years.