Each year in the U.S., from September 15 to October 15, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the history, culture, and contributions of descendants of people from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
This year, Aramark employees celebrated Latinx history and culture with a series of Hispanic Heritage Month events designed to inform, educate, and engage fellow team members across the company!
The festivities were led and organized by Aramark’s employee resource group (ERG), Impacto, which provides leadership development, education, and resources to members, along with valuable marketplace insights and community engagement opportunities.
“From shining a light on our chefs to announcing our annual 30/30 award winners, Impacto put together an amazing calendar of events for this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month,” said Francisca Sohl, District Manager, Aramark Student Nutrition, and Impacto Chair. “With more than 300 members across the globe, Impacto is strong and continues to shine.”
“We continue to focus on growing our people and cultivating careers,” said Alison Birdwell, President and CEO, Aramark Sports + Entertainment and Executive Sponsor of Impacto, in her kickoff address to the organization. Birdwell noted Impacto has had a nine percent increase in membership just in the past year. “Recently, Impacto revived its [local] hubs and put leaders in place in Houston and Philadelphia who have already begun developing workshops and webinars in their regions,” she said.
Calendar of Events
Celebrating Culinary Talent
Throughout the month, Latinx chefs and their recipes were featured at participating Aramark client accounts in a companywide series called “Chef Spotlight,” which celebrates culinary innovation and workplace diversity.
Latin Dance Instruction
Instructors emphasized the importance of music and dance in Latinx culture with salsa and merengue lessons for participants virtually and in person at Philadelphia’s Aramark headquarters on September 20th and October 4th.
Developing Next-Gen Talent
President and Founder of the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA), Gerry Fernandez led a virtual professional development session September 21st designed for employees from diverse cultural backgrounds to understand the value and importance of creating their own career development roadmap.
Job Interview Insights
On October 10th, Emily Taylor, Aramark Talent Attraction Program Manager who supports Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, led a dynamic education session to help participants get prepared for job interviews.
Guest Speaker and 30/30 Awards
To wrap up 2023's Hispanic Heritage Month, Impacto hosted a virtual ceremony October 12th. Participants were treated to an inspirational chat with Latine/Latinx author and storyteller, Alyssa Reynoso-Morris, and the winners of the annual Impacto 30/30 Awards were announced. Meet the winners below!
2023 HHM 30/30 Award Winners
The Hispanic Heritage Month 30/30 Awards are presented each year to Aramark employees who demonstrate a commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment that encourages engagement and creates memorable customer experiences.
Award winners will be invited to participate in a leadership development series focusing on career development.
Congratulations to the following 2023 30/30 Award winners categorized by Aramark line of business.
Aramark Collegiate Hospitality
- Adelina Vazquez
- Edward Flores
- Harry Madsen
- Kathleen Estrada
- Marcus Rivers
- Nicole Hoss
- Roberto Rojas
- Steven Aranda
Aramark Corporate
- Jean-Paul (JP) Rangel – Marketing
- Natily Santos, VP Responsible Sourcing, Global Supply Chain and GPO, received the Impacto Executive Award for making significant contributions to and impactful achievements for the Hispanic/Latinx community in the U.S. As a founder of the ERG, Santos has been involved with Impacto since its inception and currently serves as an advisor to the ERG’s leadership team. She was also honored as Aramark’s Volunteer of the Year in 2019.
- Jesley Navarro
Aramark Facilities Management Services
- Edward Ramos
- Eric Serrato
- Veronica Sosa
- Esteban Plasencia-Batista
- Jose Florian
- Juan Luna
Aramark International
- Andres Pizarro - Chile
- Daniela Bolognini - Argentina
- Francisco Reyes – Chile
- Osvaldo Jeldres - Chile
- Soledad Avila - Chile
Aramark Sports + Entertainment
- Abimael Martell
- Daniella Reyes
- Elizabeth Lopez-Quiroz
- Michael Espina
- Jenise Pickett
Aramark Workplace Experience Group
- Carmen Munoz Oseguera
- David Dias
- Luis Velazco Lopez
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Find out more about Aramark ERGs and the company’s commitment to celebrating a workforce that reflects the communities it serves and to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion among Aramark employees, clients, customers, suppliers, and communities.
