President

Emily Alt

Marco's Franchising LLC

Emily had over a decade of experience as an HR Leader in healthcare before joining Marco’s Pizza in 2018. Since then, she’s been instrumental in growing the HR team to support the high-growth business. Emily has been a champion of Marco’s People First culture and a leader in overhauling Marco’s employee benefits and compensation programs.

Immediate-Past President

Amy Woods

The Wendy's Company

Amy Woods is currently Vice President, Total Rewards for The Wendy’s Company headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. At Wendy’s, Amy is responsible for leading executive and broad-based compensation and employee benefit programs. She has over 25 years of human resources experience across restaurant, manufacturing, and technology industries. Amy holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management and Business Economics from Miami University, and a master’s degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University. Amy has been a member of CRTRA since she joined Wendy’s in 2018.

Vice President & Treasurer

Caitlin Cepluch

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants

Caitlin has her Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management from The Ohio State University and has been in HR for 15 years. Caitlin is currently the Director of Benefits with Cameron Mitchell Restaurants and Rusty Bucket, where she has been for the last 10 years. She drives the overall benefits strategy for the organization while focusing on the company’s philosophies of putting associates first and making “Yes” the answer.

Survey Director

Randy Valerio

Cracker Barrel

Randy Valerio is the Manager of Compensation at Cracker Barrel, where he has held progressive roles since 2017 and has been in Compensation strategy since 2020. He holds a master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology from Austin Peay State University and has a desire to continue to develop in the total rewards space.

Conference Director

Nicole Burhannan

Wendy's

Nicole Burhannan is the Manager - Benefits at The Wendy's Company, where she leads the strategy and management of the organization's global benefits programs. With 20 years of experience in human resources, Nicole has a wide range of expertise including benefits, compensation, HR business partner, payroll and talent management, spanning multiple industries. She holds a Master of Business Administration from The Pennsylvania State University, and is a Certified Benefits Professional (CBP) and Certified Compensation Professional (CCP). Nicole has been a CRTRA member since joining Wendy’s.

Membership Director

Marissa Wellman

Bojangles

Marissa has been with Bojangles for a little over 5 years, serving in both Operations and Human Resource Roles. Most recently in a Director of People and Culture. In her free time, her and the family are baseball fanatics so you will often catch her at a ballgame.

Communications Director

Angela Goldthwaite

Ted’s Montana Grill

Angela Goldwaite is the Senior Director of Human Resources at Ted's Montana Grill. She has over 25 years in the restaurant industry and is passionate about helping people grow and succeed. She believes in meeting people where they are, with empathy and understanding—whether it’s in the workplace or in everyday life. When she's not working, you’ll usually find her outdoors, camping under the stars or exploring hiking trails.

Education Director

Jesseca Johnson

Taziki's

Jesseca Johnson joined Taziki’s Mediterranean Café in 2024 as the Learning & Development Manager, bringing 12 years of experience in higher education to the restaurant industry. With a strong foundation in instructional design, leadership development, and adult learning, she now oversees training strategy and implementation across all levels of the company—from hourly team members to senior leadership—ensuring that learning is both meaningful and practical. In her role, Jesseca works at the intersection of education and total rewards, advocating for comprehensive development programs that don’t just train employees, but truly benefit them. She is deeply passionate about total rewards and believes in designing strategies that truly honor and support the people who make a business thrive. She advocates for holistic, forward-thinking approaches that go beyond compensation—encompassing well-being, growth, recognition, and a sense of purpose at work.