I’ve spent the last 15+ years working at the intersection of food, operations, and community.

My path has taken me from the kitchen line to the front of house, from leading a parts department at a manufacturing company to converting a school bus into a livable tiny home — and a couple of vehicles into food and beverage service units. I've worked in restaurants, commissaries, shared kitchens, and production facilities — building systems, fixing bottlenecks, and solving real problems with real people.

Before launching Alhen Consults, I served as Director of Operations at Real Good Kitchen , a shared-use commercial kitchen supporting 150+ food entrepreneurs. I helped folks scale recipes, pass inspections (local, state, and federal), hire better, plan more clearly, and grow with intention — not just hustle.

I've also worked as Fractional Operations Director for a growing ice cream company, built FSMA-compliant food safety systems for small manufacturers, and helped dairies navigate PMO pathways. I'm a PCQI certified food safety consultant — which means I can write your food safety plan, train your team, and help you stay compliant without needing to hire someone full-time.

I've managed Six Sigma inventory workflows, led process improvement projects, and built SOPs that actually get used. I believe your food business deserves operations that work as hard as you do without burning you out.

I'm also a former Board Member at Three Rivers Market Co-op and currently serve on the Knoxville Food Policy Council. Next year, my partner and I are moving to Spain, but I'll still be working with food businesses across the U.S. remotely.