WHO WE ARE We are a restaurant group that thrives on creating authentic and inspiring experiences for the communities we serve. Through the contributions of countless incredible people, past and present, we’re headed to the moon with a simple mission — to make people feel good. Your browser does not support the video tag. We’d love to hear from you REACH OUT Core Values WHAT FUELS US Our eclectic team is comprised of some of the most talented, grounded, and innovative people you’ll ever meet.  While no one is quite like the other, it’s our common values that bring us all together! Value 01 Be Authentic & Humble Value 02 Act With Integrity Value 03 Bring Good Energy Value 04 Get Extraordinary Results Value 05 Achieve As A Team Value 06 Inspire With Hospitality Our Team THE MOTHERSHIP The Lab (aka our HQ) When you’re a restaurant group known for transforming quirky old spaces into to fab new hangouts, you’d better have a killer Director of Facilities. Enter Maria Johnson, our new guru of repairs and maintenance, who keeps every location in tip-top shape, so our amazing teams can focus on the most important thing, taking great care of our guests. Raised in NoCal and proudly of Portuguese and Venezuelan heritage, Maria speaks three languages, and spends her spare time learning about world history, immersing herself in different cultures and visiting museums wherever she travels. Talk about a magnetic personality. Melissa is more than just our amazing Director People & Culture, charged with developing and implementing new strategies to keep our team happy, healthy and heading ever-upward. She’s also a travel junkie, with a fridge covered in collectable magnets documenting every destination she’s visited since leaving her hometown of Salt Lake City. An outdoors lover, look for Melissa, her family, and their dogs, out on a trail near you. Born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, William is your basic salsa- and merengue-dancing, lasagna-loving accountant who can’t help himself from busting out in song, or literally LOLing. When he’s not managing the books, and his fellow accountants, you can find him reading books, attending concerts, or brunching out with friends and planning his next grand travel adventure. As a people person, Beth is perfect for her new role as Catering Sales Manager for Postino in Georgia and beyond, making sure everything is picture perfect for our guests. And as the pride of Pensacola, FL, Beth loves to spend her spare time hanging with her hubby, Bird, and their dog, Nola, kicking back with “Toes in the Sand, Drink in my Hand,” preferably while listening to some live tunes. Next time you’re munching on a delicious, chef-crafted meal at any of our locations, take a minute to thank Upwards’ Quality Assurance Manager, Mario Madrigal. Growing up as a teenager in Jerome, Idaho, Mario began obsessing over two things, food and flying. First named an executive chef at age 25, Mario has mastered a wide variety of culinary traditions, from spicy Latin fare to slow-and-low BBQ. But he’s just as passionate about flying, graduating as a flight instructor from the Spartan School of Aeronautics, and traveling to 35 different countries and counting. Our very own Encino man, we’re not saying Emmit is a stereo-typical IT guy, but his go-to recipe is a pizza bagel. But seriously, Emmit keeps all our software and support tickets humming along, and he’s not afraid to admit he’s a TikTok junkie. In his spare time Emmit loves working out and exploring America’s National Parks with his partner, or curling up on the couch with some light reading (aka manga graphic novels and technology and programming books). Remember when your teacher said to never stop learning? Well, Rachel took that to heart, and now as Upward’s Vice President of Learning & Development she’s charged with creating dynamic learning experiences that unlock high-performing teams and fuel the mission of making people feel good. And like any good teacher, Rachel has an unquenchable desire to learn, tinker and explore, spending her downtime brewing up homemade kombucha and barista-quality pour-over coffee. And don’t get her started on her sourdough starter, it’s five-years-old and has lots of offspring if you need some. Our gal from Rochester, Michigan, as a Senior Director of Ops, Lissa’s ride-or-die role is taking all those fancy business strategies and training and developing rockstar team leaders to execute them. Previously working in social services specializing in HIV/AIDS advocacy and prevention, Lissa’s heart is as big as her role, which is why she moonlights as a correctional facility chaplain & motivational speaker. But in her few spare moments, you can find her ocean-bound, soaking in the sun at the nearest beach. Ever wonder how a restaurant grows and adds locations without losing its special sauce? Just ask Madison, Upward’s go-to girl for training staff for both the front and back of house on how to do things the fun way. No wonder why the soundtrack of her life is, Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles. And while she might not be much of a chef (her go-to dish is a quesadilla), Madison loves cooking her friends and family when it comes to playing board games, video games, card games and any other competitive fun. The pride of Pittsburgh, PA, Heidi takes great care of Upward’s catering and group dining customers, and in the future hopes to make her mark on the beverage side, such as having a hand in helping select Positno wines. An avid at-home chef, she can cook up out some seriously crispy fried chicken, but that’s not to say she’s a homebody. Just ask her about her most recent scuba diving adventure with sharks! Upward's newest social media superstar, Cody started as a humble blogger back in his hometown of San Diego, sharing his passion for travel and photography. Now overseeing Upwards’ social programming, from strategy to creative to collabs, Cody is living his best life. He’s even had his face on the Times Square jumbotron … twice! A native of Cottonwood in the heart of Arizona’s wine country, Nycolette is Upwards’ newest catering manager, making sure our off-site deliverables always deliver. A long-time events-planning pro, Nycolette is passionate about assisting our guests to craft the perfect get-together, from intimate affairs to large-scale corporate gatherings. When she’s not planning parties, you can find her getting lost in a good book, or whipping up a homemade meal for friends and family. If you ever wanted to meet a native of Mexico who was raised in Wellington, New Zealand, Danny’s your guy. Charged with guiding, leading and inspiring his team to achieve extraordinary results through incredible hospitality, it’s ironic that this hard-working Area Manager’s favorite album is Guns N’ Roses’ “Appetite for Destruction.” A big fan of breakfast and basketball, Danny is also a former professional trumpet player who now prefers to make beautiful music in the hospitality biz. Hailing from Metairie, Louisiana, Michael is Upwards new COO, and while he might just be getting started on this ‘Joyride’, he was raised in a restaurant kitchen, literally, as his parents ran a series of restaurants. But no one said he learned how to cook, because his go-to recipe to is a protein smoothie. When he’s not overseeing all things operations, Michael loves spending time with his twin daughters, and flip-flopping around town, because, “if I can’t wear shorts, a T shirt and flip flops. I am not going.” Chicago raised and Iowa born, Tanner has always had an artistic soul, starting with simple sketches and growing into a full-blown love affair for architecture and interior design. Now the Sr. Design Manger for Upward, Tanner supports our store development team and helps handcraft each new Postino location. When he’s not hunched over a drafting table, Tanner loves hunting down vintage furniture and vinyl records, playing with plants, and obsessing over the one, the only, Ms. Stevie Nicks. Riding hard outta Bullhead City, AZ, Breann wrangles everything from reconciliations and invoice processing to checks and inventory. As yet another Swiftie for the Upward team, when Breann breaks away you can find her whipping up Mexican food and margaritas, or spoiling her niece and nephew. Mesa, AZ’s own, Michael has the all-important job of making sure all team members get paid accurately and on time. A proud nerd who attends Phoenix Comin-Con every year, Michael loves getting out to watch drag shows, or staying home to binge watch trash TV and play PPGs. Our newest Payroll Analyst and a certified Perogi expert, Claudia is a Phoenix native, a self-described cat and plant lady, and proudly Polish. A fan of the musical, Moulin Rouge, and a voracious reader of true crime, when she’s not crunching numbers and processing payrolls, Claudia is busy writing her own murder mysteries. Our smooth operator from Nebraska City, Nebraska, Lauren supports Upwards’ upward trajectory, from licenses and permits, to making a seamless transition from site selection to restaurant opening. Starting with competing in culinary competitions in high school, Lauren went from line cook to a project coordinator thanks to Bachelor’s degree in business. Outside the office, Lauren likes to jam out with her husband (she’s on bass, he’s on drums), and although she claims she’s not very competitive, they have a chalkboard with a running tally of wins of who wins every board game they play. A native Phoenician, Tanni’s helps oversee our marketing initiatives, aka making sure everyone’s in the know with the latest, greatest offerings from Upward Projects. A music lover and diehard Switfie, Tanni also has a soft spot for dogs, cats, and really all animals. In her spare time, look for her at the river, lake, ocean or any body of water, reading books and sipping cocktails. Guess who’s back, back? Back again? Upward’s new Design Manager, JoAnn previously worked as a hostess and server at Postino before leaving to launch her career as a commercial interior designer. Now this New Jersey native is helping her favorite hospitality company grow in style by maintaining our quirky and come-as-you-are vibes. Outside the office, JoAnn recharges her soul with hot yoga and shopping at vintage markets, and loves to hit the road looking for design inspirations while packing her trusty Polaroid camera. Born and raised in Chicago, and now living large in Houston, Liza is Upward’s newest talent spotter, problem solver and team builder. When she’s not relentlessly seeking the right fit candidate, Liza loves getting together with family and friends and serving up her signature spaghetti and meatballs. And to burn off all those cheesy, meaty carbs, Liza is also a fitness fanatic, “working out at F45, maybe even training for a half marathon or a 200+ mile relay race.” When it comes to Peter and Upward Projects, we go together, like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong. That’s because this cool rider, and Boston native, has watched the movie ‘Grease’ at least 300 times. A former classical musician and current fashionista, Peter’s day job is crafting impactful, thought-provoking, memorable campaigns that cut through the clutter like Greased Lightnin’, and will have you saying, ‘You’re the one that I want, (ooh, ooh, ooh, honey)!’ Proudly repping Riverview, Michigan, Amanda started working in a diner at age 14 and never looked back. Now serving as an Area Director, she finds inspiration building the best teams in the biz, filled with positivity, adaptability and diverse perspectives. That said, despite being a restaurant lifer, Amanda admits she’s not much of a cook, unless you like eggs, and would rather be at Disneyland than anywhere else. Our girly from Gilbert, AZ, Ashlyn’s been with Upward for more than half a decade, first as a server in the restaurants, now helping us improve our HR department to be the best it can be. When she’s not handling all things HR, she's either singing Taylor Swift at the top of her lungs, thrift shopping or cuddling with her English Cocker Spaniel named Coors, aka the cutest dog ever! Phoenix’s own, Melissa can practically spy her old high school from her desk at Upward (go Gators!), where she now supports, engages and serves UP team members as our P&C Manager. A self-described HR geek who loves to lend a hand, Melissa grew up in a big, loving Mexican family and still sings along to every word in The Lion King soundtrack. Outside of the office she loves to spend time, well, outside, hiking AZ’s beautiful mountains, escaping to the beach, and maybe hoping to be abducted by aliens one day. (Keyword: maybe.) The pride of Woodsville, New Hampshire, Tim’s task is simple: sourcing and hiring the best talent in the nation. A lover of everything outdoorsy (hiking, fishing, camping, skiing, kayaking, hunting, mountain biking), when he is indoors, he’s