Delaware Restaurant Association Leader Named Chair of National Workforce Foundation Board

Carrie Leishman, president and CEO of the Delaware Restaurant Association, has been named chair of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s board of directors. (Photo courtesy of Delaware Restaurant Association.)

Carrie Leishman, president and CEO of the Delaware Restaurant Association, has been named chair of the Board of Directors of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the workforce development and training arm of the National Restaurant Association.

The appointment places a longtime Delaware industry leader in a national role at a time when the restaurant and hospitality sector is undergoing significant changes in hiring, training and career development, according to the association.

Leishman, who is in her 26th year leading the Delaware Restaurant Association, also serves as head of the Delaware Restaurant Foundation, the organization’s nonprofit arm focused on education and workforce development. The association represents more than 2,300 restaurants statewide.

“I step into this role with a perspective shaped by the field,” Leishman said. “I am a state restaurant association CEO and foundation leader. Together with my colleagues from across the country, we come from the places where strategy meets reality, where programs live not on paper, but in classrooms, restaurants, workforce centers, and communities every day.”

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation oversees national training and credentialing programs aimed at preparing workers for restaurant and hospitality careers. Leishman’s appointment comes as employers across the industry adjust to labor shortages, evolving workforce expectations and the growing role of technology and automation.

In Delaware, Leishman oversees workforce initiatives that reach thousands of participants each year, including ProStart, Restaurant Ready, apprenticeships and educator training programs. According to the Delaware Restaurant Foundation, more than 6,000 high school students participate annually in ProStart programs across traditional schools, charter schools and correctional education settings, while Restaurant Ready has served more than 900 adult learners through community organizations.

“The question is not whether change is happening,” Leishman said. “It is whether we are positioned to lead within it. That is why this moment matters, and why the partnership between the NRAEF and state restaurant associations is so vital.”

Leishman said state associations play a key role in shaping how national workforce programs are implemented at the local level.

“The NRAEF sets national vision, credibility, and standards through trusted, portable programs,” she said. “State restaurant associations bring that work to life. We see what works, where people get stuck, and what employers need next. The future depends on those roles working together.”

She also emphasized the importance of creating clearer career pathways beyond entry-level training.

“The challenge is not getting people in the door,” Leishman said. “It is what happens next. These programs must be part of flexible pathways that lead to advancement, additional credentials, and real careers.”

As chair, Leishman said her focus will be on strengthening existing programs while adapting workforce strategies to reflect state and regional needs.

A full list of officers for the National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation is available through the organization.