Mike Birkmeyer started at MSDE as the Processing Specialist in 2005 and was promoted to his current position in 2007. Before joining Maryland he was Purchasing Manager for Maines Paper and Foodservice. Mike has more than twenty year’s foodservice experience, which includes a wholesale produce buyer for Marriott Distribution Services and a local produce company, Director of Operations for foodservice at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and various management positions for Hyatt Regency hotels. Mike has a Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Widener University. He is active in SNA and is the Exhibits co-chair for the MdSNA. Mike is a Past President of ACDA, the former co-chair of the Processing Committee, and has held other ACDA Board positions. In his spare time Mike enjoys traveling with his family and spending time at the beach.

Robin Bowman has been in the food service industry for close to 18 years. Currently, Robin is the Director of K-12 sales at Waypoint. She covers 17 states and has 17 dedicated K-12 Segment Specialist. Prior to joining the Waypoint team, she was a dedicated K-12 sales person for Segmark and then Apex, covering Virgina and Maryland. Robin is passionate about School foodservice, prior to selling food, she sold kitchen equipment and worked with school to layout or renovate school kitchens.

Marion Browning joined the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education in December 2010 as the Food Distribution Coordinator for USDA Foods. She enjoys helping schools see the power USDA Foods can provide in supporting successful school lunch operations and providing food to serve those in need through USDA Foods Household Programs. Previously, she worked in Maine with employers and others on policy and environmental changes that encouraged healthy eating, increased physical activity, and tobacco free lifestyles. Marion holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Babson College and after 20+ years as an Underwriter of Commercial Insurance, she graduated from Southern Maine Community College Dietetic Technician Program and joined the University Of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Nutrition Education Programs. Marion also holds a M.Ed. in Adult Education from the University of Southern Maine.

Dorothy Cole has over 19 years of experience with Gordon Food Service. During the first part of her career she was able to provide a bridge between the Business Transformation and Information System teams to build and implement a variety of tools that are used within GFS and by GFS customers. Currently Dorothy is the Education Strategic Account Manager at Gordan Foods.