Michael Friedman Email & Phone Number

When I reflect on what's important to me, I keep coming up with 4 C's: Creativity, Compassion, Collaboration, and Community. As my career began, my focus was primarily on Creativity. As a classically trained chef, I expressed myself through food, using it as a tool to connect with others as well as a creative outlet. Sharing the camaraderie of busy kitchens was the jet-fuel of my professional life. Soon, I realized that training others and teaching skills were just as rewarding as the food preparation itself, perhaps more so.Compassion came next. I began focusing my path in helping others: first working as a Chef Instructor, then creating a new Social Enterprise-- a non-profit restaurant that also provided nutritionally dense meals to homeless shelters. Compassion then led me to transitioning to Healthcare, and becoming a Certified Dietary Manager, overseeing the Food Services at Assisting Living and Skilled Nursing Facilities. It was there that I discovered my passion for Collaboration. Working together with other departments on Care Teams was critical to the clients' quality of life. When I returned to the world of non-profits as a Director of Operations, it was the collaboration of the Director team, and all departments working together with a common mission, that helped create impact and transformed lives. Respectful communication and nurturing relationships were the key to successful Collaboration.All of my work and volunteer experience has allowed me to create and become part of a Community. I have realized that coworkers, supervisors, reports, clients, volunteers, donors, vendors, and neighbors are all part of the tapestry that is Community. Can I, with my love of Creative food and ideas, Compassion for those under-served, ability to navigate organizations and foster Collaboration, and my sincere desire to create and improve Community, change the world? Absolutely! I am excited to continue this journey and learn what is next.

Listed skills include Feeding, Writing, Banners, .Net, and 50 others.

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  Johnson & Wales University

  Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management