Mothers on the Line 2026

Mothers on the Line

You may think this panel is just for women—but it’s really about all of us.

Across our industry, we lose talented coworkers when they reach a point where they feel they have to choose between having a family and having a career in the hospitality. And when we lose them, we all feel it—in the form of empty positions, exhausted teams and already-too-small staffing pools.

So what if we stopped asking mothers to choose?

This panel will explore practical ideas and meaningful changes that could help more women stay in the industry after having children. From workplace culture and scheduling to childcare, leadership and flexibility, we’ll look at what restaurants can do differently to make careers in hospitality more sustainable for parents.

Because keeping experienced, talented people in our industry isn’t just good for mothers—it’s good for all of us.

And imagine this: fewer empty positions, stronger teams and no more losing great cooks simply because they became parents.

Joanna Jagger – Worth Association

Joanna Jagger is the Executive Director and founder of WORTH Association, a society for women of recreation, tourism and hospitality. WORTH Association was incorporated in 2018 to provide opportunities for mentorship, education and leadership development. Formerly, Joanna was a Convenor and Instructor at Capilano University. She has held leadership roles in sales, catering and human resources at top hospitality brands including Marriott International, Shangri-La Hotels and Sequoia Company of Restaurants. She serves on the Board of BCPavco, supporting the Vancouver Convention Centre and BC Place Stadium. Joanna has a Provincial Instructor’s Diploma from VCC and a Masters in Leadership from Royal Roads University.

Nicole Gomes

Chef Nicole – BIO

Cheryl Chang – Nourish Kitchen

Cheryl founded Nourish with the belief that everyone deserves a seat at the table. Using food as her platform and a way to connect folks, she creates inclusive spaces where all dietary needs are welcomed with creativity and care.
Rooted in community partnership, Cheryl works alongside farms, schools, families, and fellow chefs to strengthen food access, literacy, and cultural connection. She is a steady advocate for those with smaller voices, using food to build bridges, foster belonging, and bring people back to the table together.
Cheryl can be found as a private chef, chef educator in various settings and in community leading industry female BIPOC advocacy events.