Renee Zonka Promoted To Managing Director Of Kendall College's School Of Culinary Arts
Renee Zonka, RD, CEC, CHE, associate dean of the School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College, has been promoted to managing director, effective immediately.
In her new role, Zonka will continue her duties as associate dean, which include responsibility for academics, assessment of student-learning outcomes, managing faculty and staff, and directly interfacing with students to help them maximize their educational experience. Additionally, she will be responsible for budgeting, working with the school's Culinary Advisory Board, and forecasting student flow to assist in scheduling classes. Zonka will report to Kendall College's provost and interim president, Karen Gersten.
Zonka's advancement to managing director follows the recent promotion of Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE, dean of Kendall's School of Culinary Arts, to vice president of culinary-arts programs for Laureate International Universities responsible for strategic leadership of culinary-arts programs offered at nine institutions in nine countries-a role he executes in addition to his duties as dean at Kendall.
"Renee has been integral to the School of Culinary Arts' success since she joined us three years ago," says Koetke. "She exhibits excellent leadership abilities, is well liked by the administration, faculty and students, and is widely respected throughout the foodservice and hospitality industries for her accomplishments and expertise. Elevating Renee to a position where she can directly influence the quality of operations and academics will only increase Kendall College's reputation as operating one of the leading culinary schools in the country."
Zonka's career began with a bachelor's degree in food and nutrition from Loyola University in Chicago. She practiced clinical dietetics at Christ Hospital and Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Ill., where she also hosted cooking classes for patients and their families. Zonka made a career leap to executive chef of the hospital, and then opened a 90-seat public restaurant in the hospital's lobby.
To gain experience in restaurant operations, Zonka joined Marriott Management Services, where she ran multiple foodservice operations for 11 years. While there, she provided classes on sanitation, nutrition and basic culinary skills to Marriott employees.
Zonka received her M.B.A. from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. Prior to joining Kendall College in 2007 as associate dean, she was a lecturing instructor at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., and a chef instructor at the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago.
Zonka was named Registered Young Dietitian of the Year by the American Dietetic Association and Educator of the Year by the ACF Windy City Professional Culinarians. She is a Certified Hospitality Educator through the American Hotel & Lodging Association and a Certified Executive Chef through the American Culinary Federation. In 2009, Zonka launched a nutrition concentration in the School of Culinary Arts' bachelor's program. She is a regular consultant and speaker and in demand as an author on topics that promote the critical relationship between culinary and nutrition.
About Kendall College's School of Culinary Arts
Founded in 1985, the School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College is among the premier culinary-training programs in the United States, offering associate and bachelor's degrees and certificates in culinary arts as well as associate degrees and certificates in baking and pastry. The school occupies a stunning "Riverworks" campus near downtown Chicago. The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission has accredited the Culinary Arts Associate and Baking & Pastry Associate programs since 1988. Kendall, which ce
Brent T. Frei
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