Board of Directors | First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc

Ralph Alvarez has served as a director and as Chairman since December 2019. Ralph is a 40-year veteran of the restaurant industry having served in leadership positions in Europe, Japan, Latin America, Canada and the U.S. He currently serves on the boards of Eli Lilly & Company, Lowe’s Companies, Inc. and Traeger, Inc. Previously he also served on the boards of McDonald’s Corporation, Dunkin’ Brands, Inc., Key Bank Corp. and Realogy Holdings Corp. Ralph is an operating partner of Advent International Corporation, a private equity firm. He retired as a director and the Chairman of Skylark Co., Ltd., a public Japanese holding company operating more than 3,000 restaurants, in March 2018. Ralph served as President and Chief Operating Officer of McDonald’s Corporation from August 2006 until his retirement in December 2009. Ralph joined McDonald’s in 1995 and held a variety of leadership positions during his tenure with the company.

Irene Chang Britt has served as a director since July 2023. Irene has extensive executive leadership experience in the consumer brands and retail industry. She currently serves on the boards of Brighthouse Financial, Inc., IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. and Victoria’s Secret and Co. Previously, she also served on the boards of Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc., Tailored Brands, Inc., TerraVia Holdings, Inc. and Sunoco, Inc. She is a National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Board Leadership Fellow and a frequent speaker on both leadership and corporate governance best practices. Irene served as President and Divisional CEO of Pepperidge Farm, Inc. and Senior Vice President, Global Baking and Snacking for the Campbell Soup Company from 2012 to 2015. Irene joined Campbell Soup in 2005 and held a variety of leadership positions during her tenure with the company. Prior to joining Campbell Soup, Irene held a number of leadership positions within Kraft Foods and Nabisco. Before that, she spent more than a decade at Kimberly-Clark, where she held key assignments in marketing, sales and R&D leadership.

Michael Fleisher has served as a director since November 2024. Michael’s executive and financial management leadership experience includes over nine years serving as the Chief Financial Officer of Wayfair, Inc. Prior to joining Wayfair, he was Vice Chairman, Strategy and Operations at Warner Music Group from 2008 to 2011 and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 2005 to 2008. He was previously the Chief Executive Officer of Gartner, Inc. from 1999 to 2004. Michael currently sits on the board of directors of Squarespace, Inc. (NYSE: SQSP), where he chairs the Audit Committee and is a member of the Nominating and Governance Committee, and GOAT Group. Michael earned a B.S. from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.

Tricia Glynn has served as a director since August 2017. Tricia has served as a managing director of Advent International Corporation since 2016. Previously, she served as principal of Bain Capital Private Equity from August 2004 to July 2016. Prior to Bain Capital, Tricia was an investment professional with the Private Equity Group of Goldman, Sachs & Co. She currently serves on the boards of Olaplex, Inc. and Savage X Fenty. In addition, she has also served as a director of lululemon athletica inc. from August 2017 to June 2021 and of Burlington Stores, Inc. from August 2012 to June 2018. Tricia earned an AB in Biochemical Sciences cum laude from Harvard College and MBA, with high distinction, as a Baker Scholar from Harvard Business School.

Charles (“Charley”) Jemley joined the board as a director and as Chair of the Audit Committee in August 2024. He previously served as Chief Financial Officer at Dutch Bros, Inc. and CKE Restaurants. Prior to that, he spent more than a decade at Starbucks Corporation and nearly two decades at Yum! Brands, Inc. leading finance teams in America and globally. He currently serves on the board for Four Corners Property Trust. Charley earned his B.S.B.A. in Accounting from University of Louisville and his MBA from University of Washington.

William Kussell has served as a director since December 2019. Will has extensive restaurant industry leadership experience as the former President of Dunkin’ Donuts and Chief Operating Officer of Dunkin Brands. He has served as an operating partner of Advent International Corporation since February 2010. Will has also served as chairman of the board of directors of Bojangles’, Inc. from August 2011 to January 2019, and as a director of Extended Stay America, Inc. from June 2010 until June 2016.

Stephanie Lilak has served as a director since June 2022. Stephanie has served as the Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer of Mondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ) since January 2024. Previously, she was Chief People Officer of Bumble, Inc. from November 2021 to December 2023 and Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer at Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. from July 2019 to November 2021. Prior to Dunkin’ Brands, Stephanie spent 23 years with General Mills Inc., in roles of increasing responsibility. She served as Vice President, Human Resources for the North America Retail Segment from January 2016 until July 2019. Prior to that role, she was the Vice President, Human Resources, Sales Division and Convenience & Foodservice Operating Segment from February 2015 to January 2016 and Vice President, Human Resources - Convenience and Food Service from September 2013 to February 2015. Stephanie earned a B.S. in Psychology and an M.S. in Industrial Relations from the University of Wisconsin Madison.

Jostein Solheim has served as a director since December 2023. Jostein has served as the CEO, Health & Wellbeing at Unilever PLC (NYSE: ULVR) since June 2021. Previously, he was President of Unilever’s Food & Refreshments Division, North America from July 2018 to June 2021 and Executive Vice President and CEO of Unilever’s Ben & Jerry’s subsidiary from April 2010 to July 2018. Over the course of his 30+ year career with Unilever, he has progressively taken on roles with increasing responsibility across marketing, brand development and strategy. Jostein earned a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of Southampton and a M.Sc. in Economics from the London School of Economics.

A seasoned executive leader with a track record of success, Chris has more than 25 years of experience guiding some of the most well-known brands in the restaurant and entertainment industries.

In June of 2018, Chris was named Chief Executive Officer of First Watch Restaurants, Inc. after serving as President since December of 2015 and Chief Marketing Officer from 2006 to 2015. Prior to joining First Watch, Chris led strategic branding and marketing for renowned national and international brands such as Cracker Barrel and Hard Rock Café International. He was honored on Nation's Restaurant News' Power List in 2017 and recognized as one of the most admired C-Suite executives by FSR Magazine in 2021. In 2024, he received the 2024 Gold Plate Award from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA).

Chris earned a B.A. from the University of Central Florida in Orlando and is an active alumnus who previously served on the University of Central Florida Foundation Board of Directors.