Sweets Before Supper

Alicia Armour

Executive Pastry Chef at Davenport Hotels
 

Like a lot of young girls, I grew up wanting to be just like my mom. My love for baking started at a young age, helping her bake and decorate cakes for every occasion. Seeing the excitement that friends and family had when she showed up with a beautifully decorated cake started my pastry journey. I joined the Davenport Hotels Pastry team in 2017 after attending a professional pastry program. I would have never guessed that what started as a hobby and spending time with my mom could grow into a passion and successful career. I have worked in many positions throughout my time with the Davenport Hotels and now lead the entire Pastry Department as the Executive Pastry Chef, overseeing dessert production across all 5 of the Davenport properties. Creating one-of-a-kind experiences for our guests is an honor and it’s all thanks to a dedicated mom and a Scooby Doo cake

Kylie Jensen

Owner & Cake Designer at Sweet Evie's Bakery
 

Kylie is the owner and cake designer at Sweet Evie’s Bakery. A lifelong passion for beautiful and flavorful food led her to pursue a career in pastry arts.  After attending the Spokane Community College’s Professional Baking Program, she discovered a love for the creativity, skill, and attention to detail that goes into creating visually stunning and delicious wedding cakes and desserts. She is excited to bring that love for creating sweet moments to this event. Outside of the kitchen, Kylie enjoys spending time in nature with her wonderful husband and son. 

Karen McLaughlin

Owner of Fresh Today Catering & Bakery

 

Karen is an experienced pastry chef and cake decorator with over 30 years in the baking industry, owns and operates a family catering and baking business. Her career trajectory progressed from bakery employee to manager, culminating in her current entrepreneurial success. She also serves as Pastry Chef at Maryhill Winery in Kendall Yards. Her passion for baking stems from her childhood experiences assisting her father, a cake decorator and baker. This collaboration continued throughout her career at various bakeries. She now enjoys mentoring her youngest daughter in the culinary arts.

Sharee Moss

Owner of Birdie's Pie Shop

 

Sharee is a mother to six kids, wife to a lucky guy, and by night, she’s a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Sacred Heart’s Children’s ER. She would never consider herself a “chef”. The restaurant world came really by surprise in her life. Her adoration of Grandma Birdie, and her personal love of pie, pulled her into creating and running Birdie’s Pie Shop which has two locations in North Idaho and one in Spokane.

Sharee is a two time Baker Champion at Sweets Before Supper!



Ella Piskun

Executive Pastry and Co-founder Chef of miFLAVOUR
 

Ella , the executive pastry chef and co-founder of miFLAVOUR, a modern French bakery and café in Spokane, is renowned for her handcrafted desserts, including signature French macarons. With a passion for pastry arts and a focus on Parisian authenticity, she and her husband, Maximus, have transformed miFLAVOUR into a premier destination for indulgent treats and sophisticated French café experiences. When Ella is not busy running the business, she is making memories with her two small children. 

Ashlee Santiago

Pastry Chef at Northern Quest Resort & Casino

 

Ashlee is the Pastry Chef at Northern Quest Resort & Casino. Spreading joy and making others smile is her passion. Ashlee enjoys creating desserts for those special moments in life. Now she gets to help support local Girl Scouts by creating YUM and making life sweet (BEFORE supper)!

Ellie Aaro

Owner
Beacon Hill Catering & Events, Spokane, WA

 

Ellie Aaro is a prominent small business leader in Spokane and the owner of Beacon Hill Catering and Events, renowned for its exceptional catering services. She studied culinary arts at both the University of Washington and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. During the pandemic slowdown, Ellie played a crucial role as an advocate for business rights in Spokane. She is widely recognized for her outstanding customer service and delicious food, particularly her famous brownies.

Treasurer Julie Ellsworth

Erin Black

CEO
Memorial Foundation, Yakima, WA

 

Erin Black is a distinguished nonprofit leader from the Yakima area. She currently serves as the CEO of The Memorial Foundation, where she has raised millions of dollars primarily for healthcare initiatives supporting youth and families in Yakima. Recently, she received the Legendary Community Service Award from the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce in recognition of her decades of impactful work. In addition to her role at The Memorial Foundation, Erin is an active leader in the community through Rotary and serves on the Martin Luther King Jr. Committee.

Lisa Fortier

Head Coach
Gonzaga University Women's Basketball, Spokane, WA

 

Lisa Fortier is the head coach of the Women Zags basketball team. As she enters her 11th season in 2024-25, Coach Fortier has elevated the program to remarkable new heights. She is the only coach in the history of the program to achieve ten 20-win seasons in her first ten years. Additionally, her players have excelled academically, with 42 of them being selected for the West Coast Conference (WCC) All-Academic team. After being diagnosed with cancer last February, she has shown great resilience and was declared cancer-free in October. She returned to the basketball court with courage to continue coaching.

Dr. Jyoti Kahlon

Founding Physician
Health First Urgent Care, Tri-Cities, WA

 

Dr. Jyoti Kahlon is a leader in urgent care and an emergency room doctor based in the Tri-Cities. She moved to the area a decade ago with the aim of combining her passion for medicine with business. Just as the pandemic hit, she envisioned and established Health First Urgent Care Centers to provide more accessible healthcare. In 2023, she expanded her operation to include two urgent care centers, which doubled her staff size and increased patient capacity. In recognition of her accomplishments, she was named a "Business on the Roll" in 2024 by the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce.

Fire Chief Julie O'Berg

Spokane Fire Chief, Spokane, WA

 

Fire Chief Julie O’Berg is the first female Fire Chief of the Spokane Fire Department. She previously served 28 years as a firefighter in Kansas, where she held positions as a lieutenant, captain, and ultimately battalion chief. In addition to her firefighting duties, she worked as a training officer for the investigations unit and served on the Kansas State Incident Management Team. In 2020, she was selected as Deputy Fire Chief for Spokane. In 2023, she was convinced by the Mayor to come out of retirement to serve as interim fire chief and was soon asked to take on the role of full-time fire chief.

Dr. Vange Ocasio Hochheimer

Economist and Professor
Whitworth University, Spokane, WA

 

Dr. Vange Ocasio Hochheimer is an economist and professor at Whitworth University in Spokane. She believes that education is the most effective way to escape poverty. In 2024, she was recognized as a Person of Influence by the Spokane Journal of Business for her contributions. Ocasio Hochheimer is dedicated to equipping her students at Whitworth with critical thinking skills. In 2020, she founded Grand Fir Analytics LLC, an independent research company aimed at highlighting local economic trends. Additionally, she serves honorably on several influential boards in the community, where she lends her economic expertise.

Judge Norma Rodriguez

Benton Franklin Superior Court 
Tri-Cities, WA (area)

 

Judge Norma Rodriguez is a superior court judge in the Tri-Cities area. She was first appointed by Governor Inslee and then overwhelmingly elected by voters in 2022. Judge Rodriguez is the first Latina judge elected in Franklin-Benton counties, and she firmly believes in the power of diversity. As an active mentor for young Hispanic individuals aspiring to join the legal system, she is also a strong community member. As the child of migrant parents, Judge Rodriguez inspires others to reach for their dreams, trailblazing a legal path for future generations to follow.

Ellen Travolta

Artist and Storyteller, Coeur d'Alene, ID

 

Ellen Travolta is an artist and storyteller from Coeur d'Alene. She is known for her appearances on shows such as Happy Days, Joanie Loves Chachi, and The Love Boat. Ellen has been a part of General Hospital and has had a successful career in theater and television for decades. Since 2010, she has been involved with the Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre and has produced and starred in an annual Christmas production at the Coeur d'Alene Resort, until 2023. Her love for the arts and commitment to her community have touched the lives of thousands who have enjoyed her down to earth productions.

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