Today, Darden’s Director of HR Technology, Jennifer Giusti, has received the 2022 Top Women in Restaurant Technology – Innovator award. Presented by Hospitality Technology (HT) and the 2022 Multi-Unit Restaurant Technology Conference (MURTEC), the Top Women in Restaurant Technology Awards are in their sixth year and aim to recognize and honor a diverse group of women in the restaurant technology industry.

As a recipient of the Innovator award, Jennifer was recognized for being a forward thinker and executing on tools and strategy that transform the foodservice technology space in a positive manner by creating or deploying emerging technologies that reimagine how things are done while paving the way for future technologies.  

 “Technology can be a difficult career path, especially for women,” says Jennifer. “This is such a tremendous honor – but even more so during Women’s History Month. I’m so grateful to work with so many amazing women here at Darden.”

Jennifer began her journey in the world of technology as a human resources information system (HRIS) analyst at Orlando Health. Here, she learned the ins and outs of the functional aspects of systems, gaining more curiosity and interest about HR Technology.

“I love working in this industry because we’re constantly learning and adapting our systems to handle change. I’ve had to react quickly to things like legislation and business priorities, so you have to learn how to come up with solutions quickly,” says Jennifer.

In August of 2013, Jennifer made her way to Darden, becoming the Manager of HR Systems and Process Management. While working in this role, her passion for HR technology grew stronger. Now, she leads the HR Technology team at Darden as the Director.

 “I really enjoy helping others, so it seemed like a natural fit to move into the restaurant industry. I love being a part of a team that helps others become more efficient at work so they can concentrate on what matters most – their teams and their guests.”

Jennifer accepted the award during the MURTEC conference in Las Vegas, where she was celebrated during a live award ceremony attended by others from Darden.