Betsy Helgesen, Dining Services Director at the University of Minnesota Duluth, shared how she approached technology as a driver of change when she stepped into leadership nearly eight years ago. Coming from backgrounds at Aramark and Starbucks, she recognized that her new team was working hard on problems that technology could ease, but first needed to assess their readiness and skill gaps. Early efforts focused on better use of existing systems such as Seaboard and Yamix, introducing forecasting and waste analysis tools, and layering in dashboards like Tableau for real-time sales insights. She emphasized that helping her team see the personal value of these tools (“what’s in it for me”) was key to adoption, alongside strong training and troubleshooting support.

Helgesen also highlighted the importance of industry networking and peer learning to guide technology choices, noting that best practices from colleagues at institutions like UW–Madison, Cornell, and UMass Amherst often shaped her own rollouts. Her culinary background gave her a unique lens for menu development, ensuring practical and scalable food solutions while empowering her team to lead creatively. She described shifting menus from heavier, “casserole-style” offerings to more customizable, trend-driven options, supported by surveys and direct student feedback loops. Looking ahead, she expressed excitement about waste management software like LeanPath and MetaFoodX for its potential to improve forecasting, cut costs, and strengthen sustainability, all while reinforcing transparency and responsiveness as the foundation of student trust.