WHO WE ARE

A native of Shirland, IL, Curtis is more than just Upward's new Director of Construction, charged with overseeing and handcrafting our quirky collection of both new-build and and adaptively-reused and restored local landmarks. A graduate of Bradley University with a B.S. in Managerial Economics and an A.A. from Daytona State College in Construction Engineering Technologies, he's been involved in construction for 33 years, spanning the entire US, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii. He’s also the king of Dad Jokes, never afraid to construct a terrible pun or a real knee-slapper no matter how much it makes you groan. Outside the office, the soundtrack of his life is Dire Straits, he can whip up a killer guac sauce, and you’ll never guess what he enjoys doing in his spare time–working on a never-ending honey-do list.

Where to start with our new HR Coordinator? For one, Criselle is proudly born and raised in Waipahu, Hawaii, loves traditional Polynesian dancing (hula and Tahitian) and can also whip up a serious island-style Sushi Bake. Here at Upward, she brings that same sunny spirit and love of community to provide exceptional HR support for all team members, strengthening our unique culture, while also impacting and improving the neighborhoods we serve. Outside the office, Criselle loves listening to Drake, spending time with her two orange tabby cats, growing exotic plants and going "holoholo" which means to drive around exploring for fun.

Bringing good aura all the way from Aurora, Illinois, Carolyn is a restaurant lifer, starting as a host at age 15. No wonder why she’s passionate about providing inclusion and opportunity for women in the hospitality industry through mentorship. When she’s not leading Upwards’ teams to perform at a high level while maintaining a great guest experience, Carolyn can be found checking out new restaurants with her hubby, or at home ‘cooking’ up her signature dish – a margarita cocktail.

A proud third-generation Phoenician, Becca oversees any and all payments, from reviewing invoices to stuffing checks. As for how she got into accounting in the first place, “I got an A in accounting 101 when I was 18 and just had to commit to the bit.” That said, you don’t want to let Becca loose in your kitchen, because not only is she all thumbs when it comes to cooking, but she has a beef with beef. Plus she hates potatoes, and chocolate. Chocolate!

Our homeboy from Hockessin, Delaware, Nic keeps all our digital and print designs on point and tres trendy. A lifelong theatre kid, Nic went from acting and creative writing to design, and still likes to perform either out on the dance floor, or hosting a self-written Murder Mystery Dinner Party with friends. He lived to tell the tale, but swears it wasn’t rigged. In his free time, Nic loves to read, watch the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, and game, with his current obsession being Marvel Rivals.

A former elementary school teacher from East Quogue, NY, Michelle is now in charge of an even rowdier group, tasked with designing and updating Upwards’ employee training to keep things fun and engaging, instead of something to dread. Outside the Lab, you can find Michelle crocheting plushies, crushing it at the gym, or reading her favorite romantasy novels. And as a proud Italian American from Long Island, you better believe pasta is served with every meal, no matter that she’s only 3% Italian according to DNA.

Coming outta Chico in Northern California, Eden is our new marketing guru, working with the team to make sure our messaging is consistent, eye-catching and on-trend, while also pushing boundaries and experimenting with fresh strategies. No wonder why Eden insists the soundtrack of her life is Elton John’s Bennie and the Jets, “Cause honestly no one knows the lyrics, but you just kind of roll with it and have fun!” Speaking of fun, Eden’s passion is travelling, finding new coffee shops, cooking for friends and film/photography, and she hates florescent lighting almost as much as she loves eating sweet potatoes.

Our favorite Aztec alumna, Patty grew up in Santa Rosa, in Northern California but headed south to study at San Diego State, where she majored in marketing while also moonlighting at restaurants. Making her the perfect addition to our digital hospitality team, charged with seamlessly bringing Upward Projects right into the palm of your hand. No wonder why this avid at-home chef loves cooking on Facetime with her parents, and whips up a seriously creamy lemon pasta. Speaking of digital domination, Patty boasts a 5-star Animal Crossing island, but IRL she loves dachshunds, and knows an unreasonable amount about model railroading, even building two herself.

Alex hails from a family of financial analysts back in his hometown of Ahwatukee, AZ. He might spend his days number crunching and reporting on finance, but he’s so much more than a mere data point to us. He’s a wakeboarder who loves Elton John, and as a self-taught pastry chef, loves to make Italian rainbow cookies for any holiday. Now that’s a man to love.

Hailing from Yorba Linda, California, Miranda is more than our new Marketing Coordinator. She’s a lifelong friend, trusted confidant and often the voice of reason. Without her, there’s no way I could have gotten over my break up with Big, not to mention all that drama with Samantha. Meanwhile, back at Upward, the real Miranda is a former soccer play and Travis Scott fan who now helps up to win over all-new fans.

If you ever wanted to meet a native of Mexico who was raised in Wellington, New Zealand, Danny’s your guy. Charged with guiding, leading and inspiring his team to achieve extraordinary results through incredible hospitality, it’s ironic that this hard-working Area Manager’s favorite album is Guns N’ Roses’ “Appetite for Destruction.” A big fan of breakfast and basketball, Danny is also a former professional trumpet player who now prefers to make beautiful music in the hospitality biz.

Hailing from Metairie, Louisiana, Michael is Upwards new COO, and while he might just be getting started on this ‘Joyride’, he was raised in a restaurant kitchen, literally, as his parents ran a series of restaurants. But no one said he learned how to cook, because his go-to recipe to is a protein smoothie. When he’s not overseeing all things operations, Michael loves spending time with his twin daughters, and flip-flopping around town, because, “if I can’t wear shorts, a T shirt and flip flops. I am not going.”

Riding hard outta Bullhead City, AZ, Breann wrangles everything from reconciliations and invoice processing to checks and inventory. As yet another Swiftie for the Upward team, when Breann breaks away you can find her whipping up Mexican food and margaritas, or spoiling her niece and nephew.

Mesa, AZ’s own, Michael has the all-important job of making sure all team members get paid accurately and on time. A proud nerd who attends Phoenix Comin-Con every year, Michael loves getting out to watch drag shows, or staying home to binge watch trash TV and play PPGs.

Our newest Payroll Analyst and a certified Perogi expert, Claudia is a Phoenix native, a self-described cat and plant lady, and proudly Polish. A fan of the musical, Moulin Rouge, and a voracious reader of true crime, when she’s not crunching numbers and processing payrolls, Claudia is busy writing her own murder mysteries.

Our smooth operator from Nebraska City, Nebraska, Lauren supports Upwards’ upward trajectory, from licenses and permits, to making a seamless transition from site selection to restaurant opening. Starting with competing in culinary competitions in high school, Lauren went from line cook to a project coordinator thanks to Bachelor’s degree in business. Outside the office, Lauren likes to jam out with her husband (she’s on bass, he’s on drums), and although she claims she’s not very competitive, they have a chalkboard with a running tally of wins of who wins every board game they play. 

A native Phoenician, Tanni’s helps oversee our marketing initiatives, aka making sure everyone’s in the know with the latest, greatest offerings from Upward Projects. A music lover and diehard Switfie, Tanni also has a soft spot for dogs, cats, and really all animals. In her spare time, look for her at the river, lake, ocean or any body of water, reading books and sipping cocktails.

When it comes to Peter and Upward Projects, we go together, like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong. That’s because this cool rider, and Boston native, has watched the movie ‘Grease’ at least 300 times. A former classical musician and current fashionista, Peter’s day job is crafting impactful, thought-provoking, memorable campaigns that cut through the clutter like Greased Lightnin’, and will have you saying, ‘You’re the one that I want, (ooh, ooh, ooh, honey)!’

Proudly repping Riverview, Michigan, Amanda started working in a diner at age 14 and never looked back. Now serving as an Area Director, she finds inspiration building the best teams in the biz, filled with positivity, adaptability and diverse perspectives. That said, despite being a restaurant lifer, Amanda admits she’s not much of a cook, unless you like eggs, and would rather be at Disneyland than anywhere else.

Our girly from Gilbert, AZ, Ashlyn’s been with Upward for more than half a decade, first as a server in the restaurants, now helping us improve our HR department to be the best it can be. When she’s not handling all things HR, she's either singing Taylor Swift at the top of her lungs, thrift shopping or cuddling with her English Cocker Spaniel named Coors, aka the cutest dog ever!

Phoenix’s own, Melissa can practically spy her old high school from her desk at Upward (go Gators!), where she now supports, engages and serves UP team members as our P&C Manager. A self-described HR geek who loves to lend a hand, Melissa grew up in a big, loving Mexican family and still sings along to every word in The Lion King soundtrack. Outside of the office she loves to spend time, well, outside, hiking AZ’s beautiful mountains, escaping to the beach, and maybe hoping to be abducted by aliens one day. (Keyword: maybe.)

The pride of Woodsville, New Hampshire, Tim’s task is simple: sourcing and hiring the best talent in the nation. A lover of everything outdoorsy (hiking, fishing, camping, skiing, kayaking, hunting, mountain biking), when he is indoors, he’s been known to whip up one hell of a quiche. In his spare time, Tim and his wife love to renovate and restore old houses.

This Arizona State University alumni is all about the numbers. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Theron Raymond is responsible for reconciling and consolidating data, analyzing variances, and forecasting outcomes as the Financial Analyst. But life is much more than spreadsheets, and when he’s done crunching data, you can find Theron jammin’ out to Lupe Fiasco’s “The Show Goes On”.

Surfing over from her hometown of Santa Monica, CA, Nina oversees supply chain and procurement analysis, helping us to grow successfully and without sacrificing quality. A lover of math, quantitative analysis, the band Queen and rap/hip hop, nobody puts Nina in a corner, but put her in the kitchen and she’ll bake you up incredible desserts, such as Fruits of the Forest pie. Also a travel junkie, when Nina’s not exploring other cultures, she can be found crocheting or knitting handmade crafts for friends and family.

Ever since he was a youngster growing up in Utah, Cory has had an affection for food. Starting with his first job tossing pizzas, which led him to culinary school, and now as Director of Procurement, Cory is constantly focused on maintaining quality and facilitating company growth. When he isn’t on the clock, you can either catch Cory on the golf course, or at home watching movies. But the next time you see Cory, ask to hear his Kermit the Frog impression, it will not disappoint!