Michiel Bakker MS, MB is the sixth president of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), bringing more than three decades of global leadership and expertise in the food, hospitality, and services industries to the role. His career is marked by enduring commitments to hospitality, food & beverage, innovation, sustainability, and food systems stewardship. While at Google, his impact was most evident in spearheading the transformative evolution of the Food at Work program. Under his leadership, the program grew into a holistic, purpose-driven platform centered on the power of food to bring people together, fostering joy, health, and well-being. Prior to joining Google, President Bakker spent 17 years at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., where he held various key roles in hotel and global food and beverage operations. He has long been committed to advancing industry education, serving on advisory councils for the EAT Forum, his alma mater, and the CIA’s Sustainable Food Systems master’s degree and Menus of Change initiative. In addition, he is a member of the James Beard Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Under President Bakker’s leadership, Google supported the development of the CIA’s ProChef Plant-Forward Kitchen training and certification program, and its foodservice staff was the first group of professionals to complete the training. President Bakker holds a Master of Hospitality Administration degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, an MBA from the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom, and a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Administration from the Hotel Management School Maastricht in the Netherlands. Additionally, he earned an Executive MSc in Real Estate and Construction Management from the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business. (Los Gatos, CA)