LGBT Bold Introduces Michaela Mendelsohn

Michaela Mendelsohn can talk about her relentless work as a transgender activist, helping the restaurant industry become more inclusive and better tap the talent pool of transgender employees with her TransCanWork.org non-profit company.

Mendelsohn was selected to be the state and national recipient of the Face of Diversity Award and will be recognized amongst her peers at the NRA Public Affairs Conference on April 19 in Washington DC, and in Sacramento on April 24 at the CRA Restaurant Day (Lobby Day).

The annual award is part of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s (NRAEF) celebration of the “best of the best” in diversity and inclusion, community service and hospitality leadership.

Mendelsohn, CEO of one of the largest El Pollo Loco franchises in the country and the first transgender member of the L.A. Workforce Development Board,  is the founder of the California Transgender Work Project (CTWP) transcanwork.org - a program formed with the mission of promoting a trans positive work climate throughout the state of California and the US.

Mendelsohn's incredible story and professional endeavor continue to make headlines.
She was recently profiled in the LA TIMES: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-himi-michaela-mendelsohn-20180323-htmlstory.html

Mendelsohn is in a unique position to teach on the subject and help others break barriers.

A longtime El Pollo Loco franchise operator and CEO of Pollo West Corp., with six restaurants in Southern California, her restaurant teams now include transgender employees including hispanic transgender women.

She’s also on the board of the Trevor Project, a national organization devoted to eliminating suicide among LGBT youth. And she served as a consultant to the series “Orange is the New Black.”

Mendelsohn is an amazing woman who has had a tremendous impact on the community.
This is an annual award presented by a leader in the restaurant industry, championing people from all backgrounds.

What makes Mendelsohn’s story so special and inspiring is that it shows the world that everyone can be their authentic self and succeed; and that everyone can overcome the challenges they are facing and find their voice.

"In being my best self and telling my story, I hope to create “ripples in the pond” to open the hearts and minds of one person at a time”, says Mendelsohn.