Dawn Vileno is division president of operations at SSP America, where she oversees 30 airports with more than 200 restaurants. With more than 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, Dawn is recognized for building and mentoring high-performance teams, fostering career growth, and rewarding operational excellence. Previously, as SSP America’s senior director of brands and concepts, Dawn led the culinary development of many of SSP America’s proprietary concepts, including the award-winning Le Grand Comptoir and UrbanCrave.

Dawn also served as vice president of operations for the group behind the iconic Founding Farmers restaurants. Under her leadership, the business expanded to include a market and grocery, a chocolate shop, a proprietary coffee program, a bakery, a distillery, and a robust catering and events division.