Audra Rose Dick, 28

Occupation: Director of Operations at Chick-fil-A, Hamlin.

What I do: I help to protect brand standards and uphold brand values within food safety and food quality.

How I got here: I started as the Restaurant Marketing Director for Chick-fil-A, Mount Dora, in 2020. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had the opportunity to help with restaurant operations. Despite never working in food service before, I quickly fell in love with serving guests and taking a hands-on approach to leading a team.

Why it’s my passion: Working alongside my team during the pandemic, I realized that I didn’t have to change the world for everyone; I just needed to have the greatest positive impact on my team that I could. 

Notable achievement: I got to spend a month on the island of Maui helping train the restaurant team open the first store in the Hawaiian Islands! 

Words of Wisdom: Don’t feel like you must have it all figured out right away. Take the time to decide what you want your life to look like, then take steps and set goals to turn it into reality. Don’t be afraid to try new things and be bad at them the first time.

Outside the restaurant: I love to backpack, hike and camp. My hope is to one day complete the Appalachian Trail in its entirety. 

Life after 40: My dream is to own and operate my own Chick-fil-A location in the South. I’m also working towards visiting all 50 states.