Sodexo empowers women in leadership at Liberty University

When Liberty Dining and Sodexo says they want to breakdown stereotypes of women coming into the work force, they practice what they preach.

At Liberty University’s multi-million-dollar Sodexo account, more than 50 percent of leadership positions are held by women, ranging from executive chefs, managers, and directors. Each is encouraged to make their role their own.

“Sodexo has empowered me in role to run my bake shop like it’s my own private business,” said Executive Pastry Chef Audrey Dobson-Maliangos.

Dobson-Maliangos’ 12-person team bakes roughly 1,200 cookies, scones, or homemade donuts for the Liberty campus each day, as well as goods for catered events and handcrafted birthday cakes for students.

In her role as campus dietitian and as mom to three small children, Rachel Sanders said Sodexo has never made her chose between her job and your family. Sanders meets with residential students with allergies and eating disorders to help navigate safe eating on campus. She also educates and trains employees on best practices for cooking allergen-free meals, plans menus with healthy options for all 24 retail locations on campus, and leads a team of interns.

“You can have a family and a career,” she said. “I’m living proof of that and I’m still successful in my career here.”

District Chef Sarah Falls said she believes that is the biggest misconception about women in the work force that she would like to see changed. Falls oversees meal planning for all locations and stations on campus.

Liberty Dining Human Resource Director Kiran Chopra, who oversees hundreds of Sodexo employees on Liberty’s campus, encourages young women entering the work force to think on three things if they want to be successful.

“Find your focus, be confident in everything that you do, and if you fall, get right back up and continue to move forward.

In celebration of #WomensHistoryMonth, this video pays tribute to the incredible women at Liberty Dining who are training the next generation of women in the workforce.