CDM, CFPP of the Month - October 2026
Name: E. Marsha Reeves, CDM, CFPP
Job Title: Operations Support Manager/Project Manager/Dining Director
Employer: Compass Group
Job Location: Traveling
Years in Current Position: 3 Years
CDM, CFPP Since: 2017
Why did you decide to become a CDM, CFPP?
The credential was recognizable by employers and regulatory agencies and increased marketability and advancement in the profession.
What are your main responsibilities in your current position?
I travel to many of my companies accounts throughout the United States. I support the dining departments and the facility to become regulatory ready, train hourly employees and management, sometimes fill in when there is no director or manager, and support clinical nutrition by completing assessment, care plans, MDS, attend care conferences, and QAPI. It really depends on the needs of the department and facility.
What was your first job in the foodservice industry?
I was a clinical dietetic technician in a 720-bed facility.
How do you organize your time at work to make sure you accomplish all your responsibilities?
I have many tools available to me, but I generally do audits to find the areas that may need improvement, as well as any instructions I may have gotten about the needs of the facility or department that need my primary attention.
What is an example of an innovative way you have made change at your facility and how did you implement it?
Menu club, which helps residents fill out select menus. It makes it fun. We carve out time for the staff to help residents make their selections.
Also, implementing daily meetings with frontline staff to ensure smooth service delivery and ensure that we are all working together and are on the same page.
Lastly, labeling and dating. Some facilities I support struggle with this, and I make it a top priority when supporting.
Who has been your biggest mentor in foodservice and how have they helped shape your career?
I have worked with many RDs along the way that have been very helpful and supportive of my career.
What are the biggest challenges you face in your position and how do you handle them?
Traveling to some of the sites where my company has contracts is sometimes the biggest challenge. Sometimes they can be in pretty remote parts of the country and can be difficult to get to. Otherwise, I would say one of the biggest challenges is the perception of the dining department in some facilities. I often hear, “It’s just food." It’s takes a lot more work behind the scenes, and there is so much science involved in what we do. It is not just food.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Providing a great, nutritious meal in a wonderful environment.
How do you stay up to date with current innovations and trends?
I do continuing education wherever I can find it; online, webinars, and conferences.
How do you envision the foodservice industry changing in the next few years?
I see the food service industry always changing and adapting to the current trends and needs of the facility, regulations, and the public. However, I do see the difficulty the industry is having attracting and retaining talent.
What is your advice to those just getting started in the foodservice industry?
Get in there, try every job, and keep learning.