CDM, CFPP of the Month - July 2023
Name: Monica Taxali, CDM, CFPP
Job Title: Assistant Director Dining Services
Employer: West Minster Village
Job Location: Skilled/Licensed sides (skilled, memory care, and assisted living)
Years at Current Facility: Less than a Year
Years in Current Position: Less than a year, but I have been working as Food Service Director since 1998.
CDM, CFPP Since: August 2019
Why did you decide to become a CDM, CFPP?
I have always worked in the Food Service industry, and I was always fascinated by the Food Service Management and clinical side of things.
What are your main responsibilities in your current position?
Education and training, scheduling, production, and customer service.
How do you organize your time at work to make sure you accomplish all your responsibilities?
I divide the work into smaller segments and give hours as needed for all areas, but I also look at the big picture. The smaller segments are part of the big picture and are contributing to all of it.
What is an example of an innovative way you have made change at your facility and how did you implement it?
In-services and education creative schedules, constantly hiring.
What was your first job in the foodservice industry?
Salad maker in at Holiday Inn. My first first Food Service Director job was for nursing home called Asta Care, here, in town.
Who has been your biggest mentor in food service and how have they helped shape your career?
Alice Price (Food Service Director): She was great mentor as she helped me during my internship and was great role model as director herself. A people person.
Camie Meridieth (my previous boss): She is extremely flexible and accommodating. I have been working as a traveling CDM, CFPP since August 2021, and she made excellent schedules for all of us. Superb advisor.
What are the biggest challenges you face in your position and how do you handle them?
Poor staffing at many nursing homes, especially when I was working as a Traveling CDM, CFPP. I worked with very low staff that we needed to really multitask and then also cross-train people. It is very hard to find CDM, CFPPs who are qualified and good working employees.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Traveling for the job and problem solving.
How do you stay up to date with current innovations and trends?
I am continuously adapting to change, researching, being creative, and learning.
How do you envision the foodservice industry changing in the next few years?
I envision a lot more of traveling CDM, CFPP jobs with competition. Many, many jobs will be replaced with technologies and innovations. Restaurant-style and home-cooked meals for nursing homes and hospitals will grow in popularity.
What is your advice to those just getting started in the foodservice industry?
Brace yourselves. Hard work, patience, and innovation can definitely show results. Go with the change, and flow with it always. Have a more customer-friendly approach in this customer-driven industry.