Meet Susie Walker, Operations Manager for Sifted's Western Region.
If you've spent time with Susie, you've probably noticed two things quickly: she cares deeply about people, and she notices everything.
Born in England, raised in Texas, and trained in culinary school in Vermont, Susie's path through hospitality has taken her from kitchens in the United States to three years cooking in Rome. Along the way she shook Julia Child's hand, learned to navigate kitchens without speaking the language, and developed the instinctive problem-solving skills that now define her work at Sifted.
Today, Susie oversees operations across the Western Region, helping teams navigate the daily realities of workplace food programs while keeping people, systems, and service aligned. She describes her work as deeply people-centric, but grounded in a simple principle: "You don't rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."
In the conversation below, Susie shares why she values Sifted's cross-functional culture, what she's learned about leadership and respect over time, and why details as small as straight handwriting on butcher paper or a crooked kitchen shelf can capture her attention. She also reflects on Sifted's growth, the importance of continuous learning, and how the company has managed to scale while holding onto the entrepreneurial spirit and employee-first culture that made it successful in the first place.
And yes, you'll also learn what makes a truly great workday: meaningful connection, an unexpected challenge to solve, a newly sharpened skill, and, ideally, a corner piece of upside-down pineapple cake.