CEO
EL POLLO LOCO
WHY: Heads El Pollo Loco fast-food chain in Costa Mesa (Nasdaq: LOCO). Joined the chain in 2024 following multiple years of slowing sales. Returned El Pollo this year to growth across every metric, sales, transactions, profit, new units and our people.
IN THE NEWS: Reached 500 restaurant locations across seven states in 2025 and recently reported consecutive same-store sales growth in the last two quarters, 2.1% and 5.8%, respectively. Oversaw recent rebranding of company’s look, tagline and layout last year to accompany its newest restaurant prototype designed with a smaller footprint for reduced building costs to help drive unit growth. New model added kiosks for digital ordering, which were installed in more than 200 restaurants.
NOTABLE: Started at Dell and The Boston Consulting Group before turning to the restaurant industry. She worked at Yum Brands Inc. for 10 years, starting as a senior director of corporate strategy and later becoming chief financial officer then president of Taco Bell International. When Brian Niccol left Taco Bell for Chipotle Mexican Grill, Williams and Julie Felss Masino assumed Taco Bell’s top leadership roles. Earned a CFO of the Year Award from the Business Journal in 2016. Says mentors taught her that effective leadership is less about the message itself and more about how it’s communicated.
IN HER WORDS: “On the weekend, you can find me walking Spyglass Hill in Newport or doing something with my teenage kids – I think I’ve seen every lacrosse field in Orange County.”
