Mark R. Watkins
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Mark Watkins is a seasoned restaurant executive with over 20 years of experience leading multi-unit operations, strategy, and brand growth. As Regional Vice President at Chipotle Mexican Grill, he oversaw 400+ restaurants within a 3,700-unit system, managing a $1B+ regional business. Earlier, at Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill, he helped scale the brand from 40 units to over 225+.
At Jack in the Box, Mark supported more than 2,500 franchisees nationwide, driving operational services and strategy. He began his career at McDonald’s, where he learned every role in the restaurant and built a strong foundation in people, systems, and customer service. His experience also spans specialty beverage brands, having led global training and operations services at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf as well as U.S. operations and guided domestic and international growth for Argo Tea.
At Leone d’Oro Ventures, Mark focuses on strategic growth, operational transformation, and brand building. He helps emerging concepts and established brands scale effectively, improve performance, and unlock long-term success.
Dr. Anne Marie Watkins, RN, CENP
Co-Founder & Chief Learning Officer
Anne Marie is a healthcare and academic leader with 20+ years of experience building high-performing teams and developing leaders. She has served as Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Executive and Assistant Dean of Nursing Education at UCI Health, and as Vice President, National Patient Care Services at Kaiser Permanente, leading large-scale strategy, operations, and leadership development.
At Leone d’Oro Ventures, Anne Marie focuses on executive coaching, leadership development, and education that drives measurable results in engagement, retention, and operational reliability. She also serves as adjunct faculty at Vanguard University and has completed executive education at Harvard Business School and USC Marshall School of Business.
Debra Stoffel
Vice President Retail Strategy & Operations
Debra is a seasoned executive with deep expertise in luxury and specialty retail, where she has built her career shaping customer experience and operational strategy. She has held leadership roles at some of the world’s most iconic brands, including Apple, Nordstrom, and Godiva, as well as The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Chipotle Mexican Grill.
At Leone d’Oro Ventures, Debra partners with clients to design and scale customer-centric retail operating models. She specializes in luxury brand experience, strategic execution, and multi-unit growth, helping organizations translate high-touch retail principles into scalable, profitable operations across both retail and restaurant sectors.