Idaho Potato Commission along with the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education selected Jamie LaRoux Sowa, Culinary Institute of Michigan at Baker College program director, to receive the 2023 Honorable Mention Postsecondary Educator of the Year award. This honor recognizes an educator’s professional commitment to the educational community and foodservice industry.

LaRoux Sowa is a professional culinary educator and experienced administrator; a student advocate; and social justice champion. She goes out of her way to ensure students have access to all the resources they need to reach their program goals, according to her colleagues.

LaRoux LeRoux is the board chair for both the CIM advisory board and Muskegon Area Career Tech Center as well as an advisory board member for Michigan SkillsUSA local region. She serves as a chairperson on seven different Diversity, Equity and Inclusion councils for various organizations, including the ACF National DEI committee. She was recently inducted as secretary of the local ACF chapter board and for 15 years has volunteered at the DeVos Wine, Beer and Food Festival in Grand Rapids, Mich.

LaRoux LeRoux is also a three-time Athena Leadership Award nominee for her dedication to women’s advocacy and the recipient of the national 2022 CAFÉ and the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Community Outreach award.

Click here to go back to the 2023 CAFÉ award recipients list.