Baking Team

California - San Diego
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Linda Gonzalez - Bakery Market Manager

Linda has been with Panera for 5 years. Ever since she was little she knew she wanted to be a baker. She went to culinary school and studied abroad. She started  at Panera as a baker and opened the culver city café , later on she became a BTS and then received an opportunity to be a BMM . She loves the fact that she got to grow with the company and now has the chance to inspire others.

Courtney Smart - Bakery Market Manager

Courtney joined the Panera family in 2012 as an associate in North Carolina where she was attending college. Over the last 10 years, and a few moves, Courtney worked in retail, catering and baking in various parts of North Carolina and across San Diego. She became a baker in 2014, a BTS in 2016 and now a Bakery Market Manager! She said, "Being able to grow within Panera and Manna has been a remarkable journey, one in which I aim to extend to others! Outside of work, I enjoy gardening, learning, reading, anything to do with my dog and, of course, baking and decorating sweet treats."

California - Los Angeles & Orange County

Eddie Leon - Bakery Market Manager

Eddie joined Manna in 2013 as a Baker and has moved up gradually. He is honored to be apart of other people's success story. No better satisfaction that to see growth within the company. He enjoys art and playing the guitar.

"If you’re in a position to make difference and don’t make a difference, you don’t deserve to be in that position”.

Luis Navarrete - Bakery Market Manager

Luis has been with Manna for 13 years after his passion for baking started in 2010 when he got the opportunity to train and show new bakers the pride and passion Panera puts into our bakes every night. He is excited to work along side the Manna leadership team and for what's to come in the future. 
 
In his time outside of work he enjoys spending time with family and friends and hosting get togethers. He also enjoys cooking and trying new dishes!

​Luis Bustamante - Bakery Market Manager

Luis has been with Manna for almost 6 years and enjoys what he does. Luis took some courses in baking in school.  What he most enjoys about the job, is the pride that one gains in executing great quality bakes for our guests.  Luis has been in multiple markets all across Southern California and has now made San Diego his home.

Michigan
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Lesley Byrom - Bakery Market Manager

Lesley started with Panera in 2011 opening our Standale Café . She went from bakery opener to catering, to retail management and finally made the leap of faith into mother breads arms and joined the baking team in 2014. Lesley has 2 amazing children and 2 grand-dogs! Outside of work she enjoys family, friends, good music, the beach and a nice round of golf.

What she loves best about Manna "Panera" is the opportunity to grow with the company.  Lesley also appreciates  the inspiration and motivation  from leadership that make you want to work had and do an awesome job for good people! 

Manna is truly an extended FAMILY!!

Oregon/Washington

Misty Martin - Bakery Market Manager

Misty has been with Panera Bread since October 2007.  Her favorite Panera items are the Tomato Basil Bread and Pecan Braid. She comes from a family of ten siblings, and she has one tiny human, Bodin and a toy poodle, Sophia of her own. She always enjoy being outdoors, either going on a hike, to the zoo, or just a picnic in the park.

Deneille Carlson -  Bakery Market Manager

After many years in finance, Deneille decided to follow her passion for baking to culinary school.  In 2016, she began her Panera Bread career as a night baker at the Springfield Oregon cafe.  She later became a trainer and a Bakery Training Specialist before joining the Bakery Market Management team in 2020.  Outside of work Deneille is a Disney fanatic and homebody who loves spending time with her 2 furry children, making crafts, and watching movies.

Colorado
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Dan Ventre - Bakery Market Manager

Dan joined Panera in 2007 as a Baker in Florida. In the past 10 years, Dan has excelled and is currently the BMM for East Denver and Colorado Springs. Dan served in the US Army for 11 years. During this time, he served in 2 tours traveling all over the world. Dan has a girlfriend, 2 daughters and 3 (soon to be 4) grandsons. When not working or with his family, Bio enjoys wood working, rebuilding cars, any types of crafts, collecting DVD's and Blue Rays. 

Jamie Kohr - Bakery Market Manager

Jamie Kohr has been with the company since 2007 when she became a baker in Ohio. When she moved to Colorado to be closer to family in 2009, she continued her career at Panera becoming a BTS and then a BMM.
Jamie said, "I enjoyed the challenge of making the perfect bake every night for our guests and I now enjoy inspiring bakers to be their best."

When not working, Jamie enjoys spending time with her friends, family, trail riding and taking care of her horses and puppy dog.

Jeff Coy - Bakery Market Manager

Jeff has been with Panera Bread for about 10 years.  During that time, he has worked as a night baker, day baker, a Baker Training Specialist and his current role as Bakery Market Manager for the Northern Colorado market.  Jeff has worked in many fields over the years, but none of them with as much passion as baking and managing with Panera Bread.  Jeff has also worked in the hospitality business and as chef for a long time and loves to shake hands as much as bake a beautiful loaf of ciabatta.
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Jeff is a Desert Storm veteran.  He served in the military as a Navy Hospital Corpsman with the Marine Corps for 4 years.
He is married to his beautiful wife, Erin, and together they have 4 children and 2 big dogs and currently reside in the Fort Collins area. Some of his personal interests include spending time outdoors in the Colorado sunshine, fly fishing, camping, and hiking.  His indoor activities are spending quality time with his family, watching movies, spinning records, cooking and baking.  

Zach Liles - Bakery Market Manager

Zach joined the Manna team in April 2018 as a baker in the Grandville, MI café. It was while working here that Zach discovered a passion for baking. After working as a baker he was promoted to a manager working in the Grand Rapids area where he had the opportunity to work with and train many of the new bakers in the area. 
In February 2021 Zach was promoted to Bakery Market Manager in the Bread of Life market covering all of the Manna cafes in the state of Michigan and northern Indiana. In January 2022 Zach became the Bakery Market Manager in Northern Colorado.
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Zach is a proud graduate of Central Michigan University with a bachelor's degree in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts with a minor in Cinema Studies with a focus on criticism. He supports Tottenham Hotspur Football Club in the English Premier League and his least favorite tourist attraction is the large metallic bean in Millennium Park in Chicago.