about us
We make healthy cooking fun for children!
Our Story
LIFT Enrichment was founded in 2010 to teach kids the essential skill of cooking and promote healthy eating. While studying abroad in Italy, our founder, Eric Horwitz, discovered his passion for cooking. Later, while working with children at an after-school program, he found his true calling combining his love for cooking with teaching kids.
Eric became the director of an after-school studio in Pacific Palisades, where he taught diverse subjects and worked closely with parents. Seeing the need for more accessible programs, he realized enrichment classes could be taught directly at schools. That’s how LIFT Enrichment was born.
What began as a small cooking program quickly grew. By 2014, LIFT Enrichment was teaching at over 50 schools. Today, we reach 17,000 students weekly at more than 250 schools across California, New York, and Texas.
We believe it’s essential to teach kids how to cook—it’s a skill they’ll use every day. Some school lessons may fade over time, but knowing how to cook is a skill they’ll rely on throughout their lives.
Our workshops combine hands-on learning with lessons about culture, nutrition, and practical cooking skills. It’s an exciting, engaging experience that leaves kids inspired, confident, and ready to cook at home.
Core Values
WIN-WIN
Each partnership between our students, staff, and school clients is built on the principle of creating a win for everyone involved. Anything less, and we don’t move forward.
FOLLOW THE PROCESS
We are passionate about processes! Everything we do follows proven instructions refined through time and experience. Our internal team and chef teachers follow these processes to guarantee exceptional service and seamless operations.
GET IT DONE
We always get it done—no matter what. Our chef teachers know how to complete every workshop, no matter the challenge. This mindset is shared across our entire team—we face every obstacle head-on and stay focused on delivering results.
BRING THE FUN
At the end of the day, we’re teaching cooking to students, and we LOVE bringing joy to their lives. Teaching is a rewarding experience, and we embrace this value to ensure that our workdays are filled with fun and good times.
Meet the Team
Eric Horwitz
Founder
Eric is originally from Ventura, California, and currently resides in Dubai. Eric loves cooking, lifting weights, playing padel, and volunteering with Entrepreneurs’ Organization to support fellow entrepreneurs.
Slava Repetina
President
Originally from Kyiv, Ukraine, Slava currently lives in Warsaw. Slava oversees the company and works closely with the leadership team to ensure smooth operations and continuous growth. She is passionate about travel and professional development.
Noelle Brooks
HR Director
Originally from St. Louis, Noelle is currently residing in southern Mexico. Noelle has extensive experience in education and oversees the hiring, training, and management of the instructor team. She loves traveling, exploring new cities, and trying local restaurants.
Mara Croitoru
Recruitment Specialist
Originally from Bucharest, Romania, Mara is responsible for finding and hiring talented Chef Teachers, helping to build a strong and reliable team. She has a deep love for travel and enjoys exploring new destinations. In her free time, she loves hiking and discovering new culinary experiences.
Alyssa Dotson
Regional Director – CA
Alyssa grew up in North Carolina, but her love for adventure has taken her from Italy to El Salvador, where she now lives. As an Account Coordinator, she supports school districts with scheduling, logistics, and ongoing communication. With a background in molecular biology and nutrition science, she brings a thoughtful and detail-oriented approach to her work. Outside of work, you can usually find her surfing, skating, or soaking up the sun.
Danny Vieira
Regional Director – NY
Based in Mexico, Danny ensures that clients at LIFT Enrichment receive support from the start of each session to the final workshop. As an Account Coordinator, he manages logistics, staffing, and day-to-day communication to keep everything running smoothly. Outside of work, he’s a coffee enthusiast and adventure seeker.
Alinny Miranda
Recruitment Specialist
Based in Rio de Janeiro, Alinny brings over five years of experience in human resources to her role. She focuses on recruiting talented Chef Teachers and bringing them onto the team. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and discovering new places.
Jared Pheiffer
Regional Director – FL
Originally from Eswatini, Jared works closely with school districts to provide ongoing support throughout the program. He handles scheduling, logistics, and day-to-day communication to ensure everything runs smoothly. He enjoys connecting with people from all over the world and is passionate about creating great experiences for clients.
Shanelle Nichols
Administrative Assistant
Based in Dominica, Shanelle supports the Administrative Team by assisting Chef Teachers and helping daily operations run smoothly. A dedicated athlete, she has represented her island in Netball and Fencing. She’s passionate about education and community, and enjoys reading and spending time with her daughter.
Roj Llagas
Partnership Coordinator
Roj is based in the Philippines and helps connect LIFT Enrichment with school districts and Directors across the country. He plays a big role in setting up meetings and building great partnerships that bring our workshops to more students. When he’s not working, he loves cooking Filipino dishes and spending time with his cats.
Althia Bonit
Onboarding Manager
Althia, from the Caribbean island of Dominica, oversees the training and preparation of Chef Teachers to successfully lead culinary workshops for students. She loves traveling and attending art and music festivals.
Gabrielle Charles
Training Coordinator
Originally from Martinique and currently based in Dominica, Gabrielle supports the Administration Team by managing chef teacher communication and helping internal operations run smoothly. She has a deep passion for food and enjoys building strong connections across the team.
Daniel Bodyluk
Administrative Assistant
Based in Ukraine, Daniel supports the Administration Team by helping day-to-day operations run smoothly. From managing requests to assisting with internal processes, he helps keep everything working like clockwork. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking and powerlifting.
Gabriela Rodriguez
Program Manager
Gaby is from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and helps bring healthy cooking programs to Title I schools as a Program Manager at LIFT Enrichment. She works closely with school districts to introduce our workshops and build lasting partnerships. At home, she loves cooking, traveling, and spending time with her husband and son.
Sean Wong
Recruitment Specialist
Sean focuses on finding talented Chef Teachers and helping them join our growing team. He’s passionate about people, leadership, and building smooth systems that make recruiting more effective. Originally from Trinidad & Tobago, Sean also enjoys playing bass, singing, staying active, and spending time outdoors.
Sadiya K Todd
Recruiting Manager
Sadiya helps find and hire amazing Chef Teachers to join our team. With a background in HR, recruitment, and culinary management, she makes sure we bring on passionate and talented instructors. She’s originally from Trinidad & Tobago and loves cooking, reading, traveling, trying new cuisines, and relaxing at the beach.
Jeanique Hypolite
Account Coordinator
Originally from Dominica, Jeanique is an Account Coordinator who ensures that clients at LIFT Enrichment receive support from the start of each session to the final workshop. She works closely with school districts, managing scheduling, staffing, logistics, and day-to-day communication, including troubleshooting, to keep everything running smoothly.
Camila Garzon
Account Coordinator
Camila was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, and is now based in Mexico City. As an Account Coordinator at LIFT Enrichment, she supports our clients with logistics and staffing to ensure every workshop runs smoothly.
Isabel Lelo de Larrea
Account Coordinator
Isabel supports LIFT Enrichment clients by coordinating programs, staffing, scheduling, and day-to-day communication to help ensure each program runs smoothly and successfully. She works closely with school partners and internal teams to address client needs, solve challenges, coordinate logistics, and provide ongoing support throughout each program. With a background in Public Relations, Digital Marketing, and Management, Isabel brings a strong combination of communication, organization, creativity, and problem-solving to her work with clients.
Rafaela Sena
Chef Teacher Support
Based in Brazil, Rafaela is part of the Chef Teacher Support Team, where she helps teachers feel prepared and supported throughout their experience. She also works closely with Regional Managers to help keep daily operations running smoothly. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, staying active, dancing, and making the most of quality time with family and friends.
Fernanda Monroy
Chef Teacher Support
Based in Acapulco, Mexico, Fernanda supports our clients and Chef Teachers by conducting evaluations and providing ongoing support to help ensure a smooth and successful experience. She assists with questions or needs related to schedules, recipes, school sites, and other class-related matters, making sure Chef Teachers and clients feel supported and prepared. Outside of work, Fernanda enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family, friends, and her dog.
Kenisha Fontaine
Recruitment Specialist
Based in Dominica, Kenisha supports LIFT Enrichment’s school clients by helping find and hire talented Chef Teachers to lead engaging culinary workshops. She helps ensure programs are supported by reliable and enthusiastic instructors, contributing to a smooth experience for schools and students. Outside of work, Kenisha enjoys experimenting with new recipes and baked treats, getting lost in a good book, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Paula Van Aarde
Internal HR
Paula is based in Namibia and works in Internal HR, supporting our fully remote team. With a background as a chef, pastry chef, and former catering and bakery owner, she brings a creative, people-focused approach to her work. Behind the scenes, she helps support our clients and chefs by hiring the right people and making sure the team is well-equipped to serve them. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and being outdoors.
Hesham Abujoudeh
Program Manager
Hesham works with schools and districts to bring LIFT Enrichment’s healthy culinary programs to their students. As a Program Manager, he supports clients throughout the process, from understanding their needs and building a program that fits their goals to ensuring a smooth launch and building strong, long-term partnerships.
Marsheena Cheddesingh
Internal Team HR
Marsheena is a results-driven professional with experience in client relations, sales, operations, and business development. She is passionate about building strong relationships, delivering exceptional client experiences, and identifying opportunities for growth and improvement. Known for her problem-solving skills, adaptability, and people-centered approach, she thrives in dynamic environments and is committed to creating meaningful impact through collaboration and continuous growth.
Jusleyber Barrios
Onboarder
Based in Venezuela, Jus supports the Onboarding Team by guiding new Chef Teachers through training, mock class evaluations, and paperwork, helping them feel confident and fully prepared before their first workshop. She studied Tourism with a specialization in Gastronomy, so she has a deep passion for food. Outside of work, she’s part of a book club and shares her home with 5 rescued cats and a rescued dog, which definitely keeps things lively!