Houston native Michelle Bythewood is president of Salata Salad Kitchen. As president, Bythewood is responsible for management of operations and logistics and creating, communicating and implementing the organization’s vision, mission and overall direction. With Salata’s strategic growth initiative focused on franchise sales and restaurant openings, Bythewood works closely with Salata’s franchise sales team to determine opportunities for expansion into new and existing markets.
Previously, she was Salata’s chief marketing officer from August 2017 to January 2019. As CMO, Bythewood led brand management and strategy, national and field marketing, media, digital strategy, marketing technology and product innovation. Her achievements as CMO include building an entire marketing team from the ground up, organizing and leading Salata’s inaugural brand conference, leading an extensive restaurant redesign process and spearheading a number of initiatives related to Salata’s brand that will be unveiled in 2019.
Before coming on board as CMO, Bythewood served as a consultant for Salata in 2016 and 2017.
Prior to joining Houston-based Salata, she served as vice president of brand marketing for Cicis, director of field marketing for Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers and brand vice president of marketing for Schlotzky’s/Cinnabon Express (FOCUS Brands). Additionally, Bythewood was the founder and principal of Field Marketing Focus, a marketing consulting firm that leads overall strategy development while helping to build partnerships within communities.
Beyond her work with Salata, Bythewood sits on the Board of Directors for DHLC Now, a 501(c)3 that provides home repair services to families of military and first responders. She is a member of the American Marketing Association (AMA) and was selected as one of 25 leaders in the Dallas-Fort Worth AMA 2016 and 2017 mentor programs. She is also a member of the Women’s Foodservice Forum and the National Association of Professional Women.
