Born and raised in Virginia, Mary is a graduate of New York University and got her start in the hospitality industry working in acclaimed restaurants (Jonathan Waxman’s JAMS, Joe Baum’s Aurora, Gotham Bar and Grill), in cookbook publishing, and as a freelance writer. She entered the field of hospitality public relations in 1990 while living in Chicago. In 1995, she founded ProVisions, a public relations firm with offices in Chicago and Los Angeles, which represented chefs, restaurants, wineries, and specialty food products. After moving to Los Angeles in 1998 to join Murphy O’Brien Public Relations as vice president, Mary once again struck out on her own, opening the doors of Wagstaff Worldwide in 1999. Almost immediately, she found herself at the helm of a thriving public relations and marketing firm that has rapidly evolved to include offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and New York, representing restaurant, hotel, and wine clients around the world. The company’s many notable achievements include representing nine Food & Wine Best New Chefs between 2000 and 2008, as well as six of Esquire magazine’s Best New Restaurants between 2005 and 2008. In addition to its client work, Wagstaff Worldwide is an active supporter of the Westside Food Bank in Los Angeles, as well as the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the San Francisco Food Bank, and Food Bank for New York City—organizations that fight hunger on a local, grassroots level. Mary is a member of the James Beard Foundation, and has spoken at several industry events, including the International Association of Culinary Professionals’ annual conference and the Santé Restaurant Symposium. In addition, Mary sits on the board for the Angelman Syndrome Foundation. She has a daughter, Evie, who is 8 years old.