10 Olive Garden operations leaders
Dan Kiernan, EVP of Operations, Olive Garden at Darden, is one of ten Olive Garden operations leaders listed here, alongside people who hold senior vice president, divisional vice president and director of operations roles there. A reader can learn how operations leaders work at Olive Garden from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Angela Perry
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operations · Olive Garden
Angela Perry has been Director of Operations at Olive Garden since May 2015 and describes being the Director of Operations for the Cleveland, OH market. Angela Perry is based in Milton, Wisconsin, and the profile headline reads Director of Operations for Olive Garden, with the listing showing this as the only work entry.
Christine Cho
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Operations · Olive Garden
Christine Cho has been Senior Director of Operations at Olive Garden since June 2026 and holds a Director of Operations row at Darden Olive Garden dated from 2018 with no end date. Christine Cho was General Manager at Darden Olive Garden from 2006 to 2018, and the profile describes a history of working in the restaurants industry.
Dan Kiernan
LinkedInExperience: EVP of Operations, Olive Garden · Darden
Dan Kiernan holds the role of EVP of Operations, Olive Garden at Darden, a row dated from July 1992 with no end date, and the profile headline reads President, Olive Garden at Darden Restaurants. Dan Kiernan is based in Lake Mary, Florida, and the listing shows this Darden row as the only work entry for Dan Kiernan.
Daryl L. Cunningham
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operations Olive Garden · Darden
Daryl L. Cunningham has been Director of Operations Olive Garden at Darden since August 2023 and was Operations HR Manager Olive Garden at Darden from 2021 to 2023. Daryl L. Cunningham was General Manager at Olive Garden from 2013 to 2021 and describes partnering with General Managers in the current role.
Jenny Hanson
LinkedInExperience: Senior Vice President Operations · Olive Garden
Jenny Hanson has been Senior Vice President Operations at Olive Garden since February 2015 and was Director of Culinary and Beverage Operations there from 2014 to 2015. Jenny Hanson was Director of Operations at Darden from 2012 to 2014 and Director of Operations at Romano's Macaroni Grill from 2010 to 2011.
Joe Rini
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operations · Olive Garden
Joe Rini has been Director of Operations at Olive Garden since June 2019 in Maryland, a role the listing tags at director level. Joe Rini was also General Manager at Olive Garden from 2015 to 2024 and Culinary Manager there from 2013 to 2024, and the profile headline reads Director of Operations for Olive Garden.
Kelly Lynch, MBA
LinkedInExperience: Divisional Vice President · Olive Garden
Kelly Lynch, MBA has been Divisional Vice President at Olive Garden since February 2025, alongside a Division Vice President row at Darden from the same date. At Olive Garden, Kelly Lynch was also Senior Director of Operations from 2024 to 2025, Director Of Operations from 2022 to 2024 and Human Resources Operations Manager from 2017 to 2022.
Patricia Meyer
LinkedInExperience: Director Of Operations · Olive Garden
Patricia Meyer has been Director Of Operations at Olive Garden since November 2012, based in the Portland, Oregon area. At Olive Garden, Patricia Meyer also held General Manager roles from 2008 to 2012 and from 1997 to 2008, and the profile headline reads DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Olive Garden.
Richie Rodriguez
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operations · Olive Garden
Richie Rodriguez holds a Director of Operations row at Olive Garden dated from June 2012 with no end date and has been Senior Director of Operations at Darden since June 2026. The profile describes Richie Rodriguez as a multi-unit leader in the NY area for Olive Garden, and Richie Rodriguez was General Manager at Red Lobster from 2007 to 2012.
Ryan Stahl
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operations · Olive Garden
Ryan Stahl has been Director of Operations at Olive Garden since May 2025, based in the Philadelphia/Baltimore area according to the role entry. At Olive Garden, Ryan Stahl also held General Manager roles from 2021 to 2025, and was Service Manager (LBO) from 2020 to 2021 and Culinary Manager from 2016 to 2020.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's level, from brand-wide operations leadership to a division or a group of restaurants, to the decision you face. Check each role's start date to see how long the person has held it.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your current operations role?
- 02How do you develop general managers into multi-restaurant leaders?
- 03What have you learned about keeping execution consistent across the restaurants you oversee?
Reaching Olive Garden operations leaders
How can I contact one of these Olive Garden operations leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 2 companies: Olive Garden and Darden, based on profile data retrieved on October 19, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Olive Garden operations leaders?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these Olive Garden operations leaders a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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