Leadership with Purpose
The Board of Directors of Les Dames d’Escoffier Charleston is a collective of accomplished women leaders shaping the future of food, beverage, and hospitality in our community. Each Dame brings deep industry expertise, a commitment to mentorship, and a shared belief in the power of philanthropy to create lasting change.
Guided by our mission to inspire, advance, and support women, our Board stewards the chapter’s strategic vision, scholarship initiatives, and community partnerships. Through collaboration, service, and thoughtful leadership, our Board sets the standard for what it means to lead with integrity, generosity, and purpose.
2025-2026 Board of Directors
president
Angie Colyer DuPree
Angie Colyer DuPree is a Charleston-based hospitality leader, creative storyteller, and incoming President of the Les Dames d’Escoffier International Charleston Chapter (2025–2026). With more than thirty years in the food and beverage world, Angie leads with heart, purpose, and a deep commitment to community growth and connection. Beyond her professional work, Angie is a mother, a caretaker, a tennis lover, and a champion of all things that nourish the soul — from gathering around a shared table to uplifting the next generation of women in food, beverage, and hospitality. Rooted in service and driven by connection, Angie’s leadership is guided by three pillars: community, growth, and heart. Her vision for the Charleston chapter is to foster belonging, spark collaboration, and carry forward the spirit of hospitality with generosity and intention.
@ideainmotion
vice president
Lauren Furey
As a private chef, Chef Lauren Furey creates special, in-home culinary experiences. Her focus is on coastal southern, coastal Italian, or a fusion of the two cuisines. She strives to make each meal an intimate and fun storytelling experience that guests can taste. Furey launched her private chef business at Montage Palmetto Bluff and has expanded it to Charleston, SC. She has cooked for approximately 600 events. Furey cooked in restaurant kitchens throughout her college years. She graduated from the College of Charleston in 2019 with two degrees and 12 scholarships. Furey received the South Carolina Governor’s Award, as she was one of ten students recognized in SC for exemplary work. She regularly speaks to classes at the College of Charleston. Furey is currently the vice president of the Charleston chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, a philanthropic organization that elevates women in the fields of food, beverage and hospitality through scholarships and mentoring. She volunteers with Meals on Wheels. Furey has been featured in the Post and Courier, NPR, PBS, Charleston City Paper, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, The College Today and more.
@laurensfurey
secretary
Rachel Starling
Rachel Starling is a seasoned hospitality professional with over a decade of experience including front of house service, catering and restaurant operation, wedding and event design, and venue management and sales. She currently works for Patrick Properties Hospitality Group as a sales manager for 5 historic downtown venues, producing around 500 events a year. She is a proud College of Charleston alumna who is still actively involved with supporting the Hospitality Department and is serving as the Secretary for the Charleston Chapter of LDEI. She resides on Johns Island with her partner, Justin and two dogs, Dakota and Oakley. She enjoys traveling, beach trips, and antique shopping.
treasurer
Lauren Alligood
Lauren Alligood is a communications and public relations professional with more than a decade
of experience supporting hospitality, food and beverage, and lifestyle brands. With a background in journalism, she has a passion for brand storytelling and business-driving narratives. She spent more than 10 years at a leading communications and PR agency specializing in the hospitality and food & beverage industries, where she partnered with chefs, restaurateurs, hoteliers, and founders to help shape and grow beloved brands. Today, Lauren supports communications for a global consumer intelligence organization and also oversees marketing and PR for Ceebo Brew Co., the Carolinas’ first non-alcoholic beer brand. In her spare time, Lauren enjoys spending time with her husband and mini schnauzer, and supporting Charleston’s vibrant food & beverage and hospitality community.
Past President
Mary Kay Gill
Mary Kay Gill has been feeding family, church-goers, neighbors and friends since she made her first batch of chocolate chip cookies. The oldest of four, she found that baking was her way of avoiding clearing scrub pine off the family home site in Northern Wisconsin.
After training in the nutritional needs of seniors, Mary Kay is now the owner/operator of a “Chefs for Seniors” franchise, serving seniors in the Hilton Head and Bluffton communities as a private chef, to improve their lives through food.