MARINA BARONAS is a hospitality executive, mentor, and storyteller with over twenty-seven years of leadership experience in food and beverage operations across the United States and Europe. Born in Germany and raised amid the cultural layers of Lithuania, Russia, and Azerbaijan, she immigrated to the United States in search of belonging—not as destination, but as practice.

Now based in Tampa Bay, Florida, Marina draws from her lived experience as an immigrant, a mother, and a leader to inspire others to lead with empathy, reverence, and presence.

Her debut memoir, A New Life, A New Menu: An Almanac of Belonging, is a lyrical meditation on food, exile, identity, and the invisible hands of service. Rooted in kitchens and dining rooms both remembered and real, her writing reflects a deep commitment to emotional truth, cultural memory, and the quiet, enduring strength of those who serve without applause.

Whether guiding future leaders or steeping tea at her kitchen table, Marina believes that hospitality is not a profession—it is a philosophy and a form of love.