About Us

Kisha Lee

Kisha Lee is a transformational leader with over 20 years of experience dedicated to uplifting underserved communities. As the President and Chief Executive Officer of Propel Kitchens, she gives leadership to a local nonprofit focused on culinary training, which includes a social enterprise focused on creating health and wealth with food.

She is a lifelong advocate; her values encompass social justice and equity. Kisha’s advocacy for children led her to run for elected office where she currently serves as a Director and immediate past President of the Ladue Schools Board of Education. She also serves as the Chair of the Governing Council of the Special School District of Saint Louis County. Kisha has also served on the Olivette Parks and Recreation Commission for the past 7 years, where she has held the positions of chair and vice-chair.   

Kisha is a champion for the underserved and constantly seeks opportunities to improve their access to opportunities and resources. She has been able to strategically navigate diverse groups and build relationships while simultaneously tackling courageous conversations, often related to issues of equity and race.  

Her educational background includes a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) with a focus on Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the University of Missouri – Saint Louis.  She is also a proud graduate of Saint Louis Community College where she was recently featured as one of the graduates highlighted as the college celebrated its 60^th anniversary of expanding minds and changing lives.

Kisha is an active member in her church, Shalom Church (City of Peace) in Florissant, and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Kisha touts her greatest accomplishment in life as being the proud mother of two exceptional adult children. 

Chef Issac Hardwrict

Chef Issac Hardwrict found a passion in the culinary arts as a teenager growing up in Saint Louis, MO. His first job in the industry was at JT’s Steakhouse, a local restaurant, where he worked as a dishwasher. It was there that his passion was ignited. Observing how well-plated entrees were assembled and received by patrons, intrigued him to dive deeper into the industry and discover how far his ambition, based on raw talent, would take him.

This renewed passion and determination, led to a drastic pivot from his initial career goal of becoming an electrical engineer, and enrollment in L’Ecole Culinaire, once the premiere school of Culinary Arts in the Saint Louis region. Chef Issac graduated with a degree in Culinary Arts, which was the launch of his journey to become a lifelong student of the culinary world. He gives credit to an array of local chefs that assisted in the enhancement of his well-rounded skill set and development of various forms of cuisine throughout his career.

Chef Issac has worked and managed many kitchens and restaurant establishments throughout the Saint Louis region, from fine dining, such as the Eclipse Restaurant at the Moonrise Hotel; to contract foodservice management companies responsible for dining services at Saint Louis University. These opportunities have led to the showcase of his talents on local morning news shows, including KTVI Fox 2 News and KMOV 4 Great Day St. Louis.

Currently he serves as the Culinary Director (COO) of Propel Kitchens. It is here that he assists young adults to transition into future culinarians, while also providing blossoming food entrepreneurs through a partnership with Cortex SquareONE, to build a solid foundation within the industry. His expertise with menu development and overall kitchen operations makes him a valued asset to the Propel Kitchens team far beyond his cooking capabilities.

In his spare time Issac can be found assisting family and friends with their entrepreneurship ventures. Given his expertise in the field and witnessing the evolution of the industry, he is able to supply them with the skill and ingenuity to launch from a solid foundation while also continuing his passion for the culinary arts.

Rhonda K. Williams

Rhonda K. Williams is the Office Manager for Propel Kitchens. She has over 40 years of experience in healthcare finance having worked for several major companies in the region. Rhonda decided that she wanted something different, working more directly with the community, and found her way to Propel Kitchens.

As the Office Manager, she wears many hats including the management of our financials. Rhonda has also found a passion project focused on our Workforce Development Culinary Training Programs. She can often be found at resource fairs around the region sharing the opportunity that our program provides to participants. She is beloved by all our trainees and provides those interested in our culinary training programs with a personal touch on how to connect as she walks them through the process. Rhonda takes great pride in her work and takes great reward when making connections to our programs.

CHEF ANTHONY HAYWOOD JR

Anthony Haywood is a graduate of the Culinary Program at Saint Louis Community College at Forest Park. He holds the position of Chef De Cuisine at Propel Kitchens where he manages a team that prepares the daily meals for our school lunch programs.

His passion for cooking started at a young age while watching his father and grandmother produce home-cooked meals for his family. The rich influence of food sparked his interest and ultimately led him to cook for his church, building his skills as a culinarian. His desire to improve upon those skills led to his decision to enroll in the Culinary Program at STLCC – Forest Park, while also working for the Saint Louis University Catering Department.

Anthony has worked for nearly a decade in food service at the Charles F. Knight Center at Washington University in Saint Louis; Grand Hall at Saint Louis University; Webster University; Bethesda Gardens Senior Living Facility in Kirkwood; and the Fountain’s Senior Living Facility in Chesterfield. He has also volunteered his services at the St. Nicolaus Orthodox Greek Festival; A Night to Remember fundraising event with Forest Park; and the Gatesworth Senior Living Facility.

When Anthony isn’t working, he is involved with his local church, spending time with his family, cooking BBQ, and one of his absolute favorite pastimes, practicing the guitar and listening to the blues.

CHEF BILL HELLIGE

Chef Bill Helllige is a graduate of both the Culinary, and Baking & Pastry Programs at Saint Louis Community College at Forest Park. He has turned his passion for cooking and baking into a career. He has actively been a part of various culinary teams which include assisting on the set of Steven Raichlen’s Project Fire; and fundraising events with celebrities such as Chef G. Garvin and Chef Nyesha Arrington.

Bill is inspired to share his passion for food with the community, teaching others about food in various forms including how to prepare and cook several cuisines. These efforts have assisted in shifting conversations of food insecurity to assist communities in need through food preparation. 

When Bill is not in the kitchen, he can often be found outside in nature, gardening and traveling. He is also a professional photographer and hopes to one day pilot a program merging photography with food.