Peters is considered a leading authority on legal and social trends impacting the hospitality industry. In his role with RHI, Peters has organized and administered numerous conferences, symposia and forums involving national and international experts. He has organized and facilitated coalitions at the local, state and national levels, and has served as both speaker and facilitator for numerous conferences worldwide. He has advised legislators and regulatory agencies on policy and program development, served as a consultant on research projects evaluating responsible beverage service programs, testified as an expert witness in alcohol service liability cases, and assisted in the development of programs in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

Jim Peters is the founder and president of RHI and has served in this role from the beginning. He has overseen RHI as it emerged through peaks and valleys of growth and revitalization. He brings a unique background to his role and for more than twenty years he has administered effective management of RHI’s evolution and projects. Born in Long Island, New York, Peters first pursued an education in engineering, only to be drawn to work in hotels, restaurants and night clubs, formalizing the practical experience with a degree in hospitality management from the University of Massachusetts. Peters continued his graduate education in psychology and counseling. In 1980, while employed counseling people arrested for drunk driving, he realized the opportunity to contribute to prevention by training bartenders and servers about their responsibilities. In addition, he recognized the need to create a mechanism to involve the retail licensed beverage industry in development of strategies. In August, 1983, he formed the Responsible Hospitality Institute (RHI) to promote legal and social responsibility programs for the hospitality industry and has been the key figure in its evolution.

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Michelle Joseph serves as the coordinator of the Chicago Hospitality Resource Panel. She graduated with an Education degree from Michigan State University with a major in English and minor in Social Science.  She has taught elementary and middle school.  She has worked in marketing and sales with Entertainment Publications, Fisher Scientific, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, and Novartis Pharmaceuticals.   She has been involved in the community as an event planner and volunteer with the following organizations: Special Olympics, St. Jude Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes, Hispanocare, Ronald McDonald House, Lakeview Chamber Charities, Meals on Wheels, Chicago Cares, Chicago Uncorked, Women in Catering, The Australian New Zealand Chamber of Commerce and the MSU Alumni Association, Sileca Spa and Salon and The Local Connection Chicago, Inc.

Betsy Jackson is President of The Urban Agenda, an urban development consulting firm located in Washington, DC. Betsy was President of the International Downtown Association, also in Washington, DC, for four years. Prior to joining IDA in 1997, Ms. Jackson was the Executive Director of the Society for Environmental Graphic Design. Betsy has worked in the field of downtown revitalization and management for 19 years, first as the Executive Director of Jackson Main Street, in Jackson, Michigan, and then, for nine years, as Program Associate and Program Manager for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Center. Ms. Jackson has a Masters Degree in Urban Planning and a Bachelors Degree in Journalism, both from the University of Michigan. Betsy serves on the Surface Transportation Policy Project Steering Committee and the Transportation and Livable Communities Consortium.

Rebecca Adler is responsible for building a national network of associations in the hospitality, safety and development sectors. She comes to the Responsible Hospitality Institute with over fourteen years of experience in beverage alcohol issues most recently as a senior consultant to Strat@comm, a Washington-based public relations firm. Previously, Adler worked for the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) as Vice President of Federal Government Relations providing strategic guidance on industry initiatives. Prior to joining DISCUS, Adler served as Chief of Consumer Affairs for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, managing and implementing national consumer information programs and public outreach initiatives. Before coming to Washington D.C. in 1988, Adler worked as an account executive for two advertising agencies in Birmingham Alabama. She holds a BA in Broadcast Production from the University of Alabama.

Allison Harnden was the coordinator of the RHI San Diego Hospitality Resource Panel and HRP Specialist for RHI’s National Network. She was responsible for coordinating the development of alliances among San Diego’s hospitality industry associations, regulatory and code compliance agencies, educators and suppliers. This unique process is a model for communities throughout the country seeking to develop “dining and entertainment districts.” Central to the HRP process is the Careers in Hospitality Alliance, creating a collaborative network among high schools, colleges and industry associations. She also oversaw the development of the Hospitality Business Orientation, Hospitality Roundtables, and the Mixed Use Advisory Group. While earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in drama from San Diego State University (SDSU) she worked as a food server and manager. She put herself though SDSU's graduate program in English by working for Greco & Traficante as a paralegal, providing a unique perspective on administrative law required of hospitality business owners. Allison has worked in marketing and public relations for the California Culinary Academy and as a corporate trainer for O'Neill and Associates, specializing in presentations about employment law.