Behind every Gathering are the people who bring the evening to life—chefs, collaborators, and hosts who share a love of food, hospitality, and the remarkable places where we gather.
Each dinner is shaped by the creativity, care, and craft of those who help transform an idea into an unforgettable experience.
Frida Johansson
Executive Chef
Chef Frida Johansson brings an international perspective and deep culinary experience to the Gather table. For thirteen years she served as the personal chef to the Swedish Ambassador in Washington, D.C., preparing meals that brought together diplomats, artists, and guests from around the world.
Now the proprietor of Made by Frida, a private chef service based in Washington, D.C., Frida continues to create meals that celebrate seasonal ingredients, thoughtful presentation, and the joy of gathering around the table. For the Salubria Series, she has developed menus inspired by early American food traditions, reinterpreted with her signature elegance and creativity.
Lisa Davenport
Jennifer Hurst-Wender
Executive Director, Germanna Foundation
Jennifer Hurst-Went serves as Executive Director of the Germanna Foundation, where she leads the organization’s mission to preserve, interpret, and share the rich history of Virginia’s early frontier communities. A passionate advocate for history and place, Jennifer oversees the stewardship and programming of historic sites connected to Germanna’s story, including the historic grounds of Salubria Manor.
Through her leadership, Salubria continues to serve as a place where history, landscape, and community come together. Jennifer works closely with cultural partners, historians, and local organizations to ensure that the site remains both preserved and actively experienced by the public.
A supporter of Gather’s vision to bring people together around a remarkable table in remarkable places, Jennifer has been a valued collaborator in the development of the Salubria Manor Series, helping connect the experience of shared meals with the deeper stories of the land and the people who lived here before us.
Marketing & Social Media
With over 25 years of experience in marketing and communications, Lisa Davenport brings a powerful mix of creativity, strategy, and heart to Secret Suppers of Virginia. Based in Virginia Beach, Lisa’s career has spanned event management, public relations, fundraising, and broadcast media, making her a dynamic force behind the brand’s storytelling and outreach efforts.
A proud Old Dominion University graduate, Lisa has spent the last decade leading social media strategy and content creation for a range of clients, always with a deep passion for showcasing the best of Virginia living. Her love of local food, wine, and travel is more than a personal interest—it’s the foundation of her work with Gather, where she helps turn unforgettable dining experiences into lasting emotional connections.
Stephen Found
Director & Chief Enthusiast
Stephen Found is the founder of Gather and the creative force behind its vision of bringing people together around remarkable tables in remarkable places. With a lifelong heart for hospitality, Stephen has spent the past thirteen years hosting guests through his short-term rental properties and creating memorable experiences for travelers.
Originally from Canada and now proudly Virginian at heart, Stephen brings an unusual blend of disciplines to Gather. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Drama from the University of Virginia and has worked professionally as a set designer—an experience that informs the thoughtful staging of each Gather table and the atmosphere that surrounds it.
For Stephen, Gather is ultimately about a simple idea: creating spaces where people can slow down, share a meal, and experience the quiet magic that happens when strangers become friends around a table.