Meet Our Team

 

Pat Fontaine
[email protected]
601.720.7924

---

Patrick Fontaine

Executive Director

Pat serves as Executive Director of the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association. He has worked for the MHRA, directly and indirectly, since 2004.
​
Pat has an extensive family history in the hospitality industry in Mississippi. His grandparents operated Allison's Wells Resort in Way, MS, near Canton, from the 1930s until it was destroyed by fire in 1963. Famed for hot sulfur baths and good food, it was the original home of the Mississippi Art Colony.
 
Pat grew up on the property of the La Font Inn in Pascagoula, MS, which his family operated from 1963 until 1999. The La Font Inn was a 191-room property with a restaurant, lounge, and banquet facilities. His knowledge of the restaurant and hospitality industries began at age 8 when he assisted with banquets and carried forward to all duties, from the front desk clerk to room maintenance.
 
Pat graduated from the University of South Alabama in 1990. He also maintains his license as an independent insurance agent and is a member of the Mississippi Insurance Alliance. Pat and his wife, Amanda, reside in Brandon and attend Pinelake Church. They have three children: Wesley, Taylor, and Sydney.

 

---

Megan Carmean-Penna
[email protected]
601.926.2737

Megan Carmean-Penna

Membership Coordinator

Megan Carmean-Penna oversees recruiting and onboarding for new members, connects them with MHRA’s endorsed partners and resources, and serves as liaison to ServSafe instructors.

Drawing on a strong background in hospitality and sales, she brings valuable experience from roles with the Walt Disney World Company, Lancôme USA, and Ganz Midwest-CBK.

These positions sharpened her talent for building lasting relationships, delivering exceptional customer experiences, and driving results through clear communication and thoughtful service.

​A native of Clinton, Mississippi, Megan now lives in Brandon with her husband, David, and their daughter, Paisley.

Chris Tapia
[email protected]
​601.896.1019
​

Chris Tapia

Director of Communications & Outreach

Chris is a Pearl High School graduate and Rankin County native. He has more than 20 years of operational experience, including 15+ years in food & beverage management across resorts, restaurants, and other diverse venues.

​He currently serves as Executive Director of the Conservative Coalition of Mississippi (CCMS), where he founded and leads Merge MS, the state’s premier grassroots youth movement. Previous roles span local, state, and national campaigns, including Rankin County Campaign Chair, Regional Field Director, Volunteer Coordinator, and Youth Director. He also ran as a Republican candidate for Alderman in Pearl’s Ward 6.

Most recently, Chris led the top performing catering operation company-wide and highest volume unit in Mississippi at Huey Magoo’s Pearl as General Manager; assisted in elevating the Food & Beverage Department at Sheraton Flowood to #1 in North America (helping the hotel achieve a #3 global Sheraton ranking in 2024) as Ast. F&B Director; driving record sales at high-volume Sonic franchise stores; and overseeing suites and special events as Director of Catering for the Mississippi Mud Monsters at Trustmark Park.
​
Chris holds a degree in Political Science and Pre-Law with an emphasis in Business Administration from Belhaven University and attends Journey Church in Pearl with his wife Jennifer and children Camille, Noah, Ashlyn, and Diana.