Lena’s talents lie in the culinary profession, where she works as a private chef in Rancho Santa Fe, CA. Prior to that, she had many years of experience in the hospitality industry, receiving hospitality degrees from both Hotel Institute Montreux, Switzerland, and Southern New Hampshire University, then working her way up in hotel Food & Beverage management positions before moving to catering and sales as a convention and events manager. Lena earned her designation as a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) by the Events Industry Council in 2003. 

 With over 20 years of volunteer experience in San Diego’s foster youth services, Lena became well-connected with the leaders of these organizations. When she was given the opportunity to provide hands-on cooking classes to teenage girls living in a trauma recovery home for trafficking survivors, she recognized that this was what she needed to be doing. This couldn’t have come at a better time for her. As the pandemic was entering its second year, the restaurant workforce was dangerously low and needed staffing. Able to merge her passions into one organization, Goldberg founded the Chef Angels Culinary Program. From an idea to a successful and influential nonprofit, natural collaborator, and networker, Chef Lena built an organization made to give back to the San Diego community and provide opportunities to underserved youth.