To showcase different perspectives and give an inside look into Grubhub, we’re spotlighting leaders across the organization. Just in time for Women’s History Month, we caught up with Brigitte Lazarko, VP and Controller, at Grubhub.

The finance team serves as a critical business partner, helping enable Grubhub’s success by managing everything from accounting and financial reporting to payroll and tax compliance.

A quick round to get to know Brigitte:

• Favorite Grubhub order: Barbecue from Soul & Smoke in Chicago. We didn’t have good BBQ in Winnipeg!
• Currently reading: The Cliffs for fun, but Lean In changed my career. It helped me recognize how risk-averse I was and pushed me to evaluate decisions more consciously.
• Weekend ritual: Hanging out with my husband and two Shih Tzu-mix pups, Ash and Lila.
• Unexpected hobby: Binging legal cases and skincare deep dives on YouTube.
• Go-to productivity hack: Inbox Zero and app specific Chrome tabs for the Google Suite.
• If not in finance: I’d have been a lawyer—until I realized I couldn’t handle defending people I knew were guilty.

You made a big move recently—from Winnipeg to Chicago, and from SkipTheDishes to Grubhub. What led to that transition?
It all started with my time at SkipTheDishes—I worked closely with Howard, Grubhub’s CEO, for several years, and when he moved into the EVP of North America role, things began to shift. I had always enjoyed working with him, so continuing that partnership was definitely something I valued. Around the same time, I had been thinking about relocating to Chicago, and when the Wonder acquisition came into focus, the timing just felt right. I had a chance to take on a bigger role, and Wonder supported the move.

What made the transition even easier is how much I’ve genuinely enjoyed being at Grubhub. The people, the culture—it’s been such a positive experience. Working with Wonder has been great so far.  The collaboration, the transparency, and just the way the teams work together here has been so refreshing. It already feels like a much better fit, and I’m really glad I made the leap.

How are you finding Chicago compared to Winnipeg?
It’s great! I just got to experience my first St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago, so getting to do that has been really cool. It’s warmer than Winnipeg, which most people find surprising. I’m looking forward to exploring the different beaches and other attractions as summer approaches. The people here are super friendly, and I live a 10-minute walk from the office, so it’s great.

Can you give us an overview of your role and key responsibilities at Grubhub—especially for those who may not be familiar with what a Controller does?
Sure! My role as Controller is all about making sure the company’s finances are accurate, compliant, and running smoothly. I oversee six core areas at Grubhub: 

1. Financial reporting and accounting – We handle the books for the full group of companies, including our U.S. and Romanian entities, and prepare the financials for bondholders.
2. Payroll – Making sure every employee is paid accurately and on time.
3. Tax – From federal and state income taxes to managing sales tax in every state where we operate.
4. Controls – Putting safeguards in place to prevent things like fraud or financial missteps.
5. Finance operations – Every dollar that comes in or out of Grubhub runs through our team. That includes payments to restaurants, couriers, and vendors.
6. Cash management – Reconciling bank accounts and ensuring the business has what it needs to operate efficiently.

We’re also helping prepare for the future—especially as we grow and look toward Wonder’s IPO readiness. That includes working closely with Wonder to scale systems, automate processes, and drive efficiencies across both organizations.

What’s one thing people might not realize about your team’s role in Grubhub’s growth?
We’re often behind the scenes, but none of our major growth initiatives can move forward without finance. Every time we launch something new—whether it’s a vertical like pet stores or a new business model—there are significant tax, billing, and compliance considerations that need to be addressed. For example, something as simple as adding a new category like pet supplies introduces an entirely new set of tax classification that we need to manage accurately.

Our team is involved from the very beginning—outlining requirements, setting up the systems, and ensuring we can properly bill and collect revenue. And once things go live, we help ensure everything runs smoothly for customers, partners, and the business overall. Growth doesn’t happen without a strong financial infrastructure behind it, and that’s exactly what we provide.

What are the key priorities for your team in 2025?
One of our biggest priorities is moving our financial systems to Wonder’s enterprise resource planning platform. It’s a massive project that we’re just about to kick off, and it will be foundational for how we operate moving forward.

We’re also focused on automation and creating efficiencies. There’s still a lot of manual work in our day-to-day, so we’re exploring how technology—including AI—can help us streamline processes. The goal is to give our team more time to focus on meaningful, value-added work, especially as we grow and prepare for IPO readiness with Wonder.

How are you partnering with Wonder since the acquisition?
It’s been a very collaborative and energizing experience. We’ve already started sharing tools and best practices. For example, we’re rolling out our month-end close platform to their team, and we’re adopting a tech capitalization tool they’ve been using. It’s all about leveraging the best of both sides.

We’re also looking at vendor contracts to find opportunities to combine our volume and negotiate better pricing. In some cases, Wonder has already benefited from Grubhub’s scale to drive savings, and we’ll keep looking for more of those wins. The more we align systems and processes, the easier it is to collaborate, cross-train, and grow together.

Let’s shift gears a bit and talk about you as a leader. What’s your approach to building and supporting your team?
My philosophy is that finance shouldn’t be the “land of no”—we should be the “land of how.” I want my team at the table early, helping shape ideas rather than cleaning up problems after the fact. That kind of partnership mindset helps us move faster and smarter as a business.

I also lead with empathy and trust. You never know what someone is going through, and I try to understand the whole person, not just the employee. I’m not a micromanager—people do their best work when they feel empowered and supported.

In honor of Women’s History Month, what advice would you give to women who are looking to lead?
Don’t be afraid to stand up for what’s right—and don’t let the word “aggressive” scare you. There’s a real difference between being assertive and being difficult, but women are still too often labeled unfairly just for having conviction.

Another piece of advice is to find your people. Throughout my career, I’ve built a trusted inner circle I can count on when things get tough. You need those people—and they need you, too. No one leads alone.

You’ve also been open about the importance of mental health in the workplace. Why is that something you choose to speak up about?
Because I wish more leaders had talked about it when I was earlier in my career. Mental health runs strongly in my family, and it’s always been a part of who I am. So, I’ve made the choice to be open about it since I want my team to know they’re not alone. 

Mental health isn’t something to be ashamed of, and the conversation shouldn’t start and stop with HR policies. When someone’s struggling, the response shouldn’t be suspicion—it should be support. I think more leaders need to talk about it, normalize it, and create a space where people feel safe being human at work.