2024 Speaker Bios

Harry Javer - Conference Founder and Producer - The Lodging Conference
Harry Javer is the founder and president of The Conference Bureau. In 1994, Harry created and co-founded The Lodging Conference which is now in its 29^th year. With 40 years of experience creating and running conferences, seminars, concerts and tradeshows, Harry has produced events featuring such notables as: Al Gore, Sir Richard Branson, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Donald Trump, Pete Peterson, Bono, Kurt Vonnegut, Anthony Robbins, Magic Johnson, Deepak Chopra, Jerry Lewis, Joe Torre, George Foreman, Joe Montana, Barbara Bush, and thousands of America’s corporate leaders. An avid hotel investor, Harry is a graduate of Stony Brook University and is a current board member of the AHLA Foundation. He resides in New York City with his wife Elizabeth.

JoAnna Abrams - Founder and CEO - MindClick
JoAnna is a recognized global leader in ESG, sustainability and supply chain, and the power of ratings to accelerate change. She has been recognized by the UNWTO as a leading voice in sustainable tourism, named a hospitality industry innovator by Lodging Magazine, and recognized by Wharton’s Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership, Cornell’s Hospitality Research Summit, and the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council. She holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.S. in finance from the University of Illinois.

Ian Ackland - Managing Director, Americas - Booking.com
Ian is Booking.com's Managing Director for the Americas where he leads Partner Services. He’s been in the travel industry for over 30 years, with the last 10-years at Booking.com where he’s held a variety of leadership positions in Global Accounts, Connectivity, Vacation Rentals and Partner Services. He actively contributes to industry association boards such as HEDNA. He leads with a strong commitment to deliver best-in-class partner services, and is passionate about listening to partner needs. He focuses on identifying and removing friction points for partners, and opening growth opportunities together. Ian’s a foodie, is just starting to learn intermediate baking skills, and is likely to talk at length about his dog, Mazie. He lives in a cabin on a lake in northern New Jersey with his husband, Frank.

Michele Allen - Chief Financial Officer - Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Michele Allen is chief financial officer of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,000 hotels across 23 brands and 95+ countries. A seasoned hospitality industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience, she was promoted to her current role in December 2019 after serving as executive vice president and treasurer, where she oversaw capital markets activity, global cash management, risk management and business intelligence. Before her role as treasurer, Michele served five years as senior vice president of Finance for Wyndham Worldwide, where she played a critical role helping spin Wyndham Hotels & Resorts into a pure-play hotel company in 2018. Prior to Wyndham Worldwide, Michele held a variety of financial leadership positions of increasing responsibility with Wyndham and its predecessor, Cendant Corporation. Throughout that time, she worked on the initial public offerings for Jackson Hewitt and Wright Express, as well as the spin-offs of Realogy and Wyndham Worldwide. She began her career as an independent auditor with Deloitte, where she earned her CPA. Michele holds a bachelor’s degree from Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pa. and is an advocate for women and girls’ education in third-world countries through her work with organizations like the BlinkNow Foundation and New Light. She also serves as co-chair of Empower, Wyndham’s associate business group dedicated to supporting the growth and advancement of women in the workplace. Michele lives in Mendham with her husband, teenaged son and daughter and their beloved Whoodles. She is based at Wyndham’s global headquarters in Parsippany, N.J.

Adrienne Andrews - Managing Director - JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group
Adrienne (Kautzman) Andrews is a Managing Director with JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group and Phoenix Capital Markets teams. Mrs. Andrews has been in the hotel space for 14 years and closed $1 billion+ in hotel loans as an intermediary. Adrienne focuses on hotel debt advisory and on growing JLL’s hotel presence in the West. Mrs. Andrews works with regional owners, publicly traded entities, and private equity clients. Adrienne’s background in credit and originations provides expertise of value to her clients and lending relationships. Adrienne’s deep respect for collaboration and the best solution for her clients results in repeat business with clients, colleagues, and lenders. Mrs. Andrews’ experience includes CBRE Institutional Group where she ranked as a Top Producer nationally, locally, and Hotel Elite. Prior to CBRE, Mrs. Andrews spent five years at Berkadia as Managing Director for the Berkadia Hotels & Hospitality Group. Before her work as an intermediary, she was Managing Director at GE Capital, originating on balance sheet for individual assets and portfolios of hotels, with loans sizes ranging $5 million to $160 million. Mrs. Andrews received her BBA (concentrations in Finance and HR) from Gonzaga University. She is a licensed real estate broker in Arizona.

CJ Arlotta - Managing Member - CJ Media Solutions, LLC
CJ has been a communications professional for nearly 15 years. He founded CJ Media Solutions, LLC, a B2B public relations agency based in Stony Brook, NY in 2018. Since then, he and his team have been providing media relations, content writing, ghostwriting, executive thought leadership, and crisis communications services to hospitality and technology companies. CJ has also hosted and produced several podcasts, and continues to moderate panels and speak at industry-leading conferences and trade shows. Having been a journalist for most of his career, he has covered several industries, including hospitality, healthcare, politics and government, and technology. CJ has written for Forbes, The Saturday Evening Post, ChannelE2E, Hotel Business, The VAR Guy, MSPmentor, Long Island Press, Edible, The Fiscal Times, LI Pulse, and elsewhere. Prior to his work as a journalist, CJ was a communications specialist on political campaigns and for government officials in New York State.

Moneesh Arora - CEO - Unifocus
Moneesh Arora, CEO of Unifocus, is an operating executive and team builder with 25+ years of experience creating value for clients, team members, and investors, in private and public companies. He has extensive experience building and growing technology-enabled businesses, with a particular focus on the human capital management (HCM) and workforce management (WFM) space. Moneesh has served in various senior leadership and executive roles at ADP, Paycor, Thomson Reuters, Dun & Bradstreet, and PwC. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, College of Engineering, and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from NYU’s Stern Graduate School of Business. He currently serves on the board of Greenshades Software, a leading provider of payroll and HR solutions for mid-market companies.

Julie Arrowsmith - President & CEO - Motel 6 & Studio 6
Julie Arrowsmith is President and CEO of G6 Hospitality (G6), parent company of the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands. G6 is one of the largest economy lodging companies in the hospitality industry with almost 1,500 properties across the U.S. and Canada. Julie combines over 25 years of extensive experience in economy lodging and finance with a strategic focus on franchise development, owner relationships, technological advancements and the guest experience to lead the G6 team and grow the iconic Motel 6 brand. A firm believer in the power of mentorship. Julie is active in several American Hospitality & Lodging Association (AHLA) programs, including ForWard, an initiative aimed at mentoring, educating and leading women to the next level of their career. In 2023, Julie was appointed to the AHLA Board of Directors as a brand representative and in 2024, serves on its Executive Committee. Women Leading Travel & Hospitality included Julie in its 2024 Top Women in Travel & Hospitality Report, and Dallas Magazine’s D CEO named Julie to its 2024 list of the most powerful business leaders in Dallas-Fort Worth. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University.

Andrew Arthurs - President & Chief Operating Officer - Actabl
With a deep background in hospitality technology and management, Andrew leads several pivotal departments within Customer Experience and Operations. In his previous position as Chief Information Officer at Aimbridge Hospitality, he led technology initiatives across more than 1,500 properties in 50 states and 23 countries. With over two decades of experience, including leadership roles at Two Roads Hospitality and Vail Resorts, Arthurs brings a wealth of knowledge and a rich understanding of the hospitality industry’s unique challenges and needs. Andrew lives in Colorado with his family.

Stephanie Atkisson - SVP of Commercial Strategies - Raines Hospitality
Stephanie has been in the hospitality industry for over 20 years. She started her career as a dual property sales coordinator and quickly moved into a Director of Sales role with HP Hotels at a Hilton Garden Inn where she was promoted to Regional Director of Sales supporting multi-branded properties in the Southeast region. Stephanie was with HP Hotels for 18 years and 16 of those years where in a multi-property regional role where Stephanie was influential in the development of the sales and marketing processes and growing an award-winning sales team. In 2023, HP Hotels and Raines Hospitality merged and now Stephanie is leading the sales teams as the VP of Sales, Marketing and Revenue. In Stephanie’s 20-year hospitality career, where she earned “2008 Partner of the Year” and “2014 Hospitality Professional of the Year” awarded by Visit Charlotte and previously earned ‘Director of Sales of the Year” and nominated for “Female Executive of the Year” for the lodging industry, Hotel Interactive. Stephanie graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in marketing and advertising. Stephanie and her family live in Fort Mill, SC (right outside of Charlotte, NC). Her husband is a Regional Operations Manager. She has 2 boys; Aaron is 13 and Evan is 11. For fun, Stephanie enjoys running, hiking, and being at the lake.

Arash Azarbarzin - Principal & CEO - Highgate
Arash Azarbarzin is the Chief Executive Officer at Highgate. In this role, he collaborates with Highgate’s Co-Founders and Principals to build upon the company’s culture while expanding relationships with esteemed industry partners. This includes a heightened focus on Highgate’s Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance strategy based on Arash’s expertise in sustainable modern luxury. Arash also leads the development and oversight of specialized Food & Beverage and Marketing divisions. Arash brings over 30 years of hospitality leadership experience, including most recently serving as CEO of SH Hotels & Resorts, where he was instrumental in the growth and development of 1 Hotels, Treehouse, and Baccarat. Prior to joining SH, Arash was a founding member of sbe Hotel Group, where he served as President for 12 years. Throughout his career, he has also held leadership roles at W Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis, and Four Seasons. Arash is a seasoned leader with deep operational experience, a track record of mentoring and cultivating exceptional talent, driving corporate culture, and innovating and delivering unique guest experiences on a scaled level. He is on the Board of Trustees of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).

Jason Ballard - Head of Operations, Hyatt Studios - Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Jason Ballard serves as Head of Operations, Hyatt Studios, Hyatt’s first upper-midscale extended-stay brand announced in 2023. In this role, he’s leading the brand’s expansion by fostering relationships with owners, developers, and franchisees. Responsible for the strategic oversight of commercial services, finance, brand, feasibility, and design teams, Ballard is dedicated to the brand's growth and financial success. Additionally, he will oversee operational excellence by optimizing property performance and ensuring adherence to brand standards. Most recently serving as Hyatt's VP of Franchise Operations, Select Service, Ballard was instrumental in establishing Hyatt’s Franchise & Owner Relations Group. Under his leadership, the Americas Select Service Franchise portfolio saw its highest-ever owner and operator satisfaction scores. Since joining Hyatt in 2006, Ballard has held positions in Revenue Management, Capital Planning and Operations Analytics across three regions – Americas, Asia Pacific, and EAME. He played a critical role in establishing the global footprint of the Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands, spearheading the first Hyatt select service properties in Thailand, China, Japan and Australia, and the first Hyatt properties in Barcelona, Athens and Budapest. An alumnus of University of Virginia, Jason lives in the Chicagoland area with his wife Stephanie, and their two children, J.J. and Olivia.

Geoff Ballotti - President & CEO - Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Geoff Ballotti is the president and chief executive officer of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchisor with approximately 9,100 hotels across 24 iconic brands in 95+ countries united by the award-winning loyalty program, Wyndham Rewards. Under his leadership, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts makes hotel travel possible for all. In 2018, Ballotti led the company’s journey to a pure-play hotel company with its spin from parent Wyndham Worldwide and stewarded its acquisition of La Quinta, the largest acquisition in the Company’s history. Under his leadership, Wyndham commands a leading presence in both the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry with two of the top three brands in each segment. First joining Wyndham Worldwide in 2008, Ballotti previously served as president and chief executive officer of Wyndham Exchange & Rentals. Prior to joining Wyndham, Ballotti spent nearly 20 years in various leadership positions at Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide both in the U.S. and in Europe, including serving as president of Starwood North America. In Europe he served as Managing Director, Ciga SpA, Italy which operated such storied hotels as The Gritti Palace and The Hotel Danieli in Venice. Earlier in his career, he was a Banking Officer in the Commercial Real Estate Group at the Bank of New England. Ballotti serves on the Executive Committee of the American Hotel & Lodging Association Board. He previously served as Chairman of the U.S. Travel Association and on the Executive Committee of the American Resort & Development Association. He also served on the board of directors for Christel House International, a not-for-profit organization that supports impoverished children throughout the world. Ballotti holds a bachelor’s degree from Colby College and a master’s degree from Harvard Business School. He is based in the company’s Parsippany headquarters and resides with his wife and four daughters in Long Valley, N.J.

Loren Balsam - Chief Investment Officer - hotelAVE
Loren brings over 30 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry. He is a member of hotelAVE’s executive committee that determines the strategic direction and endeavors of the company. Loren spearheads many initiatives at hotelAVE, including sourcing acquisitions, and assisting owners in acquisitions, dispositions and refinancing. In addition to these responsibilities, he leads the advisory practice and directs the publication of the hotelAVE Hospitality Dashboard, published quarterly. Before joining hotelAVE, Loren was a Managing Director at PRP Real Estate Investment LLC, where he was charged with sourcing and closing the firm’s US opportunity fund investments in office, multifamily and industrial properties. In addition, he served on the firm’s investment committee and was integrally involved with the creation of the firm’s other investment initiatives including the launch of a GSA leased property fund. Prior to joining PRP LLC in 2008, Loren was a Senior Investment Officer in the real estate group at Fidelity Investments. Before joining Fidelity, he consulted in the Kenneth Leventhal and Company of Ernst & Young on a variety of commercial real estate assignments. Loren has taught courses at Georgetown University, Cornell University, and Boston University and has spoken on several hospitality industry panels at various industry conferences during his career. Loren graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration. He also holds a Master in Business Administration from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management.

Bernard Baumohl - Chief Global Economist - The Economic Outlook Group, LLC
Bernard Baumohl is Chief Global Economist at the Economic Outlook Group. He is well known for being ahead of the curve in assessing the direction of the U.S. and world economy. The Wall Street Journal ranked him the most accurate forecaster in a major survey of economists in 2019. Mr. Baumohl began his career with the Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank specializing in international affairs and national security. He later served as an economist at European American Bank with responsibilities to monitor the global economy. Mr. Baumohl was also an award-winning economics reporter with TIME magazine and covered the White House, Federal Reserve and Wall Street. In addition to his current role as chief global economist, Mr. Baumohl has lectured at NYU, Duke University and Florida Gulf Coast University, and served as a regular commentator on TV's Nightly Business Report. He is a member of the Wall Street Journal Economic Forecast Panel and his projections on the economy and geopolitical outlook are frequently cited in the news media. Mr. Baumohl is author of the best seller, The Secrets of Economic Indicators: Hidden Clues to Future Economic Trends and Investment Opportunities. The book is in its 3rd edition and has been translated into multiple languages. He holds an M.A. in International Affairs and Economics from Columbia University.

Dina Belon - President - Staypineapple Hotels
With almost 30 years in the hospitality industry, Dina has spent the past eight years in progressive leadership roles with Staypineapple Hotels. She started leading real estate assets and transitioned to Chief Operating Officer, followed by her most recent appointment as President in October 2023. Dina is a multifaceted hospitality industry leader committed to crafting meaningful and thoughtful guest experiences. As president of Staypineapple Hotels, a distinguished boutique hotel brand, she oversees the day-to-day business and provides strategic guidance to shape the brand's trajectory. Dina's influence extends beyond the boardroom. She is widely acknowledged as a leader and mentor in her field. Her remarkable achievements include being honored with the prestigious Top 50 Women Leaders in Hospitality award in 2023. Dina has actively contributed to the industry's knowledge base, focusing on green building practices, boutique lifestyle hotel branding, and the role of wellness in hospitality. Through her thought leadership, she continues to shape conversations and drive positive change within the industry.

Daniel F. Benavides - Principal - Sandman Savrann PLLC
Daniel’s practice is focused almost exclusively in the hospitality industry. He advises hotel, condo-hotel, restaurant and nightclub owners and operators in connection with a wide array of legal matters including acquisitions, leasing, compliance, licensing, guest relations issues, employment matters, ADA issues, data privacy, and litigation. In addition to his law practice, Daniel is also an adjunct professor of hospitality law at the FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and Broward College, and currently serves as President of the South Florida Chapter of HFTP (Hospitality Finance and Technology Professionals). Daniel is a graduate of Harvard Law School and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida. He is fluent in Spanish and Italian.

Joseph Berger - President & CEO - BRE Hotels & Resorts
Joseph Berger is President & CEO of BRE Hotels & Resorts, a non-listed real estate investment trust focused on the ownership of upscale, extended-stay and select-service hotels that generate attractive returns for stakeholders. Mr. Berger is responsible for the operations functions of 200 hotels, containing a total of 33,000 guestrooms diversified among attractive markets, providing unmatched seamless solutions that propel our entrepreneurial clients to transcend local, national and global markets. Mr. Berger served as Executive Vice President & President, Americas for Hilton responsible for the operations functions of over 350 corporately managed Hilton hotels and Hilton Grand Vacation Resorts throughout North, Central and South America. Mr. Berger also served as Co-President of LXR Luxury Resorts and Hotels as well as President of Prime Hotels, which operated AmeriSuites, Wellsly Inns, and independent full-service hotels. Earlier in his career, Mr. Berger served as Managing Director of St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco and previously held positions as Area Managing Director North East for Starwood Hotels & Resorts as well as General Manager of both the Westin William Penn in Pittsburgh and the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. He has also worked internationally with Marriott Hotels and Resorts.

Bharati Bhosale - Director, Global Sustainability - Hilton
Bharati (pronounced “BAR-tee”) Bhosale is Hilton’s Global Director of Sustainability, involved in Hilton’s global sustainable design strategy and leading the company’s Hilton’s environmental, social and governance disclosures process. A trained sustainable design architect, Bharati is responsible for integrating sustainable strategies into Hilton’s architecture, design, and construction efforts at a global level. Bharati joined Hilton in 2022, previously serving as a National Operations Manager, Sustainability for UL Solutions after holding various roles across architecture and sustainability consulting. With over 15 years of corporate sustainability experience, Bharati is passonate about driving sustainability programs forward and specializes in developing strategies impacting carbon reduction, resource efficiency and responsible sourcing.

Mercedes Blanco - Chief Partnerships Officer - The Hotels Network
Mercedes Blanco is a Corporate Leader Executive with over 15 years of experience in Travel & Hospitality, she is passionate about creating value through digital-tech solutions, as well as fighting for women empowerment. Prior to The Hotels Network, as Chief Partnerships Officer, she worked at BCV a Rategain Company, Microsoft and AC Hotels by Marriott among others. She has two bachelor’s degrees and two master’s degrees under her belt, including Tourism Management from IE Business School and a PDP in Digital Marketing from Harvard University. Mercedes has been a dedicated member of the travel industry at-large. She is active member of the Sales Americas Advisory Board at HSMAI, and founding member of Women in Travel THRIVE. She was recognized as Top 50 Women in Travel by WINiT by GBTA and one of the Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds by HSMAI.

Barry A.N. Bloom - President & COO - Xenia Hotels & Resorts, Inc.
Barry A.N. Bloom, Ph.D. is President and Chief Operating Officer of Xenia Hotels & Resorts, Inc., a NYSE-listed real estate investment trust. Additionally, he currently is an adjunct faculty member at Florida International University. From 2011 to 2013, Mr. Bloom served as an Associate Professor of the Practice in the School of Hospitality Administration at Boston University. From 2008 to 2011, Mr. Bloom co-founded and was a Principal of Abacus Lodging Investors LLC. Previously, Mr. Bloom was Executive Vice President of Portfolio Management & Administration with CNL Hotels & Resorts, Inc. and prior to CNL, he served as Vice President – Investment Management for Hyatt Hotels Corporation. In addition, Mr. Bloom has worked for Tishman Hotel & Realty, VMS Realty Partners, and Pannell Kerr Forster (now CBRE Hotels). Mr. Bloom received his B.S. in Hotel and Restaurant Management as well as an MBA from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in Hospitality Management from Iowa State University.

Roger Bloss - CEO - Alternative Hospitality
With more than 40 years of hospitality experience, Roger Bloss is one of the industry’s leading innovators and entrepreneurs. After serving in executive positions with several major hotel franchise companies, he founded Vantage Hospitality Group in 1996 and acquired the company’s first hotel. Under his leadership, the Americas Best Value Inn brand became the fastest growing hotel chain in the industry and Vantage grew to over 1,100 properties, becoming a top 10 global hotel company. In 2016, Bloss joined RLH Corporation in conjunction with the acquisition of Vantage Hospitality Group. Today, he continues to drive change to the hospitality landscape as CEO of Alternative Hospitality Inc. Bloss plans to break ground on a 160-acre hotel and entertainment venue consisting of the first structured cannabis, wellness, education, and exploration model. The upscale lodging and wellness experience will embrace the responsible education and enjoyment of cannabis products through locally inspired touches, warm, passionate service, and contemporary, thoughtful design. Bloss also plans to expand the wellness experience beyond the hotel into the supplement and fitness industry.

Anna Blue - President - AHLA Foundation
Anna Blue brings more than two decades of social impact leadership to her role as President of the AHLA Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. A seasoned executor, Anna’s career has centered on advancing deep-rooted systemic change in urban education, gender equity, and human safety. In her executive leadership roles Anna has built transformational impact and cause-marketing partnerships with global brands, generated significant revenue growth, and mobilized communities to drive action. Anna has been a featured speaker on some of the largest global stages, sharing her expertise on leadership, social justice, and equitable advancement in the workplace.

Liam Brown - Group President, United States & Canada - Marriott International
Liam Brown is the Group President, United States and Canada, responsible for the development and management of Marriott International's lodging portfolio in the United States and Canada, comprised of 27 brands and 6,000+ hotels. This includes responsibilities for global operations, sales and marketing, revenue management, human resources, engineering, rooms operations, luxury operations, food and beverage, retail, spa, information technology, and development. Mr. Brown began his career with Marriott International in 1989. He served in multiple General Manager and regional positions across Marriott’s brand portfolio from 1989 until 1999. From 1999 to 2018, he held various corporate positions including EVP Development for Select Service & Extended Stay lodging products, and as President for Franchising, Owner Services and MxM Select Brands, North America. In January 2019, Mr. Brown moved to London to serve as President & Managing Director, Europe; soon after, the Middle East and Africa were added to his responsibilities. Educated in his hometown of Dublin, Ireland, Mr. Brown has a Hotel Diploma Business Degree from the Dublin Institute of Technology, Trinity College (1980 – 1984). In 2005, he completed his MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Management at the University of Maryland.

Scott Brown, NCARB - Principal  - DesignCell Architecture
Scott Brown is a seasoned architect with over 25 years of experience directing numerous design and construction projects across a wide variety of sectors, including hospitality, multi-family, commercial, and retail. Specializing in limited-service and extended-stay hotel projects for major hotel brands, his extensive experience encompasses high-level multi-disciplinary coordination, quality assurance, and client relations. As a founding principal of DesignCell Architecture, he is driven by a commitment to building strong client relationships, fostering talent, and delivering innovative project solutions. His deep understanding of complex hospitality and multi-family projects has made him a trusted advisor to clients seeking exceptional design. Known for his ability to challenge design teams to think creatively, Scott is dedicated to developing tailored solutions for each project. His passion, leadership, and broad perspective inspire his team to deliver high-quality projects on time and within budget. REGISTRATIONS: NV, AZ, OR, CO, UT, ID, WI, FL, NM.

Ben Brunt - Managing Principal and Chief Investment Officer - Noble Investment Group
Mr. Brunt is a principal and chief investment officer responsible for leading a team of investment professionals to accomplish Noble’s strategic acquisition and development goals. This involves the sourcing and underwriting of all new investments encompassing individual asset and portfolio acquisitions, land and new development opportunities, market and investment analysis, and brand positioning. Prior to joining Noble in 2005, Mr. Brunt held senior investment roles at Songy Partners and Hardin Capital. He began his career in hotels with Homestead Village, a mid-scale extended stay lodging brand founded by Security Capital Group, and has nearly 25 years of hospitality industry experience. Mr. Brunt earned an MBA from Southern Methodist University and a BA from Trinity College. He is a former professional violinist and spent two years as a member of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Brunt currently serves as a board member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Midtown Alliance, and the Buckhead Coalition. He is also a member of the AHLA Lodging Investment Council and a member of the Urban Land Institute.

Bo Burdette - President/CEO - MGroup
H. Speer (Bo) Burdette IV, President and CEO of MGroup^TM, currently resides in Peachtree Corners, GA. Burdette has been with the company since August of 2015 and currently serves as Chairman of the Management Committee. He previously worked as our Regional Manager of the Southeast Region for the last 4 years while living in Nashville, TN. Burdette holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a focus in Management from the University of Georgia. Prior to joining MGroupTM, Burdette worked with a large healthcare recruiting firm where he helped build a new division in their academic setting. He successfully met with key healthcare leaders in Academia and further advanced the division into becoming a multi-million dollar vertical today. Burdette enjoys golf and spending time with his family in his spare time. Burdette and his wife, Kimmy, share a son and daughter.

Jim Butler - Chairman, Global Hospitality Group® - Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP
Jim Butler is a founding partner of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP and the founder and chairman of the Firm’s Global Hospitality Group®. One of the top hotel lawyers in the world, Jim devotes 100% of his practice to hospitality, providing unmatched hotel business experience and practical legal advice. Jim and his team represent lenders, owners, developers, independent management companies and capital providers on their hotel projects worldwide. They bring more than 35 years’ of hotel experience with more than 4,700 hospitality properties valued at over $125 billion. They have worked on over 2,700 hotel management and franchise agreements and more than 100 hotel mixed-use developments. Jim is also the author of www.HotelLawBlog.com, and serves as an expert witness in hospitality matters.

Mike Canning - Senior Vice President – Capital Markets - HALL Structured Finance
Meet Mike Canning, the Senior Vice President of Capital Markets at HALL Structured Finance (HSF), a leading real estate finance company. With over eight years of experience at HSF, Mr. Canning is responsible for overseeing capital markets activities for the firm and its parent company, HALL Group, as well as managing various other projects within the organization. Before joining HSF, Mr. Canning honed his analytical and project management skills in a variety of roles at GE Real Estate, a leading global financial services company. He holds a BA in Economics and Business from the prestigious Virginia Military Institute. With his extensive background in finance and real estate, Mr. Canning brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the HSF team. He is committed to helping clients achieve their financial goals through innovative financing solutions and exceptional customer service.

Anthony Capuano - President and CEO - Marriott International
Anthony Capuano is President and CEO of Marriott International, Inc. In his role, Mr. Capuano presides over the world’s largest hospitality company with nearly 8,800 properties across 139 countries and territories and over 30 brands as well as the travel industry’s largest customer loyalty program, Marriott Bonvoy, which has more than 196 million members. Mr. Capuano began his Marriott career in 1995 as part of the Market Planning and Feasibility team. He was instrumental in the company’s steady growth over the years which included the acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide in 2016. Before his appointment as CEO in February 2021, Mr. Capuano was Group President, Global Development, Design and Operations Services where he led the strategic unit growth of all of Marriott’s brands while overseeing the global design team and Marriott’s global operating standards and protocols. Mr. Capuano earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in Hotel Administration. He is an active member of the Cornell Hotel Society, The Cornell School of Hotel Administration Dean’s Advisory Board, as well as the Business Roundtable and the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s IREFAC Council. Additionally, Mr. Capuano serves on the Board of Directors for McDonald's Corporation and Save Venice.

Kevin Carey - Interim President & CEO - AHLA
​Kevin Carey serves as AHLA’s interim president & CEO and senior executive vice president & chief operating officer. He works closely with AHLA’s board and executive team to lead the association, which represents more than 30,000 members from all segments of the industry nationwide – including iconic global brands, 80% of all franchised hotels, and the 16 largest hotel companies in the U.S. Kevin is responsible for all of AHLA’s revenue generating operations, including membership engagement, partnership & business development, and conferences & events. He leads both strategic planning and financial operations oversight of AHLA and its Foundation. Kevin also supports AHLA’s officers, Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and its numerous committees and councils. Prior to joining AHLA, Kevin held senior executive leadership roles at American Express Company and American Express Global Business Travel. Most recently, he served as managing director and head of the Americas region and was responsible for the largest strategic customers and revenue generating region in the global business travel joint venture company. Kevin has a breadth of experience across the travel and hospitality industries through his service as a board and executive committee member for numerous travel and tourism industry associations, including U.S. Travel and the Travel Business Roundtable. He also serves as an advisory board member at both Johns Hopkins University and Penn State University.

Matt Carrier - SVP, Federal Affairs, Policy, and Research - AHLA
Matt Carrier serves as the Senior Vice President, Federal Affairs, Policy, and Research for AHLA. In this role, Matt advocates on a variety of issues and leads the hotel industry’s policy and research agenda to meet members’ needs today and in the future. Prior to AHLA, Carrier spent nearly a decade across the hotel distribution and revenue strategy space, most recently overseeing price guarantee and rate parity programs at Marriott International. Prior to joining Marriott International, Matt worked at Kalibri Labs, where he managed hotel industry client relationships and educational efforts.

John Chang - Senior Vice President, National Director, Research & Advisory Services - Marcus & Millichap
John Chang serves as the National Director of Research Services for Marcus & Millichap. He is responsible for the production of the firm’s vast array of commercial real estate research publications, tools and services. Under his leadership, Marcus & Millichap has become a leading source of market analysis, insight and forecasting, and the firm’s research is regularly quoted throughout the industry and in mainstream business media. John oversees a team who produce the firm’s more than 1,000 annual market research publications and conference presentations that integrate economic and financial market trends with insights on all major commercial property types including: Hotels, Industrial, Manufactured Housing, Multifamily, Office, Medical Office, Retail Multi-Tenant, Retail Single-Tenant, Self-Storage and Seniors Housing. John has been quoted in numerous publications and is an active member of the NMHC Research Foundation Advisory Committee, the ICSC North American Research Task Force and the NAIOP Research Foundation. He regularly presents at a wide range of conferences and events hosted by industry-leading organizations. John joined Marcus & Millichap in April 1997 as a Research Manager in the Seattle office. After holding executive marketing and e-business positions with premier residential real estate firms in the Pacific Northwest, he rejoined Marcus & Millichap in November 2007 as the head of its Research Services division. John was elected as Vice President in 2010, advanced to First Vice President in 2013 and promoted to Senior Vice President in 2018.

Rod Clough, MAI - President - Americas - HVS
As President of HVS Americas, Rod leads a dynamic group of nearly 200 team members across consulting divisions that focus on valuation services, asset management, hotel management, brokerage, and capital markets. Rod’s tenure with HVS spans nearly 30 years, during which time he has played an important role in growing the company from just a few locations across the Americas to 40. In a typical year, Rod’s group consults on over 2,500 existing or proposed hotels and resorts, and in 2021, he oversaw the 568-hotel Extended Stay America appraisal portfolio. In 2003, Rod founded the firm’s sister appraisal division, U.S. Hotel Appraisals, which completes roughly 1,000 hotel appraisals annually. Rod is a founding owner/partner of HVS Mexico-Latin America, and he relaunched the firm’s U.S. Brokerage and Capital Markets division in 2018. Rod is a Designated Member of the Appraisal Institute (MAI) and a licensed real estate broker. He has cultivated a diverse leadership team at HVS and a firm culture that is welcoming to all. Once associates join HVS, they tend to stay due to the extraordinary culture Rod has inspired, defined by the ideals of balance, connectivity, efficiency, collaboration, integrity, kindness, and excellence, among others.

Isaac Collazo - VP, Analytics - STR
Isaac J. Collazo is vice president, STR Inc., a division of CoStar Group, that provides market data on the hotel industry worldwide, including supply and demand and market share data. His responsibilities include ascertaining, prioritizing, and executing opportunities to harvest data through innovative analysis; alterations to collection/storage of data; identification of data gaps and collection opportunities; and forecasting. Prior to joining STR, Mr. Collazo was Vice President, Competitive Intelligence at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and was responsible for ensuring effective cross-utilization of intelligence as well as overseeing a broad range of functional responsibilities. Before IHG, he was vice president, strategic brand knowledge with Marriott International where he led their guest satisfaction program and competitive analysis group. He also served with Promus Hotel Corporation. Mr. Collazo began his career in the hospitality industry in 1987 with La Quinta Inns. Mr. Collazo holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and radio, television & film from Trinity University and a master of business administration from the University of Texas at Austin.

Rick Colling - VP Brand Leader, Homewood Suites - Hilton
Rick Colling serves as Brand Leader of Homewood Suites by Hilton, the award-winning upscale, all-suite extended stay brand. With more than 20 years at Hilton, Colling is responsible for overseeing brand strategies and programs that drive performance, guest loyalty, and growth. Colling continues to focus on the upscale extended-stay segment by increasing market share, expanding the brand's footprint in the U.S., Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean, and upholding the brand's award-winning guest satisfaction culture. As a leader in the extended stay segment, Colling has also been instrumental in the continued growth of Embassy Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton, as well as the development and launch of LivSmart Studios by Hilton. Previously, Colling served as Vice President of Brand Performance Support for the All-Suites brand category, which includes Embassy Suites by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton. In this role, Colling played a primary role in maintaining collaborative relationships with hotel owners and management company representatives to ensure the brands achieved both short and long-term goals, clearly positioning each brand as the leader in their respective categories. Additionally, he led the restructuring of the Brand Performance Support team to provide real-time, relevant support based on asset cycles. Prior to his role as vice president, Colling has held various management, hotel performance support, and sales roles with Homewood Suites, Hampton, Hilton Garden Inn, and Embassy Suites.

Thomas J. Corcoran - President - TCOR Hotel Partners
Mr. Corcoran co-founded TCOR Hotel Partners (“TCOR”), in December 2017 with Debbie Feldman and Joe Corcoran and serves as its President and CEO. TCOR has since acquired five hotels, a TownePlace Suites, a Holiday Inn Express & Suites, an Embassy Suites and two Springhill Suites. TCOR is currently looking to acquire additional hotels in the premium select service sector. The company is working with an equity funding source for 5 to 6 additional hotels. In 1991 Mr. Corcoran co-founded FelCor, Inc. with Hervey Feldman. In 1994 FelCor went public as a hotel REIT. In 1996 FelCor Lodging Trust was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Corcoran served as President and Chief Executive Officer of FelCor since its formation until his appointment to Chairman of the Board in 2006. He served as Chairman of FelCor until its merger with RLJ Lodging Trust in 2017. Mr. Corcoran is currently serving as Chairman of the Board of Sammons Enterprises (“Sammons”), a global holding company operating within a diversity of industries (including real estate). Mr. Corcoran’s board appointments include: Dallas College Foundation, past Chairman of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), and past Chairman of the IHG Owners Association. He was honored with the Hunter Conterence Award for Excellence and Inspiration in 2014, the Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Lodging Investment Summit in January 2017, and the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award at the The Lodging Conference. Mr. Corcoran has earned numerous other industry awards throughout his career.

Lawrence M. Cuculic - President & CEO - BWH Hotels
Larry Cuculic is President & CEO of BWH Hotels. He was appointed to the position by the company’s Board of Directors in October 2021 and assumed office in December. Cuculic leads BWH Hotels, which is the parent company of Best Western® Hotels & Resorts, SureStay® Hotels and WorldHotels™. He oversees the company’s global portfolio of 19 dynamic brands, which boasts approximately 4,300 hotels across all chain scale segments. He continues to drive the organization’s impressive financial success – with RevPAR reaching a historic high of $74.54 in 2022 – and achieving industry-leading guest loyalty and hotel satisfaction. Cuculic is an active member of hospitality associations and currently sits on the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AHLA) Executive Committee. He is committed to building on the company’s strong relationships with partners such as AHLA, the U.S. Travel Association, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, the Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association and the Global Business Travel Association, among others. In 2009, Cuculic joined BWH Hotels as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary for the company. In this role Cuculic was responsible for all legal and governance matters, including serving as counsel for the Board of Directors. Cuculic was also responsible for leading the company’s Human Resources team and the brand’s Call Center.

Kevin Davis - Americas CEO - JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group
Kevin Davis is an accomplished executive and industry leader at JLL's Hotels & Hospitality Group in New York. As Americas CEO, he is responsible for raising debt and equity capital for hotel owners and is recognized as a vital figure in Hotel Investment Banking. Throughout his career, Kevin has secured financing for prestigious establishments such as the JW Marriott Essex House, the Standard High Line, the One Hotel Central Park, Loews Regency San Francisco, and the Ritz Carlton St. Thomas. He has strong relationships with multiple lending institutions and has successfully worked with commercial real estate institutional owners. Kevin's esteemed clientele includes ADIA, Ashford Hospitality, Barings, Blackstone Group, Highgate Hotels, Rockpoint Group, Starwood Capital, and Walton Street Capital. He received the prestigious Jack A. Shaffer Financial Advisor of the Year award twice, and played a vital role in the Diplomat Beach Resort transaction in 2023, named the Single Asset Transaction of the Year. Kevin holds a B.A. with Honors in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a J.D. from UCLA School of Law, and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Joe Delli Santi - Chief Investment Officer - MCR
Joe Delli Santi is Chief Investment Officer of MCR. In this role, he is responsible for leading the company’s acquisition, development, and capital markets activities. Prior to joining MCR in 2016, Mr. Delli Santi was a Senior Associate with Starwood Capital Group, where he was responsible for managing several of the firm’s investments in the full and limited-service hotel sectors. He also served as Vice President of Corporate Development for TMI Hospitality, one of the country’s largest hotel owner-operators with a portfolio of more than 180 select service and extended stay properties that Starwood Capital Group acquired in January 2015. In that role, he was responsible for the execution of the firm’s growth-related initiatives, the disposition of non-core assets and various other functions. Mr. Delli Santi is a graduate of Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration.

Dr. Frederick J. DeMicco, Ph.D., RDN - Professor, School of Hotel and Restaurant Management - Northern Arizona University W.A. Franke College of Business
Fred DeMicco is the former Executive Director and currently Professor in the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management at Northern Arizona University. Dr. DeMicco is also the Honorary President of International Academics and the Dean of Business Executive and Professional Programs at the Learning Campus in Tuscany (SIAF Campus in the Province of Pisa). Dr. Fred DeMicco has worked in Healthcare at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston and at Walt Disney World in hospitality management where he also obtained a Ductorate Degree from Disney University, Orlando. Dr. DeMicco’s scholarly interests are in International Strategic Management & Trends and Medical Tourism/Travel and Health. He has also been employed by Aramark International, Penn State University, Marriott Vacation Club International, the University of South Florida, the University of Central Florida, and several colleges and healthcare operations including assisted living facilities. He has authored or co-authored nearly 100 refereed articles in strategic management, and he has co-authored 9 books including Medical Tourism and Wellness with Apple Academic Press/Taylor Francis and Strategic Management with Kendall- Hunt.

Greg S. Dickhens - Managing Partner - Trinity Investments
Greg is the Managing Partner at Trinity Investments. Trinity is a private real estate investment firm with offices in Los Angeles, Miami, Honolulu and London. Trinity covers the full spectrum of property investment, development, value-enhancing asset management, operations and repositioning, cross-border finance and tax strategies. Trinity applies institutional analysis and disciplines to the local business of real estate. It seeks opportunistic and cyclical entry points in asset-based and market investment strategies to yield superior investment returns. Above all else, Trinity is committed to its investors, its relationships and its integrity.

Navin Dimond - Chairman - Stonebridge Companies
Navin Dimond is the founder of Stonebridge Companies. He serves as Chairman overseeing the company's development and investment functions. Mr. Dimond is the recipient of the Award of Excellence from the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, the Hotelier of the Year Award from the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association and the prestigious Hilton Hotels Multi-Brand Developer of the Year Award. In 2013 Stonebridge Companies received the coveted Marriott Partnership Circle Award, granted to Franchisees for their excellence and commitment to growth as well as dedication to their associates and guests. In 2007, Mr. Dimond received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Real Estate and Hospitality category for the Rocky Mountain Region. As a result of his expertise and proven track record, Mr. Dimond serves in an advisory role for a wide variety of organizations. Dimond is a firm believer in serving his community currently serving on the Board of Trustees for the University of Denver and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. In addition, Navin serves on the Foundation Board of the Metropolitan State College of Denver and is a Board Member of the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau (VISIT DENVER), serving as its Chairman in 2016. Mr. Dimond is a graduate of Washington State University where he earned his B.A. in Business Administration and his B.S. in Construction Management. He earned his MBA in Real Estate and Construction Management from the University of Denver.

Manny Dominguez - Principal - Cooper Carry
Manny Dominguez, Principal and Director of Design for Cooper Carry’s Hospitality Studio, brings talented designers and consultants together to fully envision creative solutions for clients and cities. His diverse experience in hospitality, mixed-use, master planning, and office projects helps him to lead and enhance Cooper Carry's design culture. Working with a wide range of clients and cultural considerations, Manny believes that hospitality design is driven by choreographed moments that form a sense of place and create lasting impressions. Having worked on various project types throughout the world, Manny brings valuable insight and perspective to clients that ultimately elevate the guest experience and project impact.

David Duncan - President/CEO - First Hospitality
As President & CEO of First Hospitality, David has over 25 years of global operating experience in managing high performing teams and in executive roles in both private and publicly held organizations. He has coordinated over $10 billion of real estate and capital market transactions across multiple geographies and currencies. His experience ranges from fee-simple equity transactions to mortgage and mezzanine lending and complex joint venture and structured transactions. David began his career in public accounting, consulting, and financial institutions. His formative institutional experience was with GE Capital Real Estate, Guggenheim Partners, and Ernst & Young, LLC. Before joining First Hospitality, David served in executive roles at JC Resorts and Denihan Hospitality. David received his B.A. from Western Michigan University, located in his hometown of Kalamazoo, MI. He was an adjunct professor in the Carroll School of Management, Boston College. David is sought after for comment in leading publications. Additionally, he has made appearances on numerous television news programs. He is a frequent speaker at various real estate and lodging industry panels. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute Hotel Development Council and sits on the AHLA board. David lives in Chicago with his wife Susan and their two dogs. In his free time, he loves to ski, mountain bike, ride motorcycles, and catch up with his three children. He is passionate about improving the lives of underprivileged youth and supporting research to cure Multiple Myeloma with the MMRF.

David Eisen - Vice President and Editor-in-Chief - HOTELS Magazine
David Eisen is VP and Editor-in-Chief of HOTELS Magazine, where he oversees creative content for both the print and digital products. Prior to HOTELS, David was Content Director, Media within the hospitality vertical for Questex, overseeing the content direction and focus for Hotel Management, Hospitality Insights and the complementing event series. David’s other work includes the position of Director of Hotel Intelligence, Americas, for benchmarking firm HotStats. David has worked within the hospitality media landscape for more than 15 years, having started his career as hotel editor at Business Travel News. He has a master's degree in hospitality industry studies from New York University’s Jonathan M. Tisch Center for Hospitality and Tourism. He frequently participates on panels and roundtable discussions focused on global hospitality industry trends and topics.

Aly El-Bassuni - President, Operations, Owner & Brand Relations - Aimbridge Hospitality
Aly El-Bassuni is President, Operations, Owner & Brand Relations at Aimbridge Hospitality. Building on his recent Aimbridge experience as Divisional President, Enhanced Select Service, he is tasked with leading Operations Resources, Commercial Services and fostering robust relationships between Aimbridge, hotel owners, and brand partners. As an experienced executive leader, he brings a unique perspective of operator and franchisor - operating both hotels and student housing facilities, while having spent a significant portion of his career in the brand and franchising space leading well-known hospitality hotel brands. Prior to joining Aimbridge, El-Bassuni led an experiential and digital transformation within the student housing space, successfully launching and scaling a new, high-growth student housing brand and operator as its Global Chief Executive Officer. As Chief Operating Officer-Americas for Radisson Hotel Group, El-Bassuni was responsible for franchised and managed hotel operations for Radisson's seven brands with direct management of brand leadership, owner relations, and guest experience. In addition to his time at Radisson, El-Bassuni previously served as Vice President of Brand Operations at Wyndham Worldwide, leading the strategic direction, net unit and room growth, financial and operations management, and brand positioning for several brands during his tenure. Aly holds a bachelor’s degree in business from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania and earned his MBA from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania’s John L. Grove College of Business.

Peter Elefson - Vice President, US & Canada - Preferred Travel Group
Though a Southern California native, Peter Elefson spent a large portion of his formative years in Indonesia where he was fortunate to travel around Southeast Asia and experience the beautiful hotels and resorts of that region. He began his hospitality career in California holding various rooms and revenue management positions with independent luxury resorts. Now Peter helps oversee the hotel client relationship engagement and success efforts at Preferred Travel Group for the US & Canada. In his role he also leads the relationship for key partner hotel brands, as well as new hotel development efforts. Preferred Travel Group is a family-owned company that operates global travel and hospitality brands Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Beyond Green, Historic Hotels of America, Historic Hotels Worldwide, PTG Consulting, and Beyond Green Travel. Preferred Hotels & Resorts is the world’s largest independent hotel brand, representing more than 650 distinctive hotels, resorts, residences, and unique hotel groups across 80 countries.

Lan Elliott - Principal - Acacia Hospitality LLC
Lan Elliott has been in the hospitality industry for 25+ years as a hotel real estate & transactions executive. Most recently, Lan rejoined Acacia Hospitality LLC, a hotel investment entity she co-founded, which owns interests in four urban convention hotels. Together with its partners, Acacia currently owns interests in four urban convention hotels, totaling nearly 3,800 rooms, managed by Hilton, Hyatt Regency and Marriott. Acacia actively works with its partners and hotel management teams in the acquisition, asset management, renovation, expansion, and refinancing of these assets. Prior to Acacia, Lan spent over 10 years at Host Hotels & Resorts, where she closed on transactions totaling $8+ billion. She also held previous roles at IHG, W Hotels, and KPMG. Lan serves as the university liaison for ForWardThinking (formerly Castell@College), for which she is a recipient of the 2022 Industry Recognition Award from ICHRIE. She also serves as a Board Member, Principal, and Interview Host for It’s Personal Stories, a Hospitality Podcast (formerly DEI Advisors), a non-profit dedicated to empowering personal success in the hospitality industry. DEI Advisors’ podcast was recognized by IHI as a Top Hospitality Podcast for 2023 & 2024. Lan was also named one of IHI’s 100 Most Inspirational Leaders in Hospitality and Travel for 2023.

Krystal England - CIO - TMGOC Ventures
As Chief Investment Officer, Krystal England oversees underwriting and closing processes while working to expand the firm’s capital markets relationships and geographic reach. Her background in financing and partnership negotiations is instrumental as the firm pursues new opportunities, including ground-up development and acquisitions, with a focus on markets with high barriers to entry and diverse demand drivers. Since joining TMGOC Ventures, England has already helped double the Firm’s portfolio and added new preferred equity and rescue capital offerings to its capabilities. Prior to joining TMGOC Ventures, England was a Managing Director at Canyon Partners Real Estate in Los Angeles where she oversaw hospitality investments. Her duties included originating, structuring, and closing the firm’s hospitality and mixed-use real estate investments, including senior loans, mezzanine loans, preferred equity, and co-GP equity positions. During her tenure as an originator at Canyon, England was responsible for over $450 million in capital deployed representing over $1.6 billion in total asset capitalization; as a senior asset manager, she oversaw a $1.5 billion hospitality portfolio comprising both debt and equity investments. England brings a rich construction investing and financing background, highlighted by a collection of iconic properties including the SLS Brickell, Moxy by Marriott South Beach, Culver City’s Ivy Station (which includes the Shay Hotel, a Destination by Hyatt hotel), the Carte (Curio) in Downtown San Diego, Hotel NIA (Autograph) in Menlo Park, Moxy Charleston Downtown, and Residences at Little Nell (Aspen) among others.

Michael Erlingis - Senior Vice President - Fulcrum Hospitality
Michael Erlingis is a Senior Vice President at Fulcrum Hospitality, a leading hotel asset management firm and operating partner. With over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, he has expertise in hotel asset management, investment oversight, consulting and feasibility, and operations. In his current role, Michael oversees day-to-day asset management for a portfolio of full-service and luxury hotels, focusing on operational strategies, value-add initiatives, and financial performance. Since joining Fulcrum in 2015, he has played a crucial role in the firm’s acquisition efforts, actively participating in several hotel acquisitions both prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before joining Fulcrum, Michael worked at LaSalle Hotel Properties, a premier hotel-focused Real Estate Investment Trust, where he managed a portfolio of 10 full-service hotels, encompassing over 3,300 rooms across 10 different lodging brands and operators. Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University’s School of Hospitality Business, with a specialization in Real Estate.

Erik Eveleigh - VP of Development, Americas - SH Hotels & Resorts
Erik Eveleigh serves as Vice President of Development (Americas) at SH Hotels & Resorts, the sustainable hotel brand management company that operates 1 Hotels & Homes, Baccarat Hotels & Residences, and Treehouse Hotels, where he spearheads new business opportunities for the company’s distinct portfolio of hotel brands, as well as provides expert oversight for development projects throughout the region. Eveleigh previously spent over a decade in a similar capacity with Hilton's North American Luxury Development Team. Eveleigh serves on the Board of Advisors for California Polytechnic University, Pomona’s Collins College of Hospitality, is a member of Urban Land Institute’s Recreation Development Council, and is a founding Board Member of the International Luxury Hotel Association’s West Coast chapter.

Warren Fields - CEO - Pyramid Global Hospitality
Warren Fields leads Pyramid Global Hospitality as its Chief Executive Officer, and founding partner, focusing his time on strategic growth, planning, and development of the organization. Pyramid Global Hospitality was formed by the 2021 merger of three hotel and resort management companies, creating the most owner-focused, experiential company in the industry and its best workplace. The organization’s global portfolio spans more than 230 properties in the U.S., Caribbean and Europe. It maintains offices in Boston; The Woodlands, Texas; Cincinnati; and London. Warren oversaw the growth of Pyramid and previous to his responsibilities as CEO, was the company’s Chief Investment Officer. Warren possesses over three decades of experience in all facets of hospitality acquisitions, development, finance, and operations. He is the former Vice President of Development & Operations for Promus Hotel Corporation, which was sold to Hilton Hotel Corporation in 1999. Following the sale of Promus, he returned to Boston in 1999 to form Pyramid Hotel Group. Warren began his career with Beacon Hotel Corporation, a predecessor company to Promus, where he served as Vice President of Development for Guest Quarters Hotels, and later DoubleTree. In 2019, Warren was named to the Board of Directors of Massachusetts Port Authority by the Governor. He is a graduate of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and a member of its Advisory Board. He is a former Independent Director for the Board of Directors of Independent Bank Corporation.

Samantha Fisher - Chief Investment Officer - Island Hospitality Management
As Chief Investment Officer for both Island Hospitality and Chatham Lodging Trust, Samantha Fisher plays a pivotal role in shaping strategic investment decisions and driving growth initiatives across both organizations. With over twenty years in Hospitality, Samantha brings an extensive understanding of diverse U.S. markets coupled with well-established relationships with top industry owners and investors. In her role at Island Hospitality, she drives growth and development strategies for the company's expansive portfolio, underwrites and sources deals, and actively cultivates key relationships with potential investors.

Bruce Ford - SVP and Director of Global Business Development - Lodging Econometrics
A leading expert in hotel development trends with in-depth knowledge of global markets and brands, Bruce Ford serves as senior vice president and director of global business development for Lodging Econometrics (LE). For more than 25 years, LE has been the trusted leader for providing Business Development Programs, lodging trend reports, hotel development intelligence with key decision maker contacts, forecasts, and unparalleled customer service. Since 1995, Ford has collaborated with industry-leading hotel franchise companies, vendors & suppliers, ownership and management groups, wall street analysts, industry consultants, and many other companies. Ford has helped them develop business strategies and market penetration programs necessary for increased revenue and success. A featured speaker and moderator on global hotel development trends at industry conferences worldwide, Ford has appeared at Boutique Design New York, the California Lodging Investment Conference, Hospitality Design Expo and Summit, the International Hotel Investment Forum, the Lodging Conference, NYU Investment Conference, and various other industry webinars and podcasts. Ford is also a member of the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) committee responsible to select the ALIS Development Project of the Year finalists for outstanding achievement in the Americas for hotel construction and design.

JP Ford, CHB, ISHC - Principal and Director of Global Business Development - Lodging Econometrics
JP leads all the strategic sales initiatives for Lodging Econometrics. He is an industry leading real estate advisory specialist with close to 35 years of experience providing business development, acquisition, and disposition services. JP serves as a trusted advisor to franchise companies looking to identify branding opportunities; ownership and management groups looking to add real estate assets and management contracts to their portfolios; lodging industry vendors seeking to increase product distribution and Wall Street analysts interested in evaluating hotel development, hotel sales transaction trends, and assessing investment potential in hotel companies and markets. JP chairs the committee responsible for gathering nominations and selecting the finalists for the America’s Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) “Development of the Year” awards, which recognizes the most outstanding achievement in hotel construction and design in the country. JP is also a committee member of the Caribbean Hotel and Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS), which selects the “Development of the Year Award,” in the Caribbean. JP is a speaker at various hotel industry events and conferences and regularly contributes to several lodging real estate publications. JP is a Certified Hotel Broker (CHB), a Member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC), and a Member of the Board of Trustees for Catholic Charities of New Hampshire.

Greg Friedman - Managing Principal, Chief Executive Officer - Peachtree Group
Since co-founding Peachtree Group in 2007, Greg has successfully overseen investments of approximately $10.0 billion in commercial real estate and various other enterprises. With over 24 years of experience, he brings extensive credit and equity investing expertise, particularly in hotels and other commercial real estate assets. Greg was formerly senior vice president of business development for Specialty Finance Group, originating more than $2.0 billion of credit transactions. Previously, Greg was vice president of business development for GMAC Commercial Mortgage Asset-Backed Lending Division. During his six-year tenure, he originated, closed and funded more than 300 hospitality FF&E financing transactions with an aggregate capital structure exceeding $10.0 billion. Greg is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and is a board member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. He also serves on the real estate fund advisory board for the Texas McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.

Aimee Fyke - COO - Tharaldson Hospitality Management
With a remarkable track record spanning over three decades in the lodging industry, Aimee embarked on her hospitality journey with Marriott International in 1989, initially in the Chicago area. During her tenure with Tharaldson Lodging, Aimee held the position of Senior Vice President of Operations, where she had a significant impact, managing a portfolio of 200 hotels encompassing various brands like Residence Inns, TownePlace Suites, Springhill Suites, Courtyard by Marriott, Homewood Suites, and Hampton Inns. Before assuming the role of COO, Aimee contributed her expertise as a Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations at Archon Hospitality from 2008 to 2011. Beyond her responsibilities within Tharaldson, Aimee Fyke actively engages with the lodging industry community. She serves on the Residence Inn Association TRIA Board and the Homewood Suites by Hilton Owner's Advisory Council. Additionally, Aimee participates in various other industry committees, further exemplifying her commitment to advancing the field of hospitality.

Mark J. Gerstein - Senior Advisor - McKinsey & Company
Mark is a Senior Advisor to McKinsey & Company and is based in New York City. Previously, he was a Vice President in the Capital Investments & Transactions team in Global Finance at InterContinental Hotels Group (“IHG”). He also spent several years as IHG’s Chief Capital Markets Officer for the Americas. At IHG, Mark worked on both corporate M&A and individual hotel transactions. He negotiated hotel brand acquisitions, equity investments, joint ventures, master license agreements and property financings. Prior to IHG, Mark was a Managing Director in UBS Investment Bank’s Real Estate, Lodging and Leisure Group where he was involved in the execution of mergers, acquisitions, asset sales, IPOs, and debt & equity transactions. Before UBS, Mark was a Vice President at Morgan Stanley. Mark has over 15 years of experience in lodging and real estate investment banking. Mark graduated as a Palmer Scholar with an M.B.A. in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and received a B.Eng. in Civil Engineering with Great Distinction from McGill University.

Rani Gharbie - Managing Director, Investment & Development, Americas - citizenM Hotels Group
Rani is currently the Managing Director, Investment and Development, Americas at citizenM Hotels Group, an asset heavy owner-operator backed by GIC, APG and KRC. Prior to CitizenM, Rani was SVP Acquisitions, Head of Urban Growth at Life House, a tech-centric hotel company backed by Tiger Global, Thayer Ventures, JLL Spark and others, where he spearheaded their urban expansion and their strategic real estate venture with Kayak Hotels (Booking Holdings). Prior to that, Rani oversaw development and acquisitions for Pod Hotels / BD Hotels, the largest owner of independent hotels in NYC, and for Richard Branson’s Virgin Hotels in North America; he also held key positions at Hyatt, IHG and JLL. Throughout his career, Rani has overseen the growth of several hotel portfolios and provided strategic guidance on real estate investments worth over $4B. He also launched Cedar Funds in 2013, a New York City-based hotel investment firm focused on high-end lifestyle hotel opportunities. Rani serves as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University’s Master in Real Estate Development program, where he teaches 'Hotel Private Equity Development'. He holds a Master Degree from the same program, an MBA from the HEC Business School, Canada, a Bachelor degree in Hotel Management from Glion Hotel School, Switzerland, and a Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University. Rani has lived on three continents and speaks three languages. He is a regular guest speaker at key industry conferences and an avid triathlete. He resides in New York City with his wife Alisha and their two sons, Reece and Alexander.

Zack Gharib - President - Red Roof
Zack Gharib is President of Red Roof, an award-winning leader in the lodging industry. Gharib is a hospitality executive with more than two decades of senior management experience in franchising, operations and brand management with brands including Marriott, Vacasa, White Lodging, Highgate Homes and La Quinta by Wyndham. He is widely regarded as an innovator, having created and launched award-winning development, strategic planning and franchise operations programs and initiatives to create unprecedented value for hotel owners, franchisees and managers. His passion for helping owners and franchisees achieve their fullest potential, delivering exceptional guest service, and his commitment to operational excellence are instrumental in driving Red Roof’s continued growth and success. He is laser focused on that vision and mission as the brand drives toward 700 hotels across the U.S. and renews it focus on expanded and deepened relationships and accelerated unit growth. Gharib sits on the Board of Directors of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and is active as a leader in numerous other industry and civic organizations. He relocated to Red Roof’s Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, with his partner Autumn and two dogs this Spring. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University with a Master’s Degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management and Lebanese American University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.

Plato Ghinos - President - Shaner Group
As President, Plato Ghinos is a key member of the Shaner Hotels management team. Plato joined Shaner Hotels in 1995 and has since participated in the acquisition and development of multiple hotel and restaurant properties and progressed franchise relationships and negotiations with several well-known brands. Plato is the Managing Director of Shaner Italia and is responsible for expanding the company's hotel portfolio in Italy. Most recently, Plato was instrumental in forming partnerships in Athens, Greece to expand the hotel portfolio in Greece and Cyprus. Plato previously served for 10 years as Executive Vice-President for Federated National, a real estate development group. A native of Athens, Greece, Plato came to the United States to attend college, and worked for an international hotel group during graduate school. He received his B.A. in Business Administration from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and his M.B.A. at the American Graduate School of International Management – Thunderbird Campus in Phoenix, Arizona. Plato has taught several classes as part of faculty staff at Pennsylvania State University School of Hotel, Restaurant and Recreation Management and has been a guest lecturer at various Universities and hotel investment conferences. He was honored as a Fall 2011 Conti Professor at the Pennsylvania State University School of Hospitality Management. He is a regular contributor to several industry publications including chapters in the books “Medical Tourism and Wellness” and “Strategic Management for Hospitality and Travel.” Plato is a member of several boards. Most recently he accepted an invitation to serve on the Old Dominion National Bank advisory board.

Jennifer Glatt - Editor-in-Chief - Hotel Management, Questex
Jennifer Glatt is the Content Director for Questex Hospitality and the Editor-in-Chief of Hotel Management. She supports the content strategy across the HM website and magazine as well as the group’s hotel operations events, including Hotec Design, Hotec EMEA, Hotec Operations and The Hospitality Show. Before joining Hotel Management, she served as the editorial director for the in-house marketing and communications agency at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she played a pivotal role in driving engagement and increasing enrollment through innovative content strategies. Her expertise in content creation and strategy has been honed through various roles, including managing editor for Wilmington Magazine and communications manager and travel writer for two startups in the wedding and travel sectors. She earned her Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communication in 2021. She has also made significant contributions as a freelance journalist, creating compelling feature and travel articles, destination guides, luxury hotel reviews, website and blog copy and more for regional and national consumer and trade outlets and websites. Her byline has appeared in Questex's Luxury Travel Advisor magazine and Travel Agent Central, Modern Luxury Hawaii, Our State Magazine, Spirituality & Health Magazine, Connect Meetings, and many others.

Lindsey Goedeker - Senior Vice President, Sales - Actabl
Lindsey Goedeker is the Senior Vice President of Sales. She leads the global sales and account management teams and fosters significant growth and expansion among Actabl’s customers and prospects. Since joining the company in 2015 through its acquisition of ProfitSword, Lindsey has been instrumental in driving sales strategies and integrating teams to achieve outstanding results. With a rich background in the hospitality industry, Lindsey’s professional journey includes key roles at various hotel brands within the top 100 management companies. Her deep understanding of hospitality dynamics has been a cornerstone of her success in sales leadership. Lindsey holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management. Her educational foundation and industry experience make her a leading expert in sales strategy and customer service excellence in the hospitality and technology sectors.

Akshay Goyal - President - Riller Capital
Akshay Goyal is the President at Riller Capital, a real estate private equity firm focused on hotel investments. Mr. Goyal leads the sourcing and execution of Riller’s Investments. Previously, Mr. Goyal served as Senior Vice President and Head of U.S. Hotel Acquisitions at Starwood Capital Group. As the Head of U.S. Hotel Acquisitions team for Starwood, Mr. Goyal led sourcing, structuring, underwriting and executing investments in the hospitality and leisure sectors and was involved in over $16 billion of transactions over a nine-year period. Prior to Starwood, Mr. Goyal was with Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York City on the real estate, gaming and lodging investment banking team. Mr. Goyal holds a B.S. in Finance and Accounting from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Cindy Estis Green - CEO and Co-Founder - Kalibri Labs
Cindy Estis Green’s career began in corporate marketing and senior operations roles wrapping up her tenure as a general manager of a 420-room hotel at Hilton International. After founding the data mining company, Driving Revenue, and selling it to Pegasus Solutions, Ms. Estis Green spent twelve years as managing partner of The Estis Group working with hotel owners on targeting value growth in their assets. Estis Green has been named to Cornell Hotel Society’s prestigious Hall of Fame, honored with the HSMAI Vanguard Award for leadership in moving the field of revenue optimization toward a focus on profit contribution and was one of the first women inducted into the HFTP Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame. A prolific published author, Estis Green is highly sought after as a speaker on topics related to digital disruption and the impact on the economics of hotels. Ms. Estis Green co-founded Kalibri Labs, a next generation commercial strategy platform to evaluate, predict and benchmark hotel revenue performance. Using data science, Kalibri Labs helps hoteliers optimize profit contribution to improve asset value and supports the real estate community with tools that refine underwriting for investment and development. Estis Green holds a BS degree from Cornell University and an MBA from The American University.

Erin Green - Vice President, Development & Acquisitions - Auberge Resorts Collection
Erin leads our new property development and acquisitions efforts in the Americas region. Having joined Auberge Resorts in 2021, Erin brought over 15 years of luxury hospitality development experience across the Americas, Europe and Middle East through leadership positions at multiple leading international brands including Mandarin Oriental, Rosewood, Waldorf-Astoria and W Hotels. Prior to working in luxury hospitality, he held strategic management consulting roles with Bain & Company and The Walt Disney Company. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Finance from The University of Michigan and The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania, respectively.

Sarah Gulla - SVP, Asset Management - Pebblebrook Hotel Trust
Sarah Gulla is the Senior Vice President of Asset Management at Pebblebrook Hotel Trust with responsibility over a portfolio of both branded and independent hotels as well as the entire retail real estate portfolio. Ms. Gulla was previously in Asset Management at LaSalle Hotel Properties with hotels representing over $2 billion in asset value. She has expertise in the most major metropolitan markets in the US. Ms. Gulla began her lodging real estate career at Thayer Lodging Group as both Vice President of Asset Management as well Vice President of Acquisitions and Development. She started her career in hotel operations and sales with Four Seasons Hotels and Walt Disney World. Ms. Gulla holds an M.B.A. from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and is a graduate of the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell. Ms. Gulla is a Certified Hotel Asset Manager and the President of the Hotel Asset Managers Association (HAMA). She serves on the American Hotel and Lodging Association Food & Beverage Committee and Marriott’s Autograph Brand Advisory Board. Ms. Gulla is a frequent speaker at industry events. She resides in the metro D.C. area with her family.

Terri A. Haack - Managing Director - Wild Dunes Resort
In May of 2024, Wild Dunes Resort announced Terri A. Haack as its Managing Director. Previously, Haack served as the Senior Vice President of Lowe Corporate Headquarters in Los Angeles, where her contributions were instrumental in the success of Lowe and CoralTree Hospitality, particularly at Lowe's Terranea Resort, where she served as President, overseeing its development into one of America's premier resorts. Prior to her role at Terranea, she served as Executive Vice President and Managing Director at Wild Dunes Resort in Charleston, SC and Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, VA. A successful leader, Haack blends her effective business vision with a passionate commitment to positively make a difference in the world of business and the community. She serves on the American Hotel & Lodging Association Board of Directors, Chairman of the Educational Foundation Scholarship Committee, Board of the California Hotel & Lodging Association, and Board of ForWard Executive Council. Terri also serves on the President’s Advisory Council of Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, Board Emeritus for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, and Board for the Palos Verdes Chamber of Commerce. A distinguished career spanning nearly 45 years in hotel and resort operations, development and real estate. Terri holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and Master of Arts in Organizational Management.

Michael Handy - RVP, Lodging Development - Sonesta
Michael Handy joined Sonesta in November 2023 as the lead for development in the Mid-South region, where he is responsible for expanding Sonesta’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio. In this position, he is instrumental in driving the expansion and growth of Sonesta’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio, which includes prestigious brands like The Royal Sonesta, Sonesta, Sonesta Select, Sonesta ES, The James, MOD Collection by Sonesta, and Classico Collection by Sonesta. Michael's responsibilities encompass strategic planning, market analysis, and partnership development, all aimed at enhancing the brand's presence and appeal in a competitive market. Before his tenure at Sonesta Hotels and Resorts, Michael accumulated over 20 years of comprehensive experience in the hospitality industry. His career journey includes significant roles at some of the world's most esteemed hospitality companies, such as Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Rosewood Hotels, HVS, and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Throughout his career, Michael has developed a robust expertise in hotel development, operations, and guest experience management. He has been recognized for his strategic vision and ability to lead diverse teams, consistently delivering high-quality service and innovative solutions.

Glenn Haussman - Founder/Host - No Vacancy News
Glenn Haussman is the hospitality industry’s most well-known podcaster, commentator, event host and moderator. His show No Vacancy has once again been named the #1 industry podcast for 2024 after receiving this honor every year since its inception. He’s also been recognized by the International Hospitality Institute as the #1 Social Media Influencer in Hospitality and was named one of the Top 100 Most Inspirational People in Global Hospitality 2023. Glenn publishes the novacancynews.com hospitality news site; as well as being a professional speaker, consultant, strategist, board member for various organizations and more. The No Vacancy Live podcast is hosted by Glenn Haussman and Anthony Melchiorri and attracts the biggest names in hospitality, including major public company CEOs and industry influencers. Additionally, he hosts No Vacancy News Today, a news and analysis program focused on hospitality headlines; and Friday Night Audit, a comedy focused happy hour show. Well, he thinks it’s funny at least. In 2023 he and the No Vacancy team won an Industry Award from ICHRIE for the show’s dedication to education while in May 2022 he received the Leadership Excellence Award from SKAL USA for his tireless work bringing the hotel industry together during the Covid crisis.

Kate Henriksen - Co-CIO - RLJ Lodging Trust
Kate B. Henriksen, a veteran RLJ executive, is Co-Chief Investment Officer. Since joining RLJ, Henriksen has overseen the underwriting on completed transactions totaling $8.0 billion, including the merger with FelCor Lodging Trust. Henriksen has also been actively involved in RLJ’s capital recycling program, marketing for sale nearly $3.5 billion in sold assets. When RLJ was privately held, she also oversaw the portfolio management function and her responsibilities included tracking the performance of the company’s investment portfolios, assisting with capital raising efforts and managing relationships with investors in RLJ’s investment funds. Prior to joining RLJ in 2002, Henriksen served as a Director of Development Planning and Feasibility at Marriott International. Henriksen’s experience also includes consulting on and appraising over $4 billion in existing and proposed lodging facilities for HVS International. Henriksen graduated from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration with a B.S. degree with a concentration in Real Estate and Property Asset Management.

Brian Holstein - Principal - US Hotel Advisors
Brian Holstein is the Founding Principal of US Hotel Advisors, an industry leading, nationwide hospitality investment banking firm specializing in debt financing, joint-venture equity placement and investment sales. Mr. Holstein is known for being a pioneer and expert in loan structuring. He began his career at RBS Greenwich Capital as a commercial real estate banker where he closed more than $1 billion in non-recourse fixed and floating-rate loans. In 2012, Mr. Holstein saw an opportunity to dramatically improve the service brokers typically provide to their clients and left direct lending to revolutionize the hospitality loan brokerage model. He offers 24/7 attention and uses his knowledge and relationships from the other side to advocate hard for his clients, protecting them from re-trades and providing unmatched flexibility and certainty of execution. Since 2012, Mr. Holstein has closed transactions totaling more than $2.5 billion.

Amy Hulbert - VP, Boutique and Upscale Brands - BWH Hotels
Amy Hulbert is vice president of boutique and upscale brands for BWH Hotels. A 25-year veteran of the hospitality design industry, Hulbert joined the company in 2010 and now leads the brand team in helping promote the successful growth and performance of its upscale and boutique brands. At the helm of the design department for BWH Hotels for nearly a decade, she led the design of two of BWH Hotel’s newest brands - Vīb® and GLō®, developed the conversion boutique brand Aiden and rolled out various prototypes for the company’s legacy brands. Helping catapult the company to the forefront of industry innovation through cutting-edge design, Hulbert is an industry thought leader and frequently shares her insight in forward-thinking articles and industry panels focused on hotel design trends.

Rachel Humphrey - Founder - Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance
Rachel is the Founder of the Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance and is a Board Member, Principal, and Interview Host for DEI Advisors. Before retiring in August 2021, Rachel served as the EVP & COO of AAHOA, the nation's largest and most influential hotel owners association and served as a member of its Executive Leadership Team and in 2019 its Interim President & CEO. Rachel joined AAHOA in 2015 after more than 20 years as a trial lawyer.  Rachel has been recognized as one of the most “Influential Women in Hospitality,” “Top 50 Women in Travel,” “100 Most Powerful People in USA Hospitality,” “100 Most Influential People in Global Hospitality and Travel,” and “100 Most Inspirational People in Hospitality” and has received numerous awards and recognitions for her leadership and service to the hospitality industry. She is dedicated to advancing women in leadership in the hospitality industry. In addition to the Alliance and DEI Advisors, Rachel currently serves on the Board of Judges of the Hospitality Industry Hall of Fame and on the boards of Women in Travel Thrive and the Kennesaw State University Coles College of Business. She is also a frequent speaker at industry conferences and serves on numerous advisory boards within the hospitality industry.

Lee Hunter, CHB, ISHC - Chief Operating Officer - Hunter Hotel Advisors
Lee has been working in hotel real estate finance for over 20 years including hotel asset acquisition, development, financing, and repositioning. Lee has worked with all of the major brands including IHG, Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott. As COO of Hunter Hotel Advisors, Lee oversees the operations of Hunter’s seven national offices including Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Miami. Lee is also Conference Chair of the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference, a national hotel investment conference. For more than 35 years, the conference has brought together the nation’s most influential leaders in the lodging investment arena to discuss real estate and finance issues facing hotel owners today. Lee holds a master’s degree in hotel finance and real estate from Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration. Lee serves on the Board of Directors of Atlanta Hospitality Alliance and is highly regarded for his in-depth understanding of hotel real estate finance.

Rhiannon Jacobsen - Managing Director of U.S. Market Transformation and Development - U.S. Green Building Council
Rhiannon Jacobsen is the Managing Director of U.S. Market Transformation & Development at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). In this role, Rhiannon leads a nationwide team focused upon realizing the organization’s mission to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life. She directs and engages USGBC’s U.S. market transformation and development through local communities, members, volunteers, clients, thought leaders, and stakeholders. A fifteen+-year veteran of USGBC, Rhiannon’s accomplishments and contributions are varied. Prior to her focus on the entire domestic market, Rhiannon led the U.S. South Atlantic and South Central regions, as well as serving as the global lead for key market sectors, such as retail, manufacturing, sports, and hospitality – aligning people, projects, and places worldwide. One of Rhiannon’s areas of specialization includes the philanthropic engagement of corporations and foundation. Through this work she has raised more than $10 million in charitable funds for the Council. Her career started with USGBC as a member of the leadership team for the award-winning Greenbuild International Conference & Expo. Rhiannon is a graduate of Brandeis University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies and History. She lives and works in Washington, DC – when she’s not traveling to any number of localities representing USGBC.

Jenna Jacobson - Vice President of Luxury and Mixed-Use Development - Marriott International
Jenna Jacobson serves as the Vice President of Luxury and Mixed-Use Development at Marriott International, where she is responsible for growing Marriott’s luxury portfolio of hotel and mixed-use residential properties in the US and Canada. Prior to Marriott, Jenna served as the Regional Director for Sonder, where she led a team overseeing growth of hotel properties in the Eastern US and Canada along with driving and implementing real estate strategy for the company. Prior to Sonder, Jenna was the Director of Development for Rock Creek Property Group, a DC-based real estate development company, where she directed a broad range of development responsibilities including acquisitions, entitlements, legal, construction management, and disposition across a diverse array of asset classes. Jenna practiced law as an attorney at the global law firm, Hogan Lovells, before diving into real estate development. Jenna lives in Bethesda, Maryland with her husband, Mike, and her two young boys, Carter and Cody.

Prabhat Jayara - Senior Vice President Originations - Mag Mile Capital
Prabhat is a Senior Vice President, Originations and Head of Underwriting at Mag Mile Capital and is based in Chicago, IL. He is responsible for originating, underwriting and marketing client transactions for lender interest, as well as managing and coordinating transactions through closing. Since joining the firm’s predecessor Aries Capital in 2014, he has been involved in over $1 Billion of successful financing executions for commercial real estate, with a specialty in Hotels, Self-Storage, and Retail properties.

Jeanelle Johnson - Principal (Partner) - PwC
Jeanelle Johnson is a Principal and Lead Client Partner at PwC, focused on client service, industry perspective and research for the firm’s leading Hospitality & Leisure clients. With nearly 25 years of experience at leading investment banking and consulting firms, Jeanelle’s passion is to help clients with strategic planning around their growth and investment agendas and advise on business-wide risks and value drivers in their business transformations. Her sleeves rolled up approach helps clients reduce their risks, deliver value to their stakeholders, and quickly return to business imperatives. Philanthropically, Jeanelle is a Board Trustee and serves on the Education Committee of the PwC Charitable Foundation, Finance Committee and Board member of Higher Achievement, a member of the Ambassador's Council at N Street Village. Jeanelle is also a highly engaged member of the Economic Club of Washington, DC. Jeanelle holds a B.B.A from The George Washington University and an M.B.A. from the Smith School at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Sheila Johnson - Founder & CEO - Salamander Collection
Sheila Johnson is Founder & CEO of Salamander Collection. Rated the top luxury hotel brand by USA TODAY, the company operates luxury properties centered around unique destinations in the US and the Caribbean including Salamander Middleburg, which is one of only five properties in America to attain a triple Forbes Five-Star rating. Additionally, the portfolio includes Salamander Washington DC; Innisbrook Resort in Tampa; Aspen Meadows in Aspen, Colorado; Half Moon in Montego Bay, Jamaica; and, Hotel Bennett in Charleston, which Salamander operates in partnership with Bennett Hospitality. As a Partner of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Ms. Johnson is the only African American woman to have ownership in three professional sports teams: the Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals, and the Washington Mystics. She spearheaded the formation of WE Capital, a venture capital consortium to support and invest in female-led enterprises. Ms. Johnson is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences where she serves on the Education Committee. She also serves as chairman of the College of Performing Arts at The New School. The Sheila Johnson Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School supported a cohort of 50 fellows. She is also a board member of the International African American Museum in Charleston, Metropolitan Opera, Jackie Robinson Foundation, Simon & Schuster Publishing Advisory Board, PBS Foundation and a committee member of the NeuroArts Blueprint: Advancing the Science of Arts, Health and Well-Being. A powerful influence in the entertainment industry, she was the co-founder of Black Entertainment Television, served as executive producer of documentary and feature films and is founder and chair of the Middleburg Film Festival. Ms. Johnson’s memoir, Walk Through Fire, was published by Simon & Schuster in September 2023.

Greg Juceam - President & CEO - Extended Stay America
Greg Juceam is President & Chief Executive Officer for Extended Stay America, the leading brand family in the U.S. mid-priced extended stay hotel segment with more than 700 hotels. Previous to ESA, Juceam was President & COO of G6 Hospitality, the parent franchisor of 1,400 hotels under the iconic Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands. Juceam also was CEO of BRE Hotels & Resorts, a hospitality real estate platform then comprising 250 hotels representing $10B in asset value in the Upscale, Upper-Upscale, and Luxury segments. Prior to this role, Juceam spent 12 years at Interstate Hotels & Resorts, culminating as Executive Vice President of Full-Service Operations. Juceam is a Board Member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association and a past Chair of the Board of Trustees of the American Hotel & Lodging Association Foundation. He is an active alumnus of Cornell University’s Nolan School of Hotel Administration.

Naveen P. Kakarla - President & CEO - HHM
Naveen Kakarla is the President and Chief Executive Officer and also on the Board of Directors of HHM, formerly known as Hersha Hospitality Management. HHM manages 235 hotels with concentration in nearly all major markets across 32 states + 3 Canadian Provinces. Naveen is responsible for HHM’s investment and fund management, acquisitions and development, finance and accounting, human resources, and capital projects. Naveen launched HHM’s luxury and lifestyle division, which features the Independent Collection ("iC") of uniquely curated hotels and resorts in gateway markets from coast to coast. Today HHM manages nearly 75 independent, luxury and lifestyle hotels. Naveen prior led the New York City region for HHM and also oversaw its development and construction division. Outside the real estate sector, Naveen was previously a partner specializing in corporate and securities law at the national law firm of Jenkens & Gilchrist, P.C., and was previously associated with Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer Feld, LLP in Washington D.C. Naveen earned a Bachelor of Arts from Austin College and a law degree from Cornell Law School. Prior to joining HHM in 2005, Naveen worked with private equity and early-stage investments. Naveen is a board trustee at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital System, which includes the Sidney Kimmel Medical College. He also serves on the corporate board of the Barnes Foundation Museum and is an active member of the Young President's Organization.

Chris Kearney, PE, LEED AP - Vice President - EXP
Chris currently oversees EXP’s Hospitality Practice with a team of individuals dedicated to building engineering in the Hospitality & Gaming Market Sectors. Combining his building design and construction experience, Kearney has managed large-scale projects with notable clients such as Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Waldorf Astoria, Viceroy, Starwood, and Mandarin Oriental. Along with building design, Chris has a passion for sustainability. He uses his expertise to reduce energy consumption and increase indoor air quality while having a positive impact on the building’s bottom line. Working closely with EXP’s Sustainability group, Chris is a thought-leader who provides sustainable design and construction solutions which have led to more efficient buildings. Chris is constantly challenged with balancing first cost, energy savings, and the environment without compromising the “guest experience.” Engineers are traditionally known for forgetting the “soft” aspects of their designs – Chris makes them a priority. Over the past several years, Chris has led numerous American Institute of Architects (AIA)-registered lunch and learns including one on Building Immune Systems and another on Hotel MEP101. He's also been a speaker at the Lodging Conference multiple times over the past 10+ years and will be speaking at the conference again this fall.

John Keeling - Executive Vice President - Valencia Hotel Group
John M. Keeling is EVP with Valencia Hotel Group and is primarily responsible for sourcing and vetting independent and soft-branded upper-upscale and luxury hotel acquisitions, development projects, and third-party management. He is a noted lecturer, teacher, author, and authority on hotel matters who is frequently sourced by respected industry trades, business journals, and newspapers. He brings over 30 years of experience in hotel asset management, brokerage, appraisal, and consulting to Valencia. Mr. Keeling began his hospitality career with Marriott International at the Marriott Twin Bridges, Arlington, VA, in 1974 and, after several expedited promotions and moves, left the company as a manager at the Dallas Marriott. He was a partner with Laventhol & Horwath and a shareholder with PKF Consulting prior to joining Valencia. Mr. Keeling’s numerous professional memberships include the Counselors of Real Estate (CRE), Appraisal Institute (MAI), American Institute of CPA’s (retired member) and Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Houston (Past Chairman). Mr. Keeling serves on the Real Estate Investment Management Advisory Council at Michigan State University Hotel School.

Mark Kessler - President and COO - The Kessler Collection
Mark W. Kessler is the President & COO of The Kessler Enterprise, Inc. providing oversight of corporate growth strategy, development, and design. Additional responsibilities include leadership of the management company for twelve hotels and resorts in the Kessler Collection portfolio. Prior to joining the family business in 2002, Mark was a member of the Ernst and Young Real Estate and Hospitality Services Group in Miami, FL. His experience involved market research and due diligence for hotels, resorts, and assisted living facilities throughout the southeast. Additional valuable work experience includes his role as a commercial property analyst for Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, LP, and assistant superintendent for C.D. Dangler Construction. Mark earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University in 1996 and a Master of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University in 2001.

Cyrus Khadivi - Regional Director - Ten-X
Cyrus has been with Ten-X nearly 14 years and has enjoyed being an instrumental part of Ten-X’s evolution and growth story leading up to the acquisition by CoStar 4 years ago. Cyrus is the Regional Director of Sales for the Mountain and West regions of Ten-X’s sales team, overseeing a group of sales professionals from Colorado all the way to California, where his team manages relationships and asset sales with top brokers, institutions, banks, and lenders. The team has been an instrumental part of helping transact a $3-$4B in commercial assets annually with a strong focus on hospitality assets on the West Coast and in the Mountain Region. Cyrus earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in pre-law with a minor emphasis in urban planning from the University of California Irvine, and later earned a Master of Business Administration degree (MBA) from the University of California Irvine's Paul Merage School of Business with a core emphasis in real estate, strategy, and financial management.

Brian Kirkland - Chief Information Officer - Choice Hotels International
Brian Kirkland is Chief Information Officer for Choice Hotels International, one of the world’s largest hotel companies. He oversees the company’s Information Technology organization, and is responsible for leading overall IT strategy, development, and infrastructure, all aligning with Choice’s business objectives. Brian guided Choice’s efforts to successfully design and launch the industry’s first new global reservation system in 30 years, choiceEDGE. Subsequently, he completed a multi-year cloud transformation and migration strategy for which Choice Hotels is the first major hotel company to go all-in on the cloud with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Brian led multiple acquisition integrations, including the Radisson brands and technology which were integrated at industry record pace. Leveraging cloud capabilities, he is leading Choice’s innovation and modernization in technology. After earning his bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in business administration from Arizona State University, Brian has focused on giving back. He is a founding board member with SustainableIT.org, and is a member of multiple executive boards in local, hospitality industry or technology focused groups.

Andrew Knauer - Executive Vice President, Global Hotel Asset Management - CBRE Hotels
Andrew Knauer is Executive Vice President of Global Hotel Asset Management for CBRE Hotels and is primarily responsible for providing best-in-class asset management services for a portfolio of hotel investments on behalf of CBRE’s clients with total asset value exceeding $1B. Mr. Knauer is also responsible for business development and pursuing new mandates, working alongside Ms. Grigg in the growth of the practice. Mr. Knauer brings 15 years of extensive hotel asset management experience across all major brands and chain scales. Prior to joining CBRE in 2023, he served as Senior Vice President of Asset Management at JLL. Prior to JLL, Mr. Knauer led the asset management platform at Schulte Hospitality Group and previously held asset management positions with Eagle Point Hotel Partners and Beacon Hospitality Partners. He began his career in investment sales before joining the hospitality group at investment banking firm, Rockwood Real Estate Advisors. Mr. Knauer holds a B.S. from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and a M.S. in Real Estate from New York University.

Bali Kumar - Chief Operating Officer - PACE Loan Group
Bali joined PLG in 2021 as the Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining PLG, he served as the CEO of Lean & Green Michigan, the PACE program in Michigan, and developed the Michigan PACE program into one of the nation's strongest PACE programs. His experience also includes serving as a management consultant at Deloitte, a transactional attorney at Proskauer, and the Executive Director of Michigan’s Wayne County Land Bank. Bali graduated with a B.A. from Brown University, a M.Sc. from the London School of Economics, and a J.D. from Berkeley Law. He is a member of the NY and CA bar, and serves as Board Chair for the MNCIFA, Minnesota’s first Green Bank.

Gregory A. LaBerge - SVP, Chief Administrative Officer, National Director - Hospitality Services - Marcus & Millichap
Gregory LaBerge is senior vice president, chief administrative officer, and national hospitality director of Marcus & Millichap. Mr. LaBerge joined Marcus & Millichap in 2005 as an investment broker, was appointed as a regional manager in 2008 and became national director of our Hospitality Division in 2012. During his three-year tenure as national director, Mr. LaBerge successfully grew the division to more than 70 brokers, creating the industry’s largest hospitality sales team. His work establishing the infrastructure, tools and resources for the division’s brokers was instrumental in elevating Marcus & Millichap’s brand and industry presence. Before joining Marcus & Millichap, Mr. LaBerge was a management consultant with Ernst & Young and Diamond Technology Partners (now part of PricewaterhouseCoopers), specializing in working with Fortune 500 firms. Mr. LaBerge received his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Northwestern University and his M.B.A. from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

Tony Lariño - Managing Director - HEI Hotels & Resorts
Over a 28-year career spanning investment banking, real estate, and hospitality, Tony Lariño has completed billions of dollars of transactions across the capital stack, both in the US and internationally. He has become a respected industry leader with deep relationships across the hospitality space. Before joining HEI, Tony was a partner with Rockwood Capital, where he led the firm’s hospitality investments and managed value-add real estate funds with over $2 billion of assets. Prior to Rockwood, Lariño served stints at Westmont Hospitality and Starwood Hotels & Resorts as their SVP of Development for Full Service Brands in the Americas. Before joining Starwood, Tony began his career with Morgan Stanley’s investment banking group.  Tony has a BA in Computer Science from NYU and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Brad LeBlanc - Chief Development Officer and SVP - BWH Hotels
Brad LeBlanc is Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer for BWH Hotels. Joining BWH Hotels in 2019, LeBlanc leads sales and development efforts in which he spearheads the North American expansion of Best Western core brands, SureStay Hotel Group®, @Home by Best Western℠, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Vīb®, GLō®, Aiden® by Best Western, BW Premier Collection® by Best Western, and BW Signature Collection® by Best Western. He also serves on the brand’s senior executive team, playing a key role in shaping and executing BWH Hotels’ long-term strategies. LeBlanc previously served on the executive team of Serendipity Labs, a hospitality-focused co-working brand launched in 2012 across North America. In 2004, LeBlanc successfully launched the Cambria Suites brand, an upscale hotel division of Choice Hotels.

Jin Lee - CEO - ARA US Hospitality Trust
Jin Yong Lee is CEO, ARA US Hospitality Trust. In 2018, the company acquired the initial seed portfolio of 38 Hyatt-branded hotels and in 2019, Mr. Lee led the initial public offering for the listed REIT and Business Trust. He led the crisis management and strategic direction through the Covid-19 pandemic; and recovery and return of operating fundamentals, enhancement of the physical products and improvement of the composition of the portfolio through selective acquisitions and dispositions. From 2015-2018, Mr. Lee was Managing Partner - Probity Investors, a boutique consultancy that raised capital from institutional investors for global and national private equity fund managers. Previously, he was Chief Investment Officer - Thayer Lodging from 2009-2015, Senior Vice President - HEI Hotels & Resorts from (2004-2009, Vice President - Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group from 2000-2004, Director - Marriott International from 1998-2000, Vice President – HVS International from 1993-1997 and an Accountant – Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco from 1991-1993. Mr. Lee earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Irvine and Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Administration from Cornell University.

Daniel Lesser - Co-Founder, President & CEO - LW Hospitality Advisors
Daniel H. Lesser, Co-Founder, President, & CEO of LW Hospitality Advisors has forty years of specialized experience in hospitality related real estate appraisals, economic feasibility evaluations, investment counseling, asset management, receivership, and transactional services of hotels, resorts, conference centers, casinos, mixed use facilities, spa & wellness properties, and timeshare/fractional ownership properties. An international authority and thought leader with iron clad credibility, Mr. Lesser offers a 360-degree, cross-functional and multidisciplinary lodging industry perspective. Proffering innovation and strategy, Mr. Lesser serves as a third-party advisor and independent expert witness, neutral arbitrator, business model canvasser, asset manager, property/business receiver, and as a principal investor, borrower, guarantor, franchisee. Mr. Lesser provides services to corporate, institutional, municipalities, and individual clients on all facets of hospitality real estate. Mr. Lesser has served as a Court Appointed Receiver in connection with dozens of hotels throughout the U.S. Prior to his hospitality advisory experience, Mr. Lesser held operational and administrative positions with Hilton Hotels Corporation and Eurotels-Switzerland. He is highly sought after to speak at lodging and real estate events, as well as lectures at prestigious institutions of higher education. Mr. Lesser is widely published and quoted in major newspaper, internet, business, real estate, and hospitality industry periodicals.

Rob Leven - Principal and Chief Investment Officer - Procaccianti Companies
As Chief Investment Officer Mr. Leven is responsible for overall portfolio development strategies which includes all aspects of evaluation, analysis and execution of real estate investment opportunities for Procaccianti Companies. A principal and senior member of the Investment Committee for more than a decade, Mr. Leven has played a critical leadership role in driving the Firm’s growth having been involved with hundreds of transactions including acquisitions, dispositions, and new hotel developments. His pragmatic approach, superior analytics and entrepreneurial vision have led to the expansion of the Firm’s national platform which now comprises approximately $4 Billion in diverse real estate assets currently under management. Since joining the Firm in 2002, Mr. Leven has also expanded relationships with institutional ownership groups, capital partners and global hospitality brands like Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and InterContinental. Furthermore, through his leadership Rob has helped to position Procaccianti Companies and its affiliates as one of the largest and most respected privately-held real estate investment and management firms in the United States. Prior to joining Procaccianti Companies Mr. Leven held a senior position with a leading U.S. hotel brokerage firm and he was also one of the original founders of U.S. Franchise Systems in 1995. Mr. Leven is a graduate of Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.

Michael I. Lipson - CEO, Chairman - Access Point Financial
Michael Lipson serves as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer at Access Point Financial, LLC. He has more than 40 years of experience in finance, asset management and banking services. Prior to serving on the Access Point Financial board, he has held numerous leadership roles, including serving as Senior Vice President, Multifamily Asset Management & Operations for Freddie Mac. During his tenure in this position, Lipson led business operations and oversaw asset management and technology teams responsible for day-to-day functions, as well as risk and loss mitigation of the Freddie Mac Multifamily business. Additional responsibilities included overseeing all loan funding and servicing, surveillance, insurance, special servicing and risk governance activities. Other notable roles that Lipson has previously held include serving as President and CEO of Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC, Executive Vice President at Capmark Finance, Inc. and as President/Founder at Lexington Mortgage Company. Lipson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, as well as a Master’s Degree in Real Estate & Urban Development Planning from The American University. He is also recognized as a Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB) by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

Rika Lisslö - Vice President of Development, Americas - Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Ms. Lisslö, as Vice President of Hyatt Americas Development team, is responsible for origination, portfolio growth, development, brand partnership, and identifying new business opportunities. She oversees growth of Hyatt’s luxury, leisure, and lifestyle brands: Thompson, AlilA, Park Hyatt, Miraval, Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Centric, Destination, Unbound, and JDV. Ms. Lisslö has broad-based development expertise and a proven track record of success in mixed-use development; leasing, capital markets, investments, sales, brand building, F&B, luxury retail and entertainment. In addition, she maintains high client and capital partner relationships across multiple industry disciplines. She’s an accomplished deal maker who’s skilled in market research, sight selection, negotiation, and transaction execution (+1bn). Ms. Lisslö is heavily involved in project start-up strategies within Prop/Fin/Hospitality-Tech and Luxury Fashion. Her unique profile and adaptability position her well for companies looking to grow through strategic relationships and corporate partnerships. Lisslö is active among many organizations and activities including: CBS Host - Hotels by Design, Urban Arts board member, Nordic International Film Festival board member, UBS - Fourth Floor Fellow, Hyatt Global Wellbeing Council Member, International Luxury Hotel Association Board Member, Culinary Institute of America and Society of Fellows Board Member.

Mark V. Lomanno - Partner - Kalibri Labs
Mark Lomanno is a Partner and Senior Advisor for Kalibri Labs, a hospitality data analytics company that strives To help sustain the health of the hotel industry by enabling hotel brands, owners, and operators to improve profit contribution by evaluating revenue performance net of customer acquisition costs. In addition, he advises several companies in the hospitality and data space, including Venturism and FireLight Camps, where he also sits on the Board of Directors. In that role he takes an active role in helping to shape the respective company’s strategic direction, creating and enhancing new research solutions and building relationships with hospitality brands, owners and operators. Mark is the former President and CEO of Smith Travel Research (STR). Under his fifteen years of leadership, the company grew from a US firm to the most respected name in global hotel benchmarking. Mark serves as Chair for the advisory board of the Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University and University of Delaware’s school of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional management and is a named Conti Professor at Pennsylvania State University. Mark also serves on the advisory board of The School of Tourism & Hospitality Management at Temple University. Mark holds a MS in Marketing from LaSalle University and an MBA from Temple University.

Lisa Lombardo - President - ARK
Lisa Lombardo is the President of ARK Holdings Group. ARK Holdings, based in Ocala, Florida, is the parent company for ARK Development (Raleigh) and ARK Hospitality (Dallas). Lisa started her career in nonprofit management. From there, she launched a nonprofit consulting business and helped a number of organizations raise their single largest gifts and execute strategic plans developed with a clear sense of purpose. Coaching nonprofit boards of directors evolved to include for-profit organizations – guiding them through overhauls of mission statements, programming intentional culture and facilitating the development of strategic plans. Since 2012, Lisa has consulted for nonprofits, financial institutions, construction companies, manufacturing, Broadway and other arts organizations, high-profile and televised sporting events, higher education institutions, entertainment, and now works within the hospitality industry. Along the way, she co-founded the Performing Arts Conservatory in her hometown as another way to give back to her community. Lisa was recognized by Florida Trend magazine as “an executive making a mark” in the hotel industry. She serves on boards of directors and committees within the hospitality industry including, but not limited to, the Executive Committee of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, AHLA Human Resources Committee, International Franchise Forum Franchisee Forum; human and social services organizations; arts and culture; and her church.

McKenna Luke, MAI - Managing Director, National Hospitality Practice Lead - Partner Valuation Advisors
McKenna Luke, MAI, serves as Managing Director for Partner Valuation Advisors. In this role, Ms. Luke leads the firm’s National Hospitality Practice Group and is responsible for driving the growth of the firm’s hospitality work related to appraisals, market studies, large portfolio engagements, and consulting assignments. With over a decade of commercial real estate experience, Ms. Luke offers extensive experience in hotel development. She brings a deep understanding of hospitality markets, having consulted on complex assignments including portfolios, hotels, condo-hotels, resorts, resort residential, mixed-use, waterparks, golf, membership clubs, glamping, and experiential destinations. In addition to traditional hospitality work, she has conducted valuations of casino operations in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Pennsylvania, as well as ski resorts in California, Montana, North Carolina, and Canada. Her nationwide hotel consulting and valuation experience spans over 45 states ranging from small, independently owned motels to the most expensive resort in the U.S. Prior to Partner Valuation Advisors, Ms. Luke served as Managing Director for HVS Consulting and Valuation Services, valuing thousands of hotels worth more than $30 billion. Earlier in her career, Ms. Luke served in various appraisal roles throughout the Southwest, Rocky Mountains, and Southeast.

Marina MacDonald - Former CMO - Red Roof
Marina MacDonald is a seasoned hospitality executive and former Chief Marketing Officer for Red Roof®. Responsible for Red Roof’s Marketing and ESG programs including commercial strategy, digital transformation, loyalty, national sales, distribution, corporate and internal communications, reputation management and franchise marketing. Marina develops marketing initiatives that build the brand, support an integrated sales program, increase customer loyalty and system growth. In her time at Red Roof, Marina has helped guide the company to explosive profitable growth, including the creation of the successful brand extensions Red Roof PLUS+®, extended stay brand HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof®, and soft brand The Red Collection®. In 2016 she spearheaded a company-wide initiative to support, help and elevate women in hospitality through SHE inspired by Red Roof. As of 2024 over 40% of Red Roof properties are owned or partially owned by women. Marina was awarded 2024 Top Women Leading Travel & Hospitality, 2023 Global Business Travel Association WINit Outstanding Women of the Year, along with Adweek’s CMO Award and Top 50 Women to Admire in Ohio. Prior to joining Red Roof, Marina served as Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Remington Hotels as well as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Wyndham.

Luigi Major, MAI - Managing Director - HVS Americas
Luigi Major, MAI, a Managing Director of HVS Americas, has participated in thousands of hotel consulting assignments throughout the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. He brings a strong focus on delivering solutions to empower clients to make well-informed decisions as they build hotels, secure loans for renovations and transactions, and plan the execution of a diverse array of hotel projects and strategies. Luigi’s expertise spans economy motels to complex, luxury, resort-residential assets across domestic and international locations. His expertise is based on 16+ years of working on diverse types of assets located domestically and internationally; this unique experience brings exceptional perspective that delivers superior client results. In addition, Luigi regularly authors publications on the performance trends and dynamics of hotel markets, including the annual U.S. Hotel Development Cost Survey. He is a Designated Member of the Appraisal Institute (MAI) and a state-certified general appraiser.

Rob Mangiarelli - President - Atrium Hospitality
Rob Mangiarelli is President at Atrium Hospitality, one of the nation’s largest hotel operators. With 25+ years of hotel management experience, Rob leads the Alpharetta, Georgia-based company, which operates a portfolio of 80 hotels, representing well-known brands such as Hilton, Marriott, IHG, and Wyndham, in 28 states. The company operates approximately 20,000 guest rooms/suites and 3 million square feet of event space. Rob joined Atrium Hospitality in 2022 as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He was appointed President later that year. Rob directs the Atrium Executive Committee to effectively drive Atrium’s growth as an innovative, sales-driven organization that delivers exceptional guest experiences. Prior to Atrium, Rob served as COO of Magna Hospitality, managing a $4 billion hotel and real estate portfolio. His experience comprises two+ decades with Hyatt Hotels Corporation, including as Global Head of Asset Management. At Hyatt, Rob was responsible for the areas of finance, revenue management, real estate, capital expenditures, technology, operations and human resources. Rob champions Atrium’s endorsement of the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Responsible Stay environmental initiative. He supports Atrium’s partnerships with the American Red Cross for blood drives and Project SEARCH for preparing young people with significant disabilities for success in competitive employment. Rob is currently a member of the Owners’ Advisory Councils for both Marriott and Embassy Suites.

Dwayne Marshall - Chief Development Officer – Americas - Valor Hospitality Partners
As Chief Development Officer – Americas, Dwayne leads the execution of Valor Hospitality Partners’ growth strategy in the Americas by sourcing, structuring, negotiating, and executing third-party management contracts and assisting with underwriting acquisition and development opportunities for the company and its capital partners. With nearly 20 years of experience in corporate hospitality, Dwayne has held previous senior roles with Chesapeake Hospitality, Marriott International, and IHG, as well as formerly serving as a hospitality consultant at REVPAR International. In addition to his role at Valor, Dwayne works as a facilitator for eCornell, Cornell University’s online learning platform, instructing courses in hotel real estate investment and asset management, hotel management and owner relations, hospitality accounting, and commercial real estate. Moreover, Dwayne is a hospitality management advisory board member for the Leven School of Hospitality Management at Kennesaw State University. Dwayne holds an Executive Master of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University, a Master of Business Administration (with Distinction) from Curtin University, and a Master of Entrepreneurship from The University of Adelaide. Additionally, he holds bachelor’s degrees in marketing and in leisure sciences and sports management.

Justin Mayers - Vice President and Head of Client Relations - CWCapital Asset Management
Justin Mayers is Vice President and Head of Client Relations for CWCapital, a third-party special servicer for CMBS/CLO products. Specializing in hotel assets, he leverages multifaceted expertise in asset management, feasibility, development, sales, and operations to deliver incisive solutions to CWCapital’s 60-client roster. In his role, Justin performs asset management and underwriting on loans and REO assets across the country, focusing on enhancing credit during loan workout negotiations to maximize asset value. Justin works across business lines, applying his specialized knowledge in the hotel segment to support the valuations process for CWCapital’s online auction platform, RI Marketplace. Before joining CW, Justin served REVPAR International as a hospitality consultant. He has also held positions with Hyatt Hotels and Thayer Lodging. Justin has a B.S. from Florida State University.

Brendan McCormick, CAIA - Managing Principal - Smith Hill Capital, LLC
Brendan McCormick is Managing Principal of Smith Hill Capital, a private credit platform founded in 2022 by real estate investment and service firm Procaccianti Companies. Prior to Smith Hill Capital, Mr. McCormick worked at Axonic Capital LLC and oversaw all aspects of Axonic’s Commercial Real Estate Loan business including sourcing, underwriting and asset management. Prior to Axonic, Brendan was a Senior Vice President at Talmage LLC (formerly known as Guggenheim Structured Real Estate) and a Vice President at Guggenheim from 2004-2014. Before Guggenheim, Brendan worked at the Related Capital Company and Rockwood Realty Associates from 2001-2004. Brendan graduated from Hamilton College in 2001 with a BA in History and is a CAIA Charter holder. Brendan also serves on the Board of Directors of the Army Ranger Lead the Way Fund.

Jared Meabon - SVP, Development - Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Born and raised in Erie, PA, Jared Meabon is the Senior Vice President of Development for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts overseeing the development of Wyndham’s Iconic Brands across the United States. A current resident of San Antonio, TX, Jared has been in the Hospitality Industry his entire professional career. He earned a Hospitality degree from Davis & Elkins College. Jared started his career in operations with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts. From there, he transitioned into the development and franchising arena working for US Franchise Systems representing Microtel Inns & Suites and Hawthorn Suites, and then for Wyndham Worldwide as a Regional Development Director. Jared was most recently the Vice President of development for Choice Hotels International before rejoining Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in his current role four years ago.

Luke Millikin - Director & Sr. Relationship Manager - Wells Fargo Hotel Franchise Finance
Luke Millikin is a Director & Sr. Relationship Manager on the Wells Fargo Hotel Franchise Finance team, offering a wide range of specialized products and services to help meet the distinctive real estate and banking needs of hotel owners and operators nationwide, with an emphasis on the East Coast. His role is part of the Wells Fargo Restaurant and Hotel Franchise Finance team, and is based in Scottsdale. Prior to joining Wells Fargo, Luke spent the majority of his career at GE Capital and Bank of America, with stints at U.S. Trust and Fifth Third Bank. He is a CFA Charterholder and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance, Summa Cum Laude, from the W.P. Carey School of Business and the Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University. He also served in the United States Army, 1st Infantry Division, as a health care specialist, where he achieved the rank of Sergeant in 2004.

Jeff Mills - Director of Operations - The PENTA Building Group
Jeff Mills is a dedicated Director of Operations at PENTA, where his passion, commitment, and expertise converge to bring every construction project to life. Jeff, born and raised in Phoenix, spearheads the PENTA team in Arizona, ensuring all projects are seamless, completed on-time and meet all budgetary restraints without sacrificing quality. With over 30 years of industry experience, Jeff is a seasoned professional who has worked on projects in all sectors including gaming, healthcare, hospitality with expertise in groundbreaking new builds, intricate renovations and noteworthy expansions. Jeff’s experience in tribal projects extends back to 2011 and has continued through 2024 with over 80 projects completed in Indian Country. He has developed strong relationships with many tribal communities in Arizona and is a CIIC Golf Committee Co-Chair. Recently entrusted as an Owner of PENTA, Jeff's commitment to excellence is further solidified, guaranteeing an additional layer of accountability and ownership over the triumph of every project.

John Murray - President & CEO - Sonesta International Hotels Corporation
John Murray is the President and CEO of Sonesta International Hotels Corporation, the 8th largest U.S. hotel company, with approximately 1,100 hotels across 13 brands in eight countries. Murray is also an EVP of The RMR Group and is a member of the RMR Executive Operating Committee. In addition, he serves as a Managing Trustee of Service Properties Trust (Nasdaq: SVC) and Industrial Logistics Properties Trust (Nasdaq: ILPT). Murray previously served as SVC’s President from 1996 to 2022 and its CEO from 2018 to 2022. He was also ILPT’s President and CEO from 2018 to 2022. Murray currently serves on the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Hotel Development Council and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) Hospitality Investment Roundtable. From 2014 to 2017, he was a member of the AHLA Board of Directors representing the owners’ segment of the association. Prior to joining RMR, Murray worked at Fidelity Investments and Ernst & Young LLP. Sonesta has more than 100,000 guest rooms and nearly 200 managed hotels under its Sonesta named brands in the U.S. and Canada; Sonesta also has nearly 1,000 franchised properties across the U.S., Canada, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Egypt and St Maarten branded as Royal Sonesta, The James, Classico – A Sonesta Collection, Sonesta Hotels, Resorts & Cruises; MOD – A Sonesta Collection, Sonesta Select; Sonesta Essential; Sonesta ES Suites, Sonesta Simply Suites; Red Lion Hotels; Inns & Suites by Sonesta; Signature Inn by Sonesta; Americas Best Value Inn by Sonesta and Canadas Best Value Inn by Sonesta.

Tom Nee - Senior Vice President, Foundation Brands Development - Choice Hotels International
Tom Nee is Senior Vice President, Foundation Brands Development for Choice Hotels. In this role Tom leads a national team of sales professionals charged with system growth of one of the largest hotel companies in the world with 7,500 hotels, representing more than 630,000 rooms, in 45 countries and territories. The Foundation Division represents the Quality, Clarion, Clarion Pointe, Econo Lodge and Rodeway brands. Tom has been in the Franchise Sales Industry for over 30 years selling for competitive hotel brands before joining Choice, and since his tenure, he has held numerous fundamental positions. Prior to his current role, he was the Regional Vice President of Development for the southeast and central US territories. Tom began with Choice Hotels in 1995 in a Franchise Sales role and has managed various regions across the US including both East and West Coasts.  He has sold all brands from Upscale to Economy, as well as New Construction and Conversion products. In these various roles with Choice Hotels Tom has directly contributed to the company’s efforts to increase contract values and system unit growth all while enhancing the sales strategies, technology and processes to maximize sales results. Tom also has personal experience with hotel ownership, management and investments which contributes to his extensive knowledge of the hotel industry.

Dennis Nessler - Editor-in-Chief - LODGING Media
Dennis Nessler, editor-in-chief of LODGING Magazine, has been covering the lodging industry for more than 20 years. During that time Nessler has actively been involved in moderating educational panels, as well as various roundtable events, and conducting high-profile interviews. Most recently, Nessler was editor-in-chief of Hotel Interactive, a hotel publishing and event company. Prior to that, Nessler was Editor of Hotel Business magazine, a hospitality trade publication he joined in 2003. Nessler has accumulated more than 30 years of journalism experience after graduating from Iona College in 1991.

Paul Novak - Partner - Whitman Peterson
Paul Novak is one of the premier development and acquisition executives within the hotel industry. He has acquired or developed over $4 billion in hotel assets over the past 40 years, through his leadership roles at companies such as: Marriott, where he participated in the creation of the Courtyard by Marriott product and oversaw development of the first 225 Courtyard assets and the Hampstead Group, under the entity known as Bedrock Partners, where he led acquisitions and redevelopment efforts for several of Hampstead’s large portfolio investments including a large program with Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, the consolidation of Harvey Hotels and United Inns into Bristol Hotels, and the acquisition of 100+ Holiday Inn assets from Bass PLC, which were ultimately sold to FelCor Lodging Trust. Mr. Novak has a BA degree from one of the country’s premier hotel schools, Michigan State University. He is very active in the real estate development and hospitality industries, having served as Chairman of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) and President of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA). He is also an active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and is an original member of ULI’s Hotel Development Council (HDC).

Jeffrey Stephen Parker, CHTP+ - Vice President of Property Technology - Sage Hospitality Group
For over three decades Jeffrey Stephen Parker has been a leader in hotel and restaurant hospitality, with the last twenty-five focused on hospitality technology. He specializes in the technologies that guests interact with directly and the ones that enable hotel teams to better enhance guest experiences. Parker has created and implemented the technology systems that facilitated the growth of a regional brand. In addition, he has worked for some of the largest management and franchise companies in the world, leading teams that handled major technology projects for franchised and independent hotels. He currently works with the Sage Hospitality team as the Vice President of Property Technology where his team handles over forty branded hotels. Leveraging new technologies Parker has been able to reduce costs and improve customer service and guest retention, specifically working with disparate partners to develop or improve integrations. Jeff has led teams that identified creative ways to apply existing and emerging solutions from disparate business sectors to solve challenges in the hospitality industry related to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Jeff is also involved in the hospitality education community through HFTP and AHLA\HTNG, contributing through presenting in educational sessions and participating on committees and boards. Parker is also a frequent contributor to publications focused on hospitality. When not working, Jeff is keeping up with his wife, Karen, and dog, Misty. Jeff and Karen have two boys, Joseph (23) and David (27), and recently welcomed a daughter-in-law, Amy.

John Pascal - Principal - Paramount Capital Advisors
John Pascal is a Principal of Paramount Capital Advisors (PCA), a capital advisory firm dedicated to sourcing debt and equity for their clients. John has sourced over $3 billion of capital throughout his career. Before joining Paramount, John served in a similar role as Principal of JMB Financial Advisors. Prior to JMB, John served as senior vice president and chief investment officer of Brookdale Living Community, a company that provides senior housing nationwide. His experience also includes work as co-chief operating officer of Horizon Bay Management and Senior Lifestyle Corporation and service as executive vice president of Heitman Financial, where he was responsible for acquisition of multi-family, industrial, retail and office properties on behalf of institutional clients. John earned a master’s degree in business from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Illinois.

Bharat Patel - Immediate Past Chairman - AAHOA
Bharat Patel, CHO, CHIA, is the Immediate Past Chairman of AAHOA. He has been an active member of the association since 2008. He served as an Ambassador for several years before his election to the Board of Directors as the Regional Director for Florida in 2015. Bharat is a second-generation hotelier who learned the hotel business through hands-on experience at properties owned by his parents. Today, he is Partner at Gulf Coast Hospitality, a company based in Sarasota, Fla. Bharat plays an active role in his community and currently serves on the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Board of Directors, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Hotel and Restaurant Advisory Council, the Sarasota County Tourism Development Council, and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Advisory Board. He is a graduate of the University of Florida (Go Gators!) and resides in Sarasota with his wife, Manisha, and their two children.

Harshil Patel - Vice President - Champion Hotels
Harshil Patel is the Vice President of Champion Hotels & Development. He was born in Weatherford, OK and has lived in Oklahoma his whole life. Harshil is a second-generation hotelier and grew up in the family business. Harshil graduated from The University of Oklahoma Price College of Business with a bachelor’s degree in Finance. His current role as Vice President entails building and maintaining franchise relationships, working with the operations teams, as well as managing several parts of Champion’s new development pipeline. Harshil also serves on the OKC Convention & Visitors Bureau Commission, Board of Directors of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, Hilton Product Advisory Council, and Embassy Suites Owner Advisory Council.

Kamalesh (KP) Patel - 2024-2025 Vice Chairman - AAHOA
Kamalesh (KP) Patel serves as the Vice Chairman of AAHOA. Patel is the CEO of Aarav Hospitality, LLC, and AKS Hospitality, LLC. Growing up in the hotel industry with his parents, he learned what it takes to persevere. Working with his wife, Krishna, in Santa Cruz, he kept the family atmosphere strong while working hard as the North Pacific Regional Director. KP helped the North Pacific Region become the top-ranked region. He served five years as an ambassador, three of those as a Premier Ambassador. He's also served on multiple industry-related committees, to ensure the betterment and advancement of our hotels. He makes time for his kids by coaching baseball and taking them to charitable events. Following in his dad's footsteps, he is a second-generation North Pacific Regional director.

Mehul Patel - Managing Partner, CEO - NewcrestImage
Mehul has served as Managing Partner and CEO of Dallas-based NewcrestImage since the company was formed in 2013. In the process, he has directed more than $3 billion in transactions involving more than 200 hotels and 25,000 hotel rooms in 122 communities across the country. Today, the company’s portfolio includes 70 distinctive properties in 20 states. Currently, Mehul serves on the Board of Directors for Summit Hotel Properties and American Bank. Summit Hotel Properties is a publicly-traded REIT with a portfolio of more than 100 hotels, while American Bank is a Dallas-based community lender with more than $325 million in assets. Mehul is also a member of the CEO Advisory Board for Aimbridge Hospitality, a global leader in third-party hotel management whose portfolio includes more than 1,500 properties in 49 states and 20 countries. During 2013 and 2014, Mehul served as the youngest chairman in the 25-year history of the AAHOA, which has more than 20,000 members who own about 60 percent of all hotels in the United States. Mehul continues to actively serve on the brand councils for Marriott International, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, and Hilton Worldwide. In business, Mehul has earned a well-deserved reputation as the builder of hotels, of asset value, and of people.

Miraj S. Patel - 2024-2025 Chairman - AAHOA
Miraj S. Patel, MBA, CHIA, CHO, serves as the Chairman of AAHOA, the youngest serving in the position in the association’s 35-year history. AAHOA is the world's largest hotel owners association with 20,000 members that collectively own 60 percent of the hotels in the United States and are responsible for 1.7% of the nation’s GDP. Miraj is a second-generation hotelier who began his career in hospitality from a young age growing up in his family’s first 30-room independent property. Today, Miraj is President of Wayside Investment Group, a Texas-based company that specializes in making opportunistic investments in the lodging and hospitality real estate sector. He has spoken at several prestigious and high-profile business, educational, social, and legislative conferences; while being recognized in various trade magazines. Over the years, Miraj has exemplified a strong track record of leadership in the industry. Currently, he serves as a Director at Large of Texas Hotel & Lodging Association, the nation's largest state hotel association with over 5,000 members representing every aspect of the lodging and tourism industry. Miraj has previously served on the Red Roof Brand Council and the Best Western Texas Co-op. Aside from his devotion to the hospitality industry, he is a firm believer in giving back to the community. He serves on various industry associations and charitable organizations, and continues to seek opportunities to make a positive difference. Miraj earned his Master's in Business Administration, and his Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel and Lodging Management from Johnson and Wales University in Miami, Florida.

Mitch Patel - Founder and CEO - Vision Hospitality Group Inc.
With $3,000 in savings, Mitch Patel founded Vision Hospitality Group, Inc. in 1997 with the goal of creating a company dedicated to excellence with a focus on community and family.  Over his career, Mitch and his team have developed over 60 hotels and currently hold a 42-property portfolio spanning nine states, with a valuation of over $1 Billion. In addition, Vision has a pipeline of 16 hotels that are either under construction or in development. These hotels are affiliated with premier brands such as Hilton Worldwide and Marriott International. Under Mitch’s leadership, Vision has been recognized numerous times for its efforts in development, design, community service, and service excellence. Vision has received the Marriott International Partnership Circle Award, the Marriott International Developer of the Year Award for both select and full Service, the Marriott International Serve 360 Award, and the Hilton Worldwide Multi-Brand Developer of the Year Award, amongst others. Mitch serves on the Marriott International Franchise Advisory Council, where he serves as the President of the AC by Marriott Franchise Advisory Council, the Hilton Worldwide Owner’s Advisory Council, the Executive Committee of American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), and AHLA’s No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) Advisory Council. Mitch is the current Vice Chairman of the American Hotel & Lodging Association and will soon be Chairman in 2025. Mitch is an avid advocate for ending human trafficking in the hospitality industry. Mitch holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Tennessee.

Pinal Patel - 2024-2025 Secretary - AAHOA
Pinal Patel of Goodlettsville, TN, serves as the Secretary of AAHOA, the world's largest hotel owners association. He has served as an AAHOA Ambassador and as AAHOA’s Director at Large Eastern Division. Pinal was born in Bardoli, India, and moved to the United States at the age of two. His family emigrated from India to Nashville, TN, in 1984. Pinal says his parents did not speak any English when they brought him and his 1-year-old brother to America. His parents bought their first independent hotel in 1991, and he is a second-generation hotelier. But he wasn’t always planning on following in their footsteps. He graduated from flight school at Embry Riddle in Daytona Beach, FL, but soon after, he bought his first franchise property.

Rahul Patel - 2024-2025 Treasurer - AAHOA
Rahul Patel, CHO, CHIA, serves as the Treasurer of AAHOA, which represents nearly 20,000 hotel owners owning 60% of the hotels in the United States. He was born in Surat, India, and migrated to the United States in 2004 to pursue the American Dream. His wife and in-laws owned and operated a small motel in Winfield, KS, and Rahul purchased his first hotel in Indiana a few months later. Rahul completed his schooling at Vallabh Ashram in Gujarat, India, and obtained his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Brisbane, Australia. Today, he owns and operates several hotels and has two ground-up projects underway in Florida. Besides his professional achievements, Rahul has a passion for working with AAHOA, performing community service, and serving on his local TDC as an Advisory Board Member. AAHOA's 12 Points of Fair Franchising helped him avoid Liquidated Damages when he purchased his first hotel. Rahul got involved in AAHOA after attending a few events and was fascinated by how the organization protected the hospitality industry and entrepreneurs like him. Outside of work, Rahul enjoys outdoor activities, such as playing volleyball and cricket, singing karaoke, and spending quality time with his family and friends.

Trusha Patel, M.A., MBA - Founder & CEO - Platinum Holdings
Trusha Patel is a highly experienced Texas hotelier with over 25 years in the hospitality industry. As the CEO of Platinum Holdings, she manages a diverse portfolio of branded and independent hotels throughout Texas. Trusha has held several key executive roles over her career and is also a licensed real estate broker. Her leadership extends beyond her company; she serves on the Board of Directors for the Austin Hotel and Lodging Association and holds a lifetime membership with AAHOA, where she has been an active Ambassador and committee member since 2009. Trusha’s academic journey began with a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio, followed by a Master of Arts in Psychology. She initially worked as a psychologist before making a strategic career shift into hospitality.  In 2008, she furthered her education by earning an Executive MBA from Baylor University, graduating with honors in 2010. A regular speaker at hospitality conferences, Trusha is known for sharing her extensive expertise and insights with industry peers.

Vinay Patel - President & CEO - Fairbrook Hotels LLC
Vinay Patel is the President and CEO of Fairbrook Hotels. Vinay is responsible for developing and implementing the vision and strategy for Fairbrook Hotels. Additionally, he heads the strategic planning, acquisitions, and sales of hotel assets. At the age of 8 he and his family migrated to the United States, where he assisted in housekeeping to front desk at the family motel. Upon graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Business Administration, he continued the family business with his father at a small 15 room motel in Richmond, Virginia. Here he learned the values of hard work and perseverance. Presently the company owns and operates 12 hotels consisting of Marriott, Hilton, Choice Hotels, Extended Stay America, and Wyndham Hotels brands. Along the way Vinay has received many awards for his accomplishments and believes in giving back to the hotel business by being very active in the industry. Vinay presently serves on the Virginia Tech Hospitality School Advisory Board and the past Chairman of AAHOA and served on the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board.

Christie Patterson - Vice President of Development - InterMountain Hotels
Christie joined InterMountain in 2020 following a 32-year career with Marriott International in a variety of roles, the final 12 years of which was in select-service & extended-stay Lodging Development. Christie is responsible for growing InterMountain by identifying hotel development and 3rd party management prospects to further expand both the InterMountain and clients’ hotel portfolios. In addition, she connects hotel owners in need of renovations/conversion construction project management, interior design, and procurement services with the InterMountain Renovations team to assist on their project(s). Appreciating more than half her lifetime in hospitality, Christie gains satisfaction in being a trusted resource, pleasant network connection, identifying scenarios of benefit partnering owners and InterMountain, and establishing long-lasting relationships across owners, brand companies, and industry vendors/service providers.

Shivan Perera - Managing Director - Bridge Marketplace
Shivan Perera is a seasoned professional specializing in structured finance for general commercial real estate, with a focus on the hospitality sector. Currently serving as Managing Director CRE at Bridge, Shivan leads the expansion of Commercial Real Estate debt advisory services and oversees the implementation of exclusive direct lending partnerships. Shivan's career spans pivotal roles within the financial sector. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President for a commercial real estate debt fund focusing on hospitality and mid-cap CRE deals ranging from $5 million to $50 million nationwide. He also oversaw front end operations for a Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO), managing the origination and participation of commercial real estate loans for a network of over 135 credit unions. Prior, Shivan served as a Business Banker at Wells Fargo, tailoring financial solutions and products for SMB’s across a variety of industries. Educationally, Shivan holds dual Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Criminology from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and an MBA in Finance from Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Greg Perry - Vice President of Hospitality Investments - RREAF Holdings
Greg Perry is the Vice President of Hotel Investments, monitoring RREAF’s operational and development hospitality portfolio. Greg offers a wide variety of hospitality asset management and development experience across all segments of the hotel chain scale in domestic and international locations. Prior to RREAF, Greg was Vice President at Akoya Hospitality, overseeing luxury hotels and resorts in the United States and Caribbean. Before that, he led underwriting and acquisitions at Civitas Capital Group for all hospitality assets in the United States with a key focus on sourcing new investment opportunities. Throughout his career, Greg developed, consulted, and managed hotel-centric commercial real estate portfolios across the US, Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Middle East, and in Sub-Saharan Africa with a total value exceeding $3 billion. Greg spent the early years of his career consulting with HVS, the hotel industry’s preeminent appraisal firm, in the US and Dubai working on engagements in all hospitality asset classes and all phases of development. He holds a Master’s degree in International Real Estate from Florida International University and an undergraduate degree in Education from Florida Atlantic University.

Lissa Pierce - Head of Renovations & Design Management – Premium Brands - IHG Hotels & Resorts
Lissa Pierce joined IHG in 2011 and currently serves as Head of Renovations & Design Management – Premium Brands. Her responsibilities include managing the PIP, Design Review, and project related design execution for the company's four premium brands as well as supporting the development of efficient processes for the Americas Design & Construction team. Lissa is a certified Interior Designer with over 15 years of upscale and boutique hospitality design experience. Before coming to IHG, she worked on upscale hospitality design projects for Marriott, Starwood, and other independent hoteliers at Design Continuum Inc. in Atlanta. Since coming to IHG she has worked on projects throughout the Americas Region as Regional Director for the Hotel Indigo and EVEN hotels brands, and as a Regional Manager of Plan Review with the company’s core brands Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and Holiday Inn Resorts. She lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband Jeff and their pup Wallace. During her free time, she enjoys travel, good food, wine, and any opportunity to relax.

Diana Plazas-Trowbridge - Senior Vice President & Global Brand Leader – Select Brands - Marriott International
In this role, Diana oversees Marriott International’s Select Brands portfolio, setting long-term direction for some of the company’s fastest-growing brands. As part of the Growing Forward strategy, she is responsible for maximizing each brand’s economic model resulting in greater profitability for our owner and franchisees and simultaneously ensuring that each brand is distinct and delivers exceptional experiences for our guests. Diana works closely with other Global and Continent leaders on key initiatives and priorities to drive the brand portfolio forward. Her oversight includes brands such as Courtyard by Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft, Moxy and our newest brands StudioRes and City Express by Marriott, amongst others. Since joining Marriott in 2015 as Vice President of Brand, Marketing, and Digital for the Caribbean and Latin America, Diana has led the field and digital marketing organization for the region. In 2018, she established a new Owner and Franchise Relations organization designed to support franchisees and their hotels across the region. Her efforts have led to stronger results across the franchise portfolio in several important metrics, as well as relationship strengthening. She most recently held the role of Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for the CALA region, where she was responsible for the commercial and customer strategy for the nearly 500 hotels across 35+ countries and territories. She is on the advisory board for Women Leading Travel & Hospitality, Discover Puerto Rico and Comic Kids, an organization dedicated to bringing the arts to underserved communities.

Ron Pohl - President, WorldHotels and BWH International Operations - BWH Hotels
Ron Pohl is President of International Operations for BWH Hotels and President of WorldHotels. He joined the brand in 2007 and serves on the company’s executive committee. Pohl has made significant contributions to include thoughtfully increasing the company’s scale across the globe. He was instrumental in repositioning existing offerings and launching new brands to diversify the company’s portfolio, appealing to today’s travelers and developers. In addition, he has led new and innovative operations efforts resulting in record guest satisfaction scores for the company. Prior to joining Best Western, Pohl spent 25 years with Boykin Management Company and Marriott Corporation. He currently serves on the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s board of directors, the advisory board for Grand Canyon University and previously served on the board of directors for the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland. Throughout his career, Pohl has earned several awards. In 2017, he was named a silver winner in the Executive of the Year – Large Companies category by the Best in Biz Awards. Pohl received the award as result of his commitment to excellence, innovative vision, and investment in employees’ professional development. Pohl was also named the 2017 gold winner in the Executive of the Year category by One Planet Awards, the world’s premier awards program honoring the best in business and professional excellence in every industry from around the globe. Finally, Pohl received the prestigious American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute Arthur Landstreet Award in 2016.

Dave Pollin - Co-Founder and President - The Buccini/Pollin Group
Dave Pollin is the Co-Founder of Buccini Pollin Group, co-headquartered in Washington, DC and Wilmington, DE. He also serves as Chairman of PM Hotel Group, the hotel management affiliate of BPG, and is a Co-Founder of Corten Real Estate Partners, BPG’s private equity platform. Mr. Pollin leads the firms’ hotel acquisition, development and capital markets efforts.  BPG has developed and acquired over 50 hotels and completed real estate transactions of all kinds valued at over $6bn. Mr. Pollin’s current affiliations include: Cornell University School of Hotel Administration’s Dean’s Advisory Board; Vice President of the Economic Club of Washington; Trustee of the Federal City Council; Canopy by Hilton’s Owner Advisory Council; and founding board member of Founders Bank of Washington, DC. Prior to co-founding Buccini Pollin Group and PM Hotel Group, Dave was a consultant with Laventhol & Horwath and worked in operations with Westin and Sheraton. David Pollin graduated from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.

Vicki Poulos - Head of Luxury and Lifestyle Brands - IHG Hotels & Resorts
Vicki Poulos leads the Luxury & Lifestyle Brands for the Americas and Kimpton Global for IHG Hotels & Resorts. Vicki spearheads the strategic development and execution of the Kimpton brand strategy and experience, crafting a distinct brand DNA that resonates globally. In addition, she leads the regional brand development and experience for Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts and Vignette Collection. She focuses on ensuring these brands remain relevant and compelling, providing travelers with experiences that are both meaningful and inspiring. Importantly, Vicki is laser-focused on driving performance of the portfolio and engaging owners on the unique value proposition of each luxury and lifestyle brand within the Americas. Prior to joining IHG in 2023, Vicki served as Vice President & Global Brand Leader at Kayak Hotels and Head of Brand Marketing & Culture at Upwork Corporate Inc. During her tenure at Marriott International, Vicki played a pivotal role in the reinvention and development of brands within the Luxury and Lifestyle segments. Her exceptional work has earned her numerous prestigious accolades within the industry. Vicki holds a Master of Business Administration from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. She currently resides in Chicago with her husband and three children.

Tracy L. Prigmore - Managing Partner + Founder - TLTsolutions + She Has a Deal
Tracy L.. Prigmore is the Founder of TLTsolutions, a real estate investment and development firm that provides unparalleled access and insight to alternative investments. Tracy’s mission is to empower people to build generational wealth, and through TLTsolutions she creates opportunities for individuals, families and entities to obtain passive income by investing in residential, multifamily and hotel projects. Currently, TLTsolutions has a multi-million-dollar portfolio of real estate assets under management in four states. With the firm’s launch of its first Fund focused on hotel properties; TLTsolutions is actively pursuing acquisitions that will more than double its portfolio. Tracy is the creator of She Has a Deal, a platform designed to create new pathways to commercial real estate ownership and development for women by providing education, networking and investing opportunities. She Has a Deal’s renowned hotel investment pitch competition is creating a pipeline of women owners and developers by preparing them to become sponsors and lead hotel investment projects. TLTsolutions recently established SHaD Prosperity Fund and is raising capital to fund the women led projects originating from the pitch competition. Prior to entering real estate development, Tracy spent 25 years as a healthcare executive and held senior leadership roles in strategic planning, business development and operations for three of the nation’s largest healthcare systems. Tracy serves on the non-profit boards of Castell Project and the Association of Black Estate Planning Professionals (ABEPP). She resides in northern Virginia with her husband Derrick and their son Noah.

Leticia Proctor - Executive Vice President - Donohoe Hospitality Services
Leticia Proctor is the Executive Vice President at Donohoe Hospitality Services. Leticia provides leadership and strategy for sales, marketing, revenue management, new builds and property renovations. Leticia focuses on maximizing total hotel revenue that increases profitability while building a sales culture that promotes staff development and retention for DHS and its hotel portfolio. Leticia has over thirty years of experience in the hospitality industry, working with major hotel companies to improve sales, marketing, catering, revenue management, digital strategies and hotel operations. She has held sales and marketing positions with well-known hotel companies including PM Hotel Group, Kimpton Hotels, Hersha Hospitality Management, Crestline Hotels, Remington Hotels, Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Loews Hotels and Hospitality Partners. Leticia is recognized as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Women, Top 25 Most Inspirational Executives in Travel/Hospitality and Top 100 Most Influential Leaders in Hospitality by International Hospitality Institute. She is also the recipient of the Minority Business Leader Award by the Washington Business Journal, Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds Award by HSMAI and selected as a Hoya Professional 30 by Georgetown University. Leticia obtained her Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies with a minor in Business Law and Public Policy from the University of Maryland. Leticia also received her Masters of Professional Studies in Hospitality Management at Georgetown University.

Brad Rahinsky - President & CEO - Hotel Equities
Brad Rahinsky serves as President and CEO of Hotel Equities, a full-scale hotel ownership, management, and development firm. He develops the long-term vision for HE and supports all aspects of the firm’s disciplines. In early 2023, Brad guided HE through a strategic partnership with private equity firm, PPC Enterprises, to accelerate its development pipeline and strengthen its position as an industry leading partner for hotel owners and developers seeking unparalleled performance and returns. Brad joined HE as VP of Operations in early 2012 and quickly moved into senior leadership where he has powered the firm’s explosive growth taking the firm to over 250 hotels in over 35 states and multiple provinces in Canada. To handle the rapid, unprecedented expansion, Brad has internally developed and externally recruited some of the industry’s brightest leaders.  Prior to joining HE, Brad co-owned a successful portfolio of Hilton and Hyatt branded hotels in the Southeast. He spent his early years learning the business through progressive executive level positions with Sheraton, Hyatt, Wyndham and various independent resorts. Brad serves as a member of Hilton’s Hampton Inn and Suites Owners Advisory Council, Marriott’s Element by Westin Franchise Advisory Board, and serves on the AHLA Board of Directors.

Todd Ratliff - Managing Director - Hodges Ward Elliott
Todd Ratliff is a Managing Director at Hodges Ward Elliott.  He specializes in institutional-grade hotel and resort property transactions including investment advisory, debt, and equity placements. Mr. Ratliff joined HWE in 2003.  Representative transactions to date include the Mandarin Oriental Atlanta Buckhead, Chateau Elan Winery & Resort, The Hotel at Avalon (capitalization and sale), the Barnsley Resort, and the Westin Atlanta Perimeter.  Prior to HWE, he was a principal in an Atlanta-based commercial real estate information company. Mr. Ratliff earned a B.A. in Economics from Clemson University with international studies in Salamanca, Spain.  Mr. Ratliff serves on the boards of Wesleyan School, Hemophilia of Georgia, and The James 1:27 Foundation and is an active volunteer at Buckhead Church.

Robert A. Rauch, CHA - CEO - R. A. Rauch & Associates, Inc - Founding Chairman - Brick Hospitality
Robert Rauch, CHA, is CEO of the hospitality consultancy, R. A. Rauch & Associates, Inc. He sold RAR Hospitality, his management arm, to Hostmark Hospitality Group in February 2020 and retained management of several owned hotels in California and Arizona by forming a new entity, Brick Hospitality. Rauch serves as Chairman of this new company that will own and operate their hotels. Their portfolio includes 5 existing hotels and several under development. Widely recognized as the hotel guru, Mr. Rauch maintains a blog where he expounds upon insights and trends in the hospitality industry at www.hotelguru.com. Along with the blog, he also writes a monthly article for CoStar’s Hotel News Now. With a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Administration from Western International University and a master’s degree in Tourism Administration from Arizona State University, Rauch has served as president and on the board of numerous tourism organizations. Mr. Rauch is a Retired Faculty member at Arizona State University and is widely quoted on television, radio, and in numerous publications, including the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Los Angeles Times, among many others.

Steven Reinstein - Vice President, Investments - KHP Capital Partners
Steve serves as a Vice President on the Investments team for KHP Capital Partners. Previously, Steve worked as a Vice President of Investments and Asset Management for DiamondRock Hospitality (NYSE:DRH). Steve holds a BS from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.

Laura Resco - Director - Hotel Intelligence Americas - HotStats
Laura Resco is the Director of Hotel Intelligence - Americas for HotStats. In this role she collaborates with strategic partners to support the development and promotion of Profit & Loss benchmarking analytics. Prior to her appointment, Laura was the Customer Success Manager – Americas, providing customer service to HotStats clients and creating educational resources on hotel financial data analysis. Before joining HotStats, Laura had extensive experience in the hospitality industry, both in operational and sales positions in Europe and South America. With a wealth of experience and the world’s largest monthly profit-and-loss database in the hotel industry, HotStats offers a uniquely intelligent benchmarking and performance software. HotStats collects detailed nominal level data every month from over 10,000 contributors worldwide to produce monthly financial benchmarking reports covering more than 500 key performance indicators of departmental revenue, expenses, and profitability.

Julie Richter - Chief Financial Officer - Concord Hospitality Enterprises
Julie Richter joined Concord in July 2007. In her role as Chief Financial Officer she has been responsible for raising over $2 billion of capital supporting hotel development and acquisitions as well as managing hotel refinance efforts for Concord affiliated properties. Julie is also involved in joint venture negotiations and manages asset dispositions.  Prior to joining Concord, she was Vice President and Controller of Boykin Lodging Company, a publicly traded hospitality real estate investment trust for five years. Julie started her career with Arthur Andersen LLP as a member of the audit practice for eight years.  She holds a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Central Florida.

Ben Rosenbaum - Managing Director - Starwood Capital Group
Ben Rosenbaum is a Managing Director in Hotel Asset Management at Starwood Capital Group. Mr. Rosenbaum is primarily responsible for managing the Firm’s $2B+ Limited-Service Private Hospitality REIT. He leads strategic direction of the REIT which includes, executing value-add initiatives, improving property operations and commercial strategy, capital investment, financing initiatives, and all disposition activities. Mr. Rosenbaum also works closely with the technology team to help implement proptech solutions across the portfolio and asset management group in effort to further drive a data-driven approach. He began his career at Starwood Capital Group as an Associate on the Portfolio Management team focusing on helping manage fund macro risks. Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2013, Mr. Rosenbaum was an Analyst in the Transaction Real Estate Group at Ernst & Young in New York City. Mr. Rosenbaum received a BBA in Finance from The Goizueta Business School at Emory University.

Rachael Rothman, CFA - Head of Hotels Research & Data Analytics - CBRE Hotels
As CBRE’s Head of Hotels Research & Data Analysis, Rachael Rothman, CFA, is responsible for data analysis, thought leadership, and leveraging CBRE’s proprietary Trends® database, Hotel Horizons® Forecasts, and best in class brokerage and capital markets expertise to help hotel owners, brands, and management companies maximize profits while minimizing risks.  Ms. Rothman joined CBRE in March 2021 after a 20-year career as a public hotel company executive and equity analyst following the hospitality industry. Her executive experience spans work as Chief Financial Officer at Apple Hospitality REIT and Head of Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations at Playa Hotels & Resorts. Prior to that, Ms. Rothman worked for 18 years as a leading equity analyst following the hotel, casino, cruise, restaurant, and REIT industries for Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, and Susquehanna International Group.  Ms. Rothman is a Board member of the International Luxury Hotel Association, Northeast Chapter, a Member of Cornell Hotel Society, a CFA charter holder, and a Member of New York Society of Securities Analysts. Ms. Rothman holds a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Virginia, a Masters in Hotel & Restaurant Management from Cornell University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Romance Languages from Bates College.

Suzanne Saunders - SVP Design & Construction - Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG)
Meet a former aerospace engineer who slept with a Tonka truck growing up who exudes a deep passion for all things construction. Suzanne has over 25 years of experience working for nationally branded companies in a variety of corporate real estate and development roles. She joined Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG) in May of 2023 as senior vice president of design & construction. She is responsible for leading the construction and engineering teams in all aspects of development, renovation, and asset management activities to strengthen stakeholder relationships and brand partnerships. Suzanne is a member of HVMG’s executive leadership team driving the execution and growth of the company’s project pipeline. She was also vice president of design & construction with HVMG from 2017 to 2022. Prior to HVMG, Suzanne worked for First Hospitality as Senior Vice President of Construction and Renovation. She was also Vice President – Design Services at Hyatt where she was instrumental in launching the Hyatt Place and Hyatt House brands. Saunders has also worked in the manufacturing and logistics planning industries. Her first role was working for LTV Aerospace/Northrup Grumman, where as an industrial engineer she held a secret military clearance and worked in the design and manufacturing area of the B-2 Stealth Bomber Program. She is involved with NEWH and a cohort of Castell, an AHLA Foundation Project. Saunders received her Bachelor of Science and Associate of Applied Science degree in industrial technology and drafting technology from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.

Russell C. Savrann - Partner - Sandman Savrann PLLC
Russ provides sophisticated legal services for clients on hotel development, strategic planning, transactions, franchising and operational matters, including finance, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, management agreements, and franchise.  Russ’s prior experience in the hospitality industry includes positions at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (Vice President, Associate General Counsel), and at The Ground Round, Inc. (Director of Legal Affairs - acting General Counsel and Corporate Secretary).  With offices in New York City, Boston, New Haven, Scottsdale, Seattle and Tacoma, Sandman Savrann delivers its exceptional service and value through its fifty plus highly regarded industry counselors and para professionals, who are distinguished by their extensive knowledge, experience, and contacts in the hospitality industry.  They lead our comprehensive legal team, handling all the special needs and structures of the industry, as well bringing to bear in-depth practice and technical knowledge in real estate, restructuring, finance, litigation, employment, securities, and tax.  Russ is also principal and co-founder of RISA Hospitality Solutions LLC, a full service hospitality consulting firm specializing in facilitating off market hotel, residential and mixed use development in major markets including New York City and matching private equity and debt with projects.

SJ Sawhney - Co-Founder and President - Canary Technologies
SJ Sawhney is the co-founder of Canary Technologies, a leading solution provider that is modernizing the hotel tech stack with the first mobile web end-to-end Guest Management System, digitizing everything from post-booking through checkout. Prior to co-founding Canary, Sawhney led product and technology at Stayful, a booking platform for independent and boutique hotels founded by the former president of Hotels.com. Sawhney is a serial entrepreneur, having successfully founded multiple venture-backed technology companies over the prior decade. He is a graduate of Columbia University.

Richard Schaeffer - Vice President, Franchise Development - Red Roof
Richard Schaeffer is Vice President, Franchise Development, Red Roof, a position he has held since 2023. He began his hospitality career in 1990 with Red Roof as General Manager and District Training Manager. He was recruited to Red Roof after graduating from Pennsylvania State University, earning his degree in hotel, restaurant and institutional management. During the eight years he was with Red Roof, he served as general manager and district training manager in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. From 1998 to 2006, Mr. Schaeffer was Vice President, Pocomo Capital LLC. He then joined G6 Hospitality as regional director of development. He spent more than a decade developing franchise and partner relationships for Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands. During his time at G6 Hospitality, Schaeffer developed more than 200 locations across the United States focusing on the Northeast region. In August 2018 he returned to Red Roof as a Development Director where he produced award-winning sales in the northeast territory and developed strong franchisee relationships. In 2020, Rick was promoted to Regional VP where he led a high-level team of developers responsible for the expansive growth of Red Roof brands.

Jared Schlosser - EVP, Hotel Lending and Head of CPACE, Credit - Peachtree Group
Jared is responsible for running Peachtree Group Credit's hotel originations platform and its commercial property assessed clean energy (CPACE) program. Jared has over 16 years of experience as a lender, completing more than $1.5 Billion in commercial loans and more than $750 million in CPACE transactions. Previously, Jared served as a loan officer for Voya Financial, responsible for the origination of construction, bridge and permanent loans ranging from $10 million to $200 million. Prior to Voya, Jared co-founded the real estate lending platform for AloStar Bank, where he grew the commercial real estate balance sheet to more than $500 million. He started his career as an underwriter for Colony Capital. Jared earned his Business Administration Degree in Real Estate Finance from the University of Georgia.

Shannon Seay - Partner - H-CPM (Hospitality Construction Project Management)
Shannon Seay is a partner at H-CPM, a construction project management and owner representation consulting firm that specializes in managing renovations, conversions, repositioning, and new construction. As Project Director, Seay not only oversees hospitality renovations nationwide from conception through close-out, but also focuses on fostering client relationships and driving firm growth. Working with both domestic and international clients, Seay caters each undertaking to the unique asset, ensuring that the scope aligns with the ownership's goals. She has overseen the renovation of assets ranging from full-service luxury to select service prototype, boutique to branded, nationwide. Some of her favorite renovations include The Rittenhouse Hotel, Voco Times Square, Renaissance Pittsburgh, Hyatt Regency Morristown, and the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. A dual American-Canadian citizen, Seay received her Master of Architecture from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She was accepted to ACADIA 2015 for her collaborative publication, Thermocatalytic Metafolds. She catered her thesis toward a study of the intersection of advocacy, historic preservation, and architecture. Seay graduated magna cum laude from Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island, with both a B.S. in Historic Preservation and a B.A. in Art & Architectural History.

Ben Seidel - Principal - Stonebridge Companies
Ben Seidel is Principal and member of the Board of Directors, Stonebridge Companies. Previously, Ben was Founder, President and CEO of Maryland based, Real Hospitality Group, the industry’s 12th largest operator of hotels, until the company's acquisition by Stonebridge in May, 2024.  Ben has over 40 years of experience in both the hotel and convention center field. In addition to his company responsibilities, he serves on the Executive Committee of the board for both the American Hotel and Lodging Association and the Maryland Lodging Association and serves as a steering committee member of NYC & Co, one of the nation’s top destination management companies for the city of New York. In March of this year, Maryland Governor Wes Moore appointed Ben to a 3-year term to serve as a commissioner for the Tourism Development Board for the State of Maryland. Mr. Seidel is a founding member of the Hospitality Management degree program at the University of West Virginia and teaches regularly there. Additionally, he speaks regularly supporting the Master’s Program in Hospitality Asset Management at the Florida International University in Miami. Moreover, Ben was recognized by the University of Maryland with a Doctorate of Business Administration in Hospitality Management in 2022.

Stacy Shoemaker Rauen - SVP - Design Group, Emerald - Editor-in-Chief - Hospitality Design Magazine
Stacy Shoemaker Rauen is the Senior Vice President of the Design Group at Emerald, a leading tradeshow and media company. At Emerald, she oversees the hospitality portfolio, including Hospitality Design magazine and HD Expo and Boutique Design magazine and BDNY. A well-respected and talented editor and writer, Shoemaker Rauen is the editor in chief of Hospitality Design magazine, the leading publication for the industry. Rauen—who has been with the company for 22 years—is a noted speaker at industry events, and an avid tracker of trends, places, projects and people. She has been quoted in various respected media outlets including CNBC and the Washington Post. Rauen holds two degrees from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, including a master's in magazine journalism.

Morgan Sickles - EVP of Strategic Finance & Corporate Development - stayAPT Suites
Morgan Sickles is EVP of Strategic Finance & Corporate Development at stayAPT Suites, where he oversees financial planning, enterprise performance analysis, corporate finance, and real estate investments. He has expertise in hospitality finance, investment feasibility, and deal structuring. Prior to stayAPT Suites, Mr. Sickles served as Managing Director of StormHarbour Securities, Managing Partner at Atlantis Advisors, and Senior Vice President at Live Oak Bank. Having also worked as Project Finance Manager at Extended Stay America, he has significant exposure to the extended stay lodging segment. Across an almost 20-year career, he has over $2 billion in transactional financing experience. Mr. Sickles holds an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flager Business School.

Stacy Silver - President - Silver Hospitality Group
Stacy Silver, ISHC is President of Silver Hospitality Group, a boutique consulting firm specializing in building revenues and profitability for hospitality companies through targeted industry relations outreach, creative marketing solutions, and special events. A 25-plus year hospitality veteran, Silver has a long track record of assisting companies with brand strategic direction and launches, key partner relationships, marketing collateral and events such as roundtables, specialty corporate conferences as well as focus groups for the hospitality industry. Since the inception of Silver Hospitality Group six years ago, she has been recognized as an industry leader and most recently as one of the top 30 influential women in hospitality by Hotel Management magazine. She has also founded timely and innovative hospitality events such as the Distressed Hotel Summit and the Revenue Strategy Summit, now in its 6th year. Prior to launching Silver Hospitality Group, she served as Executive Director, Business Development, and Sales for Questex Hospitality Events. Throughout her career, Silver has held increasingly influential positions with two of the industry’s leading media companies, serving in such capacities as vice president, publisher, executive director events and executive director digital media, for Hotel Business (ICD Publications) and Hotel Management (Questex Media Group). Silver also is a frequent speaker at major industry events. She holds a Bachelors degree from SUNY Oneonta. Silver resides in Florida with her husband, Scott, and their two children, Alex and Rayna.

Jeffrey Simmons - VP Supply Management, Hospitality - Entegra
As Vice President of Supply Management, Hospitality, at Sodexo, Jeffrey Simmons is responsible for developing and implementing the hospitality procurement strategy for Entegra, a leading Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) established by Sodexo in 1999 and the largest food GPO in the world. An advocate for sustainability, Jeffrey seeks solutions that enable hospitality clients to reduce their environmental impact while providing world-class guest experiences. He has worked on myriad projects that worked towards or met ISO 14001 requirements, the standard for environmental management systems (EMS). Most recently, Jeffrey’s focus has been on strategic sourcing for the rooms, uniforms, and spas categories, including contract management, category management, commodity tracking, competitive bidding, project management, data and analytics, and inflation mitigation. At Entegra, he is committed to forging hospitality supplier partnerships fueled by Entegra’s $36b in annual purchasing power worldwide. Jeffrey has previously worked with Avendra, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Supply Management, and Sutter Home Winery/Trinchero Family Estates. He has been married for 25 years and has 4 daughters, 1 granddaughter, and 2 dogs. He lives in Warrenton, Virginia.          

Kiko Singh - Principal, Designer - DLR Group
Kiko Singh serves as Principal and Hospitality Interior Design Leader at DLR Group, an integrated design firm. Her passion for travel and commitment to physical and planetary wellness provide her with the insights that the hospitality experience can be varied, atypical, wondrous, healing, and memorable. These insights guide her in creating experiences that spark discovery and convey a story of place. Kiko’s professional career spans over fifteen years, focusing on luxury, lifestyle, and wellness-focused hotels, restaurants, private clubs, spas, and luxury residential interiors throughout the United States and internationally.  She has served as a lead designer for top industry operators including Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, and Montage. Kiko is also an active member of her local Network of Executive Women in Hospitality (NEWH) and the IIDA Northern California Chapter, where she participates in the Climate Action Committee.

Michael Smoot - Partner, Hospitality National Practice Leader - Moss Adams LLP
Michael has practiced public accounting since 2008 and serves as the firm’s National Practice Leader of Hospitality. He serves a client base of both closely held and private equity portfolio companies, specializing in hospitality, manufacturing and consumer products, and more. Michael oversees audit and review engagements and assists clients in preparing for a successful transition or liquidation event. He also frequently provides consultation services for clients on technical audit and accounting matters. Michael focuses on building strong relationships using his pragmatic business approach and extensive audit experience. Beyond providing business assurance services to companies, he looks for ways to add value when collaborating with clients and their businesses, and ways to identify future challenges and opportunities.

Chad F. Sorensen, ISHC - Managing Director/CEO - CHMWarnick
Chad F. Sorensen is Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer with CHMWarnick, the leading provider of hotel asset management and owner advisory services. Chad is Chair Emeritus of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (“ISHC”), an invitation-only society comprised of prominent hospitality consultants from around the world. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Hospitality Asset Managers Association (“HAMA”) and is a designated Certified Hotel Asset Manager (“CHAM”). With over 25 years of experience in hospitality real estate within asset management, advisory services, and leading hospitality organizations, he has become an industry leader in providing best-in-class service for clients ranging from sovereign wealth funds through high net-worth individuals. Chad is committed to charting the future path for the asset management discipline and for the next generation. He sits on the Harvard Alumni Real Estate Board, Michigan State Real Estate Investment Management Advisory Committee, and is a founding member of the Boston University Hospitality Real Estate Advisory Council. He is an alum of the Harvard Business School, The University of Illinois Chicago, and Iowa State University.

Jason Spicer - Division Vice President - The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
Jason Spicer, Division Vice President at Whiting-Turner, has over 26 years of experience in the construction industry with a proven track record of delivering award-winning projects including high-end residential buildings, luxury hotels and mixed-use projects. He also serves as a hospitality leader who keeps a pulse on the ever-changing market and provides his oversight on active residential and hospitality projects nationwide.

Andrea Stokes - Practice Lead, Hospitality - J.D. Power
Andrea Stokes joined J.D. Power as a Travel & Hospitality Practice Lead in September 2019. She is responsible for ensuring J.D. Power brings relevant and high-quality intelligence to clients in the Lodging and Senior Living sectors. She provides J.D. Power clients with hospitality industry expertise and thought leadership, as well as expertise in customer experience management. Prior to J.D. Power, Andrea was with Marriott International’s CX and Innovation division where she oversaw brand health measurement programs, as well as Marriott’s customer insights platforms. Before joining Marriott, Andrea was Vice President - Travel and Hospitality at Ipsos, a leading global research firm. There she oversaw customer and marketing insights programs for clients in hospitality, air transportation, cruise, and destination marketing. Andrea is also a former Director of Research for the U.S. Travel Association. Andrea earned an M.B.A. at Georgetown University and a B.A. in Management at the College of St. Benedict. Andrea has presented at many travel and hospitality industry conferences, and Hotel Management Magazine has recognized her as one of the “Most Influential Women in Hospitality. She resides in the Washington D.C. Metro Area.

K. Bryan Thrush - 1st Vice President, Development, Design and Construction - Host Hotel & Resorts
Bryan Thrush is 1st Vice President, Development, Design and Construction for Host Hotels & Resorts, the largest lodging real estate investment trust (REIT) and one of the largest owners of luxury and upper upscale hotels located throughout the domestic US, Hawaii and Canada. Since 2010 Bryan has been assembling and leading design & construction teams to successfully deliver a variety of renovation, repositioning, new development and amenity projects. Prior to joining Host, Bryan has held similar positions with RIDA Development, Marriott Vacations Worldwide, Walt Disney Imagineering and Marriott International. Bryan appreciates impactful and enduring design that follows a relevant narrative and vision for a hotel that maximizes performance, increases market share and creates shareholder value. Thoughtful design and excellence in execution of design are foundational to the success of a project. Bryan has an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from Geneva College and a Master’s Degree in Construction Management from the University of Colorado.

Jeremy Tobin - Vice President, Hotel Group - Starwood Capital Group
Jeremy Tobin is a Vice President in the Hotel Group at Starwood Capital Group, based in New York. In this role, Mr. Tobin focuses on executing disposition/refinancing transactions, executing investment strategies, and managing Owner investment across a multi-billion-dollar portfolio of full and focused-service hotel assets within the United States. He has responsibility for hotel investments across multiple private equity fund vehicles, chain scales and geographies. Prior to joining Starwood Capital, Mr. Tobin was a Director of Acquisitions and Development with MCR Hotels, based in New York, and served on the Investments team of KHP Capital Partners, based in San Francisco. Jeremy started his career with Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, in Bethesda, MD, focused on Hotel Asset Management. Mr. Tobin received a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University with a minor in Real Estate.

Rajiv Trivedi - Managing Principal - TST Capital
Rajiv serves as Managing Principal for TST Capital, an investment firm he formed in June 2019 to focus on investments in real estate, technology, health care, senior living, and multifamily. Rajiv brings more than 35 years of hospitality and real estate experience in brand building, business growth, Real Estate transactions, M&A, and public markets including IPO process. Since its inception, the company has made investments in ventures worth nearly half a billion dollars. In May 2019, Rajiv retired as President of La Quinta brands. Over 20 years with La Quinta, Rajiv was instrumental in the growth of the brand from 200+ hotels to nearly 1,000 open hotels and at the time of his departure the brand had a pipeline of nearly 250 hotels. He managed La Quinta real estate until the 2018 acquisition of La Quinta by Wyndham, which was estimated to be worth about $5 Billion. He also led real estate transactions of multi billion dollars. Rajiv has been recognized by various publications as a top 10 influential leader of the hospitality industry. Rajiv has served on Children’s Medical Center of Dallas Board of Directors, and as a Chairman of Real Estate Committee for the board from 2014 till 2019. Rajiv currently serves as Chairman of the Board for Virdee, a board member of HotelKey, and board member for Red Roof. Rajiv and his wife, Marle, have three boys.

Kirsten Vaselaar - SVP – Real Estate and Development - HRI Hospitality
Kirsten Vaselaar loves design and hospitality.  She took a circuitous route through oil & gas accounting, application tech support, and affordable housing development to discover that her true passion lay in creating welcoming spaces that charm guests with a rich sense of place.  Always maintaining focus on the final product, Kirsten leads a team of development, finance, design, and construction professionals through the development process from initial site control through the transition to operations.  Since joining HRI in 2006, she has managed over $870 million of development projects, including eight Historic Tax Credit projects.  She is a Texas CPA and holds Masters degrees in both Accounting and Historic Preservation.

Dianna Vaughan - SVP, Global Owner Relations - Hilton
Dianna Vaughan, Senior Vice President, Global Owner Relations, has been an integral part of Hilton for over 25 years.  Her extensive experience encompasses various roles within hotel operations and global brand management. In her current capacity, Dianna leads a diverse team spanning 23 brands overseeing Hilton’s relationships with hotel owners and key management companies.  In addition, her team drives the development and implementation of tools and resources, allowing these 11,000+ stakeholders to access performance data, portfolio analysis, and the extensive range of support services Hilton offers its partners.  With an expansive hotel portfolio of nearly 8,000 hotels across 126 countries, ensuring the consistent delivery of exceptional guest experiences and maximizing returns on investment for owners is the core mission influencing decision-making and actions.  Her responsibilities include spearheading Hilton’s owner support strategies and overseeing Hilton’s best-in-class Owners Club offering exclusive experiences and benefits around the globe. Previously, Dianna served as the SVP, Brand Management Americas, overseeing Brand Performance Support and Owner Relations in the Americas as well as Global Quality Assurance and Brand Standards.  In addition, she has held leadership roles such as Global Head and SVP of the All-Suites Category, overseeing the performance of Embassy Suites by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, and Home2 Suites by Hilton and has led or launched several global brands such as DoubleTree by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton, and Tapestry Collection by Hilton.  Her diverse background also includes positions as VP of Hilton Honors Loyalty Program Promotions and Partnerships, VP of DE&I, and VP of Global Enterprise Marketing. Dianna resides in Memphis, Tennessee with her husband Mark.

Tanya Venegas - Chief Experience Officer - HotStats
Tanya Venegas, MBA, MHM is the Chief Experience Officer for HotStats. HotStats provides monthly P&L benchmarking & market insights for the hotel industry. In this role, she establishes global initiatives for the organization and leads the team in providing HotStats customers with an exceptional experience throughout the entire customer journey. Before joining HotStats, Tanya was the Executive Director and HFTP Fellow of the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals Research Institute at the University of Houston. Tanya is on the HFTP Greater Houston Chapter board and has served on multiple HFTP councils and committees. In 2021, Tanya received the Paragon Award from HFTP which is given to an individual who has made a significant and lasting contribution to the global hospitality finance or technology industry. She regularly speaks at industry events and has written numerous articles for global hospitality finance and technology publications.

Eleanor Waddell - Vice President, Strategic Growth - Avendra International
Eleanor Waddell is Vice President of Strategic Growth at Avendra International, the hospitality industry’s leading procurement services firm. She oversees strategic growth, account management and marketing throughout North America, The Caribbean, LATAM and Europe. In addition, she leads Avendra FF&E Services, a procurement company offering equipment and furnishings to the hospitality industry. Ms. Waddell also works cross-functionally with key departments at Avendra including Strategic Sourcing and Customer Care to deliver an outstanding experience and superior value propositions to Avendra’s clients and stakeholders. She previously served as Vice President, Business Development for the organization where she successfully secured over $1 billion in new business. Prior to joining Avendra Ms. Waddell was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Provista, a $9.2 billion supply chain improvement company in Dallas, Texas, where she served as one of four members on the company’s Executive Leadership team. Before Provista, Ms. Waddell formerly led the Strategic Development and Operational Excellence teams for ARAMARK’s $1.2 billion Higher Education division. Ms. Waddell is an active board member and fundraiser for various philanthropic organizations for which she has received numerous accolades for her contributions. In addition to a journalism degree from The University of Texas at Austin, she earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Jeff Wagoner - President & CEO - OUTRIGGER Hospitality Group
As OUTRIGGER Hospitality Group’s president and CEO, Jeff Wagoner oversees all aspects of the company’s multi-branded, global portfolio of hotels, resorts, vacation condominiums, timeshares and retail operations while steering the direction, growth and strategic priorities for the iconic beach resort brand.  Before joining Outrigger in 2018, he served as EVP hotel operations for Trump Hotel Group and prior to this, held several roles with Wyndham Hotel Group, including president of Wyndham’s management company and EVP of brand and customer services. Wagoner was also president of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and SVP of operations at the former Wyndham International, where he oversaw more than 100 Wyndham properties. Earlier in his career, Wagoner held management roles with Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Marriott International. He also served as COO for WhiteFence, an e-commerce company and SVP of sales for ZipRealty. Wagoner served on the board of directors for the MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees and currently serves on the Sabre Executive Advisory Board and American Hotel and Lodging Association board. He is a founding member of Hawai‘i Hotel Alliance, an advisor for the University of Hawai‘i (UH) School of Travel Industry Management and on the board of ‘Ahahui Koa Ānuenue supporting UH Athletics.

Gregg Wallis - Senior Editor - Hotel Business
Gregg Wallis is senior editor at Hotel Business. Prior to that, he spent 13 years as managing editor of On-Campus Hospitality, a b2b publication for the higher education foodservice market, and two years as senior editor of Military Club & Hospitality, covering military hotels and recreation facilities. He started his career with Ashlee Publishing, in a variety of roles, covering the natural stone, ceramic tile, solid surface and glass industries. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Hofstra University.

Eva N. Wassermann - Senior Managing Director - GEM Realty Capital, Inc.
Eva Wassermann has been actively involved in the hospitality industry for over 35 years. Ms. Wassermann joined GEM in 2012 to oversee its hospitality investment platform. She divides her time equally between asset management and acquisitions and is responsible for the management of GEM’s hotel assets working closely with acquisitions to source investments in the lodging sector. Ms. Wassermann is directly involved in all facets of asset management including development, renovation, management, financing decisions, as well as asset disposition. Prior to joining GEM she established and was the principal of State Parkway Advisory, a consulting platform providing both hotel acquisitions and asset management assistance to hotel owners. Ms. Wassermann spent three years working exclusively for Goldman Sachs and their various Whitehall Real Estate funds. Ms. Wassermann also served as the Vice President, Managed Development, for Hilton Hotels Corporation where she was responsible for all corporate development in the Eastern US. Previously, Ms. Wassermann held the position of Vice President at Strategic Hotels & Resorts in both asset management and acquisitions, was a Senior Vice President at the Yarmouth Group in acquisitions and asset management, worked as a Manager with Kenneth Leventhal & Co., and as a Senior Consultant within the hospitality consulting group of Laventhol & Horwath.

Jeff Weinstein - Editor-in-Chief - Hotel Investment Today
Jeff Weinstein is editor in chief of Hotel Investment Today, an investment-focused website and newsletter platform launched early in 2023 as part of the Burba Hotel Network, a division of the Northstar Travel Group. With a career spanning more than 39 years in hospitality reporting and writing, Weinstein spent 28 years as editor in chief of HOTELS and HOTELS Investment Outlook, a global B2B media platform. He previously covered the national restaurant industry and during his career has won five prestigious Jesse H. Neal awards for excellence in business journalism. Weinstein resides in suburban Chicago and has two children.

Rebecca Weinstein - VP of Design - Highgate Hotels
Rebecca Weinstein is Vice President of Design at Highgate Hotels. In her role, Rebecca builds the design team and guides the creative process from concept through to completion. As many of Highgate’s properties are independent, Rebecca and her team influence the entire life-cycle of the project; weaving the storytelling through every aspect of the guest experience, all while managing the design budget and schedule. As a key member of LUCID; Highgate’s Design & Construction team, Rebecca serves as the sustainability lead. In partnership with Highgate’s VP of Sustainability, Rebecca researches and tests new ESG initiatives and eventually leads the team through implementation. Prior to joining Highgate, Rebecca was an Associate at Wimberly Interiors, where she led the design team on projects across the US and Asia. Before that, she was a Senior Designer in Gensler’s Hospitality Studio. She lived abroad on-site for a large-scale casino project in Vietnam – where she learned to build, both on site and in factories across Asia, and infuse local culture into her projects. Rebecca holds a BFA from Syracuse University and is a NCIDQ registered Interior Designer.

Chris Williams - Managing Director, Commercial Banking - Western Alliance Bank
Chris Williams is managing director, commercial banking, and oversees the Western U.S. region for Western Alliance Bank’s Hotel Franchise Finance group. Based in Phoenix, he directs origination efforts for on-book loan opportunities, centered on term and construction loans, for clients with a portfolio exposure across all 50 states. He brings clients more than 20 years of industry experience and prior to his current role at Western Alliance Bank, Mr. Williams held various roles of increasing responsibility centered on hospitality and commercial real estate lending at GE Capital, Merrill Lynch Capital and Fifth Third Bank out of Chicago. Mr. Williams graduated from Boston College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology.

Mark Williams - Managing Director, Franchise Development - Extended Stay America
Mark Williams is Managing Director Franchise Development for Extended Stay America, a leader in the extended stay segment for over 25 years. Joining ESA in 2020 Mark is responsible for building the brand thru franchising, which the company started in 2018. A hospitality professional for over 30 years, he spent 20 of those with Best Western International. Mark is a graduate of The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business with a B.S.B.A in Marketing.

Sarah Williams - Chief Commercial Officer - InterMountain Hotels
Sarah Williams serves as Chief Commercial Officer for InterMountain Hotels, a family owned, and operated hotel development and management company founded 40 years ago by Dewey Weaver. InterMountain has built and/or renovated over 200 properties nationwide and has robust pipeline of 20+ hotels in various stages of development or repositioning. Williams joined InterMountain in 2017 and leads all revenue generation initiatives including sales, marketing, revenue management, digital marketing, and distribution strategy for IMM’s portfolio of 90+ premium-branded select-service and extended-stay hotel across the US. Prior to joining InterMountain Hotels, Sarah served as the Executive Vice President of Operations, Sales and Corporate Planning for Texas Western Hospitality, a hotel development and management company located in Dallas, TX. She also spent 12 years with Marriott International in various sales, operations, and ecommerce roles. Sarah has served on several advisory boards including the Residence Inn Sales & Marketing Fund Owners Council, Hilton’s Distribution Advisory Council and Homewood Suites Sales & Marketing Council. Sarah is a graduate of the University of Texas in Dallas and holds a BS in Finance.

David Wilner - SVP, Franchise Development - Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
David Wilner is Senior Vice President of Franchise Development at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts with more than 20 years of development and management experience in the hospitality industry. In David’s current role at Wyndham, he directs and supervises franchise development responsibilities, including management of sales staff for limited-service new construction brands. David has been with Wyndham since its acquisition of La Quinta in 2018. He started at La Quinta as a Director of Franchise Development at the inception of its Franchise program in 2001 and served as Vice President of Franchise Development for the Western United States and Central America from 2007 through 2010, until being promoted to Senior Vice President Development in 2010. Prior to joining La Quinta, David worked on Capitol Hill for a senior United States senator. David holds a Bachelor of Political Science degree from the University of Arizona, where he graduated in 1997.

Mark Woodworth - Principal - Woodworth Core Group
Mark Woodworth, a principal of the firm Woodworth Core based in Atlanta, was formerly the senior managing director of CBRE Hotels | Americas Research and CBRE Econometric Advisers. He has over 40 years of hospitality industry advisory experience. Mr. Woodworth was previously with PKF Consulting USA/Hospitality Research from 1996 through 2014, at which time the company was acquired by CBRE. He left CBRE in April 2020. Before joining PKF Consulting USA, Mr. Woodworth was a partner and industry chairman of the Hospitality Industry Consulting practice for Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. Mr. Woodworth has been quoted on hospitality issues in numerous industry publications. Furthermore, Mr. Woodworth is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, a Dean’s Distinguished Lecturer at Cornell University, a member of the Travel and Tourism Advisory Council for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and is a past chairman of the Conference of Business Economists in Washington, D.C. He serves on the Finance Committee of the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta and advises the Georgia Hospitality & Lodging Association. He also previously served on the Board of Advisors for the Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University. Mr. Woodworth received the 2016 Award of Excellence from the International Association of Conference Centers for publishing IACC’s annual conference center trends report. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell.

R. Rehan Zaid - Principal - Prominence Hospitality Group
As principal of Prominence Hospitality Group, Zaid manages nearly $200 million in management assets across the United States, with impressive growth since inception. Prior to founding Prominence Hospitality Group, Zaid played an instrumental role at HVS Global Hospitality Services in their Chicago office, providing close to one billion dollars in consulting and valuation services for institutional investors, sovereign funds, REITs and Family Offices. Some of his key projects included The Langham Hotel, The Godfrey Hotel, Hyatt Loop Chicago, Radisson Blu Aqua Building and the Apple REIT 6 sale to Blackstone for $1.2 billion. Zaid received his bachelor’s degree from DePaul University’s Driehaus College of Business with a concentration in Hospitality Leadership & Lodging Management and a specialization in Real Estate Finance. Recognized widely as a young leader in the industry, Zaid has been featured as an expert in the “Executive Roundtable Series” and quoted in Hotel Business Online, The Daily Herald and many local Chicago newspapers. He was named as one of Bisnow’s “Chicago Real Estate’s Rising Stars” and is a current member of the Emerging Leaders Network was an executive committee member of the Emerging Leaders Network for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and sat on the IHG Global Technology Committee.