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Satvika Ananthanarayan is a consulting manager at ZS Associates. Prior to ZS, she worked as a brand and innovation marketer at Frito-Lay (Pepsi). At ZS, she works with hospitality and travel clients by putting data-driven insights at the core of client solutions across B2B sales strategy and execution, B2B/B2C distribution capabilities, and B2C segmentation, strategy and personalization. Satvika has an MBA from Northwestern Kellogg School of Management and lives in Chicago.
Robert Arnold is President of Vizergy, which offers complete travel life-cycle marketing solutions specializing in the hospitality industry. He is a hospitality digital marketing and technology leader experienced in leading large organizations, driving growth through expanding sales channels, improving client retention, and creating sustainable processes and platforms with a focus on profit improvement.
Meet Sofi Beg, an adventurous soul with a passion for exploring the world. With a desire to uncover the hidden gems within the realm of travel, Sofi takes her 40 000 followers on a captivating journey that goes beyond breath taking landscapes. With over 10 years of travel experience, Sofi is a seasoned explorer with a discerning eye for exceptional accommodations, dining experiences and local adventures.
Collaborating with top hotel brands such as Marriott Bonvoy, Fairmont, IHG, Hilton, Choice Hotels. Along with those, she has also done collaborations with several boutique hotels.
Through her engaging content, Sofi showcases the exceptional service, design and ambience offered by these various establishments. She shares insights into the thoughtful details that make each hotel a true home away from home.
Join Sofi as she navigates the world of hospitality providing an insider’s perspective on top-notch accommodations and unforgettable experiences!
As a Senior Manager of Brand Development at Hyatt, Ashley Bird is a proud part of the Independent Collections & Residences Team and works with hotel owners and operators to create authentic and ownable hotel brands known for their experiential operationalized pull-through. Prior to joining Hyatt Ashley was Managing Director at FINE, a brand and digital agency specialized in building brands in the hospitality industry. With 18+ years of creative project, product, program and operations management experience, Ashley has led branding initiatives for some of the most notable owners and operators in the industry, client highlights include IHG, Kimpton, Viceroy, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, Davidson Hospitality, Noble House, Corinthia, Blackstone, and KSL Capital.
With over 20 years of hospitality management, Jeff Borman has a wide range of experiences from early beginnings in hotel operations, reservations sales and marketing. The majority of the last 20 years he has been leading Revenue Management in various parts of the world for Marriott and Hilton, with specific expertise in analytics, pricing science and inventory management. Jeff has held roles across all hotel tiers- from limited service and extended stay to full service, boutique, and the highest-end luxury. His roles have spanned from hotel, market, regional and global leadership positions. For 3 years, he led the eCommerce strategy and analysis over OTA, GDS and 3rd party vendor negotiation strategies. In 2019, Jeff shifted from hotel brand management companies to ownership. He is currently the VP of Revenue Optimization at Ashford Inc overseeing all commercial areas for Ashford’s two owned REITs.
When Jeff is not helping the travel industry as an employee and investor, he is supporting it as a customer having hiked, dined, and mingled with locals in over 70 countries, 45 States and all but one MLB baseball park. On rare occasions when grounded at home, he can be found in the kitchen (preferably the outdoor one) or rummaging through the wine cellar proudly trying to recall long-lost sommelier skills. Jeff is the co-founder of the travel industry podcast “No Show” and consummate an advocate for the humanitarian benefits unique to travel.
Rebecca Clyde is the co-founder and CEO of Botco.ai. The company’s genAI Chat Cloud enables conversations between businesses and their customers that are engaging, personalized and insightful.
Ms. Clyde is an accomplished business leader with unique expertise in marketing automation and company building. Prior to Botco.ai, Clyde founded Ideas Collide, an Inc. 5000 digital agency now in its 15th year serving Fortune 500 companies. She was previously a digital strategist at Intel and holds an MBA from Arizona State University.
Taneka Coates has 25 years of experience with Marriott International and currently serves as Director, Customer and Member Analytics for the Loyalty, Card and Partnership team. She has held various roles in Revenue Management, Marketing, and Finance over her extensive career and has led numerous projects which have helped shape key company-wide initiatives. Taneka is highly regarded for her vast analytical skills and is known for her big-picture thinking, passion for cross-functional collaboration, and strong ability to translate complex analysis into data-driven insights and recommendations.
Ms. Coates holds an MBA from George Washington University, and a Bachelor’s degree from University of Maryland. She is a native of Washington D.C. and in her spare time enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family.
David Collier is Chief Revenue Officer for OTA Insight. Dave oversees OTA Insight’s expansion across the Americas, as well as provides direction to product, sales, and marketing efforts in the region. He joined OTA Insight after serving as General Manager at Thanx, where he played a key role in launching and rapidly scaling the hospitality and retail data analytics provider. Prior to Thanx, Dave held a number of senior executive roles at HotSchedules and Oracle Corporation. In his roles, he gained experience in leading global sales activities and training and developing sales teams across regions. He is a member of HSMAI’s Revenue Optimization Advisory Board.
Janelle Cornett, a Revenue Management Professional with over 20 years of hospitality experience. Focus on training and development, system integration, and all channel distribution methods. Managed and supported a multiple property structure at both a regional and national level. Currently overseeing Oregon, Washington and Southern CA full service hotels within the Sonesta Portfolio. HSMAI – Top 25, Revenue Professional of year and CRME.
Lindley Cotton is the President and one of the partners of GCommerce Solutions. Lindley has been with the company since 2007 and has had a front row seat as the organization has grown, evolved and flourished. She has held several positions within the company including paid search campaign management, display advertising, social media advertising, email marketing, marketing strategy and account management.
Lindley uses her intimate knowledge of the company and the overall industry to oversee all aspects of day-to-day business operations. As marketing is very near and dear to her heart, Lindley spends much of her time focusing on the sales and marketing of the organization, always pushing to advance the company in its philosophies and hotel marketing thought leadership.
Originally from New York, Lindley graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. During her studies, she developed a passion for both environmental studies and the Chinese language, which inspired her to move to China post-graduation. Lindley moved to Baicheng located in the northeast region of China to teach English as a second language to college students at the Baicheng Normal College. Upon return, she moved west where she met her husband, has 2 daughters and has loved making her home in the mountains.
Kathleen Cullen is Senior Vice President of Hospitality for PTG Consulting, providing revenue management, sales and pre-opening services to independent hotels.
Prior to joining PTG Consulting in 2019, she was Senior Vice President of Revenue & Distribution for Two Roads Hospitality, responsible for overall revenue strategies and increasing hotel market share for a portfolio of more than 75 hotels, as well as optimizing the company’s revenue management foundation for all brands.
Kathleen is active in many industry organizations, including serving as the Chair of HSMAI Revenue Management Advisory Board in 2014 and 2015. She is also the author of the best-selling industry revenue management publications including “Defining Revenue Management: Top Line to Bottom Line” and “Evolving Dynamics of Revenue Management,” which serve as the official study guide for HSMAI’s revenue management certification. In 2014, she was named one of HSMAI’s Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing and Revenue.
As a Global Brand Marketing Manager for Hyatt, Shannon Cummings helps bring the stories of Hyatt’s Independent Collection brands to life for travelers, inspiring new audiences to discover these amazing brands. With over 10 years of experience in marketing strategy, digital media, brand activations and brand management, Shannon has added value and driven impact across the travel, hospitality, and F&B sectors for clients such as Uber Technologies Inc., Choice Hotels International, Berkshire Hathaway Travel, Visit Oklahoma City, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism and Sonic Drive-In. When she’s not traveling, she’s either dreaming of her next trip or working to find presence on her yoga mat.
Michael Dominguez is CEO of a member driven organization with 330 member hotels around the world. ALHI represents Independent Hotels, Independent hotel owners and operators. With over 82 sales professionals, ALHI remains the largest Global Sales Organization in its space.
Michael is an award-winning leader and speaker and is intimately involved in the meetings and event industry. Michael has served as Chairman of the International Board of Directors for MPI as we Executive Committee roles with: US Travel Association, Meetings Mean Business Coalition, ASAE Board, PCMA Foundation Board, GBTA Foundation Board, AMCI Board, HSMAI Foundation and many others.
Michael was inducted into the Events Industry Council’s Hall of Leaders in 2019.
Russell Evans is a Partner at ZS, a global consulting firm that leverages insights and analytics to help organizations make better data-driven decisions. He works across industries, including hospitality, with a specific focus on bringing more customer-centric products and experiences to market. In this capacity, he advises brands how to take advantage of AI and has also developed several AI-powered solutions that arm brands with a deeper understanding of their customers.
A 35-year veteran of the tourism industry, Amir Eylon currently leads one of the premier tourism market research consultancies: Longwoods International. Prior to joining Longwoods in 2015, Amir was the Vice President of Partner Engagement for Brand USA, State Tourism Director for the State of Ohio, and head of the Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association, among other key industry positions. Amir has received numerous industry donors including the 2014 HSMAI Top 25 Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, and Insights Award. Amir is considered a travel industry expert and is regularly quoted in both national and international media in regards to the latest research and trends.
Kirstin Frazell is an Industry Manager on the travel team at Facebook focusing on the Hotel, Air and Cruise sub-verticals. She has enjoyed being at Facebook for the past 9-years building world class partnerships with some of Facebook’s biggest clients and agencies. Prior to Facebook Kirstin was the Advertising Manager at JetBlue Airways helping to build the brand personality, loyalty and love of the airline. Kirstin is also a member of HSMAI’s Marketing Advisory Board.
Dawn Gallagher is an accomplished sales and marketing executive with extensive experience in multiple markets and experience working with both branded and independent hotels. As Chief Commercial Officer, Dawn oversees all Crescent sales, marketing, public relations, revenue and digital strategies. Prior to joining Crescent Hotels & Resorts, Dawn served as the Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Interstate Hotels, where she was responsible for all sales, marketing and revenue for all independent hotels in NYC, Interstate owned assets, as well as other priority projects. Dawn is a key asset to Crescent Hotels & Resorts as she provides knowledge of successful hotel openings, brand transitions and the ability to drive market share.
As Director of Global Brands, Nina Garrison oversees brand strategy for Hyatt’s Independent Collection brands. This includes setting the vision, marketing, and building awareness of the collection brands globally with oversight of how the brands come to life within the digital consumer journey and on property in operational and service approaches. In addition, Nina oversees the brand management and marketing of Hyatt’s broader residential portfolio including the sale of luxury branded residences and other residential-like brands such as Hyatt’s timeshare brand, Hyatt Residence Club. Having ‘grown up’ with Hyatt, Nina has had roles both on and off property, and has seen much company growth and expansion with the evolution of consumer travel trends in her almost 17 years with the company.
Michael J. Goldrich is Founder and Chief Advisor of Vivander Advisors, a digital/generative AI consulting firm specializing in marketing for hotels, hotel owners, and hotel brands, championing hospitality innovation through customized strategies for revenue growth and cost savings. He has also served as the Chief Experience Officer of The Hotels Network. Previously he was head of Global Marketing at Club Quarters Hotels, where he had a goal to grow brand contribution while shifting the post-pandemic target business segment to younger local leisure travelers. He has transformed marketing organizations by implementing and optimizing e-commerce and digital capabilities for diverse global businesses including Starwood, Accenture, Monster Worldwide, and Wyndham. He has won HSMAI Adrian Awards and been recognized as a “40 under 40” by the Westchester Business Council, and an HSMAI “Top 25 Extraordinary Mind.” He holds a BA in Literature from the University of Michigan, an MA in Business Communications from Northwestern University, and a certificate in Digital Marketing from Northwestern’s Kellogg School.
Steven Gottlieb is a dynamic, innovative, and entrepreneurial commercial leader with significant experience in building high performing teams across multiple brands within luxury and independent hotels. He currently leads the commercial disciplines for Graduate Hotels and Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts. Graduate Hotels, owned by AJ Capital is a well-crafted brand that resides in the most dynamic college towns across the US and UK. Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts celebrates the unique spirit of golf legacies with locations adjacent to the world’s most iconic courses. Steven has been instrumental in growing these brands from 8 to over 40 hotels during the past five years. Prior to his current experiences, Steven has held leadership roles at SBE, Morgan’s Hotels Group, Ritz Carlton, and Marriott. He lives in Chicago with his wife and two kids. During his few free moments, he enjoys live music and outdoor activities with the family
Sarah Heatherly started her hospitality career as the Sales Manager for TownePlace Suites Monroe, LA. Since that time, she has held several positions within the organization including Sales Manager, Director of Sales, Corporate Sales Task Force Manager, Area Director of Sales and Regional Director of Sales. Sarah spearheaded the launch of InterMountain’s eCommerce Department in October 2018. Sarah and her team are responsible for working with the property teams to ensure that they have a strong, current and accurate digital presence across the web. Sarah loves to brainstorm ideas, talk strategies, learn more and do whatever is needed to help a hotel succeed. Sarah is based at the InterMountain Home Office in Monroe, LA.
Jennifer Hill‘s specialty is revenue management, using a profit-based model of successful collaboration with all commercial disciplines to achieve optimal performance. In her role as Vice President of Commercial Strategy at Kalibri Labs, she relies on this experience to help clients identify and solve strategic business priorities. Jennifer has two decades of experience in operations and revenue strategy at branded and independent hotels in major markets. In 2017, HSMAI recognized Jennifer as one of the Top 25 Minds in Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization, and awarded her the Revenue Management Professional of the Year award in 2014. Jennifer holds both the CRME and CHDM certifications from HSMAI.
As Head of Industry, Global Business Solutions for TikTok Canada, James Huyler-Thomson oversees vertical partnerships teams focused on empowering marketers with solutions that drive authentic connections and business results. With over 15 years of experience working in the digital media industry, James has held leadership roles at Cossette Media as Group Director, Business Lead (TELUS portfolio) and Director, Content Partnerships at Initiative (Destination Canada) — bringing strong vertical expertise, market knowledge and creativity to these companies.
Michael Innocentin is SVP of Commercial Projects for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. This is a very new role in which he will maximize the commercial performance of Fairmont’s revered portfolio in the Americas and oversee the brand’s loyalty & partnership initiatives on a worldwide basis. He holds an MBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business and a Bachelor of Science from The University of Toronto. Michael is also a member of the Executive Committee of HSMAI Americas’ Board of Directors.
Sarah Jenkins 26-year-old Producer, content creator, and podcast host living in Toronto. She’s a multi-platform creator, who’s best known for sharing her life, travels, and recommendations via daily vlogs on TikTok. She is also the host and producer of Talking Fast, a weekly podcast that introduces the audience to creatives and professionals from all walks of life.
Katherine Johnsen is a Toronto-based creative, who merges her background in the startup/tech space with her love for fashion and streetwear. She’s a partner at Counter Culture, one of the top creative/influencer agencies in Canada, and spends most of her time ghostwriting strategies for brands and startups to (re) introduce themselves to the world, as well as managing some of the top creators on the internet. She also leads partnerships for Embrase, the team behind some of the leading tech conferences globally, and has been a part of their journey for the past decade. Find her on social @beachykj always in sneakers, and on an airplane, creating content for brands from Jordan to Complex, and building out one of the fastest growing startups in the sneaker space, the womxn’s one stop sneaker shop; Common Ace.
Lori Kiel, Chief Commercial Officer, is responsible for the top-line revenue strategy for all hotels, F&B operations, galleries, and event venues for the Kessler Collection. Lori leads a talented team of revenue, sales, and marketing professionals that are leading the industry in commercial adoption.
Lori has more than 30 years of experience in the Hospitality Industry and has worked in various positions throughout her career, including operations, sales, on-property, regional, and corporate. Lori’s analytical skills and her passion for sales offer a unique combination of talent perfectly paired to lead Commercial Strategy. Additionally, Lori has had the privilege of working with all of the major brands, soft brands, and independent hotels.
Lori has two degrees; one in Hospitality Management and one in Leadership. Lori’s passion for continued enrichment has found its home with HSMAI, where she serves on the Sales Advisory Board, is Co-Chair of the Commercial Excellence Workgroup, and serves on both the Foundations and Americas Board. Lori is the author of the Commercial Strategy Evolution newsletter on LinkedIn and actively speaks on panels, podcasts, and keynotes throughout industry events.
Michael Klein is an accomplished commercial strategist with over fifteen years of experience in revenue management and advanced analytics across the hospitality industry’s largest chains. As the Global Vice President of Revenue Management at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, he leads the Global Revenue Strategy Team, supporting above-property revenue management operations in areas such as global strategy, vendor relationships, data science, business intelligence, corporate standards, and revenue management systems. Michael acts as a thought leader for Hyatt, collaborating with all corporate functions to implement transformative solutions that drive enterprise growth.
Prior to joining Hyatt, Michael held revenue optimization and advanced analytics roles at MGM Resorts International, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. He also worked as a strategy consultant for Duetto, a company specializing in cloud-based hotel revenue management software and revenue strategy solutions.
Passionate about giving back to the industry and advancing the commercial strategy discipline, Michael serves on the Board of Directors for the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) after volunteering for five years on their Revenue Management Advisory Board. He also proudly served as Treasurer of the University of Nevada – Las Vegas Alumni Board of Directors before relocating to Hyatt HQ in Chicago.
In his downtime, Michael is a dedicated husband and father to two young boys, aged 18 months and 3 months. An avid sports fan, he cheers for his hometown New York teams across all major sports.
As Chief Evangelist and Development Officer for IDeaS, Klaus Kohlmayr’s role is to challenge existing thought processes, create stimulating conversations and help bring to live the future of Revenue Management and Pricing in hospitality and travel. Klaus is a frequently sought out thought leader and contributor for some of the major industry forums, including Phocuswire, Skift, ITB, HITEC & ROC and others.
He is currently responsible for global thought leadership, working closely with the industry and teams at IDeaS to accelerate innovation. Additionally, he is also leading the team responsible for mapping out IDeaS long term strategy and is heading up the Global Alliances and Partnership group as well as the newly formed IDeaS.Lab innovation team.
Klaus has been working to challenge the status quo for the last 20+ years. He has worked in global hospitality roles for many years both in Operations as well as leading revenue management and pricing departments in Europe and Asia.
An advocate of lifelong learning, Klaus holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Management, has studied business at Henley Management College, real estate investment and asset management at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration; and finance and strategy at the Singapore Management University.
Karen Laos, Communication Expert and Confidence Cultivator, is on a mission to eradicate self-doubt in 10 million women by giving them simple strategies to ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond.
Coached by her father, Karen first recognized the power of confident communication when she successfully negotiated her first flea market purchase at six years old. She now guides women to transform self-doubt into self-confidence resulting in more clients, job promotions, and negotiation wins.
With 25 years serving as C-Suite advisor and commanding coveted stages such as Google, Starbucks and NASA, Karen leads the frontline of best practices for creating results through confident communication. She guides corporations and individuals with a proven model and is known for her actionable tips and ability to build trust quickly.
Karen is the author of Trust Your Own Voice: Growing Your Influence Through Confident Communication, as well as the host of Ignite Your Confidence, equipping women to stop holding back and start taking their seat at the table.
Christina Leme is a seasoned marketing leader with a deep-rooted passion for driving digital success in the hospitality industry. With almost a decade of experience, Christina currently serves as the Senior Director of Global Media, overseeing global Media Planning and Buying teams at Cendyn.
Having worked with notable brands such as Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Viceroy Hotel Group, and Virgin Hotels, Christina has solidified her reputation as a trusted industry expert. Her ability to develop engaging narratives and corresponding strategies has garnered exceptional results and elevated brand presence.
Throughout her career, Christina has spearheaded groundbreaking digital strategies for luxury hotels, including the successful launch of the first Equinox Hotel. Her expertise lies in crafting innovative digital campaigns that activate consumers across cultures, while consistently delivering on business objectives.
Liv McIlkenny, a Toronto native and fitness entrepreneur, has established herself as a passionate content creator. As the founder of LIV SWEATY, she has cultivated a fitness community that feels like a close-knit family. With over seven years of experience in the fitness industry, Liv has achieved significant milestones, including being a top performer at Soulcycle, launching her own company during the pandemic, and recently obtaining her yoga teacher’s certification in Bali.
Liv’s classes are known for their high-energy, rhythm-based workout parties, providing a transformative and uplifting experience. Fitness has always played a pivotal role in her life, serving as a source of strength and motivation. In addition to her dedication to fitness, Liv embraces the concept of balance by exploring new restaurants, attending concerts, and indulging in her favourite pastime: traveling. She delights in showcasing the possibilities for adventure in both her city and beyond, offering valuable insights and tips to her followers.
Motivated by a desire to spread positivity and empower others, Liv wakes up every day with the goal to inspire and educate. She creates an online space that encourages individuals to work hard, establish a mind-body-soul connection, and explore the world.
Allison Miceli is the Creative Agency Partnerships (CAP) Lead for North America at TikTok where she is privileged to partner with Creative Agencies across Canada and the US to build community, provide education and resources to drive impact for their brand partners on and off the platform. Prior to arriving at TikTok Allison spent a decade in the creative advertising industry as a trusted Client Services partner to brands including Canada Goose, lululemon, Sephora Canada, TD Bank, Tim Hortons, Unilever, Vanguard. Her TikTok ForYouPage includes emerging TikTok trends, top coffee spots, CrossFit and British comedy club comics.
Monika Morrobel is the Senior Corporate Director of Commercial Strategy for the Kessler Collection, leading topline revenue strategy for its group of beautiful, inspiring hotels. With 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Monika’s true passion is analytics, delighting in sifting through data to find opportunity and leading teams together to bring it to fruition. Monika is active with HSMAI and other advisory boards, and on a constant quest for learning, to help continue evolving our industry forward.
Katie Moro is a veteran of the hospitality industry and a pioneer in hospitality demand data. She joined TravelClick (now an Amadeus company) in 2011 and is responsible for the global expansion of Demand360©, the hospitality industry’s only and most comprehensive forward-looking data tool designed to help hotels maximize their revenue.
Previously, Katie led a major accounts sales team at Rubicon, a provider of competitive market intelligence to the travel and hospitality industry and held sales roles at Morgans Hotel Group and Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.
Katie was named by Hotel Management Magazine as one of 2018’s Influential Women in Hospitality. In 2020, Katie joined the board of the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). Katie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Georgia.
Suzanne Neufang is a multi-million-miler, passionate business traveler and a transformation-focused executive. She has successfully led teams and product/service innovation through times of great challenges and change – “connecting dots” in senior management, sales, product, marketing, and communications roles to drive results and positive outcomes.
Suzanne was named to lead the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) in February 2021, where she oversees the association’s strategy, staff and services providing value to members, sponsors, and partners, and where she also leads the organization’s and industry’s recovery from pandemic challenges.
Prior to GBTA, she held global, divisional, and regional leadership roles at Germany-based hotel distribution and payments company HRS, at tax giant Intuit, and at the Sabre Holdings’ family of companies including GetThere and Travelocity.
Suzanne also led strategic teams and projects at telecom giant Verizon (formerly GTE). She started her career in commercial and public broadcasting. Suzanne received her MA in communications from the University of Hawaii, and her BA from Minot State University in broadcasting and foreign languages with a music minor. She and her husband Ralf live in New York City, and have two grown sons.
Andy Nguyen is a technology and marketing veteran. Currently, he is the head of Insights and Strategy for Google’s North American Large Customer Sales business unit where he focuses on the Travel and Telecom industries. Before his latest role, he was a senior account executive at Google focused on the Financial Services and Consumer Packaged Goods industry.
Prior to Google, Nguyen worked as brand marketer at Kraft Foods where he worked on brands like Jell-O, Stove Top, Shake ‘n Bake and Taco Bell Home Originals. In his early career, Nguyen was a finance analyst at Lehman Brothers and Neuberger Berman.
Outside of work, Nguyen is a leader in the Chicago philanthropic and education community. He leads the Leadership Council for the Posse Foundation, a nonprofit focused on developing the next generation of leaders through full tuition college scholarships for Chicagoland high school students. For this work, he was accepted as a Fellow into Leadership Greater Chicago. In addition, he is a Lecturer in the Integrated Marketing Communications program at Northwestern University.
Nguyen earned a Masters in Business Administration, with High Distinction, from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and a Bachelors of Arts in History and Economics at Denison University.
In his role as Chief Commercial Officer for Sage Hospitality Group, Patrick Pahlke oversees all commercial efforts for both Sage Hotel Management and Sage Restaurant Concepts inclusive of sales, marketing, revenue management, distribution, customer relationship management (CRM), central reservations office (CRO), e-commerce, public relations and social media.
Pahlke, a 26-year industry veteran, joined Sage from PROPER Hospitality, where he was responsible for strategic oversight of revenue management, distribution, sales, marketing, brand management, culture & programming, public relations, e-commerce and social media. His goal in this role was to drive business growth and market share for the company’s rapidly growing and award-winning portfolio. He helped position PROPER as one of the most sought-after new luxury lifestyle hotel brands, winning top accolades from Conde Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, Architectural Digest, Wallpaper, The New York Times, Eater, Forbes, and more. Prior to PROPER, Patrick spent two decades working in various sales, marketing and operations leadership roles with Two Roads Hospitality (acquired by Hyatt) and Hyatt International all across the Asia Pacific region.
As Chief Revenue offer of Omni Hotel & Resorts, Jamie Pena oversees revenue strategy, distribution, analytics, loyalty and customer engagement. Jamie recently returned to Omni following 5 years at Hilton Hotels as VP of Commercial Solutions where she worked to bring differentiated capabilities across the enterprise across distribution, sales and revenue disciples. Jamie began her hospitality career on property with Marriott Hotels in a variety of roles including food & beverage, sales, revenue management and operations.
Aran Ryan is Director of Industry Studies at Tourism Economics where he helps owners, operators, and destinations understand the impact of tourism industry trends. He has over 25 years of consulting experience, with a particular focus on lodging, casino gaming and destination development. Prior to joining Tourism Economics, he was a Director in the Hospitality & Leisure consulting practice at PwC.
Patricia Shea leads all global customer engagement and sales endeavors at Knowland, including strengthening and supporting partnerships with current and prospective customers. She is also responsible for introducing Knowland’s newest product and service offerings to market. Prior to joining Knowland, Patricia was as an Enterprise Sales Executive at Boston-based IT consulting firm Exeter Group, where she was responsible for sales of new enterprise software offerings. She previously held roles in both hotel sales and operations, and particularly enjoys blending experiences from each of those roles today at Knowland.
Raj Singh is a futurist, investor, and entrepreneur. He serves as Chief Marketing Officer at Revinate, one of the world’s largest hotel tech companies.
In 2014, Raj founded Go Moment, an AI hotel technology company backed by Google and later acquired by Revinate in 2021. As CEO, Raj helped envision, build, commercialize, and scale Ivy, the world’s first smartconcierge. Before his current ventures in scaling great products for travel brands, he designed, developed, and deployed web products for clients like Universal, Sony, Virgin Records, and HEB Grocery, developing core skills in Product, Design, UX, and Marketing.
Nima Vaez graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 2011 with a BA from the Pamplin School of Business with a focus in Hospitality Tourism and Management. After gaining high-end sales experience post graduating, Nima jumped back into hospitality by joining Booking.com and assisting in opening the Washington DC office. His last role at Booking.com was handling major Management and Owner Groups across the USA and Canada.
In May 2021, Nima joined Hopper where he leads a team of 7 Market Managers across the Mid-Atlantic (Washington DC to New Orleans). Hopper is currently the most downloaded travel app in North America, powers Capital One Travel and is a pioneer in Fintech.
Nima currently resides in Alexandria, VA where he spends time with his wife, mini Goldendoodle, and 8 month old daughter.
Steven Van Belleghem is a customer experience enthusiast! His mission is to inspire companies to become more customer centric.
Steven believes in combining common sense, new technologies, an empathic human touch, playing the long game and taking social responsibility to win the hearts and business of customers over and over again.
To achieve his mission, he has written 5 international bestsellers (>150,000 copies sold); he shares new ideas on his social channels (including his YouTube channel with more than 7 million views); he delivers keynote presentations all over the world (>1,500 keynotes in >45 countries) and his ideas are often shared by media outlets such as Forbes, The Guardian, and more.
Jenna Villalobos a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in total revenue management and reservation sales. With a passion for driving revenue growth and optimizing strategies, Jenna currently holds the position of Senior Vice President of Revenue Strategy at Outrigger Hospitality Group.
Jenna embarked on her career journey at KSL Resorts, where she excelled as the Corporate Director of Revenue Optimization. Prior to that, she held leadership roles at renowned establishments such as La Quinta Resort & Club, and Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, where she played an integral role in the successful opening of the resort.
She is originally from southern California and currently resides on Oahu with her husband and has two adult children.
Alyssa Welfringer is currently the Copy + Content Manager at Hooray Agency, working between our social and creative departments to create personalized social media strategies for a range of hospitality clients. Through copywriting and content development, highlighting the individuality of a hospitality brand, while keeping their messaging consistent across all platforms. Most of all, helping clients adapt, grow, and learn in the ever-changing social media landscape– Because hospitality is all about creating a space where people want to be, whether that’s on property, or online.
Michelle Woodley is President of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. In this role, she oversees multiple departments across the company including development, revenue management, customer relations, IT, and human resources. She also works closely with CEO Lindsey Ueberroth to support the development of other strategic areas of focus within the organization and serves as a company spokesperson.
Since joining Preferred in 2002, Michelle has held various leadership positions with cross-functional responsibilities including Senior Vice President of Global Marketing Strategy, Senior Vice President of Distribution & Revenue Management, and Executive Vice President, the role she held prior to her promotion to President in January 2018. She has used her expertise to help the company successfully execute major global initiatives designed to foster the longevity of the Preferred brand such as two comprehensive rebranding initiatives, the launch of multiple brand websites, the introduction and institutionalization of a Revenue Management Certification Program, the technology conversion of the company’s global central reservation system and call center services, and the creation of the I Prefer Hotel Rewards program.
Before joining Preferred Hotels & Resorts in 2002, Michelle spent five years as Vice President of Distribution for Swissôtel and Raffles Hotels & Resorts, charged with overseeing the strategic direction and operations of the company’s electronic distribution and database solutions. She held various senior positions in operations, marketing, and distribution with Swissôtel from 1990 to 1997.
Michelle has been an active board member in many industry organizations and is currently chair of the HSMAI Foundation Board of Directors. She previously served on the Board of HSMAI Americas and spent two terms as president and two terms as vice president of the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA). She was a founding member of the Open Travel Alliance (OTA) and served two terms on their board of directors as treasurer.
Michelle is a graduate of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. She is based in Chicago with her husband and two sons.
Holly Zoba is the founder of Scout Simply which helps the hospitality industry find more revenue through sales and marketing strategies and technology training. In 2019, she launched a unique sales training program – Influencer Sales – which was built around the changing behaviors of hotel B2B buyers. This program integrates new sales strategies along with introducing digital applications to engage prospects earlier and close more sales.
In 2020, she launched the Hotel Digital Marketing Essentials program in partnership with HSMAI and to date, over 500 students have graduated from this six week program. Most recently, she has launched the HotelBSchool, a learning portal for hotel education, which offers comprehensive courses and training programs designed to help hospitality professionals enhance their skills and advance their careers.
With over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Holly began her career with Hospitality Partners in Washington, DC where she held multiple operations and sales roles including 10 years as the VP of sales and marketing. An early interest in all things digital led her to a sales role with Milestone Internet Marketing and later to become a full stack web application developer (MERN). She also spent several years as the SVP of Hospitality with Signature Worldwide Training where she learned the principles of adult learning and developed training programs with Best Western, Hilton, IHG, Smith Travel Research and Caesar’s Entertainment among others.
Holly is a past chair of the HSMAI Marketing Advisory Board and a recipient of the Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing for her work on advocacy marketing. She is dedicated to helping hospitality professionals succeed and thrive in the industry through innovative training programs, such as those offered on hotelbschool.com.