MCLEAN, Virginia—Hilton has named Katherine Lugar as executive vice president of corporate affairs, effective April 2023. She most recently served as CEO of the American Beverage Association (ABA) and prior to ABA was the president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). Hilton’s corporate affairs department includes communications, government affairs, and ESG functions globally for the company. Lugar will report to Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton, and serve as a member of the executive committee.
“I’ve known Katherine for many years and long admired her unique ability to drive business results through effective policy dialogue and storytelling. As we look ahead to the next golden age of travel, Katherine will play a pivotal role in shaping our narrative with our most critical constituencies and advocating for what is in the best interest of our guests, team members, owners, and communities. She’s a seasoned industry leader and widely respected on Capitol Hill and around the world. I have no doubt she will continue her track record of creating meaningful impact in her new role with Hilton,” said Nassetta.
“I am honored to join the Hilton team, a company I have long respected for its guest-centric approach to creating exceptional travel experiences and award-winning workplace culture,” said Lugar. “As both a veteran of the industry and proud Hilton Honors member, I believe deeply in the transformative power travel can have on the world and look forward to building on the profound impact Hilton has already had over its more than 100-year history. There has never been a better time to work with this world-class team as we elevate Hilton’s role in defining the future of travel.”
In addition to her leadership roles at ABA and AHLA, Lugar previously served as the Retail Industry Leaders Association’s (RILA) executive vice president of public affairs, where she ran a number of high-profile issue campaigns. Prior to RILA, Lugar led government relations for Travelers Insurance, served as vice president of legislative and political affairs at the National Retail Federation (NRF), and worked on Capitol Hill. Katherine currently serves on the boards of the Bipartisan Policy Center, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and So Others Might Eat (SOME), and recently concluded her service on the Board of Directors of Watermark Lodging Trust (WLT) as well as the chair of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
