What initially inspired you to get into the hospitality business?
I did not grow up thinking I would be in hospitality. In 1979, I moved from Nicaragua to Miami and worked in the diplomatic field for five years with the governments of South Korea and Venezuela. That experience taught me how to navigate different cultures, how to build trust, and how powerful human connection can be. Those lessons stayed with me.
Shortly afterward, I joined Jack Penrod’s organization to manage the Jockey Club of Miami. Jack had an innate instinct for people and an incredible marketing mind. He was my mentor, and I learned so much simply by watching him. Our partnership strengthened over the years, with me taking on roles such as project manager and later PR director during the opening of Penrod’s Beach Club. Our professional and personal lives converged, and in 1995, we got married.
What surprised me the most was how happy hospitality made me. I loved seeing people enjoying themselves in a space we created. I loved the atmosphere, the emotion, and the way a room could transform when everything came together to facilitate human connections. That feeling stayed with me. Looking back now, I believe growing up in Nicaragua allowed me to move into the hospitality industry with ease. My Latin roots fostered a love for family, friends, and life.
A profound turning point for us was the tragic loss of Jack’s 18-year-old daughter, Nicole, who passed away in a car accident in 1997. Rather than mourning her life, we decided to celebrate her life by transforming the pool area at Penrod’s into a beautiful butterfly garden named Cafe Nikki in her honor. The garden’s success and the encouragement from our guests inspired us to expand the concept onto the beach. In 1998, we launched the first Nikki Beach, a venue that embodies the philosophy of “Celebrating Life,” combining the elements of music, dining, entertainment, fashion, film, and art among all-white décor and international cuisine, all designed with Nicole in mind.
Who were some of your mentors or role models, male or female, and what were their most valuable lessons?
Without question, my late husband Jack Penrod was my greatest mentor. Jack was a visionary, a risk-taker, and a true entrepreneur at heart. He saw opportunities where others didn’t and had the courage to turn his dreams into reality. He was a person who led with kindness and generosity. He was tough when he needed to be, but always led with respect, regardless of your position in life.
Can you share a few of your career highlights?
For me, the biggest highlight is longevity. That tells me people are still loving what we create and still choosing to “celebrate life” with us.
This year, we mark 10 years in Dubai, one of the most dynamic cities globally. Growing there has been an important chapter for us. When we opened in Dubai, there were six beach clubs; now there are 60. Nikki Beach has truly helped beach clubs become a category in the hospitality industry, which didn’t exist before.
These milestones are not just anniversaries. They represent consistency, evolution, and the passion of my teams. Building a legacy that lasts across continents and decades is what I am most proud of.
In your opinion, how did the lodging industry perform in 2025 in terms of getting women into leadership positions?
I cannot speak for the industry as a whole, but I can proudly speak about Nikki Beach Hospitality Group.
We are very much a family at Nikki Beach, and strong women are at the heart of it. Across our global leadership team, women hold key roles, including our chief operating officer of F&B concepts, our chief brand officer, head of music & entertainment, our global marketing director for Beach Clubs, our global marketing director for hotels & resorts, and our global communications director.
Creating leadership opportunities for women starts with culture. We believe in promoting from within, mentoring our teams, and giving people real responsibility as they grow. Many of the women leading our brand today have been with us for 10, 15, or even 20 years. I am very proud of that. When you build a supportive environment and truly invest in your people, women step confidently into leadership and help drive the brand forward.
What’s your outlook for 2026 and beyond with regard to diversity and inclusion within hospitality?
At Nikki Beach Hospitality Group, everyone is welcome, and that includes within our teams. We are a global family, with teams across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas, and beyond. When you look at our locations, you see different nationalities, cultures, and backgrounds working together seamlessly. That is the reality of our brand.
But for me, inclusion goes beyond representation. It is about opportunity. Many of our leaders in our corporate offices today started within our location teams on the ground and grew with us over time. We believe strongly in developing talent internally and creating clear pathways for advancement across our properties.
As we look toward 2026 and beyond, I see even greater focus across the industry on creating environments where people feel valued and where growth is accessible. Hospitality is about people, and the companies that truly invest in their teams will be the ones that thrive.
