What initially inspired you to get into the hospitality business?
I’m energized by industries at an inflection point—moments where disruption forces you to rethink strategy, operating models, and how you develop talent. I joined IHG Hotels & Resorts at a time when COVID-19 had completely upended travel, and it felt like a meaningful moment to help rebuild the future of hospitality.
I was also drawn to the opportunity to make a real digital impact. IHG was ready to challenge the status quo and rethink how we could be both high tech and high touch. I’ve spent most of my career leveraging technology to drive business results, and my time at IHG has been focused on using our products and technology to better promote our hotels, optimize their operations, and engage colleagues, guests, and owners.
But hospitality is also deeply personal, human, and universal. You get to see your work come to life every day in experiences that matter. I absolutely love to travel, and I’ve long admired IHG. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has always been one of my favorite brands, and there were chapters of my career when an InterContinental Hotels & Resorts property felt like home. Plus, with the global nature of the business, working alongside colleagues around the world allows me to constantly learn from different cultures and perspectives. It’s incredibly energizing, and the spirit of hospitality really speaks to me.
Who were some of your mentors or role models, and what were their most valuable lessons?
For much of my career, I didn’t have formal mentors, but I was incredibly fortunate to work with incredible women and men who believed in me, opened doors, and modeled the kind of leader I aspired to become.
Early in consulting, I worked alongside some of the sharpest minds in the business. Several women demonstrated a powerful combination of rigor, intensity, and approachability. That shaped my own view of what strong leadership looks like.
In the digital startup world, I spent nearly a decade working with a brilliant entrepreneur who reinforced the importance of grounding decisions in data while also trusting your informed instincts and taking calculated risks. He also taught me the value of being a compelling storyteller. It’s something I still lean on every day.
Partnering with private equity leaders further sharpened my discipline around delivering results and returns, always anchored in integrity and straight talk. One lesson that stuck with me: respect shows up as honesty and directness.
And in financial services, I was reminded daily that empowering teams and thinking about the big picture never absolves you from understanding the details. Leadership isn’t an ivory tower.
Can you share a few of your career highlights?
I’ve always worked hard to build a reputation as someone who steps into hard problems, questions the status quo, and delivers through strong partnerships and a refusal to back down when things get tough.
Some of my favorite career highlights include leading major company integrations and exits, launching a new business, and helping bring to market mobile apps and loyalty programs that truly transformed customer experiences.
The work I’m most proud of is investing in talent, building strong teams, developing future leaders, and creating environments where transformation continues long after I’ve moved on. That’s where the real, lasting impact comes from.
In your opinion, how did the lodging industry perform in 2025 in terms of getting women into leadership positions?
It’s encouraging to see continued momentum. At the same time, we hire the best and most qualified person for the job, and I’m fortunate to work alongside extraordinary women and men every day. At IHG, inclusion and impact are active priorities. We’re focused on creating an environment where everyone can bring their best self to work and thrive. I’m especially proud that my leadership team reflects a broad mix of skills, global perspectives, and backgrounds, mirroring the differences in the guests and communities we serve. Welcoming those varying points of view makes us better leaders and better business partners.
What’s your outlook for 2026 and beyond with regard to diversity and inclusion within hospitality?
IHG will continue to live its values. As a truly global enterprise with nearly 6,800 hotels across more than 100 countries, inclusion isn’t optional; it’s fundamental to who we are. It informs how we lead, how we collaborate, and how we show up for millions of guests and colleagues around the world every day. It’s one of the things that initially drew me to IHG, and it’s something that still energizes and excites me.
