Accelerate Women Leaders in Travel
Accelerate Women Leaders in Travel fosters a diverse community in hospitality, travel, and tourism, focusing on leadership development, relationship building, and empowerment. It inspires women to excel professionally and personally through an annual retreat with leadership workshops, keynote speeches, and coaching. Regular virtual meet-ups and group sessions further support continuous growth and relationships among women leaders in these industries.
Rachel Vandenberg
rachel@thetravelleadercoach.com
African Association of Women in Tourism and Hospitality
To foster equal opportunities for all women of African descent operating in the hospitality & tourism.
Amaka Amatokwu-Ndekwu
Daphne Spencer
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AHEAD
To transform the hospitality industry by intentionally uplifting and amplifying a culture representative of untapped talent—through networking, recruiting, and exposure for students.
Brian Barker
Nikki Massey
Desirey Virgin
Black Women of Hospitality
Our organization has a focus to unite, inspire, and empower women of color in the hospitality industry. We will provide resources, support, and motivation to achieve personal and professional growth. We are devoted to increasing diversity and inclusion across hospitality, travel, and leisure. The Black Women of Hospitality Organization will carry out research, share best practices, create co-solutions, run webinars, hospitality conferences, and events dedicated to ensuring Women in our sector are not held back and can progress their careers into senior leadership.
Johnetta Johnson
Tricia Perkins
tricia.perkins@blackwomenofhospitality.com
Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA) Travel Industry Executive Women’s Network (TIEWN)
To counteract corporate monotony and champion creativity. To forget the forgettable and forge the once-in-a-lifetime. To break down doors and link the most brilliant minds in the industry. To build on our now 13-year legacy of reimagining the multifaceted future of boutique - together.
Frances Kiradjian
frances@boutiqueassociation.com
Ariela Kiradjian
ariela@boutiqueassociation.com
Female Founders in Hospitality
Founded in 2022, Female Founders in Hospitality is a network of women building companies in the lodging and accommodations space.
Nina Kleaveland
ninakleaveland@lanyardstays.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/female-founders-in-hospitality/
ForWard
ForWard is an AHLA Foundation initiative aimed at mentoring, educating, and leading women to the next level of their career. Through the collective power of ForWard, we are elevating hospitality to the number one industry for women.
Jennifer Fugolo
Kevin Carey
HerOwnership, an AAHOA Initiative
AAHOA's program, HerOwnership: Opening Doors for Women in Hospitality, aims to foster, promote, and empower women entrepreneurs to shatter the glass ceiling and pursue their own entrepreneurial journey. Launched in 2022, HerOwnership offers networking and educational opportunities for women hoteliers and hospitality industry professionals and supports all women in their hotel ownership endeavors and aspirations, helping to ensure more stability and opportunities for generations of women to come.
Heather Carnes
Olivia Story
Hertelier
Hertelier is an online media platform that enlightens and inspires women in hospitality to pursue, navigate, and nurture their careers at every stage, through sharing information and sparking conversation.
Emily Kanders Goldfischer
Nancy Mendelson
HERtels by Choice Hotels®
HERtels by Choice Hotels® is a program designed by women for women to empower female entrepreneurs throughout their hotel ownership journey.
Jacquelyn Peterson
Jacquelyn.Peterson@choicehotels.com
John Lancaster
John.Lancaster@choicehotels.com
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Hospitality Executive Women's Innovation Council
The Executive Women’s Innovation Council (WIC) brings together hospitality leaders and innovators to advance the cause of underrepresented communities in the hotel industry and explore the role of technology in building communities, advancing careers and helping hoteliers do business better, faster and smarter.
Georgine Muntz
Michael Frenkel
Hospitality Hued
Hospitality Hued is mission focused on facilitating community for Black and Brown hospitality leaders working across all segmentations of the industry with the purpose of creating more equitable and inclusive executive leadership teams and ownership groups.
Ashli Johnson
IHG LIFT
IHG LIFT (Leadership, Inclusivity, Facilitation and Transformation) is an owner growth program, launched in the US and Canada, focused on creating more hotel development opportunities for historically under-represented groups within the hospitality industry. This program is a continuation of the company’s ongoing and firm commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Julienne Smith
Celina Hargrove
Karen Cole
Inspiring Women in Hospitality
Gender balance at all levels of hospitality. Led by women.
Naureen Ahmed
It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast
It's Personal Stories is a podcast series highlighting the inspiring career journeys of prominent leaders in the hospitality industry. The series features over 200 interviews, with new ones added weekly. Each interview presents the unique personal story and insights of C-suite executives, educators, and other industry professionals. Guests share their experiences, including overcoming self-doubt, achieving work-life balance, facing challenges, public speaking, taking risks, networking authentically, developing leadership skills, and more. Through these deeply personal stories, you are encouraged to dream big and confidently pursue your personal and professional goals.
Founded in 2022 by industry veterans David Kong, Dorothy Dowling, Rachel Humphrey, Lan Elliott, and Huilian Duan, It’s Personal Stories has been recognized by the International Hospitality Institute as a top hospitality podcast each year since it launched. To watch or listen now, visit https://www.itspersonalstories.com.
David Kong
Lan Elliott
lan.elliott@acaciahospitality.com
Dorothy Dowling
Rachel Humphrey
Latino Hotel Association (LHA)
The Latino Hotel Association is dedicated to serving people with a passion for the hospitality industry. We are committed to expanding the community of Latino and Hispanic hotel owners and operators. LHA provides educational and networking opportunities for up-and-coming hotel entrepreneurs. We’re here to help the Latino community become leaders in the hospitality industry! We are here to serve our present Latino/Hispanic Hotel owners!
Lynette Montoya
Light Her Way by G6
G6 Hospitality recently launched a women's initiative, Light Her Way, to help empower women in the hospitality industry. This program is a franchise roadmap providing knowledge and dedicated expertise for female entrepreneurs on the path to hotel ownership. Interested women will gain insight into construction and renovation, marketing identification, financing, the brand application process, as well as access to additional resources to support the launch and continuing operations of their franchise property.
Tina Burnett
burnett_tina@g6hospitality.com
Kassidy Paul
paul_kassidy@g6hospitality.com
Lauren Ruddick
lauren_ruddick@g6hospitality.com
New York City Women of Hospitality (NYCWOH)
NYCWOH is dedicated to creating a community of women and allies that fosters growth, education, networking, and professional development in the greater NYC area. We believe that by empowering women, we elevate the entire industry to new heights of excellence and innovation.
Joli Barfield
Kat Woods
Raizup
Raizup was created to increase the success and engagement in the workplace for women and other underrepresented groups, and to enable companies to attract, develop and retain potential diverse talent, nurtured by a powerful community.
Rita Varga
RIDE with Red Roof
Red Roof is thrilled to introduce RIDE with Red Roof, a brand-new initiative that aims to provide a Road to Inclusivity and Diversity in Entrepreneurship.
RIDE with Red Roof aims to expand and further diversity hotel ownership and entrepreneurial opportunities for women and underrepresented groups via four main pathways: Access to capital, educational resources, building a network, and creating connections to industry vendor partners.
Lina Patel
SHE Inspired by Red Roof
SHE will address relevant topics related to entrepreneurship and ownership, health and wellness, personal branding and side hustles.
She Has a Deal. (SHaD)
To create new pathways to hotel ownership + development for women.
Tracy Prigmore
Shaneka Thurman
Unlocking Doors by Hilton
Talene Staab
DeShaun Wise Porter
WINiT by GBTA (Global Business Travel Association)
Dorothy Dowling
Women in Tourism & Hospitality (WITHorg)
WITHorg operates as a network of collaborative-curated community members, who all use the network to leverage platforms for leadership and expansion of women’s training in removing barriers towards an equal society. WITHorg hosts an annual interdisciplinary professional development summit.
Anne Larcade
Rosanna Caira
Women in Tourism and Hospitality, Int'l (WITH-it)
Women in Tourism and Hospitality International (WITH-IT), offers support, networking, resources, and mentorship to women aiming to progress in the hospitality and tourism industry. The WITH yearly conference stands out as the leading event of its kind celebrating women and delivering insights for their professional and personal development as career professionals and entrepreneurs. WITH-IT focuses on building, learning, connecting, and impacting women’s economic, community, and physical power. Our mission is to strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion while providing education, leadership strategies, mentorship, and networking opportunities in an innovative setting.
Clara Carter
Women in Travel (CIC)
Women in Travel (CIC) aims to leverage a thriving global travel and tourism industry and its suppliers to provide women with the opportunity to fulfil their economic and individual potential through employability and entrepreneurship.
Alessandra Alonso
alessandra@womenintravelcic.com
Simona Listvanaite
simonalistvanaite@gmail.com
Women in Travel and Tourism International (Witti)
Witti’s mission is to help elevate women to the most senior levels of leadership in the travel industry through the following:
--raising awareness of the issue through speaking engagements, panel discussions, and forums at tourism conferences and events;
--increasing connectivity among women by providing spaces for women's engagement and exchange;
--celebrating women's successes through our Women in Travel Leadership Awards;
--convening the industry and its associations and government agencies to address the need for comprehensive changes to workforce development and leadership development in travel and tourism.
Laura Mandala
Women in Travel THRIVE
Women in Travel THRIVE is a community, a movement that propels women closer to equality in the travel industry by providing connections, a network, education, and tangible resources designed to support the empowerment of women. It is our mission to fuel growth and development to eliminate the regression of women in the travel industry. Joining us has no barriers to entry, our resources, community, and network will never cost you anything.
Silvia Camarota
Rachel Kooyman
Women Leading Travel & Hospitality
Women Leading Travel & Hospitality’s mission is to unite, inspire and empower our community of executive women leaders by providing unparalleled resources, support and motivation to achieve personal and professional growth in the travel and hospitality industry.
Hannah DeMaio
Women Own The Room by Wyndham
Women Own the Room by Wyndham is designed to help overcome common barriers women face in hotel development and help them effectively open and run their hotels.
Maire Griffin
Bella Silverberg
WORTH Association
WORTH's vision is to be the leading association for women
of recreation, tourism and hospitality leadership. Our mission is to develop a membership of confident, connected women who accelerate their leadership ambitions through mentorship, networking, advocacy and professional development.
Joanna Jagger