Advisory Board

Adrien Ganassin is the Area Director of Operations at Marriott International. His full bio will be available shortly.

Bruce Goff, FASID has been with IHG Hotels and Resorts for 7 years after a decades long career with Domus Design Group an architecture and design firm.  Prior to IHG he was responsible for the architecture and design of Harrah’s Hotels, JDV hotels, as well as numerous other resorts and gaming properties.  

Currently a Renovation Manager with responsivity for IHG’s upscale and lifestyle brands such as voco and Hotel Indigo and having worked across almost all of IHG’s 19 brands he has a depth and breadth of knowledge from the owner, franchiser, and developer. 

Leaning into IHG goal of ‘True Hospitality for All’ he bridges the goals of brand and owner’s ROI with hotels that deliver true guest love. 

Catherine Martin is Managing Editor of Sleeper Media, the publisher and event organiser serving the hospitality design community worldwide.

Having joined the company in 2007, Catherine now leads its magazine portfolio, comprising Sleeper (hospitality experience & design), Supper (hotel food & drink), and Starboard, a new publication focusing on the design and development of cruise ships, river boats, sleeper trains and aeroplanes.

Catherine guides the editorial content and creative identity of the print publications and their affiliated websites, and also supports Sleeper Media’s events, which include AHEAD – the awards for hospitality experience and design – and Sleepover, a nomadic networking event for hotel innovators.

Catherine attends a number of exhibitions and investment conferences worldwide, and can often be found checking out new hotel developments and interviewing the visionaries behind them.

Claudia Diaz-Gonzalez is Associate Vice President, Private Destination Development at Royal Caribbean International. Claudia leads all aspects of the Private Destinations portfolio for Royal Caribbean International including assisting in the site identification and acquisition; overseeing all concept development and design; construction administration; and operational hand-over and start up plans. 

Claudia is focused on all aspects of the Guest Experience for all projects.

Dee Cooper is the Founder of Decide. After serving in a consulting role for three years, Dee Cooper officially joined Virgin Voyages in 2015 and currently holds the role of senior vice president of design and customer experience. As a founding member of the Virgin Voyages team, Dee’s creative vision has helped guide the brand since its inception. In her role, Dee leads the Design Creative Collective, a team of some of the world’s most noteworthy modern interior designers – none of whom have ever designed for the cruise industry before. Dee carefully handpicked each designer and tasked them with reimagining how a holiday at sea could look and feel.

Deniz has an array of international experience in all phases of luxury hospitality projects, spanning more than 15 years, and covering multiple areas including project management, brand development, design management, procurement, hotel operations, and brand compliance. She joins the Kerzner family from Royal Caribbean Group, where she was responsible for multiple strategic initiatives, including global FF&E sourcing and category management for all brands. Prior to this, Deniz held project management leadership roles at Shawmut Design and Construction, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Edition Hotels, Nobu, Polimeks, and Cipriani Group in various locations spanning Europe and the US. 

In her new role, Deniz will ensure all aspects of project planning and design for projects in the Americas are delivered in accordance with Kerzner design and brand standards. She will manage and coordinate the technical service efforts of new builds and existing refurbished hotel and resort projects in the Americas, including the assessment of new potential properties and sites, design review, basic programming, architectural and interior design review and coordination, and hotel operations coordination.

Douglas is a brand and innovation leader with a strong entrepreneurial background. He has started several businesses, worked for 2 Pritzker prize winning architects, holds 2 Masters Degrees and led Design for W Hotels. At W Hotels, Douglas established the brand’s genres, multiple touchpoints, and projects in North America, Latin America and Europe.

Most recently, Douglas worked for Hilton Hotels, developing Latin America. He established baseline direction for the brands, and oversaw the rollout of over 50 properties.

Currently Douglas is leading design for Take Group and is working on the development of a collection of boutique hotels. He has also taught Hotel Design and Brand Development at Yale, Columbia, and Parsons New School for Design, and is an active strategy consultant, panellist, and mentor.

Born and raised in Rome, Francesca Bucci had visions of designing spaces and running her own business since childhood. A traditional education combined with a love of classicism and art anchors her aesthetic and continues to serve as an integral influence.

Graduated with a M.A. in Architecture from the University of Rome in Italy, she also worked with architectural legend, Paolo Portoghesi. To complete her senior thesis, she studied at Cornell University in upstate New York. This proved to be such a seminal experience, that it convinced her to remain in the United States and, ultimately, pursue a design career in Manhattan.

Opportunities at prestigious design firms and work in Rome, Paris, Washington, D.C. and New York City soon followed. Joining forces with top firms Perkins + Will, Peter Marino and Polshek & Partners, she gained a fluency in creating high-end interiors for retail, residential and hospitality properties along with an ability to oversee and manage teams. Further, and more important, she confirmed her identity as a designer and as a forward-thinking entrepreneur. In 2002, she started BG Studio International in New York City. BG Studio International, a specialized practice, focuses on upscale hospitality, cruise ship, restaurant, retail, multi-unit residential interiors, architecture and planning as well as project management. Projects are located in New York, Miami and Europe and other noteworthy domestic and international locales. She counts major and luxury hotel brands, developers, travel and cruise brands as clients: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. In being asked repeatedly to take on large-scale, multi-million dollar projects, she has developed enviable industry status for her ability to fulfill stringent technical requirements on land and at sea. This combined with seamless project management, a sophisticated aesthetic and out-of-box thinking have resulted in BG Studio earning a reputation as a trusted brand partner and collaborator.

Fluent in Italian, French and English, she is a skilled and fluid communicator. This combined with her expertise in design and construction practices, a talent for diplomacy, and an ability to encourage collaboration and inspire team members are invaluable assets. Her design style blends classical training with the contemporary context, the urban environment, and the energy of New York City.

In addition to her architecture degree, Francesca has a Diploma of Construction Management from New York University. She maintains active memberships with industry associations, including: the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Network of Executive Women in Hospitality (NEWH), the Association of Real Estate Women, and is an Honorary Member of the Society of British Interior Designers. In 2018, BG Studio International became a certified Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE).
For more information, visit: www.bgstudio.com

Gamal El Fakih Rodriguez currently serves as Vice President of Operations for Marriott’s luxury brands in the Caribbean and Latin America. Prior to joining Marriott, he lived and worked in 11 different countries gaining experience with some of the leading luxury hotel companies in the world. While his background is mainly within the operations disciplines, his passion for training and development also took him to gain two professional stints in the academic world at the Institute of Tourism and Hospitality of Quebec in Montreal-Canada and Les Roches International School of Hotel management in Switzerland, where he led the practical training program for these two leading hotel schools of the world.

An alumnus from the Hotel School of Venezuela, Gamal obtained his bachelor’s degree in hospitality management on 1992 followed by a master’s degree from the University of Angers (France) and post-graduate studies at The Hague Hotel School (Netherlands) and Cornell University (USA). He is also an award-winning author with his book “The Forgotten Recipes from Venezuelan Andes”, winner on the 2011’s edition of the Gourmand Awards for Best Cookbooks in the World in Paris. He also contributed with a chapter on craft-based learning in the book “Education strategies for the next generation leaders in hospitality management” published by IGI Global in 2015.

George Scammell is Director Interior Asset Management – Princess Cruises.

A global hospitality design leader, George has extensive experience in the hospitality, cruise, and leisure entertainment industry.  Leadership positions include VP of Global Design for Wyndham Worldwide, Principal for CORE architects, VP of Design for ForrestPerkins, and Design Management for Walt Disney World Resorts.  George earned his bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from Florida State University, is a licensed Interior Designer, and a Professional Member of both the American Society of Interior Designers, and the International Interior Design Association.

Javier Rojas-Rodriguez, LEED AP is responsible for all phases of project development, from early conceptual design, brand implementation, and project documentation to value-engineering, consultant coordination, and construction supervision. Javier has worked on a wide range of projects encompassing not only the creation of a design, but also their timely execution while adhering to strict site, client, schedule, and budgetary demands.

Javier graduated with an Architecture degree in Mexico in 1997, and went on to study for his postgraduate degree in 2001 from The Berlage Institute in Rotterdam.

For the past 22 years, Javier has worked with various well-established design firms, developers, and hotel operators, and has been creating unique Hospitality experiences for international brands around the world.

Javier’s specialties are: Conceptual Design, Project Documentation & Management, Construction Supervision, Consultant Coordination, Business Development, Brand Development.

Jena Seibel is COO at NEWH, her full bio will be available shortly.

Kavitha Iyer is Vice President of Architecture and Design at Choice Hotels International. An Architect and Designer with over 20 years of experience in Hospitality and designing for travel, she is responsible for leading Design strategy for IHG’s brands in the Americas.

Kavitha and her team of talented Creatives collaborate closely with Brand, Development and Operations to imagine and define distinctive design experiences which align closely to each Brand personality.
With an emphasis on guest centric experience, Kavitha and her team lead various Design initiatives across the portfolio, ranging from testing and piloting new concepts, and creating comprehensive Design guidance to implement projects. In her past few years at IHG Hotels & Resorts, she has been responsible for creating distinct visions for new Brands like Atwell Suites and voco, as well as leading the transformational Creative direction for Lifestyle, Luxury and Premium brands like Hotel Indigo, InterContinental Hotels and Crowne Plaza.

Prior to joining IHG Hotels & Resorts, Kavitha was the Director of Global Design Strategies at Marriott International where she led and launched several high-profile Design initiatives which focused on transformative next generation experiences for various brands.
Kavitha’s love of art and travel fuels her continued passion to spend her free time painting, appreciating new and old destinations, and being inspired by the everyday.

Kimberly Jackson is a Senior Associate at AvroKO and serves as the Managing Director for AvroKO Miami. In her role as both manager and mentor, she leads AvroKO’s multidisciplinary teams throughout the life of a project to bring Hospitable Thinking into every space AvroKO designs.

Prior to her work at AvroKO, Kimberly designed spaces across a range of typologies including hospitality, retail, single and multifamily residential, and corporate interiors. She assisted her clients in developing and maintaining design standards for several international brands. She has also developed furniture, textiles, fixtures, and lighting product lines for both boutique and international brands.

Kimberly is a member of the AIA Diversity + Inclusion committee and the Hospitality Diversity Action Committee.

For over 20 years, Lionel Ohayon, at the helm of ICRAVE, has been a leader in the hospitality design industry.  Driven by passion for reinvention, and how our physical and digital worlds intersect, Ohayon has continued to innovate and push forward to create new experiences that respond to the changing world around us.

Today, Ohayon’s work is characterized by connecting the dots between technology, design, and operations across many industries and experience platforms, ranging from the physical, to digital, to metaverse.

A board member of Fast Company’s Impact Council and on the advisory board for Hospitality Design, Ohayon is centered in conversations around the future of the design industry. Fascinated by how technology can influence physical spaces, Ohayon approaches every project with a desire to pioneer and create something new.

Ohayon is an active investor in many tech and hospitality ventures. Founder of The One Group, Ohayon has been an instrumental visionary in global high-end hospitality. Seeking ways to elevate gameday experiences, Ohayon is an early investor in SeatServe: an in-seat delivery solution for stadiums & venues.

Known for his commitment to cultural organizations, Ohayon has served on the board for the Jewish National Fund, as well as Performance Space New York (formerly PS122). Ohayon lives in Miami with his wife and three children.

ABOUT ICRAVE

ICRAVE is a leading design firm based in New York City and Miami that solves business challenges through strategy and design. Driven by two decades of experience, ICRAVE’s interdisciplinary approach emphasizes innovation, thought leadership and immersive experience. Clients select ICRAVE as their design partner when challenged with blending physical, digital and service in a single setting to increase their commercial benefit. For that reason, the firm’s expertise and client base is wide-ranging: airports and air travel, hospitality and entertainment, mixed-use residential, and more. Recent projects include fine dining spaces like SUSHISAMBA Dubai and award-winning 53 in New York City, the Key Club in Miami’s Coconut Grove, The Rally Hotel in Denver, F&B schemes at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, and the Memorial Sloan Kettering David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care in Manhattan, among others. For more information, visit www.icrave.com.

Peter Joehnk is the founder and co-managing director of the Hamburg-based studio, JOI-Design, one of Europe’s most respected leaders in hospitality interior architecture and design. Peter believes there has never been a more exciting time to be a hospitality designer and that design is now recognized as crucial to the success of every development. Over three decades, Peter and his team have made major contributions to this evolving narrative, bringing to life luxurious and innovative hospitality destinations for leading brands as well as independent properties, garnering many awards in the process. The team’s prolific portfolio encompasses grand historic establishments, new-build hotels, vibrant restaurants and spas as well as airport and business hotels. In addition, Peter focuses on building biology and has recently spearheaded and hosted Speakeasy Salons bringing together hospitality leaders to exchange views on topical industry issues.

Stephanie Smith is on the Advisory Board of Hotel & Resort Design South, their full bio will be available shortly.

Susan Sadolin is CEO at Innovation Lounges, her full bio will be available shortly.

As President of Design Poole, Trisha leads a studio based in Winter Park, Florida and has recently opened a studio in Toronto, Canada.  Her experience in architecture, interior design and graphic design enhance the team’s design vision for every detail of the project telling a story through thoughtful, interpretive design.  With passion for excellence and extraordinary experiences she inspires the team’s award winning upscale hospitality portfolio of large resorts, hotels, vacation ownership and multi family projects.  With more than 2 decades of experience Trisha brings focus to the business objectives while balancing the creation of unexpected design. 

Trisha is active within the industry as a speaker and judge with regional and international trade fairs and conferences.  She currently holds the position of Executive Advisor on the NEWH Inc. Executive Committee where her energy goes into the creation of programs and initiatives that support the industry and students pursuing careers in hospitality.

Wendy Kallergis works closely with various tourism and hospitality partners to continue to grow Miami as a top-tier worldwide travel destination. The GMBHA is a membership-based organization representing the entire hotel industry in Miami Dade County and local and national hospitality businesses. The association’s goal is to unify the travel, tourism and hospitality industry with business and government leaders locally, nationally, and internationally in order to enhance the visitor experience through education, advocacy and networking.

She received the National Immigration Forum’s Leadership award to promote New American Citizenship at the hotels and hospitality businesses workplace. She serves on many boards and committees to include the GMCVB Board of Directors, FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Miami Dade College Hospitality School Board, Academy of Hospitality and Tourism Chair Elect, NAF Track Miami and is a member of the national Coalition for the American Dream. She recently was appointed to the Miami Dade County Tourism Development Council. She is most proud of working with her growing group of women hotel general managers to mentor, provide internships and work with underserved communities to help educate young women to get jobs in the hospitality industry.

Prior to her position at the Miami Beach Chamber as President and CEO, Kallergis spent six years as the Miami City Club’s General Manager, a private Executive Club comprising of the “who’s who” of the business, arts and culture, and philanthropic business community. She began her career in catering sales and management, serving as Catering & Convention Services Manager for the Hotel Inter-Continental and as Assistant Director of Catering at the Biltmore Hotel, later becoming Director of Catering. At the Biltmore, Kallergis oversaw the production of the State Dinner for President and Mrs. Clinton during the Summit of The Americas. In addition to the Inter-Continental and Biltmore hotels, her catering career continued at high-end establishments such as Gene’s Catering (events to include 2 Super Bowls, New World Symphony and Lipton/Ericsson Tennis Tournaments. The Mayfair House, Delano ( to include Madonna’s 40th birthday) and The Grand Bay Hotel.

Kallergis was born and raised in Maine and grew up with a love for food and cooking as part of a restaurateur family. After earning a B.A. in French Language from George Washington University, she immediately set out to France. There she attended the University of Paris earning a degree in French history, language and art followed by the prestigious Cordon Bleu L’Ecole de Cuisine earning a Diplome French Cuisine. She subsequently concluded her studies at the Modern Gourmet Cooking School in Annecy, France with a Diplome Professional Chef and Diplome Professional Teacher. Upon returning to the United States, Kallergis continued her career in the culinary arts as a Chef Garde Manger in Restaurant Nora in Washington D.C. then as Executive Chef of Finesse Fine Foods, an off premise Catering & Prepared Foods Boutique, also in Washington D.C. that catered many events at the Smithsonian and pre-inaugural dinner for Ronald Reagan.
Wendy is married to Nick Kallergis and they have 2 grown children Nicholas 32 and Katherine 29.