Did you find the hospitality industry or did the hospitality industry find you?

I would say that it was just always there. My father worked at Paradise Cove Lūʻau and my mother works at Polynesian Adventure Tours (PolyAd). I worked at both companies. My start in sales and marketing was at PolyAd, when the president of the company saw me delivering food to my mother and told me that I would be their new salesperson. This was the first step in my career that eventually brought me to my home at Marriott International, representing our amazing properties in Hawaiʻi and French Polynesia.

I did not aspire to enter the hospitality industry. However, I am tremendously grateful I did. Hospitality has taken me to different countries and all over the U.S. I have met many interesting people and gained lifelong friends. I’ve grown closer to my culture and developed an even deeper sense of pride for my community. I will be eternally grateful for the Aloha and generosity I have experienced in my career and I only hope to pay it forward to others.

What do you think is the importance of the hospitality industry and how do you feel you fit in?

The hospitality industry is not only our main economic driver but can also provide career opportunities for our local keiki to build their lives here in Hawaiʻi. I’m proud to be born and raised in Hawaiʻi and grateful for the opportunity to progress through a career that allows me to remain here in our islands. I take seriously my kuleana in ensuring our local talent is recognized and seen. I am also acutely aware of my role in promoting a work environment in which women can enjoy motherhood and pursuit of a career. I feel tremendous pride in the way my peers are doing the same—bringing innovative ideas to not only hospitality but business in every form and finding ways to drive financial success with a rooted sense of community.

Are there any aspects that excite you the most about the hospitality industry and invigorate your team?

I have always found that having a higher purpose provides motivation that goes beyond upswings and downturns and binds a team together to reach a similar goal. My personal mission at work is to care for my team and ensure the success of our properties on Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi Island, and Bora Bora. When our properties do well, our people have jobs.

They send their children to school. They build their own family memories and perpetuate the Aloha with which we are raised. This has been especially apparent in our mission to help our Maui ʻohana recover from the fires. It’s shown by caring for our associates in a personal and genuine way through individual involvement in Lahaina’s rebuilding and by our sales and marketing teams’ approach to economic recovery efforts, pushing forward with tenacity and purpose.

What do you feel are the most serious challenges facing the hospitality industry and how might they be resolved? What is the industry doing well?

Funding is our industry’s most serious challenge at the moment. To identify and appeal to the type of traveler Hawaiʻi wants, it will take more sales and marketing dollars than we are currently receiving. To build infrastructure and utilize technology that creates a sustainable and cyclical system of regenerative tourism, we need financial investment from the state and federal governments. We should then use a portion of the tax dollars gained from tourism to invest in diversifying our economy.

I think the industry is finding ways to support local businesses and become more community-minded. Our resorts are sourcing local businesses for promotional items, amenities, and services. For example, the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani hotel’s transformation of its Ainahau Tower was led by The Vanguard Theory, a local design firm. The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikīkī Beach sources delicious treats from A Touch of Heart, a non-profit that provides vocational training to those facing barriers to employment such as incarceration and houselessness.

What do you envision will take place in the hospitality industry in the years ahead and how might the local industry adapt or change?

I think we will continue to see an evolution in the way government policies and local sentiment drives business decisions in hospitality. As activism efforts from our local and Native Hawaiian communities strengthen, our industry has the opportunity to proactively identify new ways of doing business and promoting travel. Pressure from various viewpoints is needed and essential to evolution. We have already seen successful regenerative tourism models—Hāʻena on Kauaʻi is an excellent example. I encourage everyone in our industry to explore ways to consider our community first, which in turn can build value for our customers, resulting in a fruitful and profitable enterprise.

Did you find the hospitality industry, or did it find you?

Totally by chance. I began as a bartender and then worked as a restaurant and nightclub manager in New York City during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Eventually, I stumbled into a low-level food and beverage role in a midtown Manhattan hotel. Without formal hotel education, I faced challenges but realized that performance and creativity were my keys to advancement. Over years of hard work, I progressed from food and beverage roles to property operations, general management, and eventually corporate positions.

What is the importance of the hospitality industry, and how do you fit in?

The hospitality industry is rooted in the concept of escape. While the industry emphasizes guest experience, I see it as the means to provide a haven where guests can temporarily break away from the relentless pace of daily life. People seek environments that continue their lifestyle preferences but offer a sense of safety and renewal. Hospitality is no longer just about experience; it’s about delivering energy and meaning that invigorates guests.

What excites you most about the hospitality industry?

At its core, hospitality is about the art of acting selflessly. It’s about combining style and substance—the quality of the product you offer and the manner in which it’s delivered. In a society driven by self-interest, hospitality stands as a rare act of selflessness. This ethos energizes not just me but our entire team, reminding us of the deeper purpose behind what we do.

What are the industry’s biggest challenges, and how can they be resolved? What is the industry doing well?

The hospitality industry often operates in a competitive “red ocean” environment, where businesses vie against each other. My philosophy is to compete only against yourself—set your own goals, exceed them, and in turn, surpass guest expectations.

It’s also crucial not to neglect the internal guests: your staff. A happy and motivated team is essential for achieving success. The industry is adapting well to the needs of contemporary travelers, especially after the pandemic, which heightened the need for escape. It’s becoming more agile, flexible, and responsive to changing preferences, an encouraging sign of progress.

What do you envision for the future of the hospitality industry?

I foresee significant simplification in travel bookings, with less friction in the leisure booking chain. The future likely includes one-stop-shop platforms—think “Apple Travel”—where users can seamlessly book flights, accommodations, transportation, and activities in a single transaction. This consolidation of services will cater to modern travelers who value convenience and ease of use. As the industry evolves, it will attract users with not only strong branding but also the simplicity and efficiency of its offerings.

Did you find the hospitality industry or did the hospitality industry find you?

We found each other! Post college, I was working as a floral designer with my own business but also freelancing for other designer friends. I was at the Four Seasons in Chicago on a wedding and was quite impressed with the catering manager and that was when the spark hit me to consider moving into the hotel business. The rest is history!

What do you think is the importance of the hospitality industry and how do you feel you fit in?

Hospitality is really the baseline for ANY business. Any business should be anchored by hospitality at the forefront. 

Are there any aspects that excite you the most about the hospitality industry and invigorate your team?

I’ve always enjoyed being with the guests as much as possible. Seeing what they are interested in and how we can make it better. I think that is probably why I was in catering and sales for such a long time.

Making the move to Marketing Director has been enjoyable, as I get a chance to connect with even more colleagues at the property and work to find ways to make it better for both our guests, but also for our amazing team members.

What do you feel are the most serious challenges facing the hospitality industry and how might they be resolved? What is the industry doing well?

The hospitality industry is always evolving but tends to be slower than other industries, which I think is actually sometimes a good thing. Technology can be amazing and beneficial to everyone but sometimes taking things slower is good.

I think hospitality has a tough job juggling this balance to please guests, but also to make sure it doesn’t become too “automated.” The FS app was a great invention as it solved first and foremost those that wanted service touches without having a human interaction in person or over the phone, and we can respond very fast. I believe we have the best in the business as service is the forefront and most important.

What do you envision will take place in the hospitality industry in the years ahead and how might the local industry adapt or change?

Not necessarily just the hospitality industry, but all industries will continue to look for ways to make it more efficient and cost less. Change is not bad and can be very beneficial, but we can’t forget what is most important—ensuring guests and clients have the best experience they can have while visiting our properties.

It is an experience that people dream of having. Hawai‘i has become more and more accessible, but it is still a big trip experience for so many. Our job in the islands is to make sure visitors come to enjoy, learn a bit, and leave with something that tells others to visit and come back again.

We have something very special in our culture here on the islands. It is the reason I moved here years ago after an amazing experience traveling to the islands. I hope we can make that just as special for every guest who comes to our home.

Did you find the hospitality industry, or did it find you?

The hospitality industry definitely found me. Growing up, I played tennis competitively. While attending college, I was a tennis teacher at several hotels to earn money to help pay my tuition. After a few summers, I fell in love with the business. 

What is the importance of the hospitality industry, and how do you fit in?

Our mission is straightforward: to bring happiness to people. While this is easy to articulate, it’s often challenging to achieve. It’s crucial that we stay focused on this fundamental purpose and avoid letting competing priorities divert our attention.

What excites you most about the hospitality industry?

The hospitality industry is constantly evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of our guests. This dynamic nature makes it an exciting field, as no two days are ever the same.

What are the industry’s biggest challenges, and how can they be resolved? What is the industry doing well?

As an industry, we are very wasteful and can be damaging to our local environment. The good news is more and more brands are taking responsibility for leaving the world better than they found it. It is becoming commonplace for hotels to produce their electricity, ban single-use plastics, and repurpose their food waste. Regenerative Tourism is the future.

What do you envision for the future of the hospitality industry?

The concept of luxury hospitality will increasingly hinge on individual perspectives. Each guest’s idea of a luxury experience will be distinctly personal. Decisions will be influenced by perceived value and tailored one-of-a-kind experiences. Technology will play a greater role in simplifying processes and predicting guests’ needs. Guests are likely to favor genuine, personalized interactions from team members over impersonal, scripted standards. Ultimately, luxury will be reimagined through flawlessly delivered, intentional unpredictability.