Navigating the corporate ladder as a woman in the hospitality industry can come with challenges, but if corporations do their part to include women among different levels of management in strategic conversations, it can make a difference.
In this second installment of a series focused on women in hospitality leadership roles, four women share with Hotel News Now what they feel the industry at large could do to change the perception of what the most "qualified person" looks like as well as what individual companies can do to show they value gender diversity.
Geraldine Guichardo, Global Head of Research for JLL's Hotels & Hospitality Group, and Head of Americas Hotels Research
Guichardo first fell in love with the hospitality industry during her undergraduate college years at the Nolan School of Hotel Administration, formerly known as the Hotel School, at Cornell University.
While she believed her real estate finance minor and hospitality degree from Cornell would help her immediately understand the ins and outs of the industry at her first career job as a junior consultant at EY, that wasn't entirely the case.
"I struggled because I believed I had to be perfect and ask for little help to prove that I belonged in the role. There were moments when I thought that the industry wasn't for me," she said.
It wasn't until after she completed her graduate degree when she found the confidence to pivot back to the industry and take on a role at JLL.
Guichardo credits Wendy Chan, who worked at JLL at the time; Head of US Capital Markets Research Lauro Ferroni; Global Hotels CEO Gilda Perez-Alvarado; and Head of Americas Research and Strategy Julia Georgules as "invaluable sponsors and mentors."
At JLL, Guichardo manages both men and women, with men making up the lion's share of her team. She feels a great sense of responsibility to be a champion for the women on her team and those that she mentors in the overall firm, she said.
"One of the ways I help create more opportunities for women is by excelling in my role and proving that women are capable of leading teams and adding value to the bottom line. Moreover, I sit on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee for the Americas Research platform. In this role, I work very closely with other leaders in research to craft DEI training programming, create DEI strategies and more importantly, execute on actionable items to advance our DEI goals."
In order to make change within the industry and help guide women on a path toward leadership, she believes current leaders, typically men, must expand their perception of who the most "qualified" person is to get the job done.
"This will allow them to be more open as to who they start molding and investing in while succession planning and who they eventually tap for the highest roles in the company," she added.
Additionally, she said organizing shadow boards or simply inviting women at the mid-manager level to listen in to leadership meetings can help expose them to valuable and strategic conversations. This in turn can help them navigate the corporate ladder and guide them on how to best position themselves for the next level.
Guichardo's advice for women in the industry is to not allow the challenges they face lessen their inner drive, motivation and aspirations.
"Continue being the best at your job, stay curious and be able to communicate your story and how your role adds value to the greater industry," she said. "The right opportunity at the right company will present itself and you’ll be more than prepared for it. At the same time, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. No leader in this industry got to where they are now on their own."
Kristen Myers, Vice President of Investments, Raines
As Myers was leaving a job with an engineering and construction firm, she came in contact with Grey Raines, president of Raines, who helped her enter the hospitality industry.
Third-party management company Raines was just gearing up for growth at the time, giving Myers the opportunity to jump in and work directly with all aspects of the company — development, accounting, investments, etc.
"My all-around exposure to the industry from day one was a crucial stepping stone in my career," she said.
Being a young woman new to the industry was a challenge, though. Most of Myers' career was spent on the development side, where in most cases she was the only female on site during construction.
Earning respect from general contractors, architects and vendors meant Myers often had to fight for her seat at the table. Luckily, the relationships she built at Raines pushed her forward and helped her stand her ground.
Myers said there is a significant number of women within Raines who hold leadership roles, and she feels the presence of women in the hospitality industry in general continues to grow year over year. However, she noted that most women in the industry are in similar silos.
"There doesn't seem to be a path or general knowledge to understand other areas of the business," she said. "I feel that the industry could improve on overall exposure/knowledge on all facets of the business to touch on construction, business development, investments, accounting."
To bring more awareness to that, she said it could be touched on more in general sessions at conferences as well as at the company level through training and onboarding.
As a woman, Myers said she feels it's crucial to not only coach but also share her past experiences with colleagues. Her advice to other women is to never miss an opportunity to learn in this ever-changing environment.
"I've learned so much from simply networking and chatting with others in different aspects of the industry. Knowledge is key and will in turn help the decision making and confidence along the way. Most importantly, persevere. I cannot think of a better word or emphasize it enough. It takes courage and confidence to push through the stigmas to gain respect," she said.
Ann Christenson, EVP - Chief Human Resources Officer, Aimbridge Hospitality
Transitioning from a job in health care to hospitality, Christenson said she realized that providing a positive guest experience in the industry was her true calling. She also embodied the characteristics of servant leader early on in life, which helped her land leaderships roles at a young age.
Looking back, she said, "When you're young and you've got all that energy, you think you've learned everything in school, but the reality is there's so much that life teaches you."
Challenges that Christenson faced early on included gaining credibility and respect from those who were her seniors. To earn that, she showed them she is a valuable, collaborative partner instead someone who just demands their respect.
Christenson said Aimbridge had a women's leadership program already in place before she joined the company, and programs such as the American Hotel and Lodging Association's ForWard are crucial to paving the way for women. The recent announcement of AHLA and Castell Project merging was a win, she said.
"That's how we're going to change some of those things by having the right advocates," she said.
Aimbridge works with the brands, AHLA and Castell to make changes within the organization as well as across the entire industry.
"We all do better when you're surrounded by people who challenge you, who think differently," she said. "Obviously, I am a huge advocate for women, in particular, because we've been impacted with women leaving the workforce. If I don't say anything and if I don't press the issues, nobody will. I feel that's somewhat my calling."
Christenson's main takeaway for women is they shouldn't be afraid of using their voice to share their thoughts, even if it may be controversial.
"People want to see everyone participate. Everyone has something to contribute, and don't ever feel like what you have to contribute isn't meaningful and worthy of being shared," she said.
Jing Butler, Associate Director of Sales, Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon, Vail Valley
After studying tourism in Switzerland, Butler landed an internship on a J-1 student visa at a hotel in Vail, Colorado, where she was trained on operations, banquets, and food and beverage. After a few years there, that property asked her if she'd like to stay.
"Ever since then, I moved on to a couple different positions," she said, including event coordinator and outside sales.
Butler eventually took a role with the Westin brand, where she was able to jump up in the ranks little by little, about every two to three years.
"Westin really valued me, they always made sure [they gave] me opportunities to grow," she said.
However, juggling the responsibilities of being a parent and having a career have been a challenge for Butler. When she reached a certain position in her career, she felt she had big goals to accomplish, which has been especially demanding recently as some teams still aren't fully staffed.
"I've seen a lot of women leaving their job because they have to pick between family and work. This is way too often; there's got to be a big change," she said. "I think that giving women more recognition and understanding the challenge they are facing now is huge, especially with schools, a shortage of teachers puts even more pressure [on parents]."
Luckily, more positions are going remote allowing for moms to work from home. Butler said she knows of several women in sales who have told her that's how they're making it through these pressures. Butler's boss, for example, is allowing her team to be flexible with work schedules.
While not all women are fortunate enough to be in a position to work remote, Butler feels there needs to be increased awareness around helping parents achieve a better work-life balance.
Butler's current sales team at the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, made up entirely of women, has created a culture of speaking up when issues or challenges arise.
"I always tell my team: If I don't know the problem, I can't fix it," she said.
As a leader, she's also mindful of mentoring women who might be more reserved or haven't found their voice yet, such as providing them the knowledge and tools to be confident in decision making.
Ultimately, Butler said her advice to women is "to be you and do the right thing; focus on your own path."