Speakers

Adam Abraibesh is a human resources leader with over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry with Hyatt Hotels. He currently serves as Senior Manager, HR Field Operations, supporting the U.S. Classics East and Owned & Leased portfolios, where he partners with field operations and HR leaders to strengthen performance, foster accountability, and support cultures where teams feel empowered and connected.

Adam’s experience includes hotel openings, transitions, and long-term property leadership, with a focus on employee relations, talent development, and practical, data-informed HR strategies. He is known for his collaborative, people-focused approach and for helping teams simplify processes, align around shared goals, and deliver strong results for both colleagues and guests.

Paul Ades is senior vice president for labor relations and Americas operations for Hilton. He leads Hilton’s global labor relations function, negotiates collective bargaining agreements, provides strategic counsel on labor matters, and oversees Hilton’s legal operations group.

Prior to joining Hilton, Ades served as general counsel for labor and employment at MGM Resorts International, and as associate general counsel for Caesars Entertainment. He also practiced law at Steptoe & Johnson in Washington, D.C.

Ades is a graduate of Williams College and the law school at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was editor of the law review.

Rachel Aleks is an Associate Professor of Management and Labor Studies at the Odette School of Business, University of Windsor. Rachel received her Ph.D. in Industrial Relations and Human Resources from the University of Toronto. Her research interests include innovative union organizing strategies, gender dynamics within unions, and sexual harassment. Rachel teaches courses on labor relations, workplace conflict, and employment law. Prior to attending graduate school, Rachel worked as an organizer for the Service Employees International Union and recently served as Vice President – Grievance for her faculty association.

Carlos Aramayo is the President of UNITE HERE Local 26, the Union for hospitality workers in the greater Boston area and Rhode Island. He is also a Vice President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, an International Vice President of UNITE HERE and a trustee of UNITE HERE Health and the Greater Boston Hospitality Employers Trust. In addition to his work in the Union, he is a member of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Board of Directors and a member of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy’s Advisory Council on Latino Empowerment. During his eighteen years with UNITE HERE, he has organized casino gaming, hotel, and industrial food service workers in Connecticut, Nevada, Florida, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. As Organizing Director of UNITE HERE Local 26 from 2011-2016, he led successful campaigns to double the size of the Local. He first became involved with the labor movement as a rank-and-file organizer with the Graduate Employees and Students Organization (now Local 33) at Yale University, where he earned a Ph.D. in Latin American history.

Jon Baselice serves as Executive Vice President and Head of Government Relations at Vanteo, a Greenville, SC-based consulting firm, and is an Immigration Law and Policy Fellow at Cornell Law School. He is the former Vice President of Immigration Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC.

With a robust background in legislative and regulatory affairs, he has played a crucial role in shaping immigration policy, actively engaging with Congress and executive agencies to advocate for reforms to U.S. immigration laws. Before joining the Chamber, Jon worked as a Legislative Assistant/Counsel for then-U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, where he was instrumental in drafting key legislation and representing the Senator’s positions on many critical issues. In this role, he served as a key advisor in then Senator Rubio’s engagement in the gang of 8 and he helped usher S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, through the U.S. Senate in the 113th Congress.

Jon earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law and holds dual bachelor’s degrees in economics and political science from Syracuse University. He is admitted to practice law in Florida and New York.

As Partner & Chief People Officer, Robert oversees Human Resources/Human Capital, for RDG. His career spans over 28 years of strategic Human Resources Management in the Hospitality and Professional Services industries. Prior to RDG, Robert joined from BPM LLP, a global Tax, Assurance and Advisory firm where he served as their Chief People, Diversity & Inclusion Officer. Prior to joining BPM, Robert was the Chief Human Resources Officer for TAO Group Hospitality. Robert also operated in the capacity as Vice President, Human Resources with Madison Square Garden and FIG & OLIVE Restaurant Group in New York City. Additionally, he has held management positions with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and Continental Airlines. Robert was also an instructor in the graduate program at New York University for both HR and Hospitality programs.

Robert maintains a master’s in human resources management & development from Villanova University, a bachelor’s in hospitality administration from Johnson & Wales University and a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Certification from Cornell University. He also maintains his SPHR, PHR and SHRM-CP HR certifications.

Richard J. Block is a partner in the Fort Lauderdale office of Lewis Brisbois and is Chair of the Immigration Practice. Richard has focused his practice on business immigration law for the past twenty years. He advises foreign nationals seeking to work in the United States, in addition to foreign investors, and domestic and international companies who wish to hire the most highly skilled individuals from around the world. Specialties include obtaining E-1 and E-2 visas, H-1B visas, L-1A and L-1B visas, O visas, TN visas, consular processing, and employment-based immigrant visas in all different categories and naturalization. He also counsels clients on compliance with ever-changing employment laws regarding foreign workers, including I-9 training and audits. Richard, who is fluent in spoken Japanese, also served as General Counsel for a large multi-national corporation based in Tokyo, Japan with worldwide operations and has handled all immigration matters involving the transfer of Japanese nationals from the parent company to the U.S.

Brenda Bradbury is a senior human resources and labor relations executive with extensive experience leading enterprise-wide workforce transformation initiatives across large, unionized hospitality and gaming organizations. She currently serves as Vice President of HR Transformation and Workforce Relations at Seminole Hard Rock, where she is responsible for‑ modernizing HR service delivery, reimagining organizational structure and aligning labor strategy with business and regulatory requirements.

Throughout her career, Ms. Bradbury has held HR and labor relations leadership roles with MGM Resorts International, Sonder, Sodexo North America, and Rio Las Vegas. Her background includes extensive collective bargaining experience, policy and governance development, and advising executive and operational leaders through periods of significant organizational change.

Ms. Bradbury holds a B.S. in Hotel Administration with a concentration in Human Resources from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a B.A. in English Literature from Bryn Mawr College.

An accomplished & passionate Human Resources and hospitality leader, Debbie enjoyed a multi-dimensional career with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. As the Vice-President of HR – Americas, she was the people and culture leader for fifty hotels and over 10,000 employees in the US, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Widely recognized as an employer of choice, Four Seasons was on the FORTUNE “Best 100 Companies to Work For” in each of the years in which Debbie held her position.

Combining her HR and hospitality experience, she currently provides consulting services to small and mid-size private and family-owned businesses in which hospitable services is a key business deliverable and a company value.

Debbie is a past member of the American Hotel and Lodging Association HR Committee; Cornell Institute for Hospitality Labor & Employment Relations; University of Denver School of Hospitality Executive Advisory Board as well as Washington State HR Executive Roundtable. In 2019, she was awarded a Lifetime HR Achievement Award by Cornell University.

Originally from Minnesota, Debbie graduated from the University of Denver and began her hospitality career with Hyatt Hotels. She is based in Seattle, Washington.

Daniela Burga serves as the Vice President of Human Resources at Lark Hospitality, where she leads the HR function for their growing boutique portfolio. With a career spanning nearly two decades, Daniela’s journey began at the front desk in 2009. She transitioned through Sales and Operations before finding her calling in Human Resources.

A double alumna of the University of Connecticut, Daniela holds a B.A. in Psychology and a Master’s in HR Business Management. Her expertise lies in high-level strategy, system management, and navigating the complexities of acquisitions & integrations. A passionate advocate for hospitality careers, she is dedicated to developing talent and sharing the “voice” of the industry. Daniela is a firm believer that the hospitality industry is a premier career destination, where passion and grit can take any hotelier from entry-level to reach their highest potential. She currently resides in Florida with her husband and two sons.

Heather Cradock brings calm, clarity, and a touch
of humour to the chaos of hospitality. With a
background in high-pressure operations across
land and sea, she’s trained leaders in shipyards,
transformed boardrooms into learning spaces,
and helped global brands roll out service
standards that actually stick.

When Heather speaks, she shares real-world
insights from years of leading teams, managing
launches, and navigating the “oh no” moments
that come with the job. Her delivery is practical,
relatable, and packed with ideas people can
actually use on Monday morning – plus a few
laughs along the way.

Michael D’Angelo is a nationally recognized labor strategist and labor and employment attorney with more than two decades of experience shaping workforce strategy across the hospitality industry. He is Senior Counsel at Stokes Wagner, where he advises hotel and hospitality employers on collective bargaining, labor relations strategy, workforce planning, and navigating the rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. His practice blends executive level operational insight with deep management side legal expertise, helping clients anticipate challenges, mitigate risk, and strengthen labor management relationships.

Before joining Stokes Wagner, Michael served for over eleven years as Vice President & Head of Labor Relations – Americas at Hyatt Hotels Corporation. In that role, he led Hyatt’s labor relations function across the U.S., Canada, Latin America, and South America, overseeing all collective bargaining relationships and agreements, including grievance administration, arbitrations, and related litigation. He acted as chief spokesperson in major labor negotiations, directed negotiation strategy and execution, and served as a media liaison for labor related communications. Michael also contributed to Hyatt’s government relations and legislative oversight efforts, advising senior leadership on policy developments affecting the hospitality workforce.
Throughout his career, Michael has counseled executives on labor and employee relations issues related to acquisitions, divestitures, and new development projects, while supporting HR and operations teams in implementing strategies that align labor relations with business objectives.

He has held leadership roles with the American Hotel & Lodging Association (Labor Relations Committee Co Chair) and the Hotel Association of New York City (Executive Committee and Board of Directors), and serves on the Management Advisory Board for the Cornell Center for Innovative Hospitality Labor and Employment Relations (CIHLER).
Michael has also served as co counsel and Trustee for numerous Taft Hartley Employee Benefit Funds across major U.S. markets, including Health & Welfare, Pension, Training, Scholarship, 401(k), and Labor Management Cooperative funds.

He is admitted to practice in New York State, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and multiple federal district courts. He holds a J.D. from New York Law School and a B.S. from St. John’s University, and completed the IFEBP Trustee Masters Program. He is also a certified Labor Relations Professional through the CHRO Association.
Specialties: Labor & Management Relations; Collective Bargaining; Employment Law; Employee Benefits Law; Arbitration; Litigation; Mediation & Dispute Resolution; Government Relations; Legislative Oversight.

Natalie Egan (she/her) is an award-winning, three-time venture capital-backed start-up founder with more than 20 years of experience building teams, driving innovation, and leading digital transformation. Today, she is the CEO and Founder of Znario, a scenario-based live group learning platform redefining how managers train and develop their teams. Previously, she founded Translator Inc. (inclusion tech) and PeopleLinx (sales automation), both backed by leading venture firms including Greycroft, Osage, ffVC, and Gaingels. She has also held leadership roles at LinkedIn, Autonomy, and Ecolab. Outside of work, Natalie is a competitive roller derby player, indoor short-track speed skater, marathon runner, proud parent, and an outspoken advocate for transgender rights. She earned her BS from Cornell University and her MBA from Villanova University. Natalie lives with her three children in Wilmington, Delaware.

Zev J. Eigen is an internationally recognized expert in the HR Tech and Legal Tech fields, a technology entrepreneur, and the Founder and Chief Data Science Officer of Syndio, world leader in equity tech, empowering modern organizations to make consistent, equitable, transparent and compliant compensation and other personnel related decisions based on trusted methods and data science that improve productivity, retention and bottom-line
profitability. Syndio’s first of its kind and best in class pay equity SaaS has been deployed globally and has helped tens of thousands of people get paid fairly and equitably.

Dr. Eigen has been at the forefront of cutting-edge HR and legal tech for over a decade. The
Financial Times honored him as one of the ten most innovative legal practitioners in North
America, and he was one of the National Law Journal’s 40 Under 40 Rising Stars. He combines his uniquely overlapping areas of expertise in data science, predictive modeling, statistics, labor economics and the law to invent and develop solutions to the toughest problems. He is the author of more than a dozen scholarly articles and book chapters, and has appeared in the media frequently (WSJ, NYT, Forbes, NPR, Bloomberg News, etc.).

His former roles include: full time professor of law and business (Yale, Northwestern, NYU),
Global Head of Analytics (Littler Mendelson), Senior Counsel, Labor Relations (Twentieth
Century Fox). He holds a PhD from MIT, a JD from Cornell Law School, and a BS from Cornell

Chris Elko is the Head of Labor Relations for InterContinental Hotels Group (“IHG”). Chris has specialized in hospitality labor relations for over 15 years, first as outside counsel for Starwood Hotels and later as a Director of Labor Relations for Starwood and then Marriott. Chris takes pride in pairing deep operational knowledge with a commonsense approach to labor relations. While his primary focus is the efficacy and profitability of unionized hotels, Chris is also responsible for maintaining positive employee relations across all IHG’s non-union properties.

Prior to joining Starwood, Chris practiced law at Ogletree Deakins representing management clines in a wide variety of labor and employment matters. Chris currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Hotel Association of New York City and as a trustee on The New York Hotel Trades Council Employee Benefit Funds. Chris graduated from Rutgers University and Seton Hall Law School.

Marissa Fetter Hochster is the founder and CEO of Hylite, a platform that enables real-time, positive-only feedback for frontline teams in hospitality. The idea for Hylite was inspired by Darryl, the barista at Marissa’s neighborhood Starbucks, who had her order ready every morning before she walked in. After realizing there was no good way to publicly recognize him, she created one. Hylite makes it easy for guests to recognize individual employees, with each message shared directly with the employee and their manager. By capturing authentic, in-the-moment praise, Hylite helps companies boost retention, elevate the guest experience, and increase positive online reviews.

Before founding Hylite, Marissa spent over a decade focused on employee development and people strategy. She led new hire and business development programs at Goldman Sachs, and previously held roles at Ripple Labs and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where she advised senior leadership on talent and performance. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA with honors from the University of Texas at Austin.

Kat Fonda is the Senior Director of Federal Affairs at the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), where she advocates for the hotel industry on federal legislative and regulatory issues. In her role, Kat engages with Congress, the White House, and federal agencies on a wide range of priorities – from labor and employment policy to immigration, travel, and tourism – helping to shape a policy environment that supports a dynamic and evolving hospitality sector.

With over a decade of experience in political strategy, issue advocacy, and coalition building at both the federal and state levels, she brings extensive expertise and strategic insight to AHLA. Before joining the organization, she was a senior strategist at one of Washington, D.C.’s largest political consulting firms, advising dozens of Members of Congress, including Committee Chairs and U.S. Senators. She previously served in a government affairs role at Aflac, and in Georgia Governor Nathan Deal’s administration, focusing on economic development and transportation policy.

A native of St. Simons Island, Georgia, Kat holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Georgia College & State University and a Master’s in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, Clark.

For Luke, the road to founding Harri has been a long one, paved by a spirit of entrepreneurship and willingness to dive head first into new ventures. With over 25 restaurants between Australia and NYC, Luke’s first foray into the food industry was at the age of 22, when he opened the first Burger King franchise in Australia. From there, his success in the category grew. In 2002, he secured the Australian franchise rights for the wagamama Noodle Bar and, under his leadership, it was listed as one of Australia’s Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies for 3 consecutive years. With his primary base of operations now in New York since 2007, he dived head-first into developing restaurants in the world’s most competitive market and saw a great opportunity for technological disruption along the way. Now, with this extensive experience guiding him, he has developed Harri to solve the hospitality industry’s greatest challenges: finding, hiring and managing great talent.

Harri is an entirely new kind of software platform for HR and operations: Workforce OS. Broad in scope, narrow in vertical focus and deep in rich, industry-specific functionality as a result. Harri consolidates up to 30 fragmented point solutions into single, elegant, mobile first enterprise platform and massively streamlines the chore of daily operational challenges faced by employees, line managers and executives alike.

Gregg Gilman, co-chair of the Labor + Employment Practice Group, advises businesses on all facets of labor and employment law. Representing businesses in the marketing and communications, hospitality, financial services, real estate and construction industries, among others, he solves immediate issues and establishes preventive measures to help minimize his clients’ future liability.

Gregg’s well-drafted employment and executive compensation agreements help businesses retain and incentivize key talent while protecting his clients’ confidential information and other business interests. He crafts policies and protocols to help clients avoid risk, particularly concerning wage and hour issues, reductions in force, and joint employer issues. He is also known for his cutting-edge, effective antiharassment and workplace sensitivity training, as well as for developing and implementing diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Regarded as a leading advisor in employment crises, Gregg is exceptionally skilled in helping clients preserve their brands and reputations. He guides businesses through high-level sensitive investigations, terminations, allegations of harassment, and raiding and employee lift out matters. When labor and employment disputes have turned contentious, Gregg has achieved impressive results in federal and state courts and through arbitration and mediation. Highly regarded for his deep knowledge, Gregg has also been retained as an expert witness in labor and employment arbitrations.

Clients praise Gregg’s creative, practical and strategic approach, negotiating skills, and ability to resolve complicated issues. With more than 30 years of experience across industries and employment situations, it would be difficult to find an employment or labor-related challenge he has not successfully handled.

Benjamin Gilman is an associate in the firm’s Labor and Employment practice. Benjamin focuses his practice in all areas of labor and employment law. Benjamin handles wage and hour disputes, including class actions, union, worker classification, joint employer, and other employment litigation issues. He also counsels clients on reductions in force including requirements under WARN, ADEA and similar state and local laws, restrictive covenant agreements, executive employment agreements and separation and release agreements.

Michael Gray, Global Co-Client Affairs Partner for Jones Day, named by Forbes in its 2024 inaugural list of “America’s Top 200 Lawyers,” is recognized as one of the country’s leading corporate advisors and employment litigators. An accomplished trial lawyer, he is known for his achievements in managing and resolving mass litigation, class action and multiplaintiff employment discrimination and wage-hour lawsuits, high-level investigations, governance and DEI matters, biometric and tort litigation, TVPRA (trafficking victims) cases, and trade secret and restrictive covenant disputes. Michael brings a creative, business-minded approach to problem solving, assisting the largest private equity and corporate firms with complex global issues.

A member of The Legal 500 Hall of Fame and highly ranked by Chambers for the last 17 years, clients praise him by stating “he’s the guy I want in front of the judge” and “his approach is unique and he gets exceptional results.

Michael was named an Employment Trailblazer by The National Law Journal, a “Leading Corporate Employment Lawyer” by Lawdragon, and a 2023 Notable Leader by Crain’s Chicago Business. He is a frequent speaker and a member of the Advisory Board of The Cornell Institute for Hospitality Labor and Employment Relations and NYU Law’s Center for Labor and Employment Law.

Michael is a leader in combatting hate and antisemitism and promoting health equity. He is a member of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center Executive Committee, a co-founder of the American Heart Association Counsel for a Cause campaign, and received the 2024 IHMEC Humanitarian of the Year Award and the American Heart Association’s 2024 Hasbrouck Heart Award for exceptional community leadership and a passion for improving the lives around him.

A partner at Hirschfeld Kraemer, Keith brings an informed strategic perspective on crisis management, client needs, business priorities and budgetary realities. His practice is focused on the full panoply of employment and labor law, including collective bargaining, employment litigation, internal investigations, training, crisis management and workplace violence prevention.  Keith’s decades-long experience in hospitality has culminated in his extensive representation of large Hotel Industry clients, most recently serving as lead spokesperson for a coordinated group of more than 40 hotels bargaining with UNITE HERE Local 11 in Los Angeles and Orange County.

Business growth is part of Keith’s legal DNA, a skill he nurtured over 17 years as Senior Vice President & Deputy General Counsel of Starwood Hotels & Resorts. In that role, he confronted a full range of global legal issues, from counterterrorism, natural disasters, diseases, and human trafficking to global litigation, crisis management and response, labor relations, international and domestic investigations, workplace violence prevention, and government affairs. Keith was instrumental in developing Starwood’s global crisis management program after 9/11 and he oversaw the Company’s worldwide safety and security team.  He also helped lead a team and developed the legal strategy that enabled Starwood to obtain the first Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) license to develop and open the first U.S.-branded hotel in an embargoed Cuba. Keith was a founding member of Starwood’s Corporate Diversity Council and Human Rights Council, and he developed and chaired the Company’s Workplace Violence Prevention Team.

Keith is the former Chair of the Board of REACH Prep, a Stamford, Connecticut-based organization dedicated to facilitating top independent school opportunities, and admission to and graduation from highly competitive colleges for gifted and economically challenged Latino and Black students. He holds a B.A., magna cum laude, from Tufts University, and earned his J.D. from New York University School of Law.

A family-oriented person, Keith enjoys traveling and spending quality time with his wife and two grown children. Having traveled to Cuba more than a dozen times, he remains enamored with the beauty, art, music, food, and architecture of the country as well as the incredible warmth and spirit of the Cuban people. Keith also is passionate about wine, good food, and sports (especially New York Giants football). A history buff, Keith enjoys reading non-fiction and is drawn particularly to the history of the American Civil War and has toured most of the major battlefields of that conflict.

Marilou is the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Industry Relations at the American Hotel and Lodging Association. Working with industry partners around the country to advance the hospitality industry. Prior to this profession, she was the President and CEO of the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association (NJRHA) headquartered in Trenton, NJ. Prior to the NJRHA, Marilou worked at the Director of Marketing Director at Jenkinson’s Boardwalk, one for one of New Jersey’s largest seaside resorts: Jenkinson’s Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach & Casino Pier in Seaside Heights.

Throughout her career, she sat on many influential State Boards and Committees, including the New Jersey Tourism Association, Jersey Shore Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and was the former Chair of the Governor’s Tourism Conference and Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission. Tourism and hospitality remains a career passion!

Ilse’s career with Four Seasons began in Housekeeping at the Boston hotel shortly after she graduated from the hotel school at UMass Amherst. Her early years included a pivotal role on the opening team in Maui, followed by additional experience back in Boston. After gaining external industry experience, she returned to Four Seasons as Director of Rooms in Atlanta—a position she would go on to hold in both New York and Maui.

Her leadership trajectory continued as she relocated to Hualalai to serve as Resort Manager, and in 2011 she was promoted to General Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Seattle. In 2016, Ilse moved to Anguilla to lead the complex and highly successful conversion of the Viceroy Resort into a Four Seasons, later earning promotion to Regional Vice President and General Manager. She subsequently held the same role in Baltimore before moving to Las Vegas, where she oversaw both the property and a portfolio of resorts through 2022.

Ilse was appointed Senior Vice President in 2022 and now oversees all of the Four Seasons hotels and resorts in the Americas West region. She and her husband Matt reside in Miami. Their son Sam is enjoying his junior year at Connecticut College.

Barry Hartstein serves as Co-Chair of Littler’s EEO and Inclusion Practice and has earned a national reputation for his work; a career that includes more than 40 years of counseling and representing employers in a broad range of employment law matters, particularly focusing on EEO compliance and related employment litigation.

Barry is recognized as one of the country’s thought leaders in dealing with the EEOC. He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for over 20 years. Chambers and Partners has included Barry as one of the leading labor and employment attorneys in the USA edition for 24 years, and the 2024 edition commented that “Barry Hartstein is noted for his vast experience in dealing with EEOC matters.” Barry has served as Co-Chair of Littler’s EEO & Inclusion Practice for the past 15 years. He developed and serves as Executive Editor of Littler’s Annual Report on EEOC Developments, which monitors all EEOC court filings, court opinions, EEOC settlements and significant administrative matters involving EEOC policies and procedures. Littler has published this Annual Report since 2011.

Barry has served in numerous leadership roles over the years in the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee of the ABA’s Section of Labor and Employment Law, including previously serving as co-chair of the EEO Committee.

Barry also has served in numerous leadership roles for Cornell University and Cornell’s ILR School. Aside from previously serving on the Dean’s Advisory Council and President of the ILR School’s Alumni Association, he serves as an Advisory Board Member of the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution. He also serves on the Management Advisory Board for the Nolan School’s Center for Innovative Hospitality Labor & Employment Relations at Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business. In March 2011, Barry received the Judge William B. Groat Alumni Award by the ILR School based on his contributions to the labor and employment field and service to the ILR School.

Barry received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Cornell University and his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law.

Richard W. Hurd is Professor of Labor Studies Emeritus at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR). As a specialist on trade union strategy, he has been quoted widely in the national and international print and broadcast media on various labor issues. Hurd is co-editor of four scholarly books: International Handbook on Labour Unions, Rekindling the Movement, Organizing to Win, and Restoring the Promise of American Labor Law. His academic journal publications include, “Moving Beyond the Critical Synthesis: Does the Law Preclude a Future for U.S. Unions?,” “First Contract Arbitration and the Employee Free Choice Act: Multi-jurisdictional Evidence from Canada,” “Beyond Labor’s Brawl – Strategic Conundrums Await,” and “Neutrality Agreements: Innovative, Controversial and Labor’s Hope for the Future.” Hurd earned his Ph.D. in economics from Vanderbilt University, and is a former Brookings Institution economic policy fellow.

Harry C. Katz is the Jack Sheinkman Professor and Director of the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution at the ILR School, Cornell University.  He is President of the International Labor and Employment Relations Association (ILERA) and a past president of the U.S. Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA). Katz served as the Dean of the ILR School 2005-14 and Interim Provost, Cornell University (2014-15).   He received his PhD in economics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1977.  His major publications include Labor Relations in a Globalizing World (with Thomas Kochan and Alexander Colvin), ILR Press and Converging Divergences (with Owen Darbishire), ILR Press. Since 2006, Katz has been a member of the UAW Public Review Board.

Roger King is a highly regarded labor relations attorney, whose career spans more than 40 years, including serving as a partner with the Jones Day law firm. He now serves as Senior Labor and Employment counsel for CHRO Association.

After graduating from Cornell University Law School, he was a Captain and Legal Services Officer in the United States Air Force, on the Staff of United States Senator Robert Taft, Jr. and, subsequently, was appointed as Professional Staff Counsel to the United States Senate Labor Committee.

Roger has testified before various Congressional Committees, is a fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, and is a past president of the Ohio State Bar Association Labor and Employment Section.

He is a nationally recognized author/speaker on employment matters and has represented employers regarding labor and employment issues both before administrative agencies and in federal and state courts. He has represented the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the HR Policy Association (HRPA), the National Manufactures Association (NAM), the American Hospital Association (AHA), the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW), and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) in federal courts regarding numerous labor law issues.

Roger specializes in labor and employment matters, collective bargaining, contract administration and representation campaigns. Roger represented the winning side as co[1]counsel in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case known as Noel Canning, which successfully challenged President Obama’s authority to make recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board.

Clio Knowles is the Chief People Person for SH Hotels & Resorts, which currently operates three hotel brands: 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels & Resorts and Treehouse Hotels.  Clio was brought in to support the global expansion of the organization, given her extensive international experience and her proven track record of building strong cultures and employee focused brands.  Prior to joining SH Hotels & Resorts, Clio was the Chief People Person at Virgin Hotels, where she oversaw the initial development of the  brand and the culture, a role she held for over 9 years, helping open the first Virgin Hotel in Chicago in 2015, and 5 other properties across the US.  Previously, Clio also held the role of VP, Global Human Resources at Kerzner International, which at the time owned and operated the Atlantis, Paradise Island in The Bahamas; Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai; Mazagan Resort in Morocco and seven luxury resorts globally, under the One&Only brand.  Clio is passionate about people and creating an environment where teammates work hard but also have fun.

Dana is the Firm Managing Partner of Michelman & Robinson, LLP, a national law firm headquartered in Los Angeles with additional offices in Irvine, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Chicago and New York. A hospitality industry authority who lends his legal and business expertise to a hotel and resort clientele, Dana is an active participant in the space. He sits on the Advisory Board for the Cornell Institute for Hospitality Labor and Employment Relations as well as the Planning Committee for the Americas Lodging Investment Summit Law Conference. In both roles, Dana collaborates to identify hot topics facing hoteliers and develop programming to educate them. In addition, Dana frequently speaks at national and regional hospitality industry conferences and events), and he regularly contributes articles to prominent hospitality trade magazines and newsletters.

Tashlin Lakhani is an Assistant Professor of Management and Organizations at the Nolan School of Hotel Administration in the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University. She received her PhD from the ILR School at Cornell University. She also holds a Master of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University, a Master of Industrial Relations from Queen’s University, and an Honors Bachelor of Business Administration with High Distinction from Wilfrid Laurier University. Prior to joining the faculty at Cornell University, Professor Lakhani was an Assistant Professor of Management and Human Resources in the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University.

Professor Lakhani’s research investigates the determinants of employment practices and job quality, with a particular emphasis on how firm ownership structures influence human resource investments and organizational outcomes. Her current work focuses on franchise businesses and the ways in which human resource practices and performance differ across franchisee-owned, company-owned, and independently owned operations in the hotel and restaurant industries. She has also examined human resource management in global networks and the outcomes of different labor union strategies. Her work has appeared in journals such as Organization Science, Industrial & Labor Relations Review, and the British Journal of Industrial Relations, as well as in book chapters and industry reports. She has also presented her research at leading academic and industry conferences.

Professor Lakhani has received several awards for her research, including the Seidman Prize at Cornell University, the Ralph Alexander Best Dissertation Award from the Academy of Management Human Resources Division, the Thomas A. Kochan and Stephen R. Sleigh Best Dissertation Award from the Labor and Employment Relations Association, and the Industry Studies Association Best Dissertation Award.

Professor Lakhani has also received individual and team grants for her research from various organizations including the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, the Society for Human Resource Management, the Labor and Employment Relations Association, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Russell Sage Foundation.

Holly Lawson is the Senior Vice President of Human Resources of Noble House Hotels & Resorts.  She has eighteen years of hospitality experience including hotel operations, acquisitions and transitions, learning and organizational development, and human resources.  Her career began in hotel operations and led to human resources where she oversaw the Washington D.C. region for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, eventually moving to Los Angeles and supporting the brand’s Southern California portfolio.  From there, she transitioned to be supporting human resources for their corporate environment as well as nightlife, restaurant and hotel operations in California and Florida.  Under Davidson Hospitality, Holly served for five years as corporate director of people & culture and assisted with the growth of Pivot Hotels & Resorts, their lifestyle & luxury operating division.  She is a graduate of Michigan State University in human resources with an emphasis in psychology.

Noel Lecaros is the Regional Director of Labor Relations for the West Coast at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, where she partners with operational and HR leaders to navigate complex labor environments and drive proactive, values-based employee relations strategies. Since joining Hyatt in 2022, she has supported a diverse portfolio of properties with a focus on maintaining positive workplace cultures.

With more than 20 years of experience in labor relations, Noel has spent the majority of her career in the healthcare sector, serving in key roles including Labor Counsel for two national healthcare organizations. She also previously held a Labor Relations Manager role with The Walt Disney Company, where she supported unionized operations in a dynamic hospitality and entertainment setting.

Noel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Missouri–Kansas City, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California, and a Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in the State of California.

Michael Maffie is Assistant Professor of labor and employment relations. His research looks at the relationship between technical and organizational change, with a focus on how digital infrastructure is changing the nature of work and employment. Primarily, he studies platform workers, such as Uber drivers, but also conducts research on conflict management, arbitration, and worker voice.

Merina Majette is an experienced enterprise sales leader with 13+ years of success partnering with Fortune 500 organizations to navigate complex buying cycles and drive meaningful business outcomes. Specializing in HR technology, she’s known for helping HR leaders modernize hiring processes with scalable, people-first solutions. Throughout her career, she’s aligned cross-functional stakeholders and translated complex technology into clear value. Outside of work, Merina lives in the Bay Area and loves spending time outdoors with her husband and two energetic boys.

Rich is the President of the Hotel Trades Council, AFL-CIO, the union representing 40,000 workers in the hotel and gaming industries in New York and New Jersey.

During his 18 years with the Hotel Trades Council, Rich has distinguished himself as a fierce negotiator and advocate for workers.  He has negotiated hundreds of collective bargaining agreements with major hotel and casino chains, including as lead counsel in bargaining the union’s master NYC contract, valued at over 2.5 billion dollars per year. He oversees the union’s explosive growth in NJ and upstate NY, where the Hotel Trades Council doubled the number of union hotels and won the first ever state wide master contract in the hotel industry.  Rich was intimately involved in the union’s expansion into the gaming industry, including the drafting of the 2013 legislation that created new casino licenses in New York State, the organizing of virtually all of the operators in the state, and the negotiation of collective bargaining contracts with each of them. Rich is also a key executive overseeing the union’s political program, which has been successful in numerous statutory reforms on the state and municipal levels.

Before coming to the Hotel Trades Council in 2002, Rich practiced labor and employment law in New Jersey and New York. He fought cases in front of state and federal courts and before the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, and the Division of Human Rights.

Rich graduated Phi Betta Kappa from Rutgers College, earned a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and later received a Masters in Labor and Employment Law, with distinction, from Georgetown University. He was a long-time adjunct professor of Labor and Employment Law at CUNY.

Rich is the son of Polish and Brazilian immigrants and grew up in New Jersey.  He currently resides in Montclair with his wife Chanon and is the proud father of three daughters, Maria, Zoe, and Isabel.

As Senior Vice President, Human Resources – Americas, Nikki Massey oversees the people and talent functions for Hyatt’s Americas region.

Now a 25-year member of the Hyatt family, Nikki began her career at Hyatt Regency Cambridge in Massachusetts, where her first job was serving as a towel attendant in the hotel’s health club. She held several operational roles within the hotel before pursuing her passion for Human Resources. Nikki worked in hotel HR functions across North America for several years before joining Hyatt’s Chicago headquarters in 2012.

Nikki has played a critical role in developing Hyatt’s design thinking approach and rolling out the company’s purpose, to care for people to be their best. Prior to her current role, Nikki was responsible for global learning, culture, engagement and change management. Today, she spearheads efforts to continuously evolve Hyatt’s culture as the hotel and travel industries navigate recovery in a dynamic environment.

Nikki holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts and a professional Human Resources certification. She is co-chair of the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Human Resources Committee. Nikki and her husband reside in Chicago with her stepchildren and their rescue dog, Moxie.

Katie McDermott serves as the Vice President of Human Resources for Aramark Correctional Services, the industry leader in food and commissary service focused on breaking the cycle of recidivism. Aramark operates in 19 countries with 257,000 team members worldwide.

Throughout her career and in her current role, Katie advises key business leaders to drive employee engagement, career and personal development, staffing strategies and enables a growth culture through Aramark’s greatest asset, its people.

A Philadelphia native, Katie received her BA in Psychology from St. Joseph’s University and resides in the suburbs with her husband and two children.

Darragh McGillicuddy has spent over 30 years
in luxury hospitality – but you could say it’s been
in his blood much longer. A third-generation
hotelier, he grew up in his family’s hotel in Ireland,
where he learned that great hospitality isn’t about
scripts. It’s about people.

Since then, he’s led global teams for brands like
The Ritz-Carlton and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.,
known for his calm, people-centred leadership.
Today, as founder of McGillicuddy Hospitality,
he helps hotels and cruise lines design service
cultures that don’t just meet expectations, they
exceed them at scale.

Darragh speaks regularly at offsites and internal
events, bringing real stories, practical tools,
and refreshing honesty. He is passionate about
building strong teams, navigating generational
shifts, and keeping the magic alive for guests and
staff alike.

Liz McRee has 20 years of experience representing corporate clients in class action and complex employment litigation in state and federal courts across the country. She handles cases arising under state and federal wage and hour and antidiscrimination laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Liz has extensive experience in wage and hour matters and has a strong record of defeating certification in class and collective actions. She is co-leader of the Firm’s Labor & Employment Practice.

In addition to representing employers in litigation, Liz advises corporate clients on a variety of labor and employment issues, including employee handbooks and alternative dispute resolution policies, investigations, counseling and discipline, wage and hour compliance, and covenants not to compete. She also has substantial experience advising clients on independent contractor classification issues and joint employment risk mitigation.

Liz was named a 2022 Midwest Trailblazer by The American Lawyer, and a 2021 Employment Law Trailblazer by The National Law Journal. She is a frequent speaker on class action and employment law topics. She is a former vice chair and chair of The Chicago Bar Association Labor & Employment Committee. She has been recognized for her work and recommended in The Legal 500. Liz is active in the Chicago community and serves on the board of directors of Family Focus, a nonprofit that promotes the well-being of children from birth by supporting and strengthening families in and with their communities.

Robert brings more than 27 years of human resources experience within the hospitality field. His deep familiarity in recruitment, corporate culture, and organizational relations, specifically within the world of hospitality, makes him a key asset to Auberge. Before his current role, Robert served as the Senior Vice President of Talent & Culture at Accor, overseeing North & Central America. On a global level, he helped set the culture by leading the human resources function for sbe Lifestyle Hospitality and was responsible for cultivating a global tribe of talent in concert with partner organization Accor.

Robert previously spent 15 years as SVP, Really Cool People, leading the HR function for Destination Hotels and Resorts, Two Roads Hospitality and it parent real estate/investment company Lowe Enterprises. Robert’s background includes progressive HR leadership roles at the corporate and property level with W Hotels, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Hotels Corporation.

Driven to change the world through people and purpose, Robert loves HR, talent and culture and spends his professional time building winning teams. Personally, Robert is married and has two kids and spends time playing beach volleyball, painting and serving as an amateur magician.

Tom Mesa earned his degree in Leadership from the University of Texas, where he built a foundation in communication and team development.
He began his career as a nonprofit director, leading teams and supporting programs that helped organizations grow and better serve their communities. This experience shaped his ability to bring people together and drive meaningful outcomes.

Today, Tom is a Senior Account Executive and Territory Manager at Take Command, where he works with employers and HR leaders to improve how they offer health benefits. He helps organizations simplify their approach, explore flexible options, and make confident decisions for their teams.

Fun fact: Tom makes a great steak and a top-tier Old Fashioned.

Philip A. Miscimarra is the former Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Phil leads the firm’s NLRB special appeals practice and is co-leader of Morgan Lewis Workforce Change, which manages all employment, labor, benefits, and related issues arising from mergers, acquisitions, startups, workforce reductions, and other types of business restructuring. He represents clients on a wide range of labor and employment issues, with a focus on labor-management relations, business acquisitions and restructuring, and employment litigation. Phil is also a Senior Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and the Wharton Center for Human Resources.

Jeff Nelson is research director for UNITE HERE Local 26.  He has worked for UNITE HERE and its predecessor union since 1999.  Jeff has lead teams of researchers and has provided information and strategic advice to local union leaders as well as the international union’s leadership.  He has been involved in contract costing for most of the national hotel contract settlements since 2001.

Vanessa serves as Chief Strategy Officer at Vanteo, the parent company of five U.S. Department of State–designated J-1 visa sponsor organizations, as well as H-2B and EB-3 visa specialist agencies and a Consular processing assistance organization.

“Made in the world,” Vanessa holds dual French and American citizenship and brings a multicultural background together with extensive experience in global recruitment and public diplomacy. Over the past 25 years, she has developed and implemented successful international hospitality talent acquisition strategies in both the United States and abroad.

Her guiding principle is captured in the words of Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

Jaime Novikoff is Senior Counsel, Labor Relations for Hilton Hotels, providing labor relations support to Hilton managed hotels. Prior to joining Hilton, Jaime was Head of Labor for Aimbridge Hospitality, formerly Interstate Hotels and Resorts. Jaime is also on the Board and Executive Committee of the Hotel Association of New York City.

Prior to joining Interstate/Aimbridge, Jaime practiced labor and employment law at big law firms in Washington D.C and in New York City. Jaime was named to the Washington D.C. Super Lawyer Rising Start List for 2013. Jaime graduated from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and earned her law degree from The Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Wendy L. Nutt is the Senior Vice President and Legal Counsel – Labor Strategy for MGM Resorts International in Las Vegas, Nevada.   MGM Resorts International is one of the world’s leading global hospitality companies, operating a portfolio of destination resort brands.

In her role as Senior Vice President of Labor Strategy, Ms. Nutt is the senior labor relations executive for MGM Resorts and is responsible for the development and execution of the Company’s U.S. labor relations strategies and initiatives, and for collaborating with human resources and business leaders on labor and people initiatives to ensure adherence to collective bargaining agreements and labor law standards.  She is responsible for leading a team of labor relations professionals who negotiate, implement, and administer over 100 collective bargaining agreements with multiple labor unions and labor union coalitions.  Ms. Nutt previously held the positions of Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Vice President of Labor Relations, and General Counsel for Labor and Employment for MGM Resorts International.

Prior to joining MGM Resorts International, Ms. Nutt held the position of Associate General Counsel for labor and employment matters for Mandalay Resort Group, and before that, Ms. Nutt was a partner in the labor and employment law group at Schiff Hardin & Waite, Chicago, Illinois.

Ms. Nutt is the Board Secretary for The Homestead Refuge, a non-profit organization established to provide transitional services to women who have been the victims of sex trafficking and is the Co-Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Teamsters Security Fund for Southern Nevada Hotel and Casino Workers.  She is a member of the American Bar Association, Section of Labor and Employment Law and has served as an Adjunct Professor, teaching labor law at Valparaiso University School of Law.  Ms. Nutt is a frequent lecturer and trainer on various labor and employment law topics.

Ms. Nutt earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas (Cum Laude, 1988) and her Juris Doctor degree from Valparaiso University School of Law in Valparaiso, Indiana (Summa Cum Laude, 1991).

Isabel Porzecanski is a highly experienced professional with a career spanning over 25 years in Operations and Human Resources within the luxury hospitality industry.

With a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities of this sector, she has honed the skills for attracting, retaining, and developing top talent. Passionate and deeply curious, Isabel holds a coaching certification from “Performance Consultants International”, the pioneer and global leader of coaching in the workplace. She uses the “GROW Model” as a framework in conversations, meetings, and everyday leadership for problem solving, goal setting, performance improvement, and to unlock potential and possibilities.

Isabel is a Certified EOS Implementer®, helping companies leverage proven tools and processes to get what they want from their businesses.
She has worked in Europe, North America, South America, and the Caribbean, and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. Her successful track record and proven ability to drive business results through people strategies makes her a valuable asset to any organization looking to enhance their people practices.

Dr. Peter Ricci is a Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Hospitality Management Programs at Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business, where he prepares the next generation of hospitality leaders through industry-driven education, applied research, and executive engagement.

A hospitality industry veteran with more than two decades of managerial experience, Dr. Ricci has held leadership roles across lodging, food service, incentive travel, and destination marketing organizations. Prior to entering academia full time, he served nearly a decade as a hotel general manager, bringing real-world operational expertise into the classroom.

Jason Riederer serves as Vice President of Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs for the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the largest hotel association in the U.S. representing all segments of the industry. Riederer is an innovative policy and advocacy professional with more than fifteen years of proven success in federal, state and local government affairs for public, private and not-for-profit entities. He has repeated achievements enacting landmark legislation into law and building strong, meaningful relationships with the country’s most influential elected officials, regulatory agencies, and industry stakeholders. He specializes in monitoring legislative and regulatory environments and favorably shaping policy outcomes through strategic advocacy to achieve organizational objectives. His communications skills and winning influence strategies are leveraged from experience with the United States Congress, two national trade associations, and two CNBC Disruptor 50 list technology companies.

Riederer is skilled in policy analysis and development, stakeholder and coalition development, issues management, strategic communications, budget & appropriations, regulatory affairs, political affairs, external engagement, crisis management, brand reputation management, internal communications, product development, program management, community engagement and advocacy at the federal, state and local level. He is an MBA candidate at the University of Southern California and an alumnus of the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management and Walla Walla University School of Business.

Emily Roeckle is an accomplished human resource professional with over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry. As the Director of People & Culture at Hunters Run Country Club in Boynton Beach, Florida, she has taken a more strategic approach to HR—aligning people practices with organizational goals to enhance culture, elevate employee engagement, and support long-term growth.

With a strong background in leadership development, training, and organizational effectiveness, Emily previously served as Executive Director of Human Resources at Hotel Effie Sandestin and held progressive HR roles at Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa.

She holds a Master of Science in Leadership and Human Resource Development from Louisiana State University and a Bachelor’s in Leadership & Change Management and Marketing from Saint Louis University. Certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR), Emily is also deeply committed to her community and actively supports initiatives that promote both professional development and local engagement.

Ken provides clients with creative and practical solutions to resolve their labor and employment issues efficiently. He leads Fox Rothschild’s Affirmative Action/OFCCP practice.

Ken practices labor and employment law, representing employers nationally in both union and nonunion contexts. He works closely with business owners, human resource professionals and in-house counsel to ensure they are complying with the myriad of complex workplace-related rules mandated by federal and state law. He provides guidance on federal prevailing wage statutes and regulations including the Davis Bacon Act, Service Contract Act, Walsh-Healy Public Contracts Act and others.
As head of the firm’s AAP/OFCCP practice, Ken assists federal, state and municipal contractors:

• Comply with the numerous affirmative action and equal employment opportunity laws and regulations
• Develop affirmative action plans and related documents
• Navigate OFCCP audits.

For unionized employers, Ken represents his clients in collective bargaining, arbitration and unfair labor practice proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission, and the New York Public Employment Relations Board.
Ken also assists his clients in developing and implementing employee handbooks, personnel policies and procedures, and employment and severance agreements. He further provides day-to-day counseling and training to his clients in connection with all federal, state and local laws that impact the employment relationship including, but not limited to, disciplinary, leave and accommodation, wage and hour issues.

Ken aggressively defends his clients against claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation in federal/state court and administrative tribunals.

David R. Rothfeld, a member of Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, leads the firm’s traditional labor law practice and specializes in the representation of management in negotiating collective bargaining agreements. In this capacity, Mr. Rothfeld serves as Chief Labor negotiator for the Hotel Association of New York City, Inc., and negotiates initial opening and renewal collective bargaining agreements for all types of businesses, including, hotels, restaurants and gaming facilities.

Mr. Rothfeld also provides his management clients:

• Representation at grievance and arbitration proceedings;
• Advice on contract interpretation and compliance;
• Representation before the National Labor Relations Board, in representation proceedings and unfair labor practice proceedings;
• Counsel on a wide range of employment issues, encompassing compliance with applicable local, state and federal employment discrimination, labor, wage-hour and employee benefits laws and regulations.

Additionally, Mr. Rothfeld has conducted numerous seminars for employers, industry groups and trade associations on various labor and employment issues, such as Covid implications, Americans with Disabilities Act, harassment and current workplace issues such as employee discipline, employee privacy and workplace violence. Mr. Rothfeld serves as counsel to Taft-Hartley Pension and Welfare Funds as well.

Mr. Rothfeld represents clients in a myriad of different businesses, with a concentration in the hospitality field, including hotels, restaurants, clubs, catering and gaming facilities. He also represents employers in other industries such as real estate, manufacturing, service industries, schools and not-for-profit organizations.

Mr. Rothfeld is a board member of the Cornell Institute for Hospitality and Labor Relations, and is a frequent participant at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration Round Tables as well as the Law School’s Labor and Employment Law Round Table.  He has been selected by his peers to be included in the The Best Lawyers in America in the practice areas of Employment Law, Management and Labor Law and Management.  He has also been selected as a “Super Lawyer” for the New York Metropolitan area.

Dr. Sarah Sarkis is a licensed clinical psychologist by training and a certified executive leadership coach by practice, specializing in the intersection of psychology and workplace performance.
Over the past two decades, her work has taken her around the globe, where she’s had the privilege of sharing insights through workshops, webinars, keynotes and podcasts, empowering thousands to better understand their brains, their minds and their leadership edges. Dr. Sarkis runs her own private consulting practice, Sarkis Performance, LLC where she works with C-suite executives, leadership teams, and professional coaches at some of the world’s most prominent organizations, including Fortune 500 & 100 companies and professional athletics.

She’s shared stages with Steven Kotler, discussing peak performance and flow states, and appeared multiple times on Gabby Reece’s podcast and Flow Research Collective Radio Lab, diving deep into the science behind human potential. Through her Shadowboxing podcast she’s co-interviewed some of the giants in leadership, psychology, and performance, including Kotler and Reece, as well as Drs Michael Gervais and Scott Barry Kaufman.

Dr. Sarkis’ insights have been featured in The New York Times, Women’s Health, Huffington Post, and CNBC. Her forthcoming book, An Inside Job: Leveraging Psychology to Transform Peak Performance, reveals how sustainable performance and authentic leadership emerge when we master the psychology of our inner world.
Dr. Sarkis earned her master’s degree in psychology from Boston College and her doctorate from George Washington University, laying the foundation for her work in high-performance psychology. She lives outside of Boston, MA.

Paul has been with UNITE HERE for 20 years in multiple roles. Before becoming Executive Secretary-Treasurer of DC’s Local 25, Paul led UNITE HERE’s 100,000 member Food Service Division, working to grow UNITE HERE’s membership in corporate cafeterias, stadiums, university campuses, airport concessions and airline catering. He has also help coordinate UNITE HERE’s response to technological innovation in the hospitality industry. A son of immigrants, Paul grew up in Brooklyn, NY and graduated from the University of Michigan.

Ruth L. Seroussi represents clients in federal and state courts, and in the arbitral and administrative forums. During her more than 20 years of practice Ruth has guided California and nationwide employers in the mortgage lending, retail, apparel, manufacturing, hospitality, real estate, health care and entertainment industries in all aspects of employee relations, including providing advice and counsel on day-to-day personnel issues, preparing employment policies and handbooks, negotiating and preparing employment, severance, non-disclosure and arbitration agreements, training managers and supervisors on discrimination and harassment issues, and defending employers in discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour, unfair competition and misappropriation of trade secret matters, as well as against charges before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Department of Labor, Department of Labor Standards and Enforcement and the Employment Development Department. Additionally, she has extensive experience representing employers in wage and hour class actions and California’s unfair competition laws, as well as in general business litigation matters.

Ruth serves as an Advisory Board member for the Cornell Institute for Hospitality Labor & Employment Relations (CIHLER). Additionally, she is President of Venice Arts’ Board of Directors, Secretary of the Friends of Coeur D’Alene Elementary School’s Booster Club, and is a member of the Venice Chamber of Commerce Education Committee.

Ruth also serves as a board member for various other non-profit organizations and coaches AYSO soccer. She is a licensed real estate broker in the State of California and a member of the California Association of Realtors. Ruth has also published articles, spoken at a number of conferences throughout the United States and served on panels concerning hospitality, human resources, labor and employment issues.

Ruth earned her J.D. at UCLA School of Law, where she was editor of the Environmental Law Journal and her B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. She is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Central, Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of California and the U.S Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Ruth lives in Venice with her husband Mike, sons Holden and Dylan, and dog Bianca. She is an active traveler, hiker and outdoor enthusiast.

Övül Sezer is an assistant professor of management and organizations. Her research focuses on impression (mis)management—the mistakes we make when we want to impress others. We all think we know how to make a positive impression, and we can easily spot the mistakes others make, but when it comes to our own missteps, we tend to be blithely oblivious. Sezer identifies these mistakes and investigates how we can better navigate our social world. How can we signal that we are both competent and likable? How can we brag wisely? How can we give valuable feedback in a way that strengthens our relationships rather than harming them? How can we network less awkwardly? Her research identifies useful strategies for making better impressions.

Sezer’s research has been featured in top management and psychology journals including the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Harvard Business Review and covered in leading media outlets including New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

David Sherwyn (BS, JD, Cornell University) is the John and Melissa Ceriale Professor of Hospitality Human Resources and a Professor of Law at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. In addition, he is the director of the Cornell Institute for Hospitality Labor and Employment Relations. Dave is also a research fellow at the Center for Labor and Employment Law at New York University’s School of Law and of counsel to the law firm of Stokes, Wagner. From 2006-2009, Dave was the director of the Center for Hospitality Research. Prior to joining the School of Hotel Administration, Dave practiced management-side labor and employment law for six years. Dave has published articles in, among others, the Northwestern Law Review, Stanford Law Review, UC Hasting Law Journal, Indiana Law Journal, Berkeley Journal of Labor and Employment Law, Fordham Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Labor and Employment Law Journal, and the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. In the fall of each year, Dave teaches HA 3870: Business and Hospitality Law, a required class with more than 200 students. Each spring, Dave teaches HA 4810/ILR 4060: Labor Relations in the Hospitality Industry—a class co-taught and co-listed with Cornell’s Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) School. In his 17 years as a faculty member, Dave has received 15 Hotel School Teacher of the Year awards. In 2014 he was named a Stephan H. Weiss Presidential Fellow—the most prestigious teaching award at Cornell University. In 2002, Dave conceived of, organized, and hosted the Center for Hospitality Research’s first hospitality industry roundtable. Since that time, Dave has hosted more than 20 roundtables. Because of the success of the Labor and Employment Law Roundtable, the School of Hotel Administration’s centers and institutes now host roundtables in each of the disciplines that are represented in the school.

Patti Simpson is the Chief Administrative Officer of Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), in which capacity she oversees the human resources, legal, and marketing teams and spearheads Hospitality Quotient, the company’s leadership, learning and development consultancy.

Patti Simpson is the Chief Administrative Officer of Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), in which capacity she oversees the human resources, legal, and marketing teams and spearheads Hospitality Quotient, the company’s leadership, learning and development consultancy. Patti is an accomplished leader with a deeply rooted background in human resources, operations, organizational design, and learning development. A trained educator passionate about leadership and team development, Patti leverages her experience to further USHG’s culture of Enlightened Hospitality, the belief that putting employees first is the key to running a meaningful and sustainable business.

Previously, Patti served as the Chief People Officer of USHG, in which capacity she led the transformation and modernization of the HR function, and built a diverse, industry-leading C-suite. Following business closures and staff reduction in 2020, Patti and her team worked tirelessly to lead USHG’s hiring efforts to pre-pandemic levels. Patti also spearheaded the formation of USHG’s HUGS Employee Relief Fund, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) created to support USHG team members facing unexpected financial hardship.

Previously, Patti led Human Resource operations for various domestic and international food service brands such as TGI Fridays, Ignite Restaurant Group (Joe’s Crab Shack, Brick House Tavern + Tap), Au Bon Pain, and Ruby Tuesday. Patti serves on the board of Legacy of Hope and the HR Committee at Bethesda Project.

Anand Singh is the Director of UNITE HERE International Union, representing over 13,000 hospitality workers in San Francisco and San Mateo counties.

Shortly after graduating from UC Berkeley in 2002, Singh attended an AFL-CIO organizing training, where he met worker-leaders who reminded him of his parents – immigrants from Bihar, India – and who inspired him to pursue a career in the labor movement.

Singh worked initially as a community organizer before joining Local 2 as the organizer of the Mark Hopkins Hotel ahead of the 53 day strike and lock-out of 2004. From 2013-15, Singh led the local’s food service division through successful strikes at the Giants’ ballpark and San Francisco Intl Airport. He was elected President in 2015, the first in Local 2’s history to be a person of color. Singh led the union during a 2018 contract fight with Marriott, when nearly 2,500 Local 2 members went on strike at seven Marriott hotels, winning groundbreaking contracts under the slogan “One Job Should Be Enough.”

Bret Smith is a seasoned Customer Success leader with over a decade of experience helping organizations build stronger, more meaningful relationships with their clients across a variety of industries. A graduate of the University of North Texas, where he earned a degree in Business Administration, Bret combines business acumen with a people-first mindset.

Currently serving as a Lead Customer Success Manager, Bret focuses on creating strategic partnerships by deeply understanding each client’s ICHRA and Take Command needs, ensuring a seamless and elevated customer experience. His approach is rooted in proactive communication, problem-solving, and long-term value creation.

During his time at the University of North Texas, Bret also brought discipline and teamwork to the football field as a freshman-year kicker, an experience that continues to influence his focus, precision, and performance-driven mindset today.

Fun fact: Bret was a kicker during his freshman year of college for UNT

Greg Talbot is the Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel – Labor, Employment and Benefits for Marriott International, Inc.  Greg is responsible for managing the Law Department’s Labor, Employment and Benefits Group attorneys, partnering with the Company’s human resources and labor relations executives on human resources and labor strategy, and providing counsel and advice to the Company’s senior leaders on a broad range of labor and employment issues.  Greg also is responsible for the negotiation of the Company’s collective bargaining agreements and assisting managers with the administration of these agreements.

Prior to joining Marriott, in 2011, Greg was a partner in the Labor & Employment Law Practice Group at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP where he counseled employers on labor and employment law issues across a variety of industries and represented clients in federal and state courts, as well as in proceedings before the NLRB.  Greg joined Morgan Lewis as an associate in 1998, following a clerkship with the Honorable Michael D. Mason in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland.  Before practicing law, Greg served as the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, taught history, and coached baseball at Gonzaga College High School, in Washington, DC, from 1990-1997.

After graduating from The University of Notre Dame, Greg received his J.D. from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law.

Bruce is a Professor of Management at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. Since joining the faculty in 1992, he has taught courses in human resources management and leadership for undergraduate, graduate, executive, and online audiences throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia. Bruce’s research examines a wide range of strategic and operational HR topics, including the impact of training initiatives, flexible HR systems, employee retention, employment law, and leadership. He has presented his work at numerous regional, national, and international conferences, and his research has been published in diverse outlets such as the Journal of Applied Psychology, the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, and the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Labor and Employment Law. Bruce’s sponsors for research, consulting, and executive development have included Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International, Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts, Blue Hill Farm, Hillstone Restaurant Group, Uno Chicago Grill, among others, and he has been cited in USA Today, the New York Times, Fast Company, Powder Magazine, the Orlando Sentinel, and other popular press outlets. Bruce is also the Editor of the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, and serves as a Vice President for the International Network of Business and Management Journals.

Paul supported himself through seven years of college and law school at Cornell University as a bartender at several local bars. That, along with his love of food and travel, is what ultimately drew him to the hospitality industry as an attorney, and later as an Adjunct Professor at Cornell’s Hotel School.

Paul grew up living in the United States, Canada, Liberia and Kenya, before returning to the U.S. to attend Cornell starting in 1982. He then worked on a refugee camp in southern Sudan (now South Sudan) for three summers during college. Since graduating from law school in 1990, his practice has been devoted to labor and employment law, primarily representing hotel and restaurant management companies and owners. Paul’s international background gives him a unique and valuable perspective in the hospitality industry, which draws its strength from cultural and ethnic diversity. The practice of labor and employment law in the hospitality industry requires as much sociology and anthropology as it does classic legal training, and he remains a dedicated student of these disciplines.

He has extensive experience litigating labor and employment cases in federal and state court, private and public arbitration, and administrative agencies including the EEOC, USDOL, NLRB, and numerous state and municipal agencies. Wage & hour class and collective action litigation represents a growing percentage of this work. Paul spends as much time counseling his hospitality clients to avoid litigation as he spends aggressively representing their interests when claims are brought against them, focusing on training, leadership, compliance audits, and organizational design.  He designs and implements manager and employee training for clients throughout the United States on the subjects of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, retaliation, leadership and general workplace conduct.

He also counsels his clients in matters of traditional labor law, and represent their interests in union campaigns, collective bargaining, and related disputes. His labor practice extends outside the United States to include labor consulting in Canada, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

Paul is honored to be an adjunct professor at the Cornell Hotel School, a position he has held since 1998. He teaches Hospitality Business Law, Employment Law for Managers (including discrimination, harassment and retaliation), and Labor Relations in the Hospitality Industry. The synergy between his law practice and his academic appointment the Cornell Hotel School – the premier hotel management program in the United States – is not only professionally enriching, but also makes him a more effective advocate for his clients.

Wendi Walsh serves as the General Vice President of UNITE HERE International Union and as the elected leader of UNITE HERE Local 355 representing south Florida. Arriving in South Florida 18 years ago, Wendi and the leadership of Local 355 have organized more than thirty new hotels, casinos, stadiums, and airport food service companies into the Union, tripling its membership. Wendi also founded HEAT, the Hospitality Employees Advancement and Training Center that provides both soft skills and hard skills training to allow members to advance into higher paying jobs and to bring residents in struggling communities to access good union jobs.

Flory Wilson believes that companies who invest in and show up for their employees will always outperform the market. A seasoned “activator” of the business community, as the founder of Reproductive & Maternal Health Compass (RMH Compass), Flory is a driving force in closing the gap in essential health benefits for the U.S. workforce—advocating for comprehensive support that covers the full reproductive lifecycle — everything from menopause care and doula services to family formation and medical travel reimbursements.

Flory’s insights are backed by twenty years of experience building the B Corp movement and international economic policy, bringing a unique economic lens to corporate stewardship.  Known for her ability to turn complex frameworks into actionable corporate strategy, she is a frequent contributor to major business publications on the future of work.

A people-centric professional, Karina believes you should deliver every message with unwavering authenticity in your convictions and boundless care in your heart. Karina has built her entire career with Sage to date, starting as an intern at The Curtis Hotel and landing her first full-time role on property as a result of the advocacy of her leaders within Sage.

In her role as Vice President of People & Culture, Karina oversees all P&C operations across our portfolio, with our Regional Directors reporting to her. Combining ethics and strategy with business acumen and creativity, Karina passionately builds a welcoming culture that propels results.

One of the most warm-hearted people you may ever have the pleasure to meet, Karina is an animal lover and also shares her time supporting the growth and development of people impacted by the justice system.

Celeste Yeager maintains a vibrant labor and employment practice litigating and consulting on behalf of management regarding a variety of employment topics. She defends employers against labor and employment law claims, including helping federal contractors with compliance efforts. Celeste has prepared hundreds of AAPs and led dozens of audits, including both desk and on-site audits. She has worked with both public and private companies, including smaller operations and multi-state employers.

Her practice also includes consulting and litigating on behalf of clients on a range of HR and compliance issues, including:
• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
• The Equal Pay Act
• The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Wrongful discharge

This broad experience allows Celeste to give practical, “real life” advice regarding the implementation of policies, procedures and affirmative action plans across the spectrum, from recruiting and obtaining applicant data through the termination of protected employees, helping to identify not only potential risks that could generate an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Charge, but could also create areas of underutilization or a red flag to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). Her goal in assisting clients is to add value to the process by taking each client’s unique business practicalities into consideration while placing the client in the best possible position to prevent and/or defend its employment decisions.