To commemorate Women’s History Month, HD asked its Editorial Advisory Board to nominate the women in our industry who deserve extra recognition. Here, we shine a spotlight on 15 who go above and beyond every day.
Stephanie De Ortiz, Auberge Resorts Collection
Nominated by Gulla Jónsdóttir, Gulla Jónsdóttir Design
“Stephanie is always representing her hotel brand with elegance and grace. She is also a very talented ballroom dancer and takes her dancing on the road, teaching others while she is traveling for work. I’m proud to call her my friend because she lights up every room she enters with her glorious, honest smile.”
Jorey ‘Shosh’ Friedman, SB Architects
Nominated by Scott Lee, SB Architects
“Approaching almost 30 years at SB Architects, Shosh has been instrumental in shaping the strategic evolution of the firm. Forging her own path, in 2015, Shosh was promoted to principal, making her SB Architects’ first female principal, and she now leads the Miami office alongside vice president and principal Pinar Harris. Driven by team collaboration, her dedication, professionalism, and infectious enthusiasm has been integral in creating the incredible office culture we have, not only in our Miami office but our entire firm.”
Melissa Haft, Overmoon
Nominated by Robert Polacek, RoseBernard Studio
“Melissa brings her vision and voice to our design projects and adds value to our design industry. Her collaborative spirit, style, and genuine vibe shines—whether one-on-one or at industry events. Her passion for creating experiential environments in design and ability to think outside the box is inspiring.”
Karen Hay, IN-Dulge
Nominated by Julia Monk, Hospitality Leader
“Karen is an amazing, inspirational, award-winning design leader. Her evolution from working in male-led companies to having her own company is an impressive and aspirational story, which took her from Scotland to Hong Kong to Dubai and back to Hong Kong again—all while raising two boys. As if that’s not enough, Karen is a ceramic artist, an avid sailor, and shows up for boot camp at 5 a.m. most mornings.”
Aliya Khan, Marriott International
Nominated by Sabine Vessnow, Airbnb
“Aliya lifts up every woman in our industry and is a mentor and motivator. Aliya makes leadership look seamless due to her genuine passion for hospitality. Every delivery is with true professionalism and just the right amount of wit. In short, Aliya is amazing and a gift for us all.”
Anne Marie Lubrano, Lubrano Ciavarra Architects
Nominated by Sara Duffy, Stonehill Taylor
“Anne Marie is the amazing architect behind the hotel buildings at the TWA Hotel at JFK airport in New York. She has clawed her way up through a world of unsupportive men. Her vision for the property and her dedication are unparalleled.”
Stephanie Miller, HOK
Nominated by Mark Boekenheide, Las Vegas Sands
“Stephanie is a strategic communicator with the rare ability to align the design story with important business objectives. She can immerse herself into the underlying design concept and distill those form and function decisions into a compelling and interesting narrative that appeals to a wide range of audiences. Her experience with several world renown design firms has given her great insight into the industry, where she is highly regarded and respected in her promotion of design.”
Emma Powell, Scout PR
Nominated by Timothy Griffin, Wellbrook Hospitality
“Emma is a joy to work with—a true collaborator. She is always on it. Emma gets the balance between being very pleasant to work with and also relentless in achieving objectives and deliverables exactly right.”
Stacy Shoemaker Rauen, Hospitality Design
Nominated by Julie Frank, Highgate Hotels
“Someone who does the juggle better than anyone! She juggles a big job, an exhausting travel schedule, and three boys (well, four if you count her husband Jon) with an ability to be present—and look perfect—in whatever setting she is in. She never seems to tire, always remembers everyone and everything, and then still has bandwidth to be an amazing friend to the many close people she has in her life.”
Chia Min Tiong, Host Hotels & Resorts
Nominated by Helen Jorgensen, Host Hotels & Resorts
“Chia Min is involved in every acquisition, disposition, and budget development for renovations and new development for Host. Lately, that has been a crazy amount of work! She ensures the longterm capital needs are accurate and the renovation scopes are budgeted correctly for our designs, sometimes by working well into the night and weekends. To assure that accuracy, Chia Min is a team player and stays in tune with the hospitality and construction industry. She is the quiet 24-hour hero on our projects that adds a light-yet-dry sense of humor to our days.”
Lisa Villarreal, Lily Jack Furniture
Nominated by Margaret McMahon, Wimberly Interiors
“Lisa is a true role model for our designers and for anyone who knows her. As the founder of Lily Jack Furniture, Lisa does not rest on her laurels. She is involved and knows the details on all projects (which is a tall order). When she saw what was happening in the global markets, she was astute in pivoting from Asia and opened up a factory in Mexico to better service her clients. On top of that, she is learning Spanish so she can communicate with her team. Lisa is always accessible and out in front when we need her. We consider her a ‘badass businesswoman’ and very worthy of our nomination.”
Vanessa Waldner, the Ness Group
Nominated by Aliya Khan, Marriott International
“Who doesn’t love a boss lady who is awesome to work with, well-loved by her clients (I mean, look at her return business) all while being a super engaged and connected wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend? I have known Vanessa for almost 20 years. She is fearless in pursuit of personal and professional development. No place in the world is off the table, and it is always done with a smile on her face. If you know her, you know that magical contagious laugh.”
Kate Walsh, the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration
Nominated by Glen Coben, Glen & Co.
“Dean Walsh is a fearless leader of this preeminent college where she oversees the curriculum that educates, guides, and prepares young women and men to be leaders in the hospitality industry. Our industry, as well as the broader hospitality community, is filled with “Hotelies” who are smart, sophisticated, and educated in a manner that is filled with empathy and humanity—leaders who make a difference to guests, businesses, and communities around the world.”
Kia Weatherspoon, Determined by Design
Nominated by Deborah Lloyd Forrest, ForrestPerkins
“I first met Kia Weatherspoon at an ASID Leadership Conference in Cincinnati when I was on the National Board and Kia was attending as a student leader. Since that time, I have followed Kia’s career development closely and have been more and more impressed every step of the way. Kia’s CV details her numerous contributions to equity and inclusion in design as well as being recognized by national publication for her design work. Kia is one of the most impressive people I have met in my many years in the profession. She is a true leader, motivator, and champion for design and designers. Kia is an exemplary representative for women in design as well as for women of color.”
Lori Weitzner, Lori Weitzner Design
Nominated by Roger Thomas, Roger Thomas Collection
“Lori formed her own company long ago after graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design and working for Jack Lenor Larsen. She has been a leader in the design and manufacturing of textiles and wallcoverings for decades. Lori is also known for licensed collections for Samuel & Sons and other brands. What most people don’t know is that she spends a lot of her time and energy educating designers, advocating for industry ethics and environmental awareness, and supporting other artists in their rise. She is one of the most stimulating and thoughtful lecturers I have ever heard and her book, Ode to Color, has become a textbook on the subject for many.”
