2nd Annual
Women and Hospitality Entrepreneurship Roundtable March 4-5, 2026 | Bethesda, MD
About Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship Roundtables The Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship Roundtables afford a unique opportunity for a select group of approximately 25 distinguished senior-level executives, esteemed educators, Cornell faculty members, and accomplished scholars to convene, facilitating the exchange of experiences and ideas. Additionally, a limited number of discerningly chosen students may actively participate in these intellectually stimulating conversations. Structured into multiple focused sessions, each segment of the roundtable commences with a concise presentation or thought-provoking question presented by the moderator. Following the initial remarks, the forum opens for dynamic and engaging discussions. The intimate size of the gathering ensures that all participants have ample opportunities to pose questions and articulate their perspectives. SC Johnson College of Business faculty members and students often observe the roundtable discussions and interact with the invited attendees during session breaks.
Welcome Welcome to the Pillsbury Institutes for Hospitality Entrepreneurship’s 2nd Annual Women and Hospitality Entrepreneurship Roundtable! On behalf of the Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship (PIHE) at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, it is my pleasure to welcome you to this special gathering of women leaders and innovators across the hospitality industry. This year is especially meaningful as PIHE celebrates its 20th Anniversary. For two decades, PIHE has served as Cornell’s hub for hospitality entrepreneurship—advancing thought leadership, fostering experiential learning, and connecting students and industry partners around entrepreneurial pathways in hospitality. This event reflects that mission in action, creating space for dialogue, connection, and collaboration among women shaping the future of hospitality and entrepreneurship. Thank you for being part of this milestone moment. As we celebrate how far we’ve come, we look ahead with excitement to the next 20 years of innovation – Empowering the Next Generation of Hospitality Entrepreneurs! Christina McDowell Director, Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship
AGENDA Tuesday, March 4 Hip Flask Rooftop Bar 7707 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland, 20814
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Wednesday, March 5 Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ 7750 Wisconsin Ave. Bethesda, Maryland, 20814 Room 21E.100
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Breakfast
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Welcome & Session I
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Session II
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Session III
12:00 PM - 1:15 PM
Networking Lunch
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Session IV
Closing Remarks & Headquarters Tour
SESSION DESCRIPTIONS 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Session I
Defining Hospitality Entrepreneurship & the Entrepreneurial Mindset
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Session II
From Vision to Action: Telling Your Leadership Story
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Session III
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM Session IV
Explore what hospitality entrepreneurship means in operations, corporate, and founder roles. Discuss traits of an entrepreneurial mindset and how to apply them to create value and drive results.
Learn to translate personal values and vision into strategy, initiatives, and measurable impact. Share experiences that shape leadership approaches across the industry.
Fireside Chat with Marriott Executives Hear from Marriott International leaders and their entrepreneurial partners as they delve into the entrepreneurial mindset, the essentials of successfully scaling a business, and the unique challenges faced by women. They will also share insightful tips on overcoming these obstacles.
Communication, Influence, and Impact Explore effective communication strategies to lead teams, influence stakeholders, and cultivate trust. Address common industry and societal challenges faced by women leaders as well as actionable strategies for resilience, career advancement, and impact.
HOST Christina McDowell, Ph.D. is a senior lecturer of management communication at the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, part of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, and director of Cornell’s Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship (PIHE). An award-winning educator, her academic experience includes teaching communication-related courses for 20 years and serving in academic administration roles and as a faculty advisor for community-engaged learning projects.
CHRISTINA MCDOWELL, PH.D. Senior Lecturer Director, Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration Email
As director of PIHE, McDowell leads collaboration between faculty and industry through events, competitions, industry roundtable discussions, mentoring, and guest speaking engagements designed to educate students, alumni, and others who operate, or are interested in operating, an enterprise in the hospitality industry. McDowell's research interests start with communicative engagement and emphasize actively investigating social, civic, economic, and moral problems in corporate communication, communication ethics, and communication illustrated by religious leaders. McDowell is the co-author of Corporate Communication and Integrated Marketing Communication: Audience beyond Stakeholders in a Technological Age (2023), co-editor and contributing author of The Civically Engaged Woman: The Rhetoric and Activism of the Silenced Voice, and co-editor and contributing author of Integrated Marketing Communication: Creating Spaces for Engagement (2016). McDowell serves on the Association of Business Communication Board as a director at-large. She holds a PhD in rhetoric, concentrating in interpersonal and organizational communication and communication ethics, an MA in corporate communication, and a BA in communication with an emphasis in advertising and public relations from Duquesne University.
PARTICIPANTS
ELAINE CHONBAKER Managing Director Mokja Ventures Email
Elaine Chon-Baker is Founder and Managing Director of Mokja Ventures, a Washington DCbased boutique venture fund that invests in restaurants and hospitality tech. Mokja, meaning “let’s eat” in Korean, is a nod to her heritage and her close relationship with her parents and six sisters. Coming from the global telecom and tech worlds, she immersed herself in learning everything about restaurants in the back office of her first investment. Elaine loves great startups and advises entrepreneurs in all sectors with launching and growing their businesses. She is a guest lecturer at Cornell and an advisor to Dine Diaspora/Black Women in Food, and previously served as an advisor to the James Beard Foundation's Women's Leadership Programs and Regarding Her. Her favorite projects include working with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), teambuilding with a large marketing/PR/advertising agency, co-authoring a book with a client, and assisting the artist Kimchi Juice on murals.
PARTICIPANTS
TANEKA COATES Director, Customer & Member Analytics Global Loyalty, Cards and Partnerships Marriott International Email
Taneka Coates has over 25 years of experience with Marriott International and currently serves as Director, Customer & Member Analytics for the Global Loyalty, Cards and Partnerships team at Marriott Headquarters. She has held various roles in Revenue Management, Marketing, and Finance over her extensive career and has led numerous projects which have helped shape key company-wide initiatives. Taneka is highly regarded for her vast analytical skills and is known for her big-picture thinking, passion for cross-functional collaboration, and strong ability to translate complex analysis into data-driven insights and recommendations. Ms. Coates holds an MBA from George Washington University, and a Bachelor’s degree from University of Maryland. She is a native of Washington D.C. and in her spare time enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family.
PARTICIPANTS
MAIA DANIELS Co-Founder & CEO Offsite Onboard Email
Maia has over 20 years of leadership experience in hospitality at Marriott International and Hilton Worldwide. She has held roles across Distribution, Lodging Development, Business Development & New Ventures, Corporate Finance, and Digital, along with prior work in technology investment banking and mergers & acquisitions with Citigroup Salomon Smith Barney. Most recently, she has started consulting for health and wellness tech companies and is the co-founder of OffsiteOnboard.com (d/b/a Ascend Onboard), which accelerates onboarding for employees in transition. Maia has a graduate degree in international public policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a BA in economics from Stanford University. She serves on the board of directors for the local chapter of the American Jewish Committee, leading efforts on bridge-building between diverse communities in her native Washington, DC. A fitness and yoga enthusiast, she is a practitioner of mindfulness-based stress reduction, a skill she attempts to apply at home with her husband and two young children.
PARTICIPANTS
HEIDI DAY Senior Director, Global Revenue Strategy Marriott International Email
Heidi Day has an extensive hospitality career spanning over 20 years, primarily focused on Revenue and Brand Strategy, with success on a regional level for the Washington D.C. market, as well the Corporate level. She currently serves as Senior Director, Global Revenue Strategy for Marriott International, the world's largest hotel company. Heidi obtained her MBA from the Robert H. School of Business at the University of Maryland, and she received her BBA at Penn State University studying Finance and Business Administration. Heidi resides in the Northern Virginia area and enjoys traveling to new cities and spending time with family and friends.
PARTICIPANTS Cindy Estis Green’s career began in corporate marketing and senior operations, including general manager roles with Hilton. After founding the data mining firm Driving Revenue and selling it to Pegasus Solutions, Ms. Estis Green consulted with hotel owners on targeting asset value growth.
CINDY ESTIS GREEN ’79 P ‘13 Co-Founder & CEO Kalibri Labs Email
Estis Green has been named as Cornell’s Innovator of the Year in 2025 for her work in moving the industry to target profitability; she was inducted into Cornell Hotel Society’s prestigious Hall of Fame, honored with the HSMAI VanguardAward for industry leadership in revenue optimization, and was one of the first women inducted into the HFTP Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame. A prolific published author, Estis Green is highly sought after as a speaker on topics related to digital disruption and the impact on the economics of hotels. She has published a series of books for hotels, with the latest Demystifying the Digital Market & Guide to Commercial Strategy that outlines an innovative framework for revenue acquisition that enables a critical shift from top line revenue to profitability. Following the publication of this book, Estis Green led Kalibri’s team in creating an online certification training program on Profit Strategy that is designed to upskill commercial and operational teams to focus on growing asset value through profit optimization. Ms. Estis Green co-founded Kalibri, the hospitality industry's leading profit platform. Leveraging the industry's most comprehensive performance database and proprietary A.I., Kalibri delivers critical insights that drive profit-first revenue and investment strategies— enhancing hotel asset value at every stage of the owner lifecycle. Estis Green holds a BS degree from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and an MBA from The American University.
PARTICIPANTS
TALIA HAWLEY ‘13 Senior Director, Brand & Creative Strategy Donohoe Hospitality Email
Talia is an innovative, data-driven marketing executive with 20+ years of experience leading operations, sales, enterprise marketing, brand strategy, and digital transformation across hospitality, luxury, nonprofit, and technology industries. Proven ability to define and execute enterprise marketing strategies that align with corporate objectives, drive demand generation, strengthen brand equity, and optimize profitability. Adept at leading cross-functional teams, managing multi-million-dollar budgets, and leveraging performance analytics to deliver measurable growth and market leadership.
PARTICIPANTS
ASHLI JOHNSON Founder & CEO Hospitality Hued Email
Ashli Johnson is the visionary founder and dynamic force behind one of the most exceptional hospitality communities in the country, Hospitality Hued. With over two decades of industry experience, Ashli is transforming pathways to both leadership and ownership for Black & Brown hospitality professionals through innovative strategy and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Her commitment to ensuring equitable and inclusive realities for all, coupled with her keen eye for connecting resources to opportunity has more than earned her the nickname, The Hospitality Sharpshooter.
PARTICIPANTS
CHRISTINE A. KETTMER LAVOIE Brand Strategy and Customer Partnerships Second Wave Marketing Email
Christine A. Kettmer Lavoie is a global marketing, data insights and customer experience (CX) leader who has successfully developed and executed brand strategies for 20+ years. She currently serves as the Head of Brand Strategy and Customer Partnerships at Second Wave Marketing, a division of Aimbridge Hospitality, the world's leading global hotel management company. Prior to this role, she spent nearly 12 years at Marriott International and she is a founding Advisory Board member of Women Leading Travel. Christine holds an MBA from Duke University, and she received a BA in English and Spanish from The College of the Holy Cross. For several years, she has participated as a speaker and panelist at 75+ global conferences and trainings
PARTICIPANTS
Christine Kondra is a hospitality executive, entrepreneur, and policy advocate redefining what modern restaurant leadership looks like. Originally from Washington, DC, Christine began her career in the biopharmaceutical industry, working across Manhattan, Boston, and London as a strategic consultant focused on growth strategy, sales optimization, and operational performance. She later returned to hospitality, bringing a disciplined, data-driven leadership approach rarely seen in independent restaurants.
CHRISTINE KONDRA Co-Founder, Co-Owner & CEO The Bee Foundation for Brain Aneurysm Prevention, Cornerstone, & Barque Hospitality Group Email
In 2010, Christine transitioned into the culinary world as a private chef on Nantucket before co-founding one of the Main Line of Philadelphia’s most respected dining destinations. Today, she serves as CEO of Barque Hospitality Group and Co-Owner, General Manager, and Wine Director of Cornerstone, a French-American restaurant featuring an award-winning wine program with more than 1,200 labels and a nationally recognized Women in Wine initiative. Under Christine’s leadership, Cornerstone evolved from a 14-seat BYOB into a full-scale restaurant and wine shop known for operational excellence, sustainable growth, and strong community engagement. Her leadership philosophy blends strategic rigor with genuine hospitality, proving profitability and purpose can coexist. Beyond operations, Christine is a national advocate for independent restaurants and public health policy. She cofounded The Bee Foundation for Brain Aneurysm Prevention in 2014 and serves as its Strategic Director of Policy & Research. She meets monthly with Congress and federal agencies including HHS, CDC, and NIH/NINDS, alongside bipartisan lawmakers and their lobby firm, Arnold & Porter, to advance dedicated research funding and improve healthcare access. She also advocates annually on Capitol Hill with the National Restaurant Association and collaborates with the Independent Restaurant Coalition to support small business policy. As a female founder, Christine champions sustainable leadership, strategic scaling, and community-centered entrepreneurship. Her work demonstrates that hospitality is not simply about serving guests, but about building institutions, influencing policy, and leading with intention..
PARTICIPANTS Leora Halpern Lanz, ISHC, is the author of Developing Your Marketing Mindset: Real-World Lessons from Hospitality (2025), an Amazon International Bestseller Status, named Business Book of 2025 by the New England Book Festival, and winner of an International Impact Book Award in February 2026. The follow-up Marketing Mindset in Motion: Inspired by Hospitality, was published in February 2026.
LEORA LANZ ‘85 Associate Professor of the Practice Boston University School of Hospitality Email
Leora serves as Associate Professor of the Practice at Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration, teaching the Experiential and Digital Marketing classes. Since joining BU in 2015, she has also served as Faculty Chair of the Graduate Program and Academic Assistant Dean, developing new courses, concentrations, and master’s programs. Previously, Leora was Global Director of Marketing & Communications for hospitality consulting giant HVS, and founder of LHL Communications, advising hospitality brands, destinations, and ownership groups worldwide. She also held leadership roles with ITT Sheraton Hotels of New York and the Greater Boston CVB. Leora has been widely recognized for her impact on hospitality education and her passion for “responsible hospitality” and “marketing with meaning.”
PARTICIPANTS Senior commercial executive with more than 30 years of experience driving enterprise growth, portfolio performance, and organizational transformation across multi-brand, multi-owner hospitality management platforms. Proven leader in building and scaling sales, revenue, and commercial disciplines that align ownership objectives, brand strategy, and operating execution.
ERICA LIPSCOMB Commercial Strategy Executive Case Capital Management Email
Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President of Revenue Strategy at Crescent Hotels & Resorts, where she led enterprise-wide revenue and commercial strategy across 110+ hotels representing approximately $1B in total annual revenue. She partnered closely with owners, asset managers, brands, and operating teams to translate strategy into execution — driving sustained RevPAR Index performance, market share growth, margin optimization, and long-term value creation. She built and led an enterprise revenue organization of more than 48 revenue leaders and analysts, supporting full-service, lifestyle, boutique, and independent hotels. Her experience includes portfolio growth, integrations, and modernization of revenue and distribution ecosystems, with a strong track record advising executive leadership, ownership groups, and boards through periods of scale, repositioning, and transformation. She is currently exploring senior leadership opportunities within hospitality management companies where she can build and scale enterprise commercial and revenue disciplines aligned with ownership, culture, and long-term growth objectives.
PARTICIPANTS
KRISTEN MCCLELLAN ‘12 Founder & CEO SNAP Wellness Email
Kristen is the Founder & CEO of SNAP Wellness (formerly SnappyScreen), creator of the world’s first touchless sunscreen application system. Inspired by a family vacation and the widespread problem of improper sunscreen use, Kristen developed SNAP while an undergraduate at Cornell University, where she built and tested early prototypes at Caribbean hotels. Today, SNAP Wellness booths are featured at luxury hotels across the U.S., Caribbean, and Mexico, including Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, and Conrad. The company’s proprietary, reef-safe sunscreen and experiential platform promote sun safety while driving measurable guest engagement and revenue. SNAP Wellness has been featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things, Good Morning America, Bloomberg, and CNBC. Kristen was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 and holds a BS from Cornell University.
PARTICIPANTS
DOROTHY POTASH P’25 Co-Founder & President Development Dynamx Wellness Email
Dorothy Potash is an entrepreneur and business development strategist and the co-founder of Development Dynamx, a boutique management consulting firm specializing in business development coaching for professional services organizations. Drawing on her background as a senior business development executive, Dorothy brings deep expertise advising executive leadership across financial, corporate, and legal sectors, from global enterprises to fast-growing startups. Since founding Development Dynamx in 2016, she has coached partners at Am Law 100 firms, leading accounting practices, and emerging entrepreneurs, helping them build strategic networks and actionable growth plans with measurable results. Dorothy is also a published author and illustrator of five children’s books and a guest lecturer at Cornell University’s Nolan School of Hotel Administration.
PARTICIPANTS
LIBBIE RICE ‘93 Chief Commercial Officer Under Canvas Email
Libbie Rice joined Under Canvas in 2024 as the Chief Commercial Officer where she is responsible for revenue generation, distribution, and sales. Prior to Under Canvas, Rice was the Co-President of the travel agency consortium, Ensemble Travel. In addition, she has also held key roles in the areas of customer relationship management and revenue management at Starwood Hotels, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Libbie holds an MBA from The Johnson School at Cornell University and an undergraduate degree from U.C. Berkeley.
PARTICIPANTS
REBECCA ROBINSON ‘07, MBA ‘15 Co-Founder & CEO Shiny Email
Rebecca is Shiny’s co-founder and CEO. She leads business operations for the Austin based hospitality technology company. With over eighteen years in the hospitality and travel industry, she started as a room valet intern at the famed Raffles Hotel in Singapore. Prior to Shiny, Robinson led business development and marketing for other Austin startups; Tailos, OnceThere and WayBlazer. She began her career at Expedia managing hotel partnerships. Robinson holds a bachelor's degree from Cornell's School of Hotel Administration and an MBA from Cornell's Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management.
PARTICIPANTS June Smith is a leader in revenue strategy. Over her career, June has held leadership roles spanning revenue management, product innovation, and large-scale systems transformation, partnering closely with crossfunctional and technology teams to translate strategy into execution. Her background also includes hands-on operational and field leadership experience, giving her a practical, endto-end perspective on driving results.
JUNE SMITH Senior Director, Global Revenue Strategy Initiatives Marriott International Email
A passionate advocate for leadership development, June co-created a professional growth program focused on feedback, personal branding, and courageous conversations. She is known for investing in people and creating environments where others can grow with confidence and curiosity.
PARTICIPANTS
ELLEN YUI P ’14, ’16 Founding Principal YUI & Company, Inc. and YuiDesign, Inc. Email
An entrepreneur of 30+ years, Ellen Yui helps leaders identify their unique space, tell their story, and curate opportunities for collaboration, dialogue, and growth as founding principal of YUI&Company, Inc. She also serves many of the world’s most celebrated chefs and hospitality luminaries alongside her husband, Jimi, as a principal in YuiDesign, Inc., a leader in commercial kitchen design. In 1991, Ellen Yui disrupted the agency model with the thenradical idea for a fully remote organization where transparency, ethics, and work-life balance were put at a premium. Exclusively serving clients committed to positive socioeconomic and environmental impact as key indicators of growth, YUI&Co. has served Fortune 100s, US presidents, start-ups, universities, municipalities, non-profits, artists, authors, and more. The team has conducted strategic communications on behalf of Disney, Starwood, Sweet Street Desserts, Academic Travel Abroad, Interval International, and the American Resort Development Association, orchestrated events during a Presidential Inaugural, in the White House Rose Garden, and a jazz festival featuring the legendary Wynton Marsalis, and managed news conferences for US cabinet members, CEOs, and thought leaders from a variety of sectors, markets, and nations. Committed to education and community, Ellen serves as a Trustee of The Fund for Education Abroad, a Board member of Spur Local and a nonprofit reviewer of their Catalogue for Philanthropy Greater Washington DC, an Entrepreneur-inResidence with the Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship at Cornell University, and frequently as a judge of university business plan competitions. She speaks at industry conferences and universities on communications and entrepreneurialism, has testified before a Commerce Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives on online consumer protection, and her writings have appeared in multiple publications under her byline and those of her clients. Prior to launching YUI&Co., Ellen held positions with Edelman, Hill+Knowlton, Edward Aycoth Worldwide, the American Beverage Association, on Capitol Hill, and in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs of the Department of State. She holds a BA in Political Science from Boston College, the Baccalauréat from the Lycée D'État LaMartine in Mâcon, France, and CSR certification through Johns Hopkins University.
Fireside Chat with Marriott Executives 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Hear from Marriott International leaders and their entrepreneurial partners as they delve into the entrepreneurial mindset, the essentials of successfully scaling a business, and the unique challenges faced by women. They will also share insightful tips on overcoming these obstacles.
LIVESTREAM ACCESS: Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/2402205520692? p=uzMWM4G2sqCgP6ojck Meeting ID: 240 220 552 069 2 Passcode: eq7AT7Np
MARRIOTT EXECUTIVE PANEL
MEGAN GRAY
SENIOR MANAGER
LOYALTY ROADMAP + WOMEN'S ASSOCIATE RESOURCE GROUP LEADERSHIP
JENNIFER HSIEH
SHANE REILLY
GLOBAL CATEGORY LEADER, ENDORSED BRANDS AND EXPERIENCES
GLOBAL RETAIL BOUTIQUES
MANAGING VICE PRESIDENT
CHRISTINE SCHINDLER CO-FOUNDER + CEO, PATHSPOT
VICE PRESIDENT
CARA WHITEHILL
OPERATING PARTNER,
THAYER INVESTMENT PARTNERS
EVENT ORGANIZERS MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL
RANI BERNSTEIN ‘19 LEAD RECRUITING MANAGER, UNIVERSITY RELATIONS + RECRUITING TEAM
TANEKA COATS
DIRECTOR, DATA & ANALYTICS INTELLIGENCE TEAM
PILLSBURY INSTITUTE FOR HOSPITALITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP
MICHELLE MAHOOL ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
KAITLYN MANN
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
CHRISTY MCDOWELL PH.D. DIRECTOR
NOTES
NOTES
ABOUT THE LELAND C. AND MARY M. PILLSBURY INSTITUTE FOR HOSPITALITY ENTREPRENEURSHIP The Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship engages leading industry experts and faculty to educate students and provide them with experiential opportunities to learn all aspects of entrepreneurship. To support these critical goals, the Pillsbury Institute offers students, entrepreneurs, and faculty an expanding range of courses, programs, and activities focused on advancing students’ entrepreneurship knowledge and mastery.
BECOME A MEMBER For corporate partners and individuals wanting to shape the future of hospitality entrepreneurship, a PIHE membership provides opportunities to: attend exclusive board meetings, roundtables, and networking events connect with leading business faculty, students, Cornell’s extensive alumni network, and industry peers be considered to participate as a mentor, competition judge, guest lecture, and speaker help cultivate the next generation of hospitality entrepreneurs Contact us to learn how you can join today. pihe@cornell.edu
Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration Cornell University 189 Statler Hall Ithaca, NY 14853 e: pihe@cornell.edu w: pihe.cornell.edu