HSMAI Honors Top 25 ‘Extraordinary Minds’ of 2022

McLean, Virginia, December 19, 2022—The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association (HSMAI) is proud to recognize the 20th class of the “best and brightest” in the hospitality industry with its list of the 2022 HSMAI Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization, and Distribution.

These 25 professionals, selected by a panel of senior industry executives, will be celebrated February 23 at the JW Marriott LA Live in Los Angeles in conjunction with the annual Adrian Awards Celebration.

HSMAI’s 2022 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds not only adapted to the post-COVID travel environment but anticipated and capitalized on the market shifts—some of them almost imperceptible—accompanying the pandemic. Individually, the Top 25 are leaders, mentors, and role models; collectively, they are the engine driving the industry’s recovery and the foundation for its future success.

“The 2022 ‘Top 25’ celebrates the innovators in our industry, and marks the 20th anniversary of Top 25 recognition” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, president and CEO of HSMAI. “During a year when the travel and hospitality industry rebounded sharply and faced unprecedented challenges, these extraordinary professionals ‘rewrote the book’ and forged new paths to success in commercial strategy. Their exemplary performance will set new standards for others to follow.”

The 2022 HSMAI Top 25 Extraordinary Minds:

  • Hege V. Barnes – Managing Director, Innovation Norway
  • Susan Barr – Vice President One Yield, Marriott International
  • Paul Beirnes – Executive Director, Naples, Marco Island, and the Everglades CVB
  • Shane Brossard – Chief Marketing Officer, Wisconsin Department of Tourism
  • Natasha Caputo – Director, Westchester County Tourism & Film
  • Shelley Airhart Cooper – Deputy Director of Marketing, Colorado Tourism Office
  • Dax Cross – CEO, Revenue Analytics
  • Michael Curran, CHDM – Vice President of eCommerce Strategy, Aimbridge Hospitality
  • Cristina DiStefano, CHDM – Director of Enterprise Marketing, Oneida Nation Enterprises
  • Laurie Garzon – Director of Sales and Marketing, Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui
  • Richard Geiger – President, Visit Winston-Salem
  • Kristi Gole – Executive Vice President, Global Hotel Alliance
  • Michael Klein – Vice President of Global Revenue Management, Hyatt Hotels Corporation
  • Melissa Kouvelas – Senior Director of Worldwide Sales, BWH Hotel Group
  • Sabrina Lillew – Vice President of Loyalty Programs and Partnerships, North and Central America, Accor
  • Yola Marshall – Vice President America Sales, IHG
  • Kevin McAteer – Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Concord Hospitality
  • Monika Morrobel, CHDM, CRME – Senior Corporate Director of Commercial Strategy, Kessler Collection
  • Todd O’Leary – Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Sonoma County Tourism
  • Edelyn Parker-Frye – Director of Brand Events, Communications and Partnerships, Red Roof
  • Linda Parker Sanpei – Founder and CEO, Parker Sanpei
  • Brent Shiratori – Vice President of Global Brand, Outrigger Resorts and Hotels
  • Stephanie Smith, CHDM – CEO & Digital Matriarch, Cogwheel Marketing
  • Joe Spirito – Vice President of Global Digital & Marketing Operations, Preferred Travel Group
  • Gillian Ware – National Sales Director, San Diego Tourism Authority

For additional information on the Top 25 Minds, the HSMAI Adrian Awards, and the HSMAI Lifetime Achievement Awards, visit http://www.adrianawards.com.

Media Contact
Stuart Hales
MCI | USA
stuart.hales@hsmai.org

About HSMAI
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners and is the industry’s leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals and their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as the Marketing Strategy Conference, Adrian Awards, and HSMAI ROC. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is a membership organization comprising more than 5,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. Connect with HSMAI at hsmai.org, HSMAI Facebook, HSMAI Instagram, HSMAI Twitter, and HSMAI YouTube.