Mainstreaming Net Positive Hospitality Summit | 2024

Randy Durband is CEO of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), the UN-created NGO that manages global standards for sustainable tourism. He brings a unique blend of experience from two career paths in tourism spanning 40 years – in senior leadership positions with major U.S. outbound tour operators, including as President of Travcoa, Clipper Cruise Lines, Executive VP of Tauck – and now a second career in sustainable tourism.

He is a frequent advisor and speaker to governments and businesses on sustainable tourism policies and implementation. He has served on many tourism boards and committees and as a judge for leading sustainable tourism awards.

Gary Graham oversees and works extensively on all facets of the Green Key Global program since joining in 2013, driving significant growth of the world’s leading sustainability program for hotel and meeting spaces.

Prior to beginning his career in the sustainable lodging industry, Gary was a consultant for both the public and private sectors, including working for the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program and Employment and Social Development Canada. He also worked for several years growing and promoting sustainable green building practices with the Canada Green Building Council.

Adam Harris is the co-founder and CEO of Cloudbeds, the hospitality management platform powering more reservations and happier guests for lodging businesses worldwide. His people-centered leadership, alongside a fully-remote, distributed workforce of 700+ people in more than 40+ countries, has grown Cloudbeds into a company that generates billions of dollars in revenue for tens of thousands of properties globally. Together with his co-founder, Richard Castle, they have amassed awards for culture, product, and innovation, including Forbes’ America’s Best Startup Employers, Inc’s Best Workplaces, and EY Entrepreneur of the Year.

Inge Huijbrechts serves on the board of Flanders Special Venues, is Co-Chair of the ASIS Europe conference, the leading cross-industry organisation for security, and Vice-Chair of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance Board of Trustees. She is Radisson Hotel Group’s Chief Sustainability and Security Officer and a member of the ASIS Chief Security Officer Center for Leadership and Development, as well as the US State Department’s OSAC Hotel & Lodging Sector Committee. In 2022 and 2023, Inge was named one of the 100 Most influential people in Global Hospitality and in the global Top 100 Women in Sustainability.

Kevin Jacobs is chief financial officer and president, Global Development for Hilton, and leads the company’s finance, real estate, corporate strategy, development and architecture and construction functions globally. Mr. Jacobs joined the company in 2008 as senior vice president, Corporate Strategy; was elected treasurer in 2009; was appointed executive vice president & chief of staff in 2012; assumed the role of chief financial officer in 2013; and added the role of president, Global Development in 2020.

Prior to Hilton, Mr. Jacobs was senior vice president, Mergers & Acquisitions and Treasurer of Fairmont Raffles Hotels International. Prior to Fairmont Raffles, Mr. Jacobs spent seven years with Host Hotels & Resorts, ultimately serving as vice president, Corporate Strategy & Investor Relations. Prior to Host, Mr. Jacobs had various roles in the Hospitality Consulting Practice of PwC and the Hospitality Valuation Group of Cushman & Wakefield.

Mr. Jacobs is a member of the Board of Directors of Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc., a triple-net, equity REIT (NYSE: OHI) that supports the goals of skilled nursing facility and assisted living facility operators with financing and capital. He is also a trustee of Cornell University and a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration; is vice chair of the Board of Directors of Goodwill of Greater Washington; and is a trustee of the Federal City Council. He also serves as chair of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Kevin is a graduate of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.

Dr. Christopher Jahns is a scientist, entrepreneur and founder and CEO of XU sustainable, provider of a learning experience platform for sustainability in a corporate context. He also acts as Board Member for Sustainability & Development of the professional handball team Füchse Berlin. Christopher is very committed to the advancement of young people, is among others LinkedIn Top Voice for Sustainability and former Young Global Leader of the WEF World Economic Forum, Davos.

Alexi Khajavi is President of Hospitality & Travel for Questex LLC, a global business intelligence company that informs and connects buyers and sellers across five key sectors; hospitality, travel, healthcare, wellness and technology. Alexi is responsible for the overall management and development of the company’s global hospitality and travel communications properties and events including notable flagship assets like the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) Summit Series, The Bar & Restaurant Expo, Ultra Travel Summit, Luxury Travel Advisor, Hospitality Insights, HOTEC and the Destination Develop investment promotion arm.

Khajavi, who brings more than 20 years of travel, technology, hospitality, media and aviation experience to his position, joined Questex in 2014 as head of Hospitality and Hotel Investment.

Prior to joining Questex, Khajavi was senior vice president, global strategy, for MercuryCSC, a creative agency specializing in the travel industry where he helped design global marketing campaigns for hotel companies, tourism boards and active lifestyle brands. Prior to MercuryCSC, he was one of the founding team members of the travel consortium Nature Group based in Costa Rica and helped lead the airline and hospitality portfolio to be awarded the fastest growing travel company in Central America between 2003 and 2010 and the world’s first carbon neutral airline in 2005.

Khajavi has been a board member and advisor to a number of non-profits and tech companies including the Center for Responsible Travel at Stanford University, The Center for Health and the Global Environment at the Harvard School of Public Health, Sustainable Travel International and KERBspace an early stage startup in the revolutionizing the electric vehicle charging stations for the built environment.

Khajavi holds a B.A from the University of California Santa Cruz, graduating Magna Cum Laude, with distinction and honors.

Glenn Mandziuk is CEO of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance – the leading global network in responsible hospitality. He is an internationally recognised CEO with over 25 years of leadership experience in advancing sustainable practices in tourism, hospitality and economic development, and establishing strategies and programmes that inspire responsible growth.

Prior to becoming CEO of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, Glenn was President and Chief Executive Officer of Canada’s Thompson Okanagan Tourism Region (TOTA) with its 4,000 industry stakeholders.

He is also a director on the Board of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and the Responsible Tourism Institute, and Chair of the SMI Hospitality and Tourism Task Force.

Liselotte is a Strategy Managing Director leading the Travel Industry in North America and Strategy for the Travel Industry globally. She focuses on Strategy & Consulting for travel clients to design a seamless travel experience, drive efficient operations and create value from new business models. This in a broader context of experience in helping clients in creating competitive growth strategies, (re)defining operating- and business models and support the transformation. She started her career in Amsterdam in 2000, is currently based in New York.

Doreen Burse is senior vice president of worldwide sales at United Airlines. In this role, she oversees the global sales strategy, enhancing existing business travel programs and building new partnerships to improve the United for Business customer and partner experience.

Prior to joining United, Doreen worked for 30 years in the hospitality industry. Most recently, she led a team who served over 1,300 Corporate, Association, and Meeting & Agency intermediary partner accounts as the Vice President of U.S. and Canada Global Sales at Marriott. During her time at Marriott, she also held leadership roles in distribution services and global procurement, guiding her teams to best support customers through multiple significant internal and external changes,
including the 2020 pandemic.

Doreen is a well-known figure in the travel industry. She frequently speaks on thought-leadership panels and participates in a variety of industry-related organizations. Most recently, she was a member of the foundation board for Meetings Professional International (MPI) and the board of directors of AMC Institute. Currently, she is on the airline editorial board for Smart Meetings magazine, the Business Travel News board, the Allied Leadership Council member for the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), is a Chairman’s Circle member on the US Travel Association board and sits on the board for Choose Chicago.

Kristie Goshow brings a diversity of hospitality and travel industry experience to her role as KSL Resort’s chief commercial officer. Her responsibilities at KSL are extensive and include strategy and brand development, marketing and sales demand creation and consumer/guest experience delivery. She also plays an active role in the recruitment, training and development of our top talent.

With 20-plus years of hospitality industry experiences, she has held high-profile hospitality positions around the world, including her prior position as chief marketing officer for Preferred Hotels & Resorts, serving as senior vice president – commercial for Viceroy Hotel Group and working in Dubai as group director of distribution marketing and innovation for the Jumeirah Group.

Determined and tenacious, she has gained a reputation as an innovator and a problem solver – deftly delivering solutions and ideas that make a difference.

In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her family, real estate and conquering the trails on Big Bear Mountain. She has a passion for the spicier side of life too, as a self-professed expert at making Indian curries from scratch!

Motto: Open your eyes. There is good everywhere.

Eric founded Greenview in 2008, the leading consulting and data firm for sustainability within hospitality and tourism. Greenview’s 50+ clients include hotel companies of all sizes and profiles, as well as hotel owners and developers, event organisers, cruise lines, NGOs, DMOs, OTAs and industry organisations including the WTTC, UNWTO, and AHLA.

With over 25 years of hands-on experience in both sustainability and industry, Eric is a frequent speaker, convener, and researcher. His notable industry work includes working as a technical consultant for the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative and launching initiatives including the Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking Index, Green Lodging Trends Report, Destination Water Risk Index, Hotel Owners for Tomorrow Coalition, Global Hotel Decarbonisation Report and Hotel Net Zero Methodology.

Gary Rosen is Chief Executive Officer of Accor Greater China, a role he has held since 2018. Gary sits
on Accor’s Executive Committees for its Luxury & Lifestyle and its Premium, Midscale & Economy
divisions.

Gary has lived and worked in Shanghai for nearly two decades, holding executive positions in
multinational companies encompassing operations, guest services, marketing, hotel management,
and ESG and sustainability. The Wall Street Journal recognized Gary for his innovative leadership in
redefining branding and marketing in China.

An American national, Gary earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies from the University of
Hartford, USA and completed an Executive Management and Global Leadership program with
Harvard Business School. He also completed a full-time formal training in the Chinese language, and
as a result, has a strong command of Mandarin and deep understanding of Chinese culture.
Gary is a recipient of the 2023 Shanghai Magnolia Memorial Awards, one of the most prestigious and
highest honors to be awarded by the Shanghai municipal government, recognizing foreign individuals
who have made outstanding contributions to Shanghai’s economic and social development, while
boosting the international profile of the city.

Under Gary’s leadership, Accor has spearheaded a sustainable business model in Greater China,
inspiring transformation throughout the industry. Some of his achievements include a collaboration
with Trip.com and McKinsey & Company to publish an educational white paper, “The Path Toward
Eco-friendly Travel in China”; the formation of an unprecedented alliance with Shanghai Jin Jiang
International Hotels to create an ESG measurement framework for the hotel sector; and becoming the
first international hotel group in China to sign a network-wide sustainable certification agreement with
China Hospitality Association, with the goal of achieving Green Hotel Certification for all Accor hotels
across the country.

Michael Frenkel is a hotel industry investor, advisor, thought leader and strategic communications/Go to Market consultant.

He founded the industry’s leading public relations firm, MFC PR, in 2000, and its top thought leadership platform and strategic consultancy, Travel Conversations LLC, in 2017.

Michael has worked with every major brand in the hospitality industry; counselled many of the industry’s CEOs, and engineered strategic communications campaigns to bring to market and market leadership the industry’s most innovative brands, investment platforms and technology companies.

Michael speaks and writes frequently on hospitality trends, and founded and organizes the industry’s leading C-Suite thought leadership roundtable series. He co-hosts the industry’s “Hotel Tech: Innovators and Influencers” podcast.

Michael is a Board Member at the Pillsbury Institute for Hotel Entrepreneurship at Cornell’s Nolan Hotel School of Hospitality Administration, a strategic marketing advisor to Venture Capital Firm Thayer Ventures, and sits on the Advisory Board for the Hospitality Show.