SPEAKERS
as of January 20, 2016
Paul Ades
Hilton Worldwide
Paul Ades is Senior Vice President for Labor Relations for Hilton Worldwide in McLean, Virginia. Paul is
responsible for labor relations at Hilton and its owned and managed properties, negotiates collective bargaining
agreements, and provides counsel on labor matters. Prior to joining Hilton, Paul was General Counsel for Labor
& Employment at MGM Resorts International and Associate General Counsel for Caesars Entertainment in Las
Vegas, Nevada, a trial attorney for the National Labor Relations Board’s Enforcement Division, and an Associate
at the Washington D.C. law firm Steptoe & Johnson. He received a Juris Doctorate from the University of
California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Williams College.
Shaun Aukland
Google
Shaun works as an Account Executive with the large customer travel team. He plays a pivotal role in
developing solutions that are tailored to individual brands and organizations and spearheads some of the
industry’s most creative online solutions to driving more trips and more bookings. To accomplish this, Shaun
works one-to-one with customers to understand the changing digital landscape and develop integrated,
measurable marketing strategies to reach prospective travelers. His expertise in managing both content and
media campaigns spans across search, programmatic display and video networks, YouTube, social, mobile and
mapping platforms. He was recently named one of the Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing
by HSMAI. Prior to joining Google in 2010, Shaun served as the online marketing director for a New York Times
bestselling book. Shaun graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication and african studies from the
University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Terence Badour
FRHI Hotels & Resorts
Terence P. Badour is the Executive Vice President, Law & Administration of FRHI Hotels & Resorts. He joined
the company in 1998 as Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. FRHI Hotels & Resorts is a
global hotel management company operating over 110 hotels and resorts under the Fairmont, Raffles and
Swissôtel brands, and also manages Fairmont and Raffles branded Residences, Estates and luxury private
residence club properties.
Mr. Badour has approximately 30 years’ experience in the fields of corporate and securities law and mergers
and acquisitions. He holds a B.A. (cum laude) in Political Science from Concordia University in Montreal, and a
LL.L. and LL.B. from the University of Ottawa and is a member of the Quebec Bar and the law society of Ontario.
He is also a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the General Counsels Committee of the American Hotel
and Lodging Association, and Council of Senior Legal Executives of the Conference Board of Canada, and the
University of Ottawa President’s Circle. Mr. Badour is also a founding member of Legal Leaders for Diversity
(LLD) which promotes diversity in the legal industry.
In 2002, Mr. Badour was named one of Canada’s top general counsels by Lexpert magazine. In 2006, he was
bestowed the Canadian General Counsel Award “Dealmaker of the Year”. Mr. Badour was inducted into the
University of Ottawa Law School Honor Society in recognition of his contribution to the legal community and the
Law School.
Page 1 of 12
SPEAKERS
as of January 20, 2016
Peter Benudiz
Millbank
Peter Benudiz is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, and is the co-leader
of the firm’s Hospitality and Gaming Group.
Widely recognized as one of the leading hospitality lawyers in the United States, Peter has been consistently
ranked nationally in Band 1 for Leisure & Hospitality by Chambers USA. Chambers notes that Peter is
“unsurpassed in the hospitality sector” and “has the knowledge base of a scholar, but he’s practical too.”
Peter advises global hospitality companies, investment banks, private equity and hedge funds and their
CEOs, boards of directors and investors on some of their most sensitive tactical, strategic and structuring issues.
He has advised many of the world’s largest financial institutions and private equity funds on the acquisition,
financing and restructuring of some of the most high profile and significant real estate and hotel projects. He has
been the lead lawyer on billions of dollars of real estate and hospitality transactions, including domestic and
cross-border leveraged private equity deals. Included among his many notable engagements is
the representation of the Lehman Brothers Official Creditors’ Committee on all real estate and hospitality assets
worldwide following Lehman’s Chapter 11 filing, and the representation of the senior-secured lender of the World
Trade Center Towers on the loan restructuring negotiations and insurance claims relating to 9/11.
H. Bryan Brewer III
Crowell + Moring LLP
H. Bryan Brewer, III, is the co-chair of Crowell & Moring's Corporate Group and a partner in the International
Trade Group.Mr. Brewer is experienced in matters related to mergers and acquisitions, public securities,
government contracts, intellectual property licensing and counseling, venture capital, export controls corporate
franchising structures and general corporate governance issues that affect both for-profit and non-profit
companies.
Mr. Brewer provides counseling for both public companies and privately held corporations on mergers and
acquisitions, structuring, outsourcing, regulatory compliance, technology and securities issuances. He is also
experienced in providing corporate/business counseling and strategic advice for rapidly expanding start-up and
pre-IPO companies. He has clients in a number of sectors including government contractors, hospitality, energy,
life sciences, technology, telecommunications, media and the financial markets. He has also worked on
numerous matters related to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations
(EAR), Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and regulatory and export compliance
matters generally. He also counsels clients on transactional aspects of intellectual property rights and strategies
and has experience in formulating, negotiating and implementing intellectual property licensing agreements,
technology transfer programs, technology acquisitions, and copyright and trade secret protection programs.
Mr. Brewer has deep experience in working with trade associations on their transactional and corporate
challenges and transactions. He has acted as outside counsel on numerous corporate matters and transactions
for trade associations. Mr. Brewer has counseled numerous non-profit corporations on formation, licensing and
related contract and intellectual property issues in a variety of industries. Mr. Brewer has authored numerous
articles and frequently speaks on such topics as mergers & acquisitions, securities, venture capital, intellectual
property, export controls and other emerging business issues.
James E. Burba
BHN
Jim Burba is the co-founder and president of Burba Hotel Network LLC (BHN), the worldwide leader in
developing and producing conferences for the hotel and tourism investment community. BHN hosts ten events
each year around the world including: ALIS, ALIS Law, ALIS Summer Update, AOCAP, HICAP, HICAP UPDATE,
HIFI, CHRIS, HOLA, and Hot.E. In 2008, BHN and Google teamed up to host Digital Discovery Day (D3) and in
2011, Burba was retained by the ITC, a joint agency of the UN and WTO to help organize WEDF which focused
on tourism development in the least developed countries of the world.
Actively involved in the hotel investment arena for 30 years, Burba was formerly: a principal at Pannell Kerr
Forster, Senior Managing Director with Insignia/Hotel Partners, VP/Worldwide Director of Advisory Services at
WATG, and President at Horwath HTL (US). A member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants
(ISHC) and the Industry Real Estate Finance Advisory Council (IREFAC), Burba has received numerous honors
including the Educational Institute Lamp of Knowledge Award, IREFAC’s first Crystal Ball Award, and the ISHC
Pioneer Award.
In 2007, California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, re-appointed Burba to his second term on the
California Travel & Tourism Commission and he recently served on its Executive Committee.
Page 2 of 12
SPEAKERS
as of January 20, 2016
Rebecca Chasen
Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP
Rebecca Chasen leads the US Advisory Travel, Hospitality, Leisure & Services practice. In her role as
Advisory sector leader, she teams with the US national sector leader to develop and execute our THL&S Advisory
strategy and leverage best practices within the sector, drives industry aligned deployment, and enhances
marketplace presence for the sector. Rebecca joins the THL&S leadership team with more than 20 years of
experience in financial consulting, corporate investigations, purchase price disputes, litigation support and
auditing of public and private companies. She serves a range of clients from small public companies to Fortune
100 Companies, specializing in the consumer space.
In addition to client service and leadership responsibilities, Rebecca has been a speaker at various Finance,
Legal, Internal Audit, Accounting and Governance conferences, presenting on fraud prevention, fraud risk
management, investigations and litigation disputes consulting, anti-fraud controls and corporate governance
topics. Rebecca also he holds leadership positions within her community, including Board Member and CoChair of the Victim Rights Law Center and member of the United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council. She has
previously served as the co-chair for the United Way’s Annual Women’s Leadership Breakfast and as a member
of the Commonwealth Advisory Board.
Emilio “Milo” Cividanes
Venable LLP
Emilio Cividanes is a partner in the Washington, DC office of the law firm Venable LLP. He co-leads Venable's
privacy and data security practice, which won the Chambers USA “Award for Excellence” for the top U.S. privacy
and data security practice. With nearly three decades of experience in counseling clients in connection with
privacy and data protection, he has worked extensively with Congress and federal agencies, as well as assisted
companies in handling hundreds of data security incidents, ranging from health data to credit cards to Social
Security Numbers.
Mr. Cividanes has successfully represented companies in connection with privacy-related litigation, and
congressional and regulatory investigations. Among other cases, he represented GeoCities in the FTC's first
Internet privacy case and Reed Elsevier Inc. in connection with the FTC's 3-year investigation of the company's
data security practices.
ComputerWorld and other major publications have repeatedly cited Mr. Cividanes with distinction. Most
recently, in December 2015, the National Law Journal featured him in its inaugural list of “Cyber Security
Trailblazers.” He has served as counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Technology
and the Law and taught information privacy law as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center.
Thomas J. Corcoran, Jr.
FelCor Lodging Trust
In 1991 Mr. Corcoran co-founded FelCor, Inc. with Hervey Feldman. In 1994 FelCor went public as a hotel
REIT. In 1996 FelCor Lodging Trust was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Mr. Corcoran served as
President and Chief Executive Officer of FelCor since its formation until his appointment to Chairman of the Board
in 2006.
FelCor, a real estate investment trust, owns a diversified portfolio of primarily upper-upscale and luxury hotels
that are located in major and resort markets throughout the U.S. FelCor partners with leading hotel companies
to operate its hotels, which are flagged under globally renowned names and premier independent hotels.
Additional information can be found on the Company's website at www.felcor.com.
Mr. Corcoran’s board appointments include: past Chairman of the American Hotel & Lodging Association
(AH&LA), and past Chairman of the IHG Owners Association.
After serving as independent board member since December 2010, Mr. Corcoran was appointed Chairman
of the Board of Sammons Enterprises. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, in the United States, with assets
approaching $71 billion, Sammons ranks among the largest privately owned companies in the world.
Page 3 of 12
SPEAKERS
as of January 20, 2016
John Dent
Extended Stay America
John Dent is the General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Extended Stay America, Inc. and its pairedshare REIT, ESH Hospitality Inc. (NYSE:STAY). Extended Stay America is the largest owner/operator of
company-branded hotels in North America with over $1.2 billion in annual revenues and over $4 billion in real
estate and other assets. Previously, John was Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Hilton
Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HLT), where he was responsible for legal support of the company’s global development,
operations, and asset management functions. Prior to joining Hilton, John spent a decade as a litigator at Tuttle
& Taylor in Los Angeles. He received his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and his B.A. in English
from UCLA.
Karen Di Fulgo
Benchmark Hospitality International
As Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Benchmark Hospitality International, Karen oversees and
leads a team of over 65+ HR field professionals and home office support staff to include staffing, benefits &
compensation, labor & employee relations, & talent development. Karen brings over 25 years of professional
human resource & leadership experience to Benchmark, having worked in a multitude of different industries to
include healthcare, consumer services, technology, landscaping and hospitality. Prior to joining Benchmark,
Karen served as Vice President of Human Resources for Gaylord Hotels and the Gaylord National Resort &
Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Prior to Gaylord Hotels, Karen was the Sr. Director of Employee
Development for Brickman Group in Gaithersburg, MD; and Vice President of Global Human Resources for TNS
Healthcare, based in London, England.
Currently, Karen serves as an executive board member for the American Hotel and Lodging Association –
Women in Lodging; as well as an active board member for the Human Resources Committee for American Hotel
and Lodging Association. Karen holds a BA in Human Resource Management from the University of Baltimore
– Maryland.
Kenneth H. Fearn
Integrated Capital, LLC
Kenneth Fearn is Founder and Managing Partner of Integrated Capital, LLC (“IC”). IC is a private equity real
estate group with a focus on hospitality. Since its founding in 2004, IC has acquired more than $400 million in
hospitality assets in primary and secondary markets across the United States that featured extended-stay, select
service, and full-service brands. IC is currently managing its second blind pool investment fund targeting
opportunistic and value-added hospitality investments. Investors in the fund included public pension funds,
corporations, and high net worth individuals. The fund targets mid-scale through luxury full-service and
extended-stay hotels and resorts affiliated with major brands throughout the United States and Canada. Prior to
founding Integrated Capital Mr. Fearn was Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Maritz, Wolff & Co.,
where he was directly involved in more than $1.0 billion of hospitality acquisitions and secured more than $2
billion in debt financing. Mr. Fearn is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and Harvard Business
School. Mr. Fearn is active on numerous civic and charitable boards and most notably served as Chairman of
the Board of the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles.
Laura E. FitzRandolph
Interstate Hotels & Resorts
Laura E. FitzRandolph serves as Chief Human Resources Officer and Assistant General Counsel for
Interstate Hotels & Resorts. She is responsible for all aspects of talent acquisition, human resources
management and training and development for Interstate’s more than 33,000 associates worldwide. This
oversight also includes global responsibility for recruitment, compensation, benefits, learning programs, and
associate relations. Laura also oversees Interstate’s labor and employment legal matters.
Prior to joining Interstate in 2006, she spent eight years in the Washington D.C. office of the law firm Akin
Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld. Laura also clerked for Harold H. Greene in the U.S. District Court for the District
of Columbia. Laura is a former deputy director of correspondence in the White House Office of Scheduling and
Advance and served on the staff of United States Senator Alan Cranston.
Laura is active in the ALHA and is a member of the Labor and Human Resources Committees. Laura has a
law degree from the George Washington University Law School, where she served as an editor of the George
Washington Law Review and graduated with distinction. She has undergraduate degree, with a dual major in
Political Science and Communications, from the University of California, Berkeley.
Page 4 of 12
SPEAKERS
as of January 20, 2016
Michael Gray
Jones Day
Michael Gray is co-chair of Jones Day's Global Labor & Employment Practice and resident in the Firm's
Chicago office. He represents corporate clients with complex labor and employment litigation, including class
action and multiplaintiff employment discrimination lawsuits, state law overtime class actions, FLSA collective
actions, and trade secrets and restrictive covenant matters. He represents employers throughout the United
States in bench and jury trials in state and federal courts, administrative hearings, arbitrations, and appellate
courts in matters arising under federal and state antidiscrimination laws, the FLSA, FMLA, the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act, labor management relations laws, and diverse state law wrongful discharge, statutory, contract, and tort
claims. Annually selected as one of the Nation's Most Powerful Employment Attorneys by HR Executive
Magazine and Lawdragon, Michael brings a creative, business-minded approach to problem-solving and
litigation. In recognition by Chambers, clients praised him by stating he "quickly gets down to the nuts and bolts
and gets people focused on what’s important – his approach is unique and he gets exceptional results.” For the
past two years, The Legal 500 US named Michael as one of the 18 Leading Lawyers nationally for employment
litigation, describing him as one of the most knowledgeable and talented labor attorneys in the country – a
superlative advocate.
Erica H. Hageman
Interstate Hotels
Ms. Hageman serves as the Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Interstate Hotels & Resorts
and is responsible for all legal and compliance functions of the Company. As a member of the Executive
Committee, she is also a driving force in the execution of the Company’s global growth strategy.
In partnership with Interstate’s development, finance and operations leadership, Ms. Hageman’s direct
engagement in negotiating and documenting the Company’s M&A transactions and individual management
agreements, coupled with her deep experience and business-focused approach, have been instrumental to
Interstate’s growth. Ms. Hageman is also central to the Company’s global compliance and risk mitigation
programs, ensuring Interstate’s strong culture of ethics and integrity is maintained throughout the organization.
Prior to joining Interstate, Ms. Hageman worked in the Washington D.C. office of Eckert Seamans Cherin &
Mellott, a national full-service law firm with a well-established and respected hospitality practice.
Ms. Hageman holds a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School and a Bachelor’s degree from
the University of Florida.
Michael S. Heistein
Wyndham Hotel Group
Michael Heistein is Vice President, Legal at Wyndham Hotel Group, where he is responsible for overseeing
legal matters for WHG’s portfolio of managed hotels and corporate development. Before joining WHG, Michael
was an associate with the law firm of Goodwin Procter LLP in New York, where his practice focused on private
equity and M&A. Michael received a B.A. from the University of Michigan and J.D. from Brooklyn Law School.
Harry I. Johnson, III
Morgan Lewis & Bockius
Harry I. Johnson, III joined Morgan Lewis following a two-year appointment at the National Labor Relations
Board (2013–2015). While at the Board, Harry participated in many major labor law case decisions. Specifically,
Harry dissented in the leading joint employer law case, Browning Ferris Industries, 362 NLRB No. 186 (2015).
Today, Harry serves clients as a management-side defense lawyer, with experience in both traditional labor
matters before the Board and federal courts and class action defense. Harry practices across the entire traditional
union/labor field, including in unfair labor practice and representation proceedings, union representation
campaigns, labor arbitrations, collective bargaining, and labor-management relations. Harry defends clients in
complex wage-hour class and collective action litigation under California and federal law. He also provides
compliance advice to help employers reduce wage-hour risk, as well as defends employers in the full scope of
employment litigation.
Education; Harvard Law School, 1994, J.D.; Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, 1994,
M.A.L.D.; Johns Hopkins University, 1990, B.A., International Studies.
Page 5 of 12
SPEAKERS
as of January 20, 2016
Jason W. Kearnaghan
Sheppard Mullin
Mr. Kearnaghan represents employers in state and federal courts with respect to all facets of employment law
including wrongful discharge, employment discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment, and hostile work
environment. A significant portion of his practice is devoted to the defense of complex wage and hour class
action litigation. He has experience representing employers in union negotiations, organizing campaigns,
elections, union grievance proceedings and unfair labor proceedings. Mr. Kearnaghan also represents clients
before state and federal administrative agencies, such as the Department of Labor, the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Division of Labor
Standards Enforcement, and the National Labor Relations Board.
Prior to joining Sheppard Mullin, Mr. Kearnaghan served in the United States Navy Judge Advocate General's
Corps as a trial attorney in criminal prosecution.
Dana Kravetz
Michelman & Robinson, LLP
Dana A. Kravetz is the Managing Partner of Michelman & Robinson, LLP (M&R). Mr. Kravetz focuses his
practice on counseling and litigating on behalf of hotel and restaurant management. He routinely defends his
clients in various employment matters, including discrimination, sexual harassment prevention, wrongful
termination, reduction in workforce, hiring practices, and wage and hour issues, including class action litigation.
Mr. Kravetz has significant experience with virtually every aspect of employment litigation.
Mr. Kravetz frequently handles whistleblower claims, and routinely advises and litigates disputes concerning
state and federal acts, including the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC), the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). He also assists companies faced
with Department of Labor (DOL) audits and Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) claims and audits.
He counsels and litigates on behalf of clients in matters involving executive employment contract disputes,
independent contractor issues, misclassification and non-competition agreements. Mr. Kravetz adeptly drafts,
reviews and negotiates employment contracts and separation agreements, including non-disclosure and trade
secret covenants, for executives, management, partnerships and consultants. He advises clients on workplace
training, investigations and compliance.
Jane W. LaFranchi
Marriott International
Jane LaFranchi is Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at Marriott International, Inc. in the Franchise
Development practice group which handles new development projects for eleven lodging brands. Ms. LaFranchi
joined Marriott in 2005 and currently leads the team responsible for all U.S. and Canada development projects.
She also serves as Secretary of the full-service franchisee association for Marriott. Previously, she was a partner
in Strasburger & Price, LLP (Mexico City and Washington, DC). Ms. LaFranchi received a J.D. with honors from
the University of Texas School of Law and a B.A. with highest honors from the University of Texas.
Ms. LaFranchi was a founding member of the Steering Committee for the International Franchise and
Distribution Division of the ABA Forum on Franchising and served as a Regional Editor for the ABA’s publication
on International Franchise Sales Laws. She currently serves as the Membership Officer of the International Bar
Association’s Committee on Franchising and has participated as a faculty member of the American University
Washington College of Law’s program on Hospitality and Tourism Law. She is a frequent speaker on franchise
and compliance issues.
Bill Linehan
Red Lion Hotels Corp.
Bill Linehan joined RLHC in February 2014 as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. He has
more than 25 years of hospitality experience, most recently as Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Director at
Richfield Hospitality and Sceptre Hospitality Resources, where he led the sales, marketing and resource
management activities surrounding the company's portfolio of hotels and resorts. At Sceptre, Linehan
repositioned the company to become a global leader of hotel revenue technologies. Prior to that, he was Vice
President of Global Marketing for InterContinental Hotels Group where he established the marketing to re-launch
seven IHG brands to the development community.
Linehan also previously served as Global Vice President of Marketing, Brand Alignment and Partnerships for
Starwood Hotels and Resorts and held sales and marketing positions with both Hyatt and Sheraton.
Page 6 of 12
SPEAKERS
as of January 20, 2016
Katherine Lugar
American Hotel & Lodging Association
Katherine Lugar is president and chief executive officer of AH&LA. As the head executive of the largest trade
association representing the U.S. lodging industry, Lugar implements and directs AH&LA's services and works
directly with the volunteer officers and board of directors in determining the direction of the industry. She also
sees AH&LA’s two affiliate organizations, the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AH&LEF) and
the Educational Institute (EI).
Lugar comes to AH&LA with 20 years’ experience in private sector public affairs and on Capitol Hill. She
previously served as executive vice president, public affairs, with the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA).
While there, she was principal contact for the federal government affairs team and political outreach program
and positioned RILA as the premier organization on the retail industry’s core priorities, including workforce,
healthcare, tax, trade, supply chain issues, asset protection, and credit and finance issues. She was also principal
contact for the association’s government affairs committee, and was instrumental in doubling the size of the Retail
Leaders PAC.
Before joining RILA, Lugar was vice president of federal government relations for Travelers Insurance, serving
as the company’s chief representative before Congress and the administration. She has also served as vice
president of legislative and political affairs at the National Retail Federation, where she led efforts to update
decades-old overtime regulations, championed bankruptcy reform legislation into law and supervised the
association’s political and grassroots outreach programs. Lugar’s career in Washington began on the staff of
Indiana Congressman Tim Roemer.
Lugar is a graduate of The University of Colorado - Boulder.
Paula C. Maggio
Strategic Hotels
Paula Maggio serves as the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for Strategic Hotels &
Resorts, Inc., a NYSE traded real estate investment trust that owns and asset manages a luxury hotel portfolio
with annual revenues in excess of $1 Billion (NYSE: BEE). Ms. Maggio is responsible for oversight of the
Company's legal and corporate governance affairs as well as the Company’s human capital function. Ms. Maggio
provides legal counsel and strategic advice in support of the Company’s business strategy and she serves on
the Company’s Executive Management Committee which is responsible for the Company’s strategic planning,
investment activity and capital allocation. Ms. Maggio has been with the Company since 2000, having started
with its predecessor organization. Ms. Maggio played a critical role in the Company's initial public offering in
2004, and subsequently executed a number of significant strategic investment, acquisition and divestment
transactions for the Company
Previously, Ms. Maggio practiced law with Altheimer & Gray, where she focused primarily on real estate and
hospitality law. Ms. Maggio received a Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor, cum laude, both from the University of
Illinois.
Daniel G.M. Marre
Perkins Coie LLP
Daniel focuses on real estate transactions and development, with an emphasis on the hotel industry. He has
significant experience with transactions affecting commercial property, including acquisitions, dispositions,
construction, development, financing and leasing.
Within the hotel industry, Daniel has been involved in a number of high-profile hotel transactions, including
the acquisition and financing of the Essex House Hotel on Central Park South in New York City, the acquisition
of a joint-venture interest in The Hotel del Coronado and refinancing of the hotel, and the acquisition and financing
of The Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach, an art deco icon. His hotel clients range from small boutiques to some of
the world’s largest hotels and management companies.
With client relationships spanning more than a decade, including long-term counsel to such companies as
Integrated Capital, Geller Investment Co., and Spertus Institute, Daniel uses his understanding of clients’
competitive and market pressures to serve in a valued advisory role when needed.
Page 7 of 12
SPEAKERS
as of January 20, 2016
Patrick McGuinness
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Pat joined Starwood in June 2015. His role represents the first time Starwood has consolidated leadership for
all aspects of IT Program and Process Governance as well as Information Security, Fraud prevention and
Compliance. Prior to joining Starwood Pat spent eighteen years with GE in various IT and Operations Executive
Leadership roles. In one of his last positions with GE he built and led the global IT Governance, Risk and
Compliance organization for GE Capital. Prior to joining GE Pat held positions of increasing responsibility at
Prudential, CitiCorp, PepsiCo and Allied Domecq. He holds a Bachelor of Finance and Marketing degree from
Montclair State University and an MBA from the University of Connecticut. Pat is also a Certified Information
Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and is Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC).
Karl A. Racine
Attorney General, District of Columbia
Attorney General Karl A. Racine brings over 25 years of experience as a practicing lawyer and good steward
of leading law firms and organizations to the Office of the Attorney General.
As the Attorney General’s mission is to use the law to serve the people of the District of Columbia, Attorney
General Racine advises the Executive Branch and other District agencies, defends the city in court, and protects
the city’s residents. He has pledged to prioritize consumer protection, enforce affordable housing regulations,
and find alternatives that can divert young people out of the juvenile justice system.
His commitment to equal justice was inspired by his parents, who fled authoritarian rule in Haiti, to start a new
life in the US and by the attorneys of the civil rights movement who used the law to make positive social change.
Racine has deep and wide-ranging legal experience. He volunteered as a law student in a clinic supporting
migrant farm worker’s rights; represented indigent residents in the DC Public Defender Service; practiced whitecollar and commercial litigation with Cacheris & Treanor and Venable LLP; served as Associate White House
Counsel in the Clinton Administration; and served on the District’s Judicial Nomination Commission. When
Racine became Managing Partner at Venable LLP, where he managed over 600 attorneys, he became the first
African-American managing partner of a top-100 law firm. The National Law Journal named Racine one of the
50 most influential Minority Lawyers in the United States.
A lifelong District resident, Racine attended Murch Elementary School, Deal Junior High, and Wilson High,
and graduated from St. Johns College High School. He also played basketball in youth sports leagues across
the city. Racine is deeply committed to the community, assembling what the Washington Post called “a rich
record of community service” and remains involved in a variety of causes, including youth literacy and mentoring.
Racine earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania and his law degree from the University of
Virginia School of Law.
Rena Hozore Reiss
Hyatt Hotels
Rena Hozore Reiss leads a global legal team with offices in Chicago, Zurich, Hong Kong, Beijing and New
Delhi supporting all facets of Hyatt’s business. She also oversees the company’s risk management team and
corporate transactions group. Ms. Reiss serves as a member of Hyatt’s Executive Committee and as the
Executive Sponsor of the Women@Hyatt business resource group, as well as a director and officer of Hyatt
Hotels Foundation and Xenia Assurance Company, Inc., Hyatt’s captive insurance company.
Prior to joining Hyatt, Ms. Reiss was a Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Marriott
International, Inc. She was formerly a partner at Counts & Kanne, Chartered, in Washington, D.C. and served
as an Associate General Counsel for the Miami Herald Publishing Company.
Ms. Reiss is Hyatt’s representative on the Board of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. She sits on
the City Year Chicago board, the Georgetown University Hospitality Law Advisory Board and the Legal Advisory
Board of World Business Chicago, and is a member of The Chicago Network and the Princeton Club of Chicago
Alumni Schools Committee.
Ms. Reiss is admitted to the bar in Florida, the District of Columbia and Illinois (House Counsel). She is a
graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School. She and her husband Steve, a journalist, have two
children.
Page 8 of 12
SPEAKERS
as of January 20, 2016
Steve Rimmer
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Steve has over 25 years of experience in the human resource consulting field and specializes in coordinating
the HR aspects of mergers, acquisitions and spin-offs. Steve is a NY-based principal in our Human Resource
Transaction Services practice. Steve has significant experience addressing HR issues arising on private equity
deals, including a specific focus on executive compensation.
Steve has been with PwC for 25 years, including 20 years in New York and five years in London. Prior to
PwC, Steve qualified as an actuary with a leading UK firm of actuaries. Steve is a fellow of the UK Institute of
Actuaries, a Certified Compensation Professional and holds an MBA from the University of Manchester.
Recent thought leadership includes chapters in books by PEI on HR due diligence and PE portfolio
compensation.
Steve has significant experience supporting projects in the hospitality sector. Recent projects include,
Developing high level HR delivery strategy for a JV in the luxury hotel space, Conducting HR due diligence for a
PE firm on a restaurant chain. Assisting a casino in a major bargaining negotiation with significant issues arising
in multiemployer pensions, healthcare reform and work rules.
Jeffrey Schagren
AccorHotels
Jeffrey Schagren is the General Counsel and Chief Human Resources Officer for AccorHotels North America,
Central America and Caribbean (NCAC) region. A member of the NCAC Executive Management Board, he is
responsible for leading all legal matters for the company on a variety of topics including, but not limited to
franchising, development, mergers and acquisitions, risk management, as well as labor, employment and
litigation matters. He also oversees all aspects of human resources in the region, such as legal compliance,
benefits, engagement and retention, and employee relations.
Before joining AccorHotels, Jeffrey held various corporate counsel and human resources positions at 20/20
Companies, JMS Consulting and Mediation, Mirarchi Management Group, and LQ Management, LLC.
Jeffrey received a B.A in Journalism from New York University and obtained his J.D. from Brooklyn Law
School. He is a member of the state bars of New York, Maryland, Connecticut, Texas, the U.S. District Courts
for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the District of Maryland.
Ari Schwartz
White House National Security Council
Ari Schwartz directs cybersecurity consulting services for Venable, assisting organizations with understanding
and development of risk management strategies, including articulation of the Cybersecurity Framework and other
planning tools to help minimize risk.
Prior to joining Venable, Mr. Schwartz was a member of the White House National Security Council as Special
Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Cybersecurity. He led the White House’s legislative and policy
outreach to businesses, trade groups, academics, and civil liberties groups on cybersecurity and developed new
policies and legislation, including development of several Executive Orders. Additionally, he led the rollout of the
Cybersecurity Framework and the White House Cybersecurity Summit at Stanford University.
Mr. Schwartz also served in the Department of Commerce, where he advised the Secretary on technology
policy matters. He led the Department’s Internet Policy Task Force and represented the Obama Administration
on major Internet policy issues before Congress.
Prior to entering government he worked at the Center for Democracy and Technology, including serving as
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and developing policy related to privacy, cybersecurity, and open
government.
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SPEAKERS
as of January 20, 2016
David Sherwyn
Cornell University
David Sherwyn (BS, JD, Cornell University) is the John and Melissa Ceriale Professor of Hospitality Human
Resources, professor of law at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, and 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 at Cornell University (CHR). Prior
to joining the School of Hotel Administration, Dave practiced management-side labor and employment law
Dave has published articles in, among others, Northwestern Law Review, Stanford Law Review, UC
Hastings Law Journal, Indiana Law Journal, Berkeley Journal of Labor and Employment Law, Fordham Law
Review, University of Pennsylvania Labor and Employment Law Journal, and Cornell Hospitality Quarterly.
Dave annually teaches Business and Hospitality Law, a required class with more than 200 students, and Labor
Relations in the Hospitality Industry, in conjunction with Cornell’s Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) School.
In his 17 years as a faculty member, Dave has received 15 Teacher of the Year awards. In 2014 he was
named a Stephan H. Weiss Presidential Fellow—the most prestigious teaching award at Cornell University.
Dave conceived of, organized, and hosted the CHR's first hospitality industry roundtable, and has hosted more
than 20 Labor and Employment Law Roundtables, while other centers and institutes have hosted roundtables
in the school’s other hospitality disciplines.
John Shults
Hilton Worldwide
John Shults serves as Senior Counsel for Hilton Worldwide, where he is the primary legal advisor to Hilton’s
Asset Management team in the Americas. Since joining the company in 2009, his work has focused on real estate
matters at Hilton’s owned, leased and JV hotels in the Americas, including acquisitions, dispositions, financings,
JV relationships and various property-level transactions. In 2015, John was Hilton’s lead attorney for the
company’s acquisition of six hotels purchased with the proceeds from the sale of The Waldorf=Astoria New York
in a 1031 like-kind exchange.
Prior to joining Hilton, John was a member of the real estate transactions team at Hogan Lovells (formerly
Hogan & Hartson) in Washington DC, and worked at International Paper Company from 1997-2001. He is a
graduate of the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia and holds a J.D. from William & Mary
Law School.
Vanessa Sinders
American Hotel & Lodging Association
In this role, she oversees the association’s advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and with administration
policymakers, and is responsible for directing the governmental affairs department in the development and
execution of key strategies for addressing the issues facing the lodging industry, including technology and
distribution issues specific to the hotel industry, workforce and labor issues as well as promotion of travel and
tourism. She also directs the association’s political action committee, HotelPAC, and grassroots program.
Ms. Sinders comes to AH&LA from her previous position as chief of staff for the Campaign to Fix the Debt, a
bipartisan organization advocating for a solution to the nation's long-term debt problems. Prior to that, she was
chief of staff for former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown (R), the policy director for former New Hampshire
Senator Judd Gregg (R), and served as an analyst for the Senate Budget Committee. Ms. Sinders received her
BA in Government from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.
David Sloan
Sunstone Hotel Investors
David Sloan serves as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. He
joined Sunstone in February 2007 as Corporate Counsel and served in such capacity until February 2010. From
February 2010 until February 2013, he served as Vice President – Legal. On February 15, 2013, Mr. Sloan was
promoted to Senior Vice President and General Counsel. Prior to joining Sunstone, Mr. Sloan was engaged in
the private practice of law in San Diego. Mr. Sloan holds a B.S. degree from Ball State University and a J.D.
degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law.
Page 10 of 12
SPEAKERS
as of January 20, 2016
Bill Tennis
DiamondRock Hospitality
Bill Tennis is the General Counsel of DiamondRock Hospitality. Prior to joining DiamondRock as General
Counsel in 2010, Bill was in the Finance Department as well as in the Law Department at Marriott International,
serving in both domestic and international positions, and prior to that was in private practice. Bill is a graduate
of Harvard College and NYU Law School.
Christopher Wallace
Choice Hotels International
Chris Wallace is Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Franchising, at Choice Hotels International,
Inc. in Rockville, Maryland. Mr. Wallace manages Choice's Franchise and Contracts Administration Division and
is responsible for overseeing Choice's franchise compliance function and advising the Company on franchising
legal issues. He oversees the preparation of all Franchise Disclosure Documents, franchise agreements,
renewals and relicensings, and all franchise defaults and terminations. Previously, Mr. Wallace was Counsel in
the Franchising & Distribution group of the law firm of Nixon Peabody LLP in Washington, DC from 2004 to 2012.
Prior to that, he was a litigation attorney in both Washington, DC and New York City. Mr. Wallace is a Certified
Franchise Executive™ (CFE) who has been practicing franchise law for over 14 years and is an active member
of the ABA Forum on Franchising and International Franchise Association. He is a graduate of Colgate University
and Pace University School of Law.
Christian R. White
AccorHotels
Christian R. White is Associate General Counsel for AccorHotels North America, responsible for managing all
litigation, labor and employment legal issues in the region. In this role he oversees a broad range of domestic
and international civil litigation matters, including general liability claims. In addition, he provides counsel on all
aspects of labor and employment law, including issues concerning employment discrimination, workforce
reductions, labor-related due diligence for purchase and sale transactions, grievance proceedings, and also
conducts preventative labor relations and regulatory compliance trainings.
Prior to joining AccorHotels, Christian held several positions at management-side law firms, including Reed
Smith LLP, and Epstein, Becker & Green, P.C. He began his legal career as a field attorney for the National
Labor Relations Board in New York City.
Christian is a member of the state bars of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as the U.S. District
Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Samuel Winterbottom
Newmark Grubb Knight Frank
Mr. Winterbottom has more than 35 years of development, operational and senior level management
experience in the hospitality industry. His experience spans roles with ever increasing responsibility of multiproperty hotel & restaurant management to C suite corporate positions. Positions with the Howard Johnson
Company and Ramada Inc, ITT Sheraton & Starwood in both franchise and corporate development, to head of
Americas development for ITT Sheraton, and ultimately to President Americas of Starwood’s Franchise Division.
Mr. Winterbottom was later EVP of Development for Carlson Hotels Worldwide. There he had responsibility for
Carlson’s five brands in the Americas for all development activities including acquisitions, new builds,
management and franchise contracts, project management and design & construction management. He later
joined Grubb & Ellis Company, as head of the Hotel & Leisure Group’s practice for North America. With BGC
Partners acquisition of Grubb & Ellis in 2012, Mr. Winterbottom joined their subsidiary Newmark Grubb Knight
Frank and serves as head of the company’s capital markets hotel group.
Mr.Winterbottom has earned the Certified Hotel Administrator designation from the AH&LA, is a member of
the International Society of Hospitality Consultants, has served on the Board of Directors of both the Texas and
Ohio Hotel Associations, is past Chairman of the AH&LEF Golf Committee and is the recipient of several
Hospitality Awards. He has been a frequent panelist and moderator at many industry forums including the ALIS
Conference, the NYU Conference; JMBM’s Meet the Money and the Hunter Conference among others.
Page 11 of 12
SPEAKERS
as of January 20, 2016
Erik B. Wulff
DLA Piper LLP (US)
Erik B. Wulff has a broad-based practice in global brand expansion for consumer products and services
companies. He has extensive experience in all aspects of representing clients in expanding their brands
internationally and domestically through various collaborative forms, such as franchising, licensing, distribution,
acquisition and joint venture arrangements. Mr. Wulff is a former member of the board of directors of a New York
stock exchange-listed company and, as president of its international division, was instrumental in developing its
business abroad. He is active in the American Bar Association's Section of International Law, and is currently
serving as a member of the ABA Task Force on International Trade in Legal Services. He has been recognized
by his peers in Chambers Global for having done "a lot of international [franchising] work on a sophisticated
level." He "has significant experience in assisting expanding international brands, and is praised by clients for his
commercial awareness."
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