ATLANTA, Georgia—The AHLA Foundation’s flagship ForWard Conference made its Atlanta debut, bringing nearly 1,000 hospitality professionals to the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. With a theme centered on recognizing, accessing, and amplifying power, the two-day event delivered conversations, leadership tools, and programming, all designed to elevate women in hospitality.
While women represent the majority of the hospitality workforce, that majority isn’t reflected in leadership positions. The ForWard initiative, which extends well beyond this annual conference, continues to address this imbalance through targeted professional development and networking opportunities.
“Our industry thrives on connection,” said Kevin Carey, president and CEO of the AHLA Foundation. “By bringing ForWard to Atlanta, we placed this important dialogue in the heart of a major hospitality hub, allowing us to engage with a broader audience and drive meaningful change.”
“Forward has become a force in this industry, bringing women and men together to champion the next generation of leaders,” noted Rosanna Maietta, president and CEO of AHLA. “There is power in this movement. I’m thrilled to see how our industry has embraced this conference and is meaningfully showing up for women in our industry.”
The conference included executive speakers from across the industry, and select speakers from adjacent industries, including Jennifer Hyman, CEO and co-founder of Rent The Runway; Lamiaa Laurene Daif, worldwide strategy leader at Apple; and Grammy-nominated songwriter Makeba Riddick.
Notable sessions included:
- Negotiations Workshop with Kathryn Valentine, CEO of Worthmore Strategies, sharing tactics specifically designed for hospitality contract and vendor relationship management
- The Future of Guest Expectations panel featuring Heather Balsley, IHG chief commercial officer; Mary Ellen Jelenek, American Express; and Monica Xuereb, Loews Hotels, moderated by Kristie Goshow, chief commercial officer of Peregrine Hospitality
- Unlocking AI: The Power of the Right Prompts, conducted by Steve Berrey, global head of AI and ML Solutions at Onix
- Hidden Careers in Hospitality panel exploring non-traditional leadership paths within the industry
- Hotels as Local Hubs discussion on strengthening community connections as a competitive advantage
