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AAHOA'S NEWEST PROJECT aimed at promoting women in hospitality is the "ElevateHER Women's Initiative to Highlight and Support Women Hoteliers and Leaders in the Industry." The initiative, launched Tuesday, will offer networking and educational opportunities for women hoteliers and hospitality industry professionals. As part of ElevateHER, AAHOA is hosting the Women Hoteliers ElevateHER Conference on Oct. 26 to 27 in Cincinnati. The conference will focus on bringing together AAHOA's community of women hoteliers for education, inspiration, and empowerment. "AAHOA has been proud to celebrate the important work women are doing at every level of hospitality, and this initiative further underscores our commitment to the women of AAHOA and elevating their contributions to the industry," said Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA's first full-time female president and CEO appointed in May. "While there's still much work to be done, AAHOA recognizes the significant strides women have made to be seen at industry events, heard in the boardroom, and valued in the workplace. ElevateHER celebrates these accomplishments and will further drive our association's work around elevating and supporting women in the industry."

ATRIUM HOSPITALITY MARKED the graduation of the inaugural class of WomenRISE, its female hotel general manager development program, which ran from February to October this year. The program helps women advance their careers through mentorship, resources and growth opportunities. Meanwhile, the selection process is underway for the next group of future GMs, set for career development in 2025, Atrium said in a statement. "Atrium's first year to offer our innovative WomenRISE program has been highly successful," said Anneliesse Cooper, Atrium Hospitality's chief human resources officer. "WomenRISE participants, instructors and mentors overwhelmingly agree that the investment in time and resources is hastening the career paths of women in hospitality. Through virtual group classes, individual interviews and 360-degree assessments for identifying strengths and areas for development, Atrium's WomenRISE 2024 class participants received focused training and mentoring to confidently move forward in their hotel career journeys."

DEI ADVISORS RECENTLY launched 'It's Personal Stories, A Hospitality Podcast', showcasing the professional journeys of hospitality leaders. The podcast features more than 200 interviews with executives, thought leaders, life coaches, professors and authors, offering insights on career development, leadership and personal well-being. Founded in June 2022 by David Kong, former CEO of Best Western Hotels & Resorts, DEI Advisors is a non-profit that promotes equality for women and underrepresented groups. The principals-Kong, Lan Elliott, Rachel Humphrey, Dorothy Dowling, and Huilian Duan-have interviewed hundreds of hospitality leaders. DEI Advisors said the podcast was created in response to listener feedback valuing stories of career triumphs, setbacks and strategies. "This award-winning podcast reflects our belief that empowerment begins with authentic storytelling," the company said. "By sharing these experiences, we aim to inspire individuals to dream big, pursue bold ambitions, and build the confidence to thrive in their careers."

WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS' Women Own the Room surpassed 15 hotel openings and 50 signings in just over 24 months. The program has expanded its network to more than 550 women, leveraging Wyndham's scale to break down barriers to hotel ownership, Wyndham said in a statement. "For decades, the hotel industry has been complacent in allowing women to remain on the sidelines of hotel ownership and in turn, has missed out on the opportunity to strengthen itself through greater diversity," said Galen Barrett, Wyndham's vice president for strategic franchise initiatives. "Women Own the Room and the subsequent programs it has inspired throughout the industry are finally changing the narrative and Wyndham is proud to lead the way." According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Castell Project, although women comprise nearly 60 percent of the hospitality workforce, they hold only one leadership position for every 10 men.

RED ROOF ADDED more than 30 women to its ownership community since 2023 through initiatives such as Road to Inclusivity and Diversity in Entrepreneurship with Red Roof, and SHE, inspired by Red Roof. RIDE connects aspiring owners with lenders, while SHE supports women in hospitality with articles, insights and best practices. Also, Lina Patel, Red Roof's director of strategic franchise initiatives, will join a March 18 roundtable at the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference in Atlanta to discuss self-belief and authenticity in business, Red Roof said in a statement. Aligned with Red Roof's mission through RIDE and SHE, the Hunter session "Bet on Yourself at the Table" will explore how hoteliers can enter any space with confidence and conviction.