About Me

My extensive management and coaching experience have given me the ability to quickly assess and offer mutually beneficial solutions. I intuitively understand people and their individual natures. I am able to design and coach employees to recognize and be comfortable with their strengths which in turn provides a rich and rewarding customer experience. I am a hands on, manager with a centered leadership presence, particularly in the midst of challenges and conflict. My style is to work from the inside out, with individuals or organizations, this builds balanced focused individuals or teams who work from a core strength, to better able them to meet the goals while feeling supported and fulfilled.

I have proven results in developing teams that can deliver a customer experience that relates directly to the profitability of an organization. I draw on insight and current assessments of an organization, and develop a step-by-step plan to generate the desired results.

I am a highly skilled coach, helping top managers and owners develop the capacity required for in person customer contact. They learn to recognize the next strategic steps needed to build a strong foundation, effective systems and uncover the business culture, which can translate into a successful transparent business strategy.

My Resume

Dynamic Hospitality Executive

Highly trained and experienced leader in employee recruitment and retention.  Proactive entrepreneurial manager who inspires high performance with a proven track record in building and leading cross-functional, diverse teams. Strong collaboration and community building skills which facilitate integration through diversity of life experiences, perspectives and skills. Employing a diplomatic, intuitive, and balanced management style, resulting in high employee retention through employee appreciation, recognition and development.

Professional Experience

Workplace Awareness Advocates, LLC   Founder                      Palo Alto, CA                               2019-Present

• Human resource audits and support for small to medium size companies up to 100 employees.
• Assure HR compliance with current laws and regulations.
• Develop step by step plans and procedures to make an easy transition for the implementation of required HR practices.
• Provide employee trainings such as Sexual Harassment, Human Trafficking, IIPP and MIPP including Emergency Plans.
• Author and review handbooks, work safety practices and employee documentation to make recommendations or changes as needed.
• Support owners and managers in providing a healthy supportive work environment.

Hospitality Consultation, Leadership Coaching     Self-Employed         Mountain View, CA     2010-Present

• Coach high level executives from companies such as Google, Hotwire, TiVo, and Cisco to provide a plan to develop competencies that support self-correcting and self-generating, long-term excellence.
• Consultation on local hotel and restaurant projects, creating pro forma, opening budgets and design concepts.
• Reviewed and recommended improvements on existing operational procedures for a variety of businesses and non-profits.
• Social Media, Blog writing, advertising assistance, training and management.

General Manager                        Maple Tree Inn                 Sunnyvale, CA                           2012-2016

• Transitional Leadership for a 178-room independently owned Silicon Valley Hotel, which was undervalued in the current market.
• Maintained a low employee turnover of 6% or less.

General Manager                        Stanford Terrace Inn         Palo Alto, CA                             1991-2010

• Managed 80-room, independently owned boutique hotel. Led and transitioned hotel through the changing landscape of Silicon Valley that included two downturns with negligible loss in net operating income.
• Developed a culture wherein each employee could grow to their full potential and achieve goals for the organization and beyond.

Accomplishments

Leadership

• Direct recruitment and retention of cross-functional executive team.
• Successful mentorship and coaching to support Assistant General Manager to step into GM role for the Napa Winery Inn.
• Instituted a Green Initiative program, which resulted in the milestone of being the first hotel in Palo Alto to be a certified green business by Santa Clara County.
• Supervised, and developed a highly effective team through coaching, training and mentoring, results revealed through 95% guest satisfaction rating with Market Metrix®.

 Marketing and Sales

• Raised Hotel’s TripAdvisor ranking from #14 to #1 in a field of 34 through positive and consistent guest interaction and service, and maintained a #2 or #3 ranking for Palo Alto property.
• Developed and implemented effective sales strategies and marketing plan which optimized the rate and occupancy and drove profit to the bottom line.
• Effective and highly successful organizational turn-around skills through vision, planning and execution.
• Exponentially increased business through commitment to maintain or reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint.
• Redesigned hotel website, leveraged new technology & Internet tactics with GM’s blog and relevant articles which help in keyword search rankings for SEO and SEM.
• Created new logo, collateral, and effective print ads to increase awareness in the community.
• Instrumental in increased Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram followers through various campaigns, which promoted genuine interaction and engagement.
• Bridged gap between the hotel and comp set, increased ADR and REVPAR by 60%; August 2012-ADR $87.00 – June 2016 ADR $170.00 while maintaining base business clients.
• Created and implemented strong sales and marketing plan, which attracted new and maintained core clientele in turn, increased overall revenue and net operating income.
• Increased revenue 16% annually and Income Before Fixed increase of 21% annually.

 Operations

• Oversaw two million dollar renovation, resulting in an uptick in reviews and an increase in ADR of 60%
• Formulated, authored and implemented new HR processes to include job descriptions, selection criteria, and standardized hiring process, IIPP, and associates handbook.
• Managed food costs, ordering, presentation, and execution of daily breakfast and banquet functions.
• Increased guest satisfaction and net operating income.
• Implemented a successful property Preventative Maintenance program.
• Supervised seamless daily setups and room flips for over 13,000 sq. ft. of meeting space in 7 rooms.

 Finance

• Compiled and analyzed annual forecasts, marketing plan and $8M operating budget.
• Budgeted resourcefully to control costs and increase profit margins, increased revenue 16% per year and income before fixed 21%.