05 Distinguished Female Leaders Shaping the Hospitality Industry, 2026
Extended Stay America
Nicole McAlister is a hospitality leader whose career has been shaped by strong relationships, strategic thinking, and a deep commitment to helping people and businesses perform at their best. With nearly two decades of experience across hotel operations, franchise services, and brand consulting, she has built a reputation for driving performance while staying grounded in authenticity and care.
IPN Advisors
Francelina Amaral is a distinguished hospitality leader with more than twenty-five years of experience in multinational environments across Southern Europe. Her career reflects consistent growth, strategic clarity, and a deep understanding of luxury service.
The Retreat Costa Rica
Diana Stobo is the founder of The Retreat Costa Rica, a sanctuary created for rest, renewal, and deep healing. She sees herself not simply as a business owner, but as a caretaker of healing spaces and experiences. For her, hospitality is not a profession that begins and ends with office hours.
Ashley M. Lands built her career by understanding one simple truth – perception drives value, but standards sustain it. She began on the media side of hospitality, creating content for hotels while scaling a luxury travel platform that reached 92,000 monthly readers and 55,000 subscribers.
– A r t i c l e s –
