WASHINGTON—The AHLA Foundation, the charitable arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, announced its 2026 Board of Trustees, advancing its mission to support workforce development and initiatives that strengthen the hospitality industry and the communities it serves. Hilton Supply Management President Anu Saxena will serve a second term as chair of the AHLA Foundation Board of Trustees.
“Anu’s leadership has been instrumental in advancing the Foundation’s mission, and we’re thrilled she will continue to guide our efforts in 2026,” said AHLA Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Carey. “The Foundation’s work to develop talent and create career opportunities is more important than ever as our industry continues to grow and evolve.”
“The AHLA Foundation plays a critical role in developing the next generation of hospitality professionals and supporting our industry’s workforce,” said Saxena. “I’m honored to continue serving as chair and to work alongside our exceptional trustees and Foundation team to expand our impact and create more opportunities for hospitality leaders across the country.”
Joan Bottarini, chief financial officer at Hyatt, and Joseph Bojanowski, president and chief executive officer at PM Hotel Group, will serve alongside Saxena as officers of the AHLA Foundation’s 2026 Board as vice chair and secretary/treasurer, respectively. New members to the Board of Trustees include Barry Bloom, president and chief operating officer at Xenia Hotels & Resorts; Sarah Dinger, executive vice president of franchise operations at My Place Hotels; and Apoorva Gandhi, senior vice president, community engagement and business councils at Marriott International.
2026 AHLA Foundation Board of Trustees
The complete 2026 AHLA Foundation Board of Trustees includes:
- Anu Saxena (Chair), president at Hilton Supply Management
- Joan Bottarini (Vice Chair), chief financial officer at Hyatt
- Joseph Bojanowski (Secretary/Treasurer), president & chief executive officer at PM Hotel Group
- Kevin Carey (President and CEO, AHLA Foundation), COO, American Hotel & Lodging Association
- Rosanna Maietta (AHLA Officer Trustee), president and chief executive officer, American Hotel & Lodging Association
- Liam Brown (AHLA Officer Trustee), president-US & CAN at Marriott International (AHLA chair-2026)
- Jean-Luc Barone, president, White LODGING
- Barry Bloom, president and chief operations officer, Xenia Hotels
- Ann Christenson, chief human Resources officer at Aimbridge Hospitality
- Greg Cocchiarella, vice president, industry relations at Ecolab, Inc.
- Sarah Dinger, executive vice president of franchise operations at My Place Hotels
- Elliott Estes, principal at Woodmont Lodging
- Apoorva Gandhi, senior vice president, community engagement and business councils at Marriott International
- Máire Griffin, senior vice president at Wyndham
- Harshil Patel, president at Champion Hotels
- Daniel Peek, president-US at JLL
- Liz Perkins, chief financial officer at Apple REIT
- Eric Terry, president and chief executive officer at the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging, & Travel Association
