US hospitality hires, promotions: Essex Hotel Management hires chief operating officer

Read the latest roundup of U.S.-based hires and promotions in the hotel industry.

Chief operating officer
Essex Hotel Management
June 18, 2025
Promotion
Experience: Kattato has been a key member of the Essex team since he joined the company in 2003, most recently serving as senior vice president of operations. Prior to joining Essex, Kattato served as a full-service general manager at MeriStar and Interstate Hotels Corp.

Chief people officer
Peregrine Hospitality
June 11, 2025
New hire
Experience: With nearly three decades of human resources leadership experience in the hospitality industry, DiFulgo most recently served as chief people officer at Hornblower Group, a global travel and transportation company with operations across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Vice president of finance
Charlestowne Hotels
June 9, 2025
New hire
Experience: Carr most recently served as vice president of finance at Collegiate Hotel Group, where she played a key role in the company’s expansion from 31 to 57 properties, and was instrumental in the sale and transition of all Graduate properties onto the Graduate by Hilton brand.

General manager
InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta
Atlanta
June 12, 2025
New hire
Experience: Deisen’s first general manager role was at The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta, marking the beginning of a dynamic leadership journey that would span major urban and resort destinations. He went on to lead both W Chicago properties simultaneously and most recently served as general manager of W Nashville.

General manager
Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection
Gardiner, New York
June 11, 2025
New hire
Experience: Narayan joins Wildflower Farms following his most recent role as general manager of Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Prior to that, he served as resort manager at Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection in Los Cabos.

General manager
The Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio
San Antonio
June 10, 2025
Returning hire
Experience: Nearly two decades after serving as front desk/housekeeping manager at the same property, Mugili now returns to lead the hotel as its top executive. Over the course of his 20-plus year career, Mugili has held executive leadership roles with Marriott International, Hyatt Hotels Corp. and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, consistently improving guest satisfaction, financial performance and team culture.

General manager
The Newbury Boston
Boston
June 9, 2025
Promotion
Experience: Rouleau most recently served as hotel manager of the property since 2023. He joined The Newbury Boston in 2021 as director of food and beverage, bringing more than two decades of hospitality experience to the property.

General manager
The Mining Exchange Hotel
Colorado Springs, Colorado
June 4, 2025
New hire
Experience: Smith’s experience includes leadership roles at distinguished properties such as Brush Creek Ranch, St. Regis Deer Valley and W Seattle. Most recently, she served as general manager of The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa in Denver, where she improved profitability and significantly raised guest satisfaction scores.

Director of sales
The Hermosa Inn
Paradise Valley, Arizona
June 23, 2025
New hire
Experience: Most recently, Sterns was an event manager with Wholesale Independent National Distribution Organization where she helped orchestrate high-profile events. Prior to that, Sterns spent 15 years as national sales manager at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa.

Director of sales
Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe, California
June 20, 2025
New hire
Experience: Cavallo most recently served as director of sales and marketing at the Renaissance Reno Downtown Hotel & Spa, where she played a key leadership role in the property’s $20 million rebrand from a casino resort to a lifestyle hotel under the Renaissance flag.

Executive chef
Islander Resort
Islamorada, Florida
June 24, 2025
New hire
Experience: Mixon’s culinary background spans over two decades, with her most recent role serving as executive chef at Westminster Communities of Florida, a nonprofit organization serving communities throughout the state. Prior to that, she held positions at hotels and resorts throughout the United States, including the W Atlanta-Downtown and The Amelia Island Club in Amelia Island, Florida.

Director of food and beverage
Montage Kapalua Bay
Maui, Hawaii
June 16, 2025
New hire
Experience: Jurchenko joins Montage Kapalua Bay from Montage Deer Valley, where he served as director of restaurants for six distinct dining venues. During his time there, he conceptualized and launched the resort’s Taste of Montage summer event series, an initiative created to foster local engagement and drive seasonal revenue.

Director of restaurants
Hard Rock Hotel New York
New York City
June 16, 2025
Promotion
Experience: Formerly the general manager of Hard Rock Hotel New York's RT60 Rooftop Bar & Lounge, King has played an integral role in shaping the outlet's food and beverage experience, driving bar service innovation, enhancing guest engagement and strengthening the identity of the venue.

Executive chef
The Pierside Hotel
Santa Monica, California
June 16, 2026
New hire
Experience: Prior to her new role, Verceles served as executive chef at the Jamaica Bay Inn in Marina Del Rey, where she led a high-performing kitchen team and introduced seasonal menus rooting the guest experience in coastal California’s produce.

Director of food and beverage
La Fonda on the Plaza
Santa Fe, New Mexico
June 13, 2025
New hire
Experience: Over the course of his career, Bilotti has led culinary operations at high-end and casual restaurants, bars, nightclubs and caterers, and has held director-level roles at celebrated lodging concepts across the country including Hotel Andaluz Albuquerque, La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa, The Resort at Squaw Creek in North Lake Tahoe, The Roosevelt New Orleans and more. Prior to joining the team at La Fonda, he served as director of food and beverage at Hawks Cay Resort.

Director of food and beverage
Amara Resort and Spa
Sedona, Arizona
June 12, 2025
New hire
Experience: Kandil joins Amara Resort and Spa from Grand Canyon Resorts, where he served as director of food and beverage, overseeing multi-venue operations including a fine dining restaurant, casual outlets, bars and banquets.

Culinary director
Paso Robles Inn
Paso Robles, California
June 11, 2025
New hire
Experience: Most recently, he served as executive chef for Charlie Palmer Steak DC. Prior to that, he led culinary teams at The Morrow Hotel and The Line Hotel in Washington, D.C., as well as Eaton DC.

Executive chef
Hilton Anaheim
Anaheim, California
June 10, 2025
New hire
Experience: After earning his degree in hotel and hospitality administration at the Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, he honed his craft at prestigious hotels including Montage Laguna Beach, Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas and, most recently, Balboa Bay Resort & Club.

Executive chef
Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach, Curio Collection by Hilton
Oxnard, California
June 9, 2025
New hire
Experience: Matheja, originally from Pirmasens, Germany, brings more than two decades of experience in kitchens across Europe and North America, most recently as executive chef at DoubleTree Tulsa Warren Place and chef de cuisine at Conrad New York Midtown.

Executive chef
W San Francisco
San Francisco
June 5, 2025
New hire
Experience: Over the years, Zerpa has worked under acclaimed chefs, including chef Srijith Gopinathan at the Michelin-starred Taj Campton Place, where Zerpa was part of the team that earned a Michelin star, and chef Jason Tuley at Au Bon Repas. He has held roles at Café Claude, The Commissary, Parallel 37 at The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco and the Four Seasons Silicon Valley.

Director of people and culture
Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans
New Orleans
June 12, 2025
New hire
Experience: Most recently, Carter served as director of people operations at Virgin Hotels New Orleans — where she helped create a vibrant and inclusive culture from opening day — and director of human resources at Omni Royal Orleans, where she fostered high performance and employee excellence across the historic French Quarter property.

Managing director
Montage Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach, California
June 12, 2025
Returning hire
Experience: Gonzalez joined the company at its inception in 2003, serving as director of restaurants on the opening team at Montage Laguna Beach before becoming the director of food and beverage in 2007. Prior to joining Montage International, Gonzalez was founder and managing partner of Executive Dining Consultants LLC, which owned and operated restaurants in Tucson, Arizona, and consulted for the pre-opening team of Studio Restaurant at Montage Laguna Beach.

To be included in an upcoming Hotel News Now U.S. Hires and Promotions List, email Associate Editor Trevor Simpson here.

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