The American Hotel & Lodging Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Foundation have created two new roles to address a growing focus on research and visibility and diversity advancement within the industry, respectively.
Curt Cashour joins the AHLA’s communications team as VP of media relations & enterprise initiatives. In this new role, Cashour will lead the media team to advance the hotel industry’s narrative. He will oversee the continued growth of the AHLA’s research capabilities, which remains an ongoing association priority. An Iraq war veteran and recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge, Cashour comes to the AHLA after serving as deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“Now more than ever, AHLA strives to be the voice of the entire hotel industry. With the addition of Curt to our communications team, we’ll be able to continue to support our more than 27,000 members as we uplift their stories to advance our recovery,” said Rosanna Maietta, EVP of communications and PR and president & CEO of the AHLA Foundation.
Jennifer Clark Fugolo joins the AHLA Foundation team as VP of advancement. Fugolo will spearhead the foundation’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and coordinate with AHLA’s partners and industry task force to carry out the foundation’s five-year, $5-million commitment and action plan to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the hotel industry. Additionally, Fugolo will lead the foundation’s Empowering Youth Program, which recruits opportunity youth for entry-level hotel positions, and with the help of local community-based organizations, nurtures and develops them with the training, tools and support that will lead to permanent careers in hospitality. Fugolo joins the foundation with more than a decade of experience straddling the corporate and nonprofit worlds.