Karin Kopano

Kopano is an expert in opening hotels, branding and building a strong hospitality focused employee culture, and managing property operations. She will serve as Area General Manager at Santa Monica Proper Hotel, the first high-end lifestyle hotel to open in Santa Monica in two decades. The 271-room project fuses a circa-1928, Arthur E. Harvey designed Spanish Colonial Revival building with sleek, new construction to create the city's freshest, most invigorating luxury hotel. Chefs Jessica Koslow (chef/owner of Sqirl) and Gabriela Camara (restaurateur/ chef of Contramar) are coming together for the first time to oversee the ground floor restaurant.

Most recently, Kopano was the General Manager at Hotel 50 Bowery in New York City where she led all aspects of the hotel's pre-opening including budget, project management, design, branding, culture development and owner relations. She has held various positions at esteemed companies such as Morgan's Hotel Group, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, Two Roads Hospitality, Baron's Cove, and Gansevoort Hotels. She is passionate about developing young talent and was part of the Women's Leadership Committee with Two Roads Hospitality and created a management training program to mentor aspiring hospitality professionals during her time with Gansevoort Hotel. In June 2018, Kopano was awarded General Manager of the Year by Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) at the 25th Annual Frank W. Berkman Tourism Achievement Award Dinner. Kopano was born in Istanbul, Turkey and attended Florida International University's hospitality management program.