Julienne Smith has been named 2023 Peggy Berg Castell Award Recipient at AHLA Foundation
AHLA Foundation, the charitable arm of the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), honored Julienne Smith, Chief Development Officer, Americas, IHG Hotels & Resorts, as the 2023 recipient of the Peggy Berg Castell Award. Presented at The Lodging Conference on September 20, the award highlights women trailblazers who are paving the way for more women to rise to the top of the hospitality industry.
In her role overseeing the growth of IHG Hotels & Resorts in the Americas region, Julienne's leadership has paved the way for her own successes as well as the success of others. Julienne is actively involved in supporting women through mentorships and sponsorships, and partners with organizations that help women navigate the hotel ownership process. She also led the development of IHG LIFT, an owner growth program in the US and Canada focused on creating more hotel development support for historically under-represented groups within IHG and across the hospitality industry. Julienne also serves on the Global and Americas Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Boards within IHG, is on the AHLA Foundation Board of Trustees, and serves on several industry conference advisory and planning committees, including AHLA's ForWard.
The award recipients are selected by an independent group of industry leaders and stakeholders, including the leadership of The Lodging Conference. Award winners are selected because they embody one or more of the following qualities:
- Change-maker: Leads strategic improvement programs for their organization.
- Trailblazer: Opens new paths in the industry.
- Gender Equity Champion: Creates opportunities for women.
- Principled Professional: Demonstrates ethical business conduct within their organization and industry.
With the acquisition of the Castell Project by AHLA Foundation last year, the Castell Award was renamed the Peggy Berg Castell Award to give tribute to the legacy and commitment of the Castell Project's founder. The award will continue under AHLA Foundation's ForWard initiative.