AHLA Foundation Names Marriott CFO and EVP, Development Leeny Oberg As 2025 Peggy Berg Castell Award Recipient

AHLA Foundation, the charitable arm of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), today announced that Marriott International Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Development Leeny Oberg will receive the Peggy Berg Castell Award for her extensive efforts to elevate and advance women in the hospitality industry. The award will be given on October 7 at The Lodging Conference 2025 in Phoenix, Az.

The Peggy Berg Castell Award, formerly known as the Castell Award, was renamed in 2022 to honor the career-long commitment of Peggy Berg – the founder of Castell Project – to accelerate the advancement of women to leadership positions in the hospitality industry.

Through an independent group of industry leaders and stakeholders, Ms. Oberg was selected as the sixth recipient of the AHLA Foundation’s annual honor. Its recipients are principled women leaders that embody the qualities and ideals of changemakers, trailblazers, and champions for hospitality industry professional growth. Oberg’s remarkable career, as a financial and business executive and true industry changemaker, exemplifies the leadership and dedication that the Peggy Berg Castell Award celebrates.

“Leeny Oberg’s dedication to her work and extensive leadership at Marriott perfectly exemplify the values that this award represents,” said Kevin Carey, President and CEO of AHLA Foundation. “She is a true changemaker, committed to improving the industry in innovative ways and advancing the careers of those around her. We are thrilled to present Leeny with this recognition.”

“I am humbled and honored to receive the Peggy Berg Castell Award. AHLA and the AHLA Foundation have been incredible partners to Marriott, our industry, and hospitality professionals,” said Ms. Oberg. “It has been a privilege to work in a people-oriented business with colleagues and teams who make this industry unique.”

Ms. Oberg has served as Marriott’s Chief Financial Officer for the past decade. In 2023, she took on the additional role of Executive Vice President of Development, leading the strategic growth of the company’s global lodging portfolio. Prior to being named CFO at Marriott, Ms. Oberg served as the CFO for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, where she contributed substantially to the brand’s performance and growth. She first joined Marriott in 1999. In July 2025, Marriott announced that Ms. Oberg has decided to retire, effective March 31, 2026.

Ms. Oberg has been recognized by Marriott for her part in elevating the shareholder value of the company and continuously investing in its growth. She has been instrumental in navigating the company through major challenges, like the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as key growth moments, including the Starwood Hotels & Resorts acquisition and integration. She is an active member of the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s Industry Real Estate Finance Advisory Council.