AI Hospitality Alliance Announces Founding Advisory Board of Global Hospitality, Technology, AI, and Academic Leaders to Help Shape the Future of AI in Hospitality

The AI Hospitality Alliance (AIHA), an independent platform advancing the understanding, responsible adoption, and collaborative development of artificial intelligence across hospitality, today announced the formation of its inaugural Advisory Board – a distinguished group of executives and thought leaders representing some of the most influential organizations in hospitality, travel, technology, academia, business law, and AI.

The board brings together leaders across hotel brands, ownership and management groups, cloud infrastructure, enterprise technology, AI platforms, legal, payments, academia, hospitality consulting, and travel technology to help guide the Alliance’s mission of advancing responsible AI adoption and preparing the hospitality industry for one of the most significant technology shifts in decades.

“As AI rapidly reshapes how guests discover, compare, book, and experience travel, hospitality faces a rare opportunity to come together and proactively shape what comes next,” said Ira Vouk, Founder of the AI Hospitality Alliance. “The Advisory Board reflects exactly what this moment requires – cross-functional collaboration between hospitality leaders, technologists, academics, operators, and innovators to help ensure our industry evolves thoughtfully, responsibly, and competitively.”

The inaugural AI Hospitality Alliance Advisory Board includes:

• Carl Winston — Founding Director, Payne School of Hospitality at SDSU

• Michael Mahar — SVP, Head of Commercial Technology, Loyalty & Digital Products, Wyndham Hotels

• Matt Schwartz — Chief Technology Officer, Sage Hospitality

• Tyrone Millard — GTM – Travel & Hospitality, OpenAI

• Keryn McNamara — Chief Information Officer, Aimbridge Hospitality

• Greg Land — Global Industry Leader – Hospitality, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

• Greg Duff — Principal and Chair of Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Practice, Foster Garvey PC

• Brian Kirkland — CIO | CTO, Choice Hotels International

• Bill Ryan — SVP, Chief Technology Officer, BWH Hotels

• Richard Valtr — Founder, Mews

• Cihan Cobanoglu — Provost, Virscend University

• Ramki Srinivasan — Chief Digital & Information Officer, Great Wolf Lodge

• Sanjay Vakil — Co-Founder & CEO, DirectBooker.ai

• Shane O’Flaherty — Global Director, Travel, Transportation & Hospitality, Microsoft

• John Burns — President, Hospitality Technology Consulting

• Petar Popov — Global VP Partnerships – Travel, Enterprise & Fintech, Mastercard

• Frances Kiradjian — Founder & CEO, Boutique & Luxury Lodging Association (BLLA)

• Laura Calin — SVP, Oracle Consumer Industries

• Gustaaf Schrils — Chief Information Officer, Omni Hotels & Resorts

• Scott Lindeman — Vice President, Revenue Strategy & Data Analytics, Summit Hotel 

• Philip von Ditfurth — Founder, apaleo

• Adam Harris — Founder and CEO, Cloudbeds

Several Advisory Board members shared why they believe the industry needs a collaborative effort around AI:

“Hospitality is entering one of the most important technology shifts in decades. AI is already changing how guests choose and book travel, and the industry must respond together. The AI Hospitality Alliance gives us a chance to shape that future proactively – creating smarter guest experiences, modernizing operations, and ensuring hospitality remains competitive in an AI-first world.”
— Brian Kirkland, CIO | CTO, Choice Hotels International

“As a collective voice for the industry, the AI Hospitality Alliance is addressing what I believe currently holds our industry back – fragmented tools, undefined standards, and the absence of shared governance frameworks by ensuring AI adoption is shaped responsibly. I’m proud to serve on the Advisory Board and excited to leverage the AI expertise we’ve cultivated at Aimbridge to make a positive impact for owners, guests, and our brand partners.”
— Keryn McNamara, CIO, Aimbridge Hospitality

“I am a big believer in all the ways AI will transform our industry. We need an organization like AIHA to be that independent, standards-setting body and to foster and drive adoption across the industry. It is why we see the retail industry moving so fast on this.”
— Greg Land, Global Industry Leader – Hospitality, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

“It’s an exciting time to be in travel and hospitality. I’m thrilled to be a member of this Advisory Board alongside our industry’s best.”
— Michael Mahar, SVP, Head of Commercial Technology, Loyalty & Digital Products, Wyndham Hotels

The AI Hospitality Alliance was launched to help the hospitality industry navigate AI through education, research, collaboration, thought leadership, standards development, governance, and community-building. The Alliance brings together hospitality professionals, technology providers, researchers, educators, and organizations to explore AI’s impact and shape the future together.

Areas of focus include AI education and professional development, research and insights, emerging industry standards, responsible governance, practical implementation, and preparing hospitality businesses for a rapidly changing distribution and guest engagement landscape.

“We are entering a once-in-a-generation reset,” added Vouk. “For the first time in decades, the infrastructure of how hospitality discovers demand, serves guests, and operates behind the scenes is being rewritten. The goal of the Alliance is simple: bring the industry together to help shape that future rather than react to it.”

For more information or to join the Alliance, visit AI Hospitality Alliance.

About AI Hospitality Alliance
The AI Hospitality Alliance is an independent platform advancing the understanding, responsible adoption, and collaborative development of AI across the global hospitality industry. The Alliance brings together leaders, technology partners, researchers, educators, and practitioners to explore AI’s impact and shape the future of hospitality together through research, education, events, insights, and industry collaboration.

Media Contact
Ira Vouk
Founder, AI Hospitality Alliance
AI Hospitality Alliance Contact Page