About Us

Mark Pineda is a versatile accounting and operations professional with over 15 years of experience across hospitality, insurance, tax services, and franchise operations. With a strong foundation in financial reporting, inventory control, and tax preparation, he brings practical expertise to complex operational environments. Mark has held roles with leading organizations such as The Plaza Hotel, Carlyle (Rosewood), and Intuit, and played key roles in acquisition integrations and workforce transitions. He is currently advancing his financial acumen through UCLA’s Accounting Certification program as he pursues CPA certification.

Bernie Vasquez is a globally recognized hospitality consultant, trainer, and service culture strategist with a legacy of guiding luxury brands toward Forbes Five-Star excellence. As President of Polished Service and former Executive Trainer for Forbes Travel Guide, Bernie has worked with iconic properties worldwide—from Atlantis Dubai and Langham London to MGM GRAND and Four Seasons. His passion for emotionally intelligent service delivery and team transformation is the hallmark of his training philosophy.

Bernie has created award-winning programs, implemented inspection systems, and led high-impact trainings that inspire frontline teams and executives alike. His leadership and expertise extend across hotels, restaurants, spas, cruise lines, and guest services for elite sports organizations like the Texas Rangers.

Marilyn is a Senior Partner and executive coach with a strong legacy of supporting C-suite leaders and their teams to elevate performance and achieve strategic clarity. With a background spanning consulting, leadership, and coaching, she blends practical insights with deep emotional intelligence. Her clients value her authenticity, candor, and ability to quickly get to the heart of complex issues.

Ruth is a senior total rewards and HR executive with a proven track record across diverse industries including tech, aviation, manufacturing, and education. She brings a unique blend of strategic foresight and operational rigor, with deep expertise in compensation, benefits, and HR systems. Ruth has led major transformations, M&A integration, and global HR initiatives for companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500s.

Marcie Lieberman is a seasoned hospitality executive, consultant, and certified coach specializing in transitional and pre/post-opening environments. With a career built on strategic operations, business development, and leadership in both corporate and entrepreneurial roles, Marcie brings a proven ability to lead transformation. As the former Senior Corporate Director of Rooms and Spa at Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, she played a pivotal role in brand development, global openings, and leadership mentoring. Notably, she was the first female Managing Director in Rosewood’s history.

Pam McBride is an executive and team coach, strategist, and leadership expert with over 30 years of experience across law, transformative leadership, and organizational development. A former partner in a global commercial law firm, Pam brings a grounded, empathetic, and strategic approach to every engagement. Her coaching is especially valued by leaders navigating complex change, mergers, or team dynamics.

Marcia Kelly is a human capital strategist with deep expertise in hospitality leadership, total rewards, and cultural transformation. With over two decades of experience, she has led HR functions for iconic brands including Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Sandals Resorts, and The Ritz-Carlton. Her passion lies in empowering people-centered cultures that drive business results.

Rebecca Gordon Sewell is a people-first strategist and operations expert known for optimizing systems and culture within high-growth organizations. With over 20 years of experience spanning retail, agency leadership, and HR strategy, Rebecca creates scalable infrastructure and values-based environments that help businesses and people thrive.

Dana Campbell is an accomplished executive coach and transformational leader with over 15 years of experience leading organizational change across Fortune 100 and high-growth startups. Her early career was defined by climbing the corporate ladder as a management consultant, where she led large-scale transformations for Fortune 500 clients. Dana is passionate about inspiring bold action and fostering resilience. She is also a certified mindfulness teacher, integrating wisdom traditions to elevate emotional intelligence and well-being in her clients.

Melissa is a dynamic executive coach and facilitator with over 20 years of experience across corporate, entrepreneurial, and consulting domains. Her passion is empowering leaders, teams, and individuals to unlock hidden talents, improve collaboration, and drive business outcomes. Known for her energy, insight, and ability to elevate teams, she has led leadership and learning sessions throughout North America and Europe.

Brian is a seasoned coach, mediator, and facilitator with a unique interdisciplinary lens and a deep commitment to justice, equity, and sustainability. With over two decades of cross-sector experience, he brings empathetic leadership and practical insight to a wide range of client engagements—from DEI strategy to governance consulting.

Mary Quagliana is a leadership and coaching expert with over a decade of international experience launching hotels and resorts. Mary’s marketing background coupled with her learning and development background has inspired her work with internal and external brand validation. She believes if teams operationalize their values, the customer experience can be measured through the company values lens.As a valued partner coach with Aubergine Partners, she is known for her ability to inspire and cultivate high performance in individuals and teams. Her deep commitment to others’ success drives her approach to strategic leadership development.

Sandi Mitchell is a dynamic business leader, coach, and international speaker with over two decades of corporate experience. She supports organizations in creating vision-driven, results-focused cultures. Sandi built a global corporate university for a Fortune 500 company and has trained over 4,200 employees across 46 countries. She is a lead faculty member of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program and a published author.

Michelle Villatoro is an accomplished hospitality strategist and executive coach with over 20 years of experience in operations, training, and leadership development. A key leader at Aubergine Partners, Michelle has led over 42 successful property openings and trained more than 24,000 hospitality professionals. Her blend of strategic foresight and hands-on leadership helps teams excel under pressure and drive exceptional guest satisfaction.

Siobhan O’Leary is a seasoned people strategist, executive coach, and leadership development expert with over 25 years of experience across hospitality, professional services, and nonprofit organizations. As Founder and Principal of Aubergine Partners, she partners with growth companies to design values-based leadership operating systems that align people strategy with business strategy. Her portfolio includes work with The Pierre Hotel, CordeValle Golf Resort, Michael J. Fox Foundation, LCMC Health, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Previously, she served as Senior Vice President of People & Culture at Convene, where she guided the company’s expansion from 38 employees to over 1000 across 31 locations. Under her leadership, Convene was recognized by Fortune Magazine as a “Great Place to Work,” Inc. Magazine as a “Best Workplace,” and Forbes as one of “America’s Most Promising Companies.” Upon her transition, the company honored her impact by establishing the annual Siobhan O’Leary Culture Award, presented to a leader who embodies values-driven leadership and culture. Earlier in her career, Siobhan held senior leadership roles with Hyatt Hotels, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, and The Carlyle, & Rosewood Hotels & Resorts Corp., gaining international experience and developing leaders worldwide.