Hospitality Unpacked with NEWH

Growth is not accidental—it’s built with intention. This episode highlights Trisha Poole’s journey from the early stages of her career to founding and scaling Design Poole, Inc. into a globally recognized brand. From expanding across Florida and into Canada to shaping a distinct voice in hospitality design, her story reflects a commitment to vision, resilience, and strategic growth. Along the way,...

Wellness is no longer a feature—it’s a design philosophy. This episode offers an inside look at the design transformation of EVEN Hotels and how well-being has been thoughtfully embedded into the brand’s next generation. The design team behind the reimagined concept shares a holistic approach to wellness—one that recognizes balance, individuality, and choice as central to the guest experience. Fro...

Leadership is defined not only by success, but by impact. This episode honors Chris Rice as the 2025 NEWH ICON of Industry, exploring his enduring relationship with NEWH as a Corporate Partner and the values that have shaped his leadership journey. Through reflection and insight, we examine the influence of his work across the hospitality industry—highlighting a legacy built on partnership, purpos...

Hospitality is transforming faster than ever, with greener practices quietly reshaping hotels and restaurants from the ground up. Resource use, design choices, and operations are being reimagined to reduce waste, save energy, and create lasting impact. In this episode, we explore how GreenVoice by NEWH is helping turn sustainable ideas into everyday action. The conversation covers the real challen...

Great businesses are not built by products. They are built by people who never stop learning. This episode of Hospitality Unpacked explores how education shapes not only what is made, but who people become. Leaders from TLS Furniture share how cross training, mentorship, and real world learning help teams stay strong through change. From industry shifts to uncertain seasons, their approach has sta...

Diversity is not a detail—it’s the experience. This episode explores how cultural identity, lived experience, and inclusive thinking shape truly memorable hospitality environments. Through an engaging conversation with visionary entrepreneurs, we examine how design becomes a storytelling tool—authentically weaving diverse narratives, perspectives, and traditions into spaces that resonate with gues...

Nature has already solved the problems we’re trying to design around. This episode explores biomimicry—the practice of learning from nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies—and its powerful role in shaping biophilic hospitality design. From coral reefs and sunflower heads to pinecone spirals, we examine how natural systems inform spaces that are not only visually compelling, but deeply restor...

Design sits at the heart of how hospitality spaces are experienced, remembered, and sustained. In this Minisode Monday of The Blueprint, Will Dowling explores how design is shaping the future of European hospitality. He discusses the rise of ultra luxury travel, the move toward resort style experiences in urban centers, and how sustainability and housing pressures are influencing how hotels are de...

Cultural authenticity cannot be an afterthought. This essential dialogue examines what it truly means to design hospitality spaces rooted in Native American identity—through tradition, lived experience, and forward-thinking innovation. Centered on Indigenous voices, this conversation reframes culture not as a visual reference or design trend, but as a living, evolving narrative shaped by community...

Hospitality is where comfort, innovation, and human connection create unforgettable guest experiences. In this episode, Ludovica Rocchi, Brand Director of R Collection Hotels Group, shares how luxury hotels in Europe are using design, technology, and leadership to elevate guest experience. She discusses motivating staff, adapting to change, and creating stays that leave lasting impressions. Perfec...

Recognition was not guaranteed—but impact was inevitable. This episode brings into focus the often-overlooked legacies of female designers whose vision, leadership, and business acumen quietly shaped the foundations of interior design and architecture. Working beyond the spotlight of their time, these trailblazers challenged convention, built influence, and created pathways for innovation that con...

Leadership is more than strategy, it’s about empathy, learning, and connection. In this episode of Behind the Standard, Gilda Perez-Alvarado, Chief Strategy Officer at Accor and CEO of Orient Express, shares how mentorship and real-world lessons shaped her approach. She talks about leading with purpose, collaborating across cultures, and using curiosity, adaptability, and humor to succeed. This co...

Sustainability is no longer optional. It guides every choice, design, and decision across the entire system. In this session, we explore how manufacturers, designers, and brands or owners can come together to create impact far beyond what any one of them could achieve alone. Through practical insights and real-world examples, we uncover how aligned practices shape Human Health, Climate Health, and...

In this episode of The Briefing, hospitality leader Melissa Messmer shares a global perspective on how inclusive design, sustainability, and guest wellbeing are shaping luxury hotels across the UK, Europe, and beyond. Drawing from her experience with IHG, Starwood, Accor, and Marriott, Melissa explores how lighting innovation and neurodiversity friendly design are redefining the modern guest exper...

Accessibility is no longer optional; it is a critical foundation of thoughtful design. In this episode, our panel dives into the real-world mobility challenges guests encounter throughout hotel spaces, from arrival to room experience and shared amenities. Through candid discussion and practical insight, they explore how ADA-informed design choices can remove barriers, enhance comfort, and create e...

Bring nature into your spaces and discover how biophilic design can transform the way we live and work. This session explores how incorporating natural elements like light, greenery, fresh air, texture, and sound can enhance well-being, boost creativity, and improve focus and productivity in homes, offices, and public spaces. Learn how thoughtful, intentional design goes beyond aesthetics. Ordinar...

What does it take to make spaces truly accessible? Hear directly from people with disabilities as they share their experiences and the challenges they face every day. Get to learn practical ways to meet ADA standards while creating spaces that actually work for everyone. See how thoughtful, creative design can improve accessibility and enhance the experience for all guests. Leave inspired to appro...

In this Briefing Minisode, hospitality leader Emmanuelle La Valliant shares a grounded, global perspective on how AI and Gen Z expectations are reshaping hotels across Europe and beyond. Drawing from her work with boutique and lifestyle properties in Paris, Emmanuelle explores why speed, transparency, sustainability, and experience-driven design now define relevance in hospitality. The conversatio...

Hotels and restaurants cycle through furniture at an incredible pace. Pieces meant to last a decade often barely make it five years before being tossed. In this episode, we look at how the industry can rethink that pattern and shift toward circular design that keeps materials in use longer. Our panel digs into the real barriers cost, logistics, changing trends and the pressure to deliver a constan...

In this episode of A Seat at the Table , we sit down with four global voices to explore how NEWH connects people, careers, and companies across borders. Joining him are Chris Tucker, CEO of NEWH, Inc.; Jonathan Young, principal of Jonathan Young Associates and NEWH VP of International Relations for the EU & UK; Boris Gentine, designer and partner at Saguez & Dash; and Pam Neimann, founder...

This minisode of A Seat at the Table was recorded live at the 2025 NEWH Leadership Conference in Paris. It captures a candid and thoughtful conversation with Agnès Roquefort, drawing on her insights as a global hospitality leader and her perspective on mentorship, collaboration, and the next generation of talent. The energy of the conference carries straight into the dialogue, offering listeners a...

What began as a formal match in the NEWH Martha’s Mentors Program grew into something far bigger: confidence built, careers shaped, and a new generation being lifted as they rise. This episode pulls back the curtain on what mentorship really does in our industry. Three leaders sit down to talk about the power of being guided, challenged, and championed: Jeanne Varney, former International Presiden...

Design never sleeps—especially when your studios span continents. In this episode of Hospitality Unpacked: The Design , Adele Rankin and Brigitte Bédard of CHIL Interior Design share what it takes to lead hospitality projects that cross time zones, cultures, and expectations. From 24-hour collaboration between Vancouver, Toronto, and Hong Kong to navigating client customs in the Middle East, they...

At the NEWH Leadership Conference in Paris, two familiar faces reunited after more than a decade apart — Diana Dobin , Co-CEO of Valley Forge Fabrics, and Will Dowling , Director of Design for Virgin Hotels. What began as a mentorship when Will was a hospitality student has evolved into a story of friendship, growth, and paying it forward. In this heart-warming minisode, they reflect on how one co...

Theme: The People Episode: Scholarship Stories Guests: Barbara Bischoff – Director of Scholarships, NEWH Inc. | Project Interior Design Associate, Roam Valerie Coleman – Vice President of EID, NEWH Inc. | Director of Interior Design Select Brands, Marriott International Michael Quaglia – Communications Chair – Scholarships, NEWH Inc. | Intermediate Interior Designer, ODA Description What happens w...