Our Story

Chris Adams was born in Florida and spent his formative years in the hospitality industry working his way up The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. After growing up in the entertainment industry, Adams founded Ellis Adams Group (EAG) as an international hospitality consulting firm. The group focuses on all aspects of businesses, including building brands, concept and design development, training, management, revenue generation, and profit margin increases. The hospitality firm’s current project list is dynamic and constantly growing, with over 100 active ventures underway around the globe.

Born and raised in Long Beach, California, Maricela Salcido developed her passion for the hotel industry while attending California State University, Long Beach. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Dietic and Food Service Administration with an emphasis in Hospitality Foodservice and Hotel Management while working at a local restaurant. Upon joining the Marriott International team, she held many positions, including training the Food & Beverage teams at numerous hotel locations on brand standards, service, and core job duties, providing her with the foundation for her career. During her role with the Hotel Openings & Transitions team, she met Chris Adams, founder of international hospitality firm Ellis Adams Group (EAG) and currently, they worked together to oversee hotel openings across the United States. Maricela also supports EA’s efforts in creating and executing all programs, assisting in bar setup, and staff training while additionally overseeing the operations of all current and future EA concepts.

Jason Sanders started working in hospitality as a teenager, progressing from restaurants to casual bars to fine dining before landing with The Ritz-Carlton, taking on progressively more challenging roles, leading every aspect of Food & Beverage in multiple top-performing hotels. Jason then joined the Marriott International Global Operations team, where he led broader Restaurant and Bar (R+B) strategy projects and spearheaded new R+B concept development, creating innovative, relevant offerings in new and renovated hotels throughout the full-service and luxury segments of the portfolio. He draws on his operational background and passion for all aspects of the beverage world, approaching EA client and partner relationships from a unique perspective

Emanuele Broccatelli is a hospitality strategist, beverage innovator, and cultural connector whose work sits at the intersection of craft, empathy, and human experience. Born and raised in Marino, a small village in the hills outside Rome known for its vineyards and Italy’s oldest wine festival, Emanuele’s relationship with food and drink began at home. His earliest inspiration came not from bars, but from the kitchen, watching his mother cook and understanding how care, ritual, and flavour could shape how people feel.

This mindset reached global visibility during the opening of W Rome, where Emanuele led beverage innovation and helped redefine luxury hospitality in the Italian market. His mission was clear: revive La Dolce Vita in a contemporary, human way. By blending high hotel standards with the spontaneity and soul of Roman street culture, he helped create spaces that welcomed locals back into the city’s historic core.

Emanuele also is the founder of DRINK IT, a pioneering ready-to-drink cocktail laboratory launched well before pre-batched cocktails became mainstream. Today, DRINK IT produces fresh, real-ingredient cocktails with extended shelf life, serving as both an independent brand and the beverage R&D engine for Ellis Adams Group.

In his current role as Partner for EMEA at Ellis Adams Group, Emanuele operates across the full hospitality lifecycle. From early-stage concept development and bar design to pre-opening training, post-opening performance boosts, and long-term cultural embedding, his work focuses on elevating guest experience through people, not performance scripts. He is known for his ability to translate brand standards into lived behaviours, helping teams move from mechanical service to genuine connection.

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Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Zaylan started his career in hospitality in a small town in the shadow of Mount Rainier. He then spent seven years working across restaurants in Washington and Massachusetts in various roles from shift leader to bartender to server. Zaylan attended Babson College where he honed his passions for business living in "eTower" amongst 20 other entrepreneurs.

After college, Zaylan combined his hospitality experience with his technology skills to launch a mobile app to support his team while working at a lounge in Bellevue. This would eventually lead to the creation of Nitecapp, where Zaylan serves as the CEO and helps drive the product vision. Nitecapp is designed to empower frontline workers and to support beverage programs and training across hospitality portfolios.

Zaylan's skills in product design led to working with entrepreneurs in Southern Africa, where he still supports early-stage ventures on their technology and investment strategy. He believes in the power of technology to transform the world for the better and spends most of his days thinking about how technology impacts the hospitality, beverage, food and travel industries. Today, he serves as the Director of Technology for EAG and Partner at Ellis Adams Tech, where he leads the development of digital solutions that help companies operate smarter and connect with the modern consumer.

Born and raised just outside of Washington, D.C., Chris built a career rooted in a deep passion for luxury travel and world-class food & beverage experiences. Channeling this passion and chasing after the title of FOX’s MasterChef, Chris turned the experience into professional reality when he joined Marriott International where he served in various leadership positions within The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis brands at destinations including San Francisco and the Mountain Collection of luxury ski resorts.

Chris shifted his focus to the growth and development space with Marriott International as one of the Leaders of the Openings & Transitions Team for the US, Canada and Caribbean/Latin America. He leveraged his experience in the industry with his relentless nature to inspire people, build opportunity and chase the unexpected and unconventional, directly supporting over 350 hotel openings and company milestones including the Starwood Hotels merger and integration, MGM Resorts partnership, and launch of the All-Inclusive segment. Most recently, Chris supported Marriott Procurement helping to evolve this complex supplier and manufacturer model across Marriott’s Franchised community.

Born and raised in the Midwest, Kari Pankow was shaped by the values of Hoosier Hospitality that define her home state of Indiana. Her deep-rooted passion for hospitality began around the family table where shared meals sparked her appreciation for connection, service, and the joy of bringing people together.

Hospitality has always been more than a career for Kari—it’s a way of life. From her early days working as a server and bartender in college, she found joy in creating welcoming spaces and meaningful moments. That same energy carried into her professional journey after earning a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality & Tourism Management from Purdue University. She embraced the rhythm of hotel life, first in franchise operations, where she led Marriott-branded properties as an Assistant General Manager and General Manager, building strong teams and memorable guest experiences.

Kari’s path eventually led her to Marriott International’s Hotel Openings & Transitions team, where she brought nearly 200 hotels to life across the U.S., Canada, and Central and Latin America. Whether designing training programs, leading immersive brand experiences, or reimagining post-pandemic operations, she approached every project with heart, creativity, and a deep respect for people. In 2025, she joined Ellis Adams Group as Vice President of Operations, where she continues to blend innovation with authenticity. She now calls Chicago home, bringing Midwestern warmth to everything she does.

As a licensed interior designer, Christy has created experiences for hospitality guests for 18 years in both domestic & international markets. The hospitality industry excites her with its vast global influence and its ability to inspire on a personal level. With a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Texas Christian University, she combines her understanding of architecture, art, and hospitality through purposeful, detail-oriented design. Christy’s inspiration stems from her insatiable love for travel, experience of other cultures, and desire for exploration. Her design philosophy is that each project has a unique story ready to be written and retold. Christy believes that design is the art of crafting its narrative to be illustrated through elevated style, thoughtful details, and carefully curated art and artifacts.

From designing the first AC Hotels by Marriott in the United States to opulent resorts in India, Christy’s passion for lifestyle and luxury is reflected in her design narratives.

Sean McCusker is a former lifestyle and food writer who took his experiences reporting from the point-of-view of the consumer and translated them to the world of hospitality, first by creating and operating Sylvain, a Southern American tavern in New Orleans’ French Quarter and world-renowned Garden District whiskey bar Barrel Proof. Sean eventually moved to Austin, Texas where he created Bonhomie – an innovative French bistro-meets-American diner project which quickly made Thrillist.com’s “Best New American Restaurants of 2017” list among other accolades. Sensing a shift in the overall F&B landscape, he took his knowledge of hospitality trends to the hotel world via consulting positions with several industry-leading companies where he has developed concepts and secured culinary and beverage partners for some of the world’s leading boutique and luxury hotel brands and ownership groups. Throughout his career, Sean’s skills at building relationships with key industry players and gathering the intel necessary to fine tune and detail critically and financially successful restaurants and bar concepts has allowed him to become a trusted and respected leader in the industry.

Robby's story in hospitality begins behind the bar where he honed his craft as an acclaimed beverage professional. He joined The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company where he went on to curate multiple beverage programs before transitioning into operational leadership roles with The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott brands. Robby has a genuine passion for the ethos of development and has closely worked with distilleries, breweries, and winemakers to introduce multiple innovative projects to The Ritz-Carlton Resort & Reserve properties. Drawing on his operational background and global beverage knowledge, Robby tailors the professional and organizational development of bars and restaurants to transform the guest experience.

Brian has been leading organizations since he was 18. He’s served in leadership positions for non-profits and media corporations. He’s written two leadership books, “Leadership Endurance” and “Be Like Dad” and continues to write through his weekly blog. He loves people and believes in drawing the best out of them. You’ll find him telling a story about Abraham Lincoln or FDR that puts a leadership principle in the heart and mind of those he coaches. His skills include leadership coaching, business management, storytelling and writing. While he enjoys writing books and blogs, it’s his conviction that his purpose is to impact the lives of others by helping them grow in their leadership journey. He’s been married to his wife, Kayla, for over 30 years.

Christine Morse, Senior Designer, enjoys creating unique and inspiring spaces that excite the travel and adventure seeker. As a Registered Interior Designer with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Oklahoma State University, she has a well-rounded background in F+B, Retail, Workplace, Residential, and Hospitality design. As a key member of the EAG team, she uses her different backgrounds and perspectives to tell unique stories through the art of design and execution of construction documentation.

Larissa Sablotny, Senior Designer, based out of Charleston, South Carolina will assist in creating and progressing design and concepting through all phases of project. With twelve years of hospitality and high-end residential design experience, Larissa brings a unique attention to detail and perspective that allows for a creative yet functional experience. Having a passion for design and creating unique spaces, Larissa began her studies at Illinois State University earning a Bachelor of Science in Interior & Environmental Design with a minor in Construction Management. After graduating she started her career working in both commercial and educational design before making the switch to high-end residential. From there, she continued to hone her skills and knowledge base in luxury design curating thoughtful and alluring designs

Maui’s professional journey is a fusion of her rich Mexican heritage and an unwavering passion for architecture and hospitality. As a Registered Interior Designer with more than 15 years of experience, she has perfected the art of creating spaces that are both beautiful and functional. Her designs draw from a deep well of cultural inspiration and global travels, believing that every space should tell a unique story that connects and inspires. Whether transforming hotels, restaurants, or commercial environments, Maui’s work is a testament to her commitment to creating timeless, purpose-driven spaces that leave a lasting impact.

Raised in Tennessee, Kenny Gonzalez started his career in hospitality when he moved to Miami over a decade ago where he began as a beach attendant in Miami Beach but was quickly able to grow into leadership roles such as Director of Operations, Corporate Trainer, and Regional General Manager. During this time, Kenny was given the opportunity to support various Marriott Luxury Openings, with a focus on training the outdoor spaces. Now joining EAG, Kenny will lead the development of new and innovative training, while executing those ideas within the recreation and front of house areas.

With over 23 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Theo began his career in Greece, progressing from F&B to Rooms Division management. He further honed his expertise as Hotel Manager at the Amathus Beach Resort and Elite Suites where he enhanced guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Theo's experience includes successful F&B leadership roles with The Ritz-Carlton, including spearheading the opening of three luxury properties and the inaugural Ritz-Carlton Yacht, Evrima. At Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman, Theo assisted in the planning and operations of the Cayman Cookout. He has also supported openings for various luxury properties from St. Regis, W, Marriott, and other Ritz-Carlton locations.

Theo currently serves as Director of Operations, Food & Beverage at Ellis Adams Group | EMEA, supporting hotel openings, training, and development.

Charity is a hospitality professional with a lifelong passion for creating memorable culinary experiences, which began in her grandmother's kitchen in North Georgia. After earning a BA from Covenant College, she built a 14-year culinary career as a chef and entrepreneur, encompassing pastry and savory cuisine in diverse settings, including owning and operating Revel Pastry Company in Atlanta. Now based in Los Angeles, Charity brings her extensive culinary background and operational expertise to Ellis Adams Group as Director of Culinary, shaping the company's culinary vision and developing distinctive dining experiences.

Rebecca Monday has been in the hospitality industry for almost two decades with many positions held at some of the top beverage programs. With a strong base in Columbus, Ohio, Monday ran an award-winning beverage program for 4 years before leaving to expand her skill set into hotel beverage management, where she oversaw beverage programs for a hotel ownership and management group with 62 hotels worldwide. Monday also was afforded the opportunity to tour the country as an Aperol spritz ambassador and was recently named one of Diageo World Class Top 100 bartenders in the US and owns a Columbus based tiki pop up bar company called 614tiki.

Born in Mexico City, Itzel Alvarez has a Sociology degree, with a Diploma in Art History. Her career in hospitality started over 15 years ago in bars in Mexico City. Alvarez has worked for Licorería Limantour, a renowned cocktail bar that has remained in the top 50 best bars in the world since 2014. Alvarez was able to quickly grow into leadership roles such as Project Leader for Ritual de lo Habitual consulting firm and collaborated in the opening of Solaz, a Luxury Collection resort from Marriott, as well as lead the Bar program as a Bar Manager for over 4 years. She contributed to the positioning of the resort's Sunday Brunch as the preferred upscale choice for brunch in the city of Cabo. Itzel supports Ellis Adams Group’s efforts in the creation and implementation of bar programs, bar setup, and staff training all over the Americas with a focus in the Caribbean and Latin America region.

Through the last 12 years in the hospitality industry, Josh Buck has built his career around creating memorable guest experiences and strong, culture-driven teams. Recently, Josh worked with Shaner Hotels where spent four years as the General Manager of VASO Rooftop Lounge in Dublin, Ohio where he led a dynamic team and helped shape one of the nation’s highest praised rooftops.

Prior to that, Josh served as a Corporate F&B Operations Manager, supporting a portfolio of 62 properties. This role brought forth a big-picture view of the industry and a chance to work alongside incredible teams across a wide variety of markets.

A new personal venture, Josh is the co-owner of The Wandering Palm - a mobile tropical bartending experience based in Ohio.

No matter the setting, Josh’s focus has always been on building culture first by encouraging growth and creating spaces where both teams and guests feel at home.

With over 23 years in the hospitality industry, Maayan’s career has unfolded across cities such as Tel Aviv, Berlin, Rome, and Paris. Originally from Tel Aviv, her professional journey began at the iconic Peacock Bar in Tel Aviv and later opened Minibar, a small, uncompromising wine bar built on curiosity and intention. Maayan then moved to Rome, where she led brand storytelling as a social media developer for DRINK IT, a creative lab producing small-batch cocktails and liqueurs. This role expanded her perspective on hospitality, exploring how narrative and creativity shape perception beyond physical spaces. Maayan later refined her operational and leadership focus as F&B Manager at MyTale Rome, overseeing guest operations before joining Berta Berlin where my work centered on leadership development and service elevation. She then served as Guest Relations Manager for JLM, overseeing guest experience across multiple restaurants in Paris, focusing on cultivating guest community and personal relationships rooted in recognition, continuity, and trust, many of which remain meaningful to this day. She then moved into the luxury hospitality space via the pre-opening of W Prague before joining Ellis Adams Group in 2025 where she supports luxury hospitality openings and front-of-house excellence across the region, focusing on culture, service behaviors, and empowering teams to Create Unparalleled Experiences through knowledge, curiosity, trust, accountability, human connection, and emotional intelligence.

Born and raised in France, Nicolas was immersed in hospitality from an early age through his family’s hotel and restaurant businesses across the country, shaping a strong foundation in service culture and operational excellence. Nicolas built his international career with Accor Hotels across Asia, including Thailand, Japan, and Macau, before joining Marriott International within the W Hotels brand. Throughout his career, Nicolas has supported multiple hotel openings and task force assignments across the EMEA and Asian regions. His experience spans luxury brands including The Ritz-Carlton, W, Sofitel, SO/, and MGallery. Most recently Nicolas held leadership roles at W Verbier in Switzerland and played a key role in the pre-opening of W Prague in the Czech Republic, where until joining EAG served as its Director of B&F.

Paolo, while Italian, has lived in London now for the past 17+ years. Paolo’s ability to connect with people though beverage is on another level, allowing him not only to teach but to foster relationships with everyone with whom he interacts. Paolo has been a brand ambassador for Campari Group since 2016, representing the brand at events all over the UK and is also a world class bartender, who before getting into Brand and Development, was Co-Owner of Blood & Sand Limited, serving most recently as General Manager of The Hide Bar on Bermondsey Street in London. Whether behind the bar, in front of a classroom or on a barstool creating magic for aperitivo, his warmth will show anyone a good time.

Growing up in the DC area with a love for dance, art, and design, Ally Leonardo has always been pulled in a creative direction. After completing her master’s degree in interior design at Virginia Tech, she solidified her career path in the hospitality industry by working with several renowned mainstream hotel brands. Ally's rapid acquisition of new skills and unwavering work ethic propelled her into the realm of luxury hotel design which brought her to EAG where she continues to thrive. Fueled by a deep-seated appreciation for storytelling, travel, diverse cultures, contemporary art, and culinary delights, she continues to elevate her craft within the realm of luxury hospitality design.

Romina Martinez’s impressive career spanning various industries brings a unique blend of experience and expertise to her role at Ellis Adams Group. Previously, Romina held the position of Head of VIP Relations and Senior Publicist at Burgerrock Media, where she spent two years working closely with notable A-list talents and prestigious brands. Her experience in this role has given her a keen eye for luxury and a deep understanding of the lifestyle and hospitality industry. Before venturing into media and public relations, Romina accumulated over seven years of experience in the legal field, showcasing her strong work ethic and attention to detail. She also honed her marketing and advertising skills during her four-year tenure at a leading international performance marketing agency, specializing in scaling Direct-To-Consumer (D2C) products and brands globally. Romina's exceptional ability to blend her legal, marketing, and PR backgrounds has allowed her to craft innovative and effective brand strategies. Her dedication to diligent research and creative media approaches has consistently maximized exposure for her clients, helping them expand their brands and reach new heights. Romina's bilingual proficiency in both English and Spanish enables her to connect with diverse audiences and create meaningful, cross-cultural engagement. As the Social Media Manager and PR at Ellis Adams Group, Romina brings her wealth of experience and passion for luxury lifestyle and hospitality to elevate clients' online presence and reputation.

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From the dish tank to Chef, Carolyn White’s 40+ years in the industry includes distributor sales experience, national account team management & teaching cooking and wine classes for Publix Supermarkets along the way. Comfortable working the line as Chef or training chefs, servers and bartenders in the front of the house, her knowledge of restaurants, hotels, food and wine is extensive and multi-faceted. Carolyn’s passion lies in identifying and targeting each hotel’s uniqueness and targeting opportunities to craft training programs to increase all beverage sales and server beverage knowledge comfort levels. Her unique blend of creative, unique, common sense & de-snootified training methods has been successful through her many years of teaching about food and wine and remembered by servers across the U.S. Carolyn has also conducted wine training for the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation & the Military Food service team at the White House. Carolyn uses humor, real life experiences and her extensive global travels as story illustrations.

With over 25 years of experience in software development, business systems analysis, and IT project management, Gaby has successfully delivered impactful solutions across diverse industries, including tourism, retail, financial services, and petrochemical within the Caribbean region. Her career has been defined by a passion for creative problem-solving and a steadfast commitment to achieving client results.

In recent years, Gaby has embraced the transformative potential of low-code platforms, AI, and automation tools, enabling the rapid development of proof-of-concept applications that previously required larger teams. This approach allows clients to quickly test solutions, significantly reducing up-front expenditure as they refine and pivot their product offerings in the early stages.

Gaby has extensive experience managing cross-functional teams and consultants, fostering collaboration, and achieving goals through a servant leadership approach. By empowering team members and focusing on their strengths, Gaby ensures that projects are completed successfully and leave a positive impact on everyone involved.

Born in Mexico, Oscar Nino moved to the United States at a young age and over the years developed a passion for design. He attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree. He has over 11 years of design experience and has worked at some of the most successful architecture design firms in the US

and China. Oscar also has extensive knowledge in advanced 3D modeling and rendering techniques and is driven by curiosity and he is constantly developing innovative solutions to bridge technology and creative 3D media. He specializes in creating immersive virtual reality experiences by using revolutionary technology that completely redefines user engagement in the new digital era. At EAG, Oscar leads and develops advanced digital solutions by leveraging the power of technology.

A lifelong creative visionary with many facets of life that have attributed to her artistic experience and knowledge to her work as a designer, Paloma Zaida is an alumna of The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) where she received a degree in Fashion Design and Bachelor of Science in Business Management. Through her studies in fashion, work in film, television commercial print modeling as well as her love of travel, Paloma developed a deep passion for storytelling and creating full visual experiences inspired by colors, cultures, textures, shapes, movement, and balance. With this passion, Paloma founded Bouvier, House of Creative Design, which specializes in working with start-ups, personal brands, and various businesses to develop and communicate their ideas and presence in the world through their story and brand. Her design philosophy is to eschew any single style and create timeless, distinctive work that deeply connects with clients and their customers. The foundation of which Bouvier and Ellis Adams Group operate aligned and lead to the opportunity to establish a partnership that further enhances and elevates businesses and brands through the shared passion of fashion, travel, hospitality, art, and design to create unparalleled custom experiences.

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