WASHINGTON HOSPITALITY - Key Persons


Alina Day-Chamberlain

Job Titles:
  • Marketing Manager

Amy Anissipour

Job Titles:
  • Territory Manager

Amy Spain

Job Titles:
  • Territory Manager Northwest

Andy McVicar

Job Titles:
  • Senior Communications Manager

Anthony Anton - CEO, President

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • President

Austin Miller

Job Titles:
  • Local Government Affairs Seattle Senior Manager
  • Local Government Affairs Senior Manager
Austin Miller joined the association in March of 2021. He brings a decade of experience working in government and political roles in the Seattle area. Prior to joining the association, Austin worked in several positions for the City of Seattle, including two mayor's offices and the Department of Education and Early Learning. He has also worked on a number of political campaigns, ranging from managing the 2014 preschool for all campaign in Seattle to serving on Senator Cantwell's 2012 re-election campaign. He holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Washington.

Bailey Doughty

Job Titles:
  • Membership Specialist

Bret Stewart

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • National Restaurant Association Board Representative

Brian Moreno - Chairman

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Board
  • Member of the Chairman of the Board

Cathy Fox

Job Titles:
  • Territory Manager
  • Territory Manager Seattle

Christel Mason-Gillespie

Job Titles:
  • Executive Assistant to the CEO

Dale Porter

Job Titles:
  • State Government Affairs Grassroots Coordinator
Dale was first bit by the political bug while serving as a legislative page in the Washington State House of Representatives. He went on to serve as a House intern while in college. Dale has extensive experience working with political campaigns as a field organizer, field director, and campaign manager. Dale has also worked with advocacy groups to pass legislation. As a first generation college student, Dale is a proven go getter and is driven for results. Dale graduated from the University of Washington-Tacoma in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in politics philosophy, & economics, with a minor in international human rights. Dale received a master's degree in legal studies from the University of Washington School of Law in 2020. He currently lives in Tacoma with his wife and cats.

Danelle Griensewic

Job Titles:
  • Coordinator

David Porter

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Education Foundation Chair

Elaina Morris

Job Titles:
  • at Large Director

Gretchen Fritz

Job Titles:
  • Territory Manager Southwest Washington

Jacque Farrell

Job Titles:
  • at Large Director

Jennifer Hurley

Job Titles:
  • Membership Administrator

Jessica Keller

Job Titles:
  • Accounts Manager
  • Executive

Jinny Hughes

Job Titles:
  • Staff Accountant

John Lane

Job Titles:
  • Director of Local Government Affairs
  • First Director of Local Government Affairs
John Lane is the association's first director of Local Government Affairs. He has a law degree from Seattle University and has extensive public policy experience, including serving as a Washington state assistant attorney general and as the Office of Financial Management's legislative and legal counsel. John has also served as a senior policy adviser to Gov. Jay Inslee on public safety and government operations and as an executive policy adviser to Gov. Christine Gregoire.

Julia Gorton

Job Titles:
  • Director of State Government Affairs
Julia Gorton, director of State Government Affairs, has been with the association for more than a decade, and oversees the Association's state advocacy, political programs and public relations activities. In 2021 Julia led her team to secure $2.7 Billion in relief for businesses impacted by the pandemic in Washington. Julia has earned a reputation in finding solutions to complicated policy issues, spearheading the effort to create the state's Paid Family and Medical Leave program in 2017 - the first of its kind in the country. She was appointed to and serves on the state's Unemployment Insurance Advisory Committee, the Paid Family Leave Advisory Committee and is vice chair of Enterprise Washington, an organization that seeks positive political outcomes for the business community in Washington. Julia graduated from Western Washington University with a B.A. in political science and social studies, and currently lives in Olympia, WA with her husband, daughter and dog.

Karen Leinenwever

Job Titles:
  • Human Resources

Kelsi Mayther

Job Titles:
  • Training Manager

Ken Wells

Job Titles:
  • Business Development Senior Manager

Kristi Cichon

Job Titles:
  • Accounts Receivable
  • Administrator

Kyle Galvin

Job Titles:
  • Communications Tech & Data Analyst

Lex Nepomuceno

Job Titles:
  • Senior Director of Communications & Technology

Lisa Ellefson

Job Titles:
  • Social Media & Graphic Design Manager

Lisa Leinberger

Job Titles:
  • Communications Specialist

Logan Dozier

Job Titles:
  • Program Manager

Lynelle Caudill

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Davenport Hotels ( Spokane Chapter Chair )

Macey Thorsen

Job Titles:
  • Communications Assistant

Mark Bentley - Treasurer

Job Titles:
  • Finance Chair
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer

Marla Fruit

Job Titles:
  • Territory Manager
  • Territory Manager Spokane

Merrisa "Missy" Firnstahl-Claridge

Job Titles:
  • at Large Director

Michele Arney

Job Titles:
  • Territory Manager
  • Territory Manager Seattle Downtown

Nicole Jackson

Job Titles:
  • Database Coordinator

Phil Costello

Job Titles:
  • Chief Revenue Officer

Riley Flock

Job Titles:
  • Programs Manager

Riley Smith

Job Titles:
  • State GA Senior Manager

Rion Ramirez

Job Titles:
  • at Large Director

Robbin Stafford

Job Titles:
  • Territory Manager / Southeast Washington
  • Territory Manager Southeast

Robin Boiraud

Job Titles:
  • Territory Manager
  • Territory Manager Thurston, Kitsap & Peninsula

Ron Oh

Job Titles:
  • Immediate past Chair
  • Member of the Board of Directors

Samantha Louderback

Job Titles:
  • State Government Affairs Senior Manager
Samantha Louderback has been with the association and on the team since 2015. Samantha leads the association's efforts on policy that relates to food safety, food packaging & sustainability, workplace safety, miscellaneous environmental issues and an assortment business issues. She also is the lead and expert on all things regarding the Department of Health, including transient accommodations, and represents the association on several state-wide stakeholder groups and committees. Samantha has a bachelor of science in environmental studies and a bachelor of science in public policy from Central Washington University. She currently lives in Tacoma with her husband, daughter, and their dog, Dax.

Sean McHugh

Job Titles:
  • Payment Processing Manager

Shelby Pemberton

Job Titles:
  • Executive Assistant to the CRO

Sheryl Jackson

Job Titles:
  • Director of Information Services

Skylar Schmitt

Job Titles:
  • Local Government Affairs Assistant Coordinator
  • Local Government Affairs Manager
Skylar Schmitt joined the association in June 2022. Since 2016, Skylar has worked on a variety of political campaigns in both field and finance consulting roles. In 2020 she was the director of outreach for Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland's successful campaign in Washington's 10 th Congressional District. Most recently Skylar worked as a fundraising consultant for political campaigns and non-profits across the country. She holds a B.A. in political science from Western Washington University.

Southeast Washington

Job Titles:
  • Territory Manager / Southeast Washington

Southwest Washington

Job Titles:
  • Territory Manager / Southwest Washington

Steven Sweeney

Job Titles:
  • Director of Membership

SuzAnne Steben

Job Titles:
  • Membership Specialist

Tamorro Farrell

Job Titles:
  • Territory Manager
  • Tamorro Farrell, Territory Manager

Teran Petrina - CFO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Financial Officer

Tiffany Turner

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Vice - Chair and Chair of Government Affairs

Victor Mena - Chairman

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Board

Victoria Montrose

Job Titles:
  • Program Director

Zahoor Ahmed

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Hedreen Co