AHLA Unveils Human Trafficking Advisory Council, Survivor Fund
The American Hotel & Lodging Association Foundation has launched an advisory council of industry leaders dedicated to preventing human trafficking and supporting trafficking victims, it announced Tuesday.
The No Room for Trafficking Advisory Council will develop and oversee a fund support human trafficking survivors and further “collective anti-trafficking efforts that meet the needs of today’s hospitality employers, employees and the communities they serve,” according to the AHLA Foundation. According to the association, recipients of the NRFT Survivor Fund will be announced this summer and the AHLA Foundation will match contributions up to $5 million.
The NRFT Advisory Council is co-chaired by G6 Hospitality general counsel and chief compliance officer Farah Bhayani, alongside Hyatt Hotels Corp. CFO Joan Bottarini.
Other NRFT council members include:
- IHG Hotels & Resorts COO of the Americas Jay Caiafa
- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts general counsel and chief compliance officer Paul Cash
- Red Roof Franchising president George Limbert
- Hilton Worldwide EVP of corporate affairs Katherine Lugar
- Sonesta International Hotels president and CEO John Murray
- Vision Hospitality Group president and CEO Mitch Patel
- Extended Stay America EVP and chief commercial officer Kelly Poling
- Marriott International EVP and chief global communications and public affairs officer Tricia Primrose
- Aimbridge Hospitality SVP of operations Marsha Ray
- Real Hospitality Group president and CEO Ben Seidel
- Choice Hotels International SVP and general counsel Simone Wu
- AHLA Foundation a few years ago launched the NRFT program, in partnership with Brooklyn-based nonprofit ECPAT-USA, offering free anti-trafficking training for hotel employees.
By Angelique Platas businesstravelnews.com