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Meet the Speakers
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Russell Palay - PCI Security Council
Russ is a seasoned and accomplished payments and
technology professional with nearly 20 years of experience
in the training and certifi cation, enterprise software, campus
commerce and payment processing industries. He has served
in a variety of diverse strategic and operational roles from
Marketing, Training, and Information Technology to Business
Development and Product Management. Russ currently
serves as the Director of Training Programs for the PCI
Security Standards Council. In this capacity he is responsible
for the development and management of training programs
and products supporting the diverse and mission-critical
training requirements of the various PCI communities
of practice along with broader training and educational
opportunities for the general public. Russ holds a BBA in
Marketing from the University of North Dakota, an MS in
Computer Information Systems from the University of Phoenix
and is PMP certifi ed. He is based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Sameer Pawa - Wake Tech
Community College
Sameer is an Instructor for Hospitality Con -Education at
WakeTechnical Community College. In his current role, he is
teaching students from age 18-75 years old who have been
displaced from work or looking for a second career in their
lives, the skills to work in the hospitality industry. He is working
with a program developed by American Hotel & Lodging
Association. He is responsible to teach them the skill sets in
10 weeks and help them with obtaining jobs in the industry.
Sameer received his Administration in Hotel Management
from Hosta Hotel School in Leysin Switzerland in 1994. Prior
to that, he got his Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel Management
& Culinary Technology from India. He joined a Hotel
Management Group based out of Chicago and worked in
South Carolina for more than 12 years with their properties.
Sameer moved to Raleigh, North Carolina where he
was hired as a consultant to open few franchise based
operations with their opening needs from site selection
all the way to their grand opening, labor analysis and
food cost controls. He was also part of an opening
team and has helped open an independent hotel in
Morrisville, NC. Sameer is currently totally immersed in
the education fi eld working with diff erent population
to teach them the skills they will need in the hospitality
sector, thus enabling them to fi nd careers in the industry.
Sophie Pommois - Kempinski
After completing the Hotel School in Lausanne (EHL),
Sophie has worked within the hotel technology for the past
20 years in diff erent positions being on the suppliers side
(MICROS-Fidelio, Net Trans) or at Corporate level of hotel
chains such as Mövenpick and Kempinski. During her career
she has taken an active role in diff erent organizations and
conferences such as HTNG, OPERA Users, HEDNA, HITEC etc.
Sophie is specialist in Hotel Information Systems at the hotel
and central level and also in global distribution strategy.
Tanya Pratt - Fairmont Raffl es
Hotels Worldwide
Tanya Pratt is the Executive Director of Customer Information
Systems at Fairmont Raffl es Hotels International. Fairmont is
a leader in the global hospitality industry, with a distinctive
collection and a worldwide reputation for excellence. Its
diverse portfolio includes historic icons, elegant resorts and
modern city center properties. From the beaches of Hawaii
and Bermuda to the heart of New York City, all of its hotels
off er a superior guest experience that is uniquely ‘’Fairmont.”
Jonathan Stahl - Levy Restaurants
Jonathan Stahl is a graduate of Syracuse University,
with a degree in Hospitality Management, as well as
Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises. Jonathan has
been with the Washington Nationals Baseball Club for fi ve
seasons and currently, is the Director of Guest Services and
Hospitality Operations. Jonathan is responsible for managing
the Guest Experience within Nationals Park, the home of the
Washington Nationals. Prior to working for the Washington
Nationals, Jonathan worked for Renaissance Hotels and
Kimpton Hotels in various Front Offi ce operations roles.
Brandon Standerfer - Joie de Vivre
Brandon has more than 14 years of hotel experience in
Revenue Management, Reservation Technology and
Customer Relationship Management. He has built his
expertise with a focus on industry trends through analysis,
retention and operational development. Brandon joined
Joie de Vivre Hotels in November 2010 overseeing the
company’s distribution and central solutions. He project
managed the company’s central reservation system and
CRM migration from external technology providers to
MICROS Systems, Inc. – OPERA. Prior to joining Joie de Vivre
Hotels, Brandon worked for Wyndham Hotel Group and
Red Lion Hotels Corporation providing leadership in all
areas of his expertise. A Washington State native, Brandon
grew up in Spokane, WA and attended Eastern Washington
University, currently residing in San Francisco, CA.