Jessica Casiano is a graduate of IADT with a BFA in Interior Design. After 12 years in hospitality, her experience ranges from procurement, project management, and interior design of renovation/new build projects throughout North America. Currently, she is an Interior Design Manager at Marriott International on the Classic Select Brands Team. Here she specializes in extended stay and cobranded properties, as she conducts interior design reviews and assists consultants get to the finish line with their New Build projects. Outside of work, Jessica is typically volunteering, as she has a strong passion for event planning, student mentorship, and crafting. She has been an active member of NEWH since 2011 and now has a board position as the Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Director for a second year in a row. In her personal life, Jessica loves to be surrounded by family and friends. She also is a huge foodie who enjoys trying new things, traveling, being outdoors, kickboxing, and all things music and art!

NEWH DC Metro Chapter

Michelle is owner of MICHE.studio,which specializes in Revit for Interiors and Interior Design Consulting. Shehas been in the DC metro area design industry for almost a decade, focusing on multi-family and hospitality, both new construction and renovation. Michelle’s first NEWH DCmetro event was the 2015 golf tournament, and has been involved in the chapter ever since. Being a part of the design community and paying it forward is very important to Michelle. She is proud to be entering her fifth year on the NEWH DC Metro Chapter Board as VP of Development. She previously held the position of Secretary for one year and Marketing Director for three years where she developed marketing campaigns, communication reach outs, and increased social media engagement.

Monica Meade is an active leader in the hospitality industry, having served as Past President of the Washington, DC Chapter of NEWH, Inc. and as Vice President of Development on the organization’s International Board. Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to advancing connections, education, and opportunity within the hospitality community. A certified interior designer with over 15 years of experience in hospitality design, Monica began her career on the International Design team at Marriott International and later served as a Senior Project Manager with Leo A. Daly, where she managed large-scale projects and upheld global brand standards. Today, Monica is the VP of Strategic Accounts at Architessa. Over the past four years, she has played a key role in building and strengthening the company’s national commercial sales team. She works exclusively with Brands, designers, contractors, and owners on hospitality projects nationwide, helping clients maintain the integrity of their design vision from concept through completion.

SVP Development & Operations – HDC Interiors At the forefront of hospitality design innovation, Laurie is a strategic design leader known for shaping distinctive guest experiences through creativity, collaboration, and operational insight. With deep expertise in brand development, interior architecture, and cross-disciplinary team leadership, Laurie has helped define the aesthetic and functional direction for multiple lifestyle and upscale hotel brands. Laurie brings a unique ability to balance vision with execution, having guided the development of award-winning spaces and product platforms across global hotel portfolios. Her contributions span concept creation, design standardization, and curated sourcing programs, demonstrating her talent for aligning creative excellence and achieving business objectives. Passionate about sustainability and mentorship, Laurie helped catalyze industry-wide initiatives focused on environmental and social impact. She was a founding force behind a corporate design sustainability council and continues to support responsible design practices as an advisor to MindClick’s Hospitality Sustainability Design Collaborative (HSDC). With more than two decades of engagement with NEWH, The Hospitality Industry Network, reflects her unwavering commitment to nurturing talent and promoting sustainability as the current Green Voice Chair Washington DC Chapter. With dedication to advancing excellence and conscientious attention to ESG endeavors in the hospitality industry. A respected voice in the industry, Laurie is known for bringing people together to shape ideas, solve problems, drive ROI and elevate design conversations resulting in motivating meaningful results and memorable guest experiences across every project.