Hospitality Design: What I've Learned

In this series, Hospitality Design magazine's editor in chief Stacy Shoemaker Rauen talks with influential hotel and design leaders on how they got to where they are today, what drives them, and their biggest lessons learned navigating an ever-changing industry.

Hospitality Design: What I've Learned is a arts podcast hosted by Hospitality Design, with 169 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Hospitality Design hosts Hospitality Design: What I've Learned, a arts show with 169 episodes published.

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  Episode #161

  Chantell Walsh, Strategic Hotels & Resorts

  Jul 23, 202535 minS3

  <p>Growing up in a small town in central Minnesota, Chantell Walsh’s creativity took the form of graph paper floorplans and endless hours outdoors inventing adventures. A pivotal job shadow at local architecture firm KKE Architects during high school solidified her path.</p><p>After earning her degree in architecture, Walsh landed in Chicago, working under a mentor who taught her to embrace process over perfection. That ethos followed her to Strategic Hotels & Resorts, where she joined as a consultant in 2010.</p><p>Fifteen years later and now vice president of design and construction, Walsh leads design efforts across th...

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  Episode #160

  Greg Bradshaw, Adam Farmerie, Kristina O'Neal, and William Harris, AvroKO

  Jul 9, 20251h 3mS3

  <p>For more than two decades, AvroKO has pushed the boundaries of what it means to be a design firm. Founded by longtime friends Greg Bradshaw, Adam Farmerie, Kristina O’Neal, and William Harris, the multidisciplinary studio has earned a reputation for its richly layered interiors, holistic approach, and narrative-driven process.</p><p>From launching self-propelled projects like Ghost Donkey and Host on Howard to building enduring relationships with clients like 1 Hotels, AvroKO has remained steadfast in its desire to create spaces with soul. </p><p>During a keynote conversation at HD Expo + Conference this May, they opened up about the...

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  Episode #159

  Craig Stanghetta, Ste Marie

  Jun 26, 20251h 5mS3

  <p>Raised in Sault Ste. Marie, a small industrial town in Northern Ontario, Craig Stanghetta grew up surrounded by hospitality—his family owned the city’s oldest hotel. Though initially drawn to theater, he worked as a professional actor until he found the same sense of connection in the world of design.</p><p>His first project, the Chinese brasserie Bao Bei in Vancouver’s Chinatown, solidified the career pivot. From that moment, his focus shifted. What began as a hands-on, instinctual approach—learning on the fly, designing furniture, pouring countertops, and collaborating with friends—evolved into Ste Marie, a multidisci...

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  Episode #158

  Sarah Klymson and Simon Marxer, Hyatt

  Jun 10, 20251 hourS3

  <p>As senior leaders shaping the future of Hyatt's wellness-focused brand Miraval, Sarah Klymson and Simon Marxer bring complementary expertise to the table: Klymson is a trained architect and global design strategist, while Marxer is a veteran spa and wellbeing innovator with roots at Canyon Ranch and Red Flower.</p><p>Since Hyatt’s acquisition of Miraval in 2017, the duo has worked together to evolve the brand while honoring its original mission to empower guests to cultivate balance, mindfulness, and purpose.</p><p>Klymson’s design leadership has been instrumental in translating Miraval’s ethos into spaces that promote reflection, commun...

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  Episode #157

  Dr. Jonathan Leary, Remedy Place

  May 28, 202551 minS3

  <p>Growing up in a small town outside Providence, Rhode Island, Dr. Jonathan Leary always had big dreams. At a young age, he had plotted to move to Los Angeles and pursue a career in medicine, despite never having visited the city. Those dreams evolved as he explored ways of helping people on a deeper level—not just improving their physical health but enhancing their lifestyle.</p><p>After completing his undergraduate studies in kinesiology at the University of Rhode Island and obtaining a doctorate in chiropractic medicine from Southern California University, Leary had a traditional path to becoming a me...

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