Women Of 1 Hotels: 2018

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In celebration of International Women’s Day, we are shining a spotlight on just a few of the many women of 1 Hotels by sharing some of the things that make them who they are, both at work and in their everyday lives.

Marie Andre Jones
People Development Manager
1 Hotel South Beach

When did you join 1 Hotels and where were you before your role here? 
I joined the company in November of 2014. Prior to joining 1 Hotels, I had the honor of being an Area Performance Development Manager overseeing four Ritz-Carlton properties between Georgia and North Carolina.

Tell us about your team.
My People Operations team is #talented. I am blessed to work with the most capable women in the game. My extended team at 1 Hotel South Beach is a mirrored reflection of this; I am proud to call them mine.

Where is your favorite place to travel, and where in the world would you go if you could go anywhere? 
My favorite place to travel to is the Caribbean. It’s something about the island vibe that brings the best out of my dance moves. I have been dreaming about this trip for years but hands down would choose Fiji as my place to go.

Samira Naraghi
Area Director of Revenue
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
 

What is the most rewarding part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is seeing our strategies and tactics lead to fruitful results and achievement of goals. Especially when we outperform the competition! The most challenging part of my job is finding a better balance between my devotion to my position and making the time for my familial and personal goals.

How do you do all the good you can?
At the heart of doing good is the basic tenet of kindness. Therefore I strive each day to let kindness be a driving force in how I treat others and our planet in order to live in a coherent way. Since joining 1 Hotels, I have fully committed to reduce my plastic consumption as much as I can, including successfully eliminating purchase of any new plastic storage bags in the past year. While I am not a vegan nor vegetarian yet, I have in the past year also significantly reduced my meat consumption.

What is your favorite #daylife activity?
Spa and brunch days with my girlfriends.

Briana Davis 
Concierge
1 Hotel Central Park
 

What is the most rewarding and the most challenging part of your job?
I find the most rewarding part of being a Concierge in NYC is being able to read your guest and knowing exactly how to build their itinerary to their likes and dislikes; making sure they have a memorable time with us. I really don’t believe there is a challenging part to being a good Concierge. As long as you keep your calm, take your time, do the extra work on the side so you know your vendors and your city, you really can’t go wrong.

What is life like outside of 1 Hotels for you? 
Just as crazy and exciting! I have a 4 month old, so it is never a dull moment. My husband and I take every moment with a grain of salt. You can’t control it and have to just roll with the punches.

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is #PressforProgress. What does that mean to you?
#PressforProgress says, it is time. No more excuses. We demand for change. I am proud to be a strong and successful woman in my mid 30’s, as a working full-time Mother in NYC!

Catalina Ucros Dworsky
Executive Sous Chef
1 Hotel South Beach
 

When did you join 1 Hotels and where were you before your role here? 
I joined the pre-opening team at 1 Hotel South Beach back in December 2014 when Chef Fernando Cruz recruited me from New York City, where I used to be the Senior Sous Chef for Asiate restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental.

Tell us about a woman who inspires you.
There are so many woman that inspire me. Lately I have been increasingly inspired by the women chefs who have come before me, starting with Julia Childs, but also Alice Waters, Edna Lewis, Anita Lo, Gabrielle Hamilton, Nancy Silverton, Judy Rodgers… too many inspiring ladies to name.

Where is your favorite place to travel, and where in the world would you go if you could go anywhere?
My favorite places to travel are places I haven’t been before. I’m passionate about learning about other cultures, religions and ancient civilizations. If I had the chance to travel right now, I would go back to India. I felt a very special energy and connection with the lifestyle.

Brittney Mosley
Director of Group Sales
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
 

Tell us about your team. 
What I love most about my team is the fact that we all come from drastically different backgrounds but come together to create a beautiful experience for our clients. I feel like I have grown so much from getting to know my team and sharing our experiences.

What is life like outside of 1 Hotels for you?
Trying to spend as much time as I can with my little seedling, Zoey.

What is your favorite place to travel to, and where in the world would you go if you could go anywhere? 
My most favorite recent vacation was my trip to Napa with a drive down the Pacific Coast Highway to LA. We took a couple weeks to stop in San Francisco, Big Sur and Santa Barbara, and it was so amazing to take time to live in the moment and appreciate the beauty of the California coastline. One of my bucket list trips is Morocco.

Sunya Oh
Executive Assistant
1 Hotel Central Park
 

Tell us about a woman who inspires you.
My mother. She is such a wonderful example of how to always share your love with others and find passion in whatever you are doing. My grandma is also a really great role model. She is so strong and has showed me that no matter what happens you can get through it.

Tell us about your team.
To begin with, we all work together in a small office – all departments are in the same space, including our General Manager, Sales, Finance, HR and Food & Beverage. We are more like family members than just a team at a workplace. We are each other’s mentors, friends, family and supporters. I come to work every day and feel fully confident in trusting each member of our team, never hesitating to ask for any assistance or to share my ideas and thoughts.

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is #PressforProgress. What does that mean for you?
I believe the theme doesn’t only apply to the day itself, and should be carried right through the year to inspire action and gain a focus for any initiatives or campaigns. There’s still plenty to worry about when it comes to women’s rights around the world. Still, there is a lot of good news lately. Women and girls are making progress and building momentum of progress for the coming year – and for years to come.

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