Loews Miami Beach Hotel - Florida International University Program on Demand

Facilitator Bios

Mutluhan Kucuk Managing Director

Mutluhan (Mutlu) Kucuk is the Managing Director for the iconic Loews Miami Beach Hotel. He has spent nearly his entire professional career at Loews Hotels & Co. in a variety of leadership positions. Mutlu first joined the Loews Miami Beach team in December 2000, just two years after the hotel had been opened as a Front Office Agent. He quickly was recognized as a strong leader, which led to a series of promotions and increased responsibilities. At Loews Miami Beach, Mutlu flourished in every role he held, Assistant Front Office Manager, Guest Services Manager, Assistant Director of Housekeeping, Assistant Director of Operations, Assistant Director of F&B and Director of F&B, all of which led to him being named Hotel Manager in 2013. During his Loews tenure he was recognized as the Loews Legacy Award winner in 2009 and was also one of the first Loews Hotels Q2 Members. Within the Miami team and across the organization, Mutlu is seen as a passionate and dedicated leader, one who enjoys mentoring others and has strong will for continued learning.

Susana Fernandez Human Resources Director

A dynamic and collaborative hospitality executive, Susana Fernandez is a seasoned leader with more than 20 years of hotel management experience. As Director of Human Resources Services for Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Susana drives all national and international talent recruitment for the iconic South Beach resort. This includes overseeing essential programs ranging from benefits to employee relations, compensation, education and development for 800 Loews Miami Beach Hotel Team Members. An innate passion for hospitality led Susana to begin her career in the food and beverage industry, working for globally recognized brands including Hilton, Four Seasons and China Grille Management in various F&B management roles. She joined Loews Miami Beach Hotel as a Founding Team Member and part of the grand opening team. Since then, she’s made her mark as a consummate leader and Brand ambassador, going above and beyond for the benefit of all hotel Team Members. In addition to her role at Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Susana is an active member of the South Florida community, having served as a past President of the South Florida Hospitality Human Resources Association. She also served as an Advisory Board Member for the Visitor Industry Council, as well as for the Academy of Hospitality & Tourism. Susana actively volunteers in many organizations including Leadership Miami and Hands on Miami. Susana is a graduate of the Florida International University School of Hospitality Management and is fluent in English and Spanish. She resides in Miami, FL with her husband, daughter and two French Bull Dogs, Luna and Yoda.

Catriona Bradley Human Resources Manager

Catriona (Cat) joined the Loews Miami Beach Hotel as of June as a Human Resources Manager overseeing Recruitment and Retention. Her educational background includes a Masters in HR Management from Florida International University and a Bachelors from the University of Central Florida. Prior to working with Loews, Cat worked with Trump Hotels and Norwegian Cruise Lines. Cat spends her free time baking desserts for the HR team to enjoy.

Cheri Yangirelfil Human Resources Manager

Amy Ras-Speijer Director of Marketing

An innovative idea girl, Amy Ras-Speijer is a multi-lingual, people pleasing, chocolate chip cookie loving, mother to a four year old, who knew since age six that hospitality would be her calling. Determined to be part of people’s happy memories, Amy decided to move from her “One Happy Island” of Aruba to another small island…Manhattan. There, she pursued her Master’s degree in Hospitality Industry Studies with a concentration in Revenue Management at New York University’s Tisch Center for Hospitality and Tourism. A hospitality sales and marketing professional with more than 20 years of experience, Amy has worked for organizations such as Leading Hotels of the World, boutique hotels, the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association and – prior to joining the Loews Miami team - served as Regional Director of Field Marketing for over 40 hotels at Hyatt Hotels Corporation. These enriching experiences introduced Amy to new people, big ideas and global concepts that helped shape the person she is today. When she’s not driving marketing initiatives for the iconic Loews Miami Beach Hotel, you can find Amy enjoying quality time with her husband, daughter and their giant Labrador.

Linda Villafane Director of Public Relations

As Director of Public Relations for Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Linda Villafane spearheads all publicity initiatives, communications strategies and media event production for the 790-room South Beach resort. This includes creating and implementing annual public relations plans and strategic press campaigns; proactively pitching and securing media on a global level; developing promotional events and programming that drive hotel revenue; and serving as principle copywriter and storyteller for the property. Since joining the Loews team in 2014, Linda has successfully executed national and international earned media opportunities with TODAY, Good Morning America, The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show, Telemundo’s Un Nuevo Dia, Univision’s El Gordo y La Flaca, CNBC Italy, the UK’s Good Morning Britain and Sunrise Australia. She continues to secure widespread press coverage for the hotel, all in an effort to drive revenue, bolster reputation and keep the hotel top of mind among consumers.

In 2017, Linda was recognized as Outstanding Public Relations Manager of the Year at the Greater Miami and The Beaches Hospitality Association Leadership Awards, for her work with Loews Miami Beach Hotel. Prior to joining Loews Hotels, Linda served as head of public relations for the All Inclusive Collection hotel group, launching the world’s first all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotels, located in the Dominican Republic and Mexico. She also served as lead publicist for the grand opening of Fontainebleau Miami Beach and Florida’s first W Hotel – W Fort Lauderdale, in addition to driving PR efforts for Aventura Mall – the second largest shopping center in the U.S. When she’s not working, Linda enjoys spending time with her husband and their mini schnauzer, Roger, in addition to traveling as much as possible and testing out new recipes.

Hector Diaz Director of Revenue Management

Hector Diaz’s passion for revenue management can be traced back to his adolescent days. Whether as a member of his high school business program or running a lemonade stand as a child, Hector’s been on a money making path from the start. When asked why, he says, “I like setting a revenue strategy and seeing the profits come in. Right now, that’s anything and everything money!” Hector’s experience in revenue management spans more than 15 years, working for some of Florida’s most luxurious properties including Ritz-Carlton Hotels in South Beach, Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove and Naples, in addition to the Fontainebleau Miami Beach resort. His experience, accomplishments and contributions since joining the Loews Miami team led Hector to be named Director of Revenue Management of the Year for Loews Hotels in 2018. When he’s not working, Hector’s committed to his other passion - fishing. He holds his 100 Ton Master’s Captains License and goes fishing as much as he can. He enjoys CrossFit and coaching the Loews Miami Beach Hotel softball team. A graduate of FIU’s School of Hospitality, Hector is a true Panther at heart!

Bernardo Pinheiro Director of Front Office Operations

With a passion for service and people, Bernardo Pinheiro began his hospitality career at 17 as an intern at Turnberry Isle Resort & Club. In 2001, Bernardo joined the Loews Miami Beach Hotel family as a Recreation Attendant and was quickly promoted to Recreation Supervisor, where he got his first taste of management. Bernardo has held 12 different positions throughout his Loews Hotels career including roles with Guest Services, Front Desk, Human Resources, Housekeeping and most recently as Director of Front Office. Throughout his Loews journey, Bernardo’s been given the opportunity to not only grow with Loews Miami Beach Hotel, but also within the Loews Hotels portfolio. In 2014, Bernardo was given the opportunity to move to Chicago and assume the Director of Front Office role at Loews Chicago O’Hare. There, he built long lasting relationships and contributed to the overall success of the hotel. Bernardo eventually relocated back to Loews Miami, where he shifted his career to HR as a Human Resources Manager. By transitioning from Operations to Human Resources, Bernardo was given the opportunity to engage with team members even more, providing them with the same level of commitment and service he provides to guests. Bernardo validated his passion for managing people while in

Housekeeping. As Director of Housekeeping, he led more than 100 team members, before transitioning to his Director of Front Office role. Over the past year, Bernardo and his wife Ashley, also a Loews Hotels team member, welcomed their first child, Sienna. He hopes to teach her the same values passed down by his parents, along with all the tools that Loews had provided him with over the past 16 years in this every changing industry.

Catina Christian

Director of Rooms Division

As Director of Rooms for Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Catina Christian is responsible for the overall management of the Rooms Division Departments made up of Housekeeping, Laundry, Front Office, Star Service and Guest Services. This includes working with the Director of Front Office and Director of Housekeeping on ensuring all Loews programs in the two divisions are up to standards. While working closely with the Rooms Division Leaders, Catina also focuses on ensuring Customer Service Goals (GSI) are met, in addition to Front Office Revenue Goals, Secret Shopper goals and Team Member relations goals. Catina joined Loews Miami Beach Hotel in 2006 as a Housekeeping Supervisor and was quickly promoted to Housekeeping Manager. After five years in this position, she was once again promoted to Assistant Director of Housekeeping, where she oversaw the majority of housekeeping operations. In 2013, she took a chance and stepped away from Housekeeping, taking on a new role as Star Service Manager, and shortly after Front Office Manager, where she stayed for two years. In 2016, Catina made her move back to Housekeeping as Director of Housekeeping & Laundry, until her 2019 promotion to Director of Rooms. Outside of work, Catina has a passion for spending quality time with her family, taking vacations and reading a good book.

Luisa Castillo

Housekeeping Manager

While receiving her Bachelor’s in Hospitality Management from Florida International University, Luisa started her Hospitality career as a Front Desk Agent at the Biltmore Hotel. During her three years at the Biltmore, Luisa specialized in areas such as Training Supervisor and then Manager on Duty. Her love for operations led her to her current position as a Housekeeping Manager at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science Degree in Human Resources.

Michael Macia

Director of Sales

A 16 year hospitality industry veteran, Michael Macia is the Director of Sales for Loews Miami Beach Hotel. In this role, he leads the resort’s 18 person Sales Team, developing and implementing strategic initiatives that directly impact and drive group and transient hotel revenues. Michael joined Loews Miami Beach Hotel in 2014 as Associate Director of Sales, overseeing the Midwest Market and the property’s Access Sales Team. Since then, Michael has proven to be a consistently strong seller who has built long lasting relationships with meeting planners, resulting in high volume hotel group bookings. As Director of Sales, he not only leads and develops the Sales Team, but also collaborates closely with the Loews Hotels National Sales Organization to bring business to Miami Beach and to the property. Prior to joining the Loews Miami team, Michael held senior sales roles with several high end hospitality brands including Starwood, Marriott and Hilton. A graduate of FIU’s School of Hospitality Management, Michael lives in South Miami with his wife and two children, and enjoys boating and golfing in his spare time.

Shannon Cousineau

Director of Catering and Conference Services

Shannon began her journey in the food and beverage world in St. Thomas, USVI as the only female server at a supper club featuring tableside service. Bitten by hospitality the bug, she looked for ways to learn and grow within the industry once she moved back to the U.S., which included starting out as a server, being promoted to assistant restaurant manager, followed by restaurant manager. After a few years of running restaurant operations, Shannon began to look for new ways to grow, leading her into the world of banquets as assistant banquet manager and eventually, director. Along the way, conference services and catering peaked Shannon’s interest…and still does to this day. Starting as a conference manager, Shannon was quickly promoted to senior conference manager, assistant director and has been a four time Director of Catering and Conference Services.

Throughout her years holding various positions, Shannon has lived all over the country, from Connecticut to northern Nevada, Palm Springs, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Maine and finally Miami, which she now calls home. “Loews Miami Beach Hotel is the most special hotel I have worked at during my entire career. The team members are what makes this hotel so unique and feel like home,” says Shannon, who has been the Director of Catering & Conference Services at the hotel for the past four years. “I am very lucky to be a part of such magic.”

Joe Fuentes Director of Banquets

Joe’s passion for hospitality was sparked while working in the cafeterias at UCLA, where he studied Business Psychology. He worked in the university’s Catering Division, serving ambassadors, royalty and CEOs, which subsequently led him to fall in love with hospitality. Joe went on to attend Cornell, where he earned his degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Shortly after graduating in 1990, he was recruited to open a new Las Vegas mega resort in called The Mirage, and experience that laid a solid foundation for him in understanding Vegas volume and quality operations. In addition to Las Vegas, Joe has worked for prominent hospitality brands including Fairmont and Four Seasons, as well as the San Jose Convention Center – all high volume and quality banquet operators. After years on the west coast, Joe made the move to Florida and began working at the Westin Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood. He was then recruited to reopen the iconic Fontainebleau Miami Beach resort after its $1 billion renovation, which led him to his current role as Director of Banquets for Loews Miami Beach Hotel. Joe is a solid leader with a passion for coaching and mentoring newer team members and junior managers. His boundless energy and enthusiasm is contagious throughout his team. In 2019, Joe received the Greater Miami Beach Hotel Association Manager of the Year Award for his work with Loews Miami Beach Hotel. His customer focus, team member engagement and profit-driven business approach make him an integral member of the Loews Miami family.

Steve Turk Director of Food & Beverage

Eric Queiroz Assistant Director of Food & Beverage

Surrounded by friends and family who owned their own restaurants from a young age, the food and beverage industry has always been in Eric Queiroz’s blood. Originally from Brazil, Eric attended Universidade Catolica do Salvador located in his hometown of Salvador, in the Northeast part of Brazil, where he studied business. Eric’s start in the food and beverage sector of hospitality began at Turnberry Isle in Aventura, FL, where he worked as an F&B trainee. He was promoted to Assistant In Room Dining Manager after one year and continued to grow. Eric’s willingness to learn and his drive to expand his knowledge led to his next promotion to Assistant Beverage Manager. After spending several years at Turnberry Isle, Eric moved on to work at the Ritz Carlton, Key Biscayne for 9 years, holding various positions including Restaurant Manager, Director of Restaurants, Director of Banquets and Assistant Director of F&B. In February 2017, Eric joined the Loews Miami Beach team as Assistant Director of F&B. In this role, he works closely with the F&B Director and F&B Managers, continuously planning and executing a variety of food and beverage initiatives for outlets including Miami Joe Coffee Co., Preston’s Market, Bar Collins, Nautilus and In Room Dining. Additional areas under his direction include the pool and beach operations, SoBe Kids Club and the hotel’s signature restaurant, Lure Fishbar. Being from the coast of Brazil, Eric enjoys spending time at the beach with his family, watching sporting events and attending his son’s soccer tournaments.

Frederic Delaire Executive Chef

Frederic Delaire is the Executive Chef for Loews Miami Beach Hotel, spearheading all culinary aspects of the 790-room, oceanfront resort. This includes five unique culinary outlets: Preston’s Market, Miami Joe Coffee Co., Bar Collins and the poolside Nautilus Bar & Grill, in addition to In-Room Dining and all banquet functions. Chef Delaire brings his enthusiasm for food, creativity and years of French training to Loews Miami Beach Hotel, creating menus that are inspired, innovative and most of all, delicious. Prior to joining the Loews Culinary Team, Delaire was Executive Chef of South Beach’s historic National Hotel for eight years. There, he assisted in the creation of the French fusion Tamara restaurant, which received accolades from guests and media alike. Originally from Southwest France, Delaire became intrigued by food and its artistry at a young age while watching and working with his grandfather, a well-known baker. This led him to pursue his passion and study at the La Palm School for Culinary Arts in France. Delaire began his career in the United States working as a culinary supervisor with Chef Pascal Oudin, a renowned Chef and owner of several acclaimed South Florida restaurants. Additionally, his culinary repertoire includes positions at Michelin-rated restaurants, working alongside legendary French Chef Alain Ducasse at the famous Jules Verne, located on the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower, and at three Michelin-star restaurant L’Aubergade with Michel Trama. Since coming to Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Chef Delaire has been instrumental in reinventing the hotel’s amenity program and developing a fresh look and elevated approach to banquet menus and presentations. He’s breathed new life into all of the resort’s food and beverage outlet menus and spearheaded the re-imagination of culinary concepts as part of the resort’s $50 million transformation. This includes the creation of the property’s Flavor Miami program, which brings an authentically local culinary experience to guests by partnering with the who’s who of Miami’s food scene and integrating them into menus, amenities, hotel programming and beyond. The success of Flavor Miami led to a brand wide roll out in 2017, called Flavors by Loews Hotels. Chef Delaire participates yearly in the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, collaborating on spectacular dining events including the Tribute Dinner and Southern Brunch, with his dishes continuously recognized among the best of the Festival by media and food critics.

Vitaliy Kolesnikov Director of Finance

Vitaliy is the Director of Finance at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. Prior to Loews Hotels, he worked for Starwood Hotels for six years where he worked specifically for Westin brands including his last role as Director of Finance at the New York Westin Grand Central. His experience expands beyond Finance, as he has also held roles such as Director of Front Office Operations. Vitaliy relocated to Florida with his wife Lainey and his oldest son, Nikolai when he decided to join Loews Miami Beach. He and his wife Lainey have since welcomed another member to their family, Alek. In Vitaliy’s role, he is responsible for managing the hotels overall success financially and its profitability. Vitaliy has been an instrumental player in the hotels financial success prior and post our 50 million dollar renovation.

Ryan Steele Hotel Manager

As Hotel Manager for Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Ryan Steele is responsible for the overall operations of the 790-room, iconic oceanfront resort. This includes overseeing key departments across the property, ensuring service standards and labor efficiencies are performing at their peak, in addition to focusing on guest and team member satisfaction. All this, with the end goal of delivering outstanding financial results and increasing EBITDA. Ryan joined the Loews Miami Beach Hotel team in 2006 as Director of Housekeeping and Laundry, where he remained for three years before transitioning to Director of Front Office Operations, followed by a promotion to Director of Rooms in 2010. Given the opportunity to grow within the Loews Hotels portfolio, Ryan accepted the role of Director of Operations for Loews Boston in 2013, staying with the Boston team for three years before coming back to Miami Beach to assist with the hotel’s $50 million renovation. When asked why he made his return, Ryan says, “The family culture - all the opportunities I have been given and having the chance to give the same opportunities to others.” Although Ryan has lived in many places, such as Boston, Virginia, Virgin Islands, Arizona and Mexico to name a few, he found his love for the hospitality industry in the Caribbean. Originally from Southern California, Ryan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Northern Arizona University. When not on property, Ryan spends his time enjoying the four F’s – Family, Friends, Football and Fishing!

Khaleel Ali Lure Fishbar Sushi Chef

Chef Khaleel Ali is the Executive Sushi Chef for Lure Fishbar, the signature seafood restaurant at Loews Miami Beach Hotel. Born and raised in Trinidad, Chef Khaleel’s family owned restaurants and bars where he helped out and worked at after school. Once he graduated from high school, Khaleel worked for the family business for several years before moving to the US to study Network Engineering. In between classes, Chef began working for a sushi restaurant named Shoji Sushi, which was owned by the Prime 112 Group. Under the tutelage of Executive Chef Shingo Inoue, he started off as a sushi helper, only making rice and cutting vegetables, for about one year. He was them given a chance to move to the sushi bar, where he learned to make rolls, nigiri and also how to cut and manage quality for a wide variety of fish and seafood. Once Chef graduated from college, he left the culinary world for the corporate world, but realized it was not for him and he couldn’t be as creative as he wanted to be.

Chef Khaleel returned to the restaurant world, working the sushi bar at TATU in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. In 2005, he was given the opportunity to go back to Shoji in a management role as Sous Chef, where he stayed for five years before returning to Miami to work at Juvia. He joined the Loews Miami Beach Hotel team in 2013 as the opening Sous Chef for Lure Fishbar and worked his way up to Executive Sushi Chef within a year. “I love what I do,” says Chef Khaleel. “It gives me the opportunity to be creative in a fast paced environment, plus I’m able to keep learning and perfecting my craft.”