OUR TEAM
RICHARD
LOU
Chief Executive Officer
LIZ
MILLER
Chief of Staff and Director of Strategic Initiatives
Joseph
Yi
Chief Investment Officer
GREG
PRESNOL
Executive Vice President of Operations
AMANDA
FRANK
Senior Vice President of Commercial Strategy
DANIEL
LOU
Vice President of Construction & Development
SARAH
MILLER
Senior Director of Corporate Finance
ALEXANDRA
STARR
Senior Director of
Portfolio Finance
Jennifer
DeLuca
Senior Director of People Operations
LAURIANE
BAMBOU
Revenue Program Director
JASON
ALLAN
Senior Regional Director of Operations
GARRETT
STRAWN
Regional Director of Commercial Strategy
ANISSA
VELEZ
Director of Revenue Strategy
Julie
Esson
Director of Accounting
Aileen
Agatsuma
Asset Management & Investments Associate
SAMOYA
WHYTE
Corporate Human Resources Manager
LILLIAN
POWELL
Programs & Systems Manager
Jowandalyn
(Lynn) Fields
Portfolio Revenue Manager
Steven
Rosario
Brand Performance Manager
Brian
Gerner
Corporate Finance Controller
SHERRY
STEC
Corporate Controller
MARIA
PINA
Corporate Staff Accountant
BIANCA
GRIJALVA
Human Resource Generalist
TAYLOR
BREEDLOVE
Human Resource Generalist
Jowandalyn (Lynn) Fields
Portfolio Revenue Manager
RICHARD LOU
Chief Executive Officer
Richard is the founder and CEO of Palette Hotels, directing the company’s development, operations, and investments through it’s senior leadership team. Prior to the acquisition of Palette Hotels, Richard led the LCRE Group, his family business that oversaw the development, investment, and asset management of seven hotels with 1,100 keys in four states. He has built four ground-up developments in New York City and has also led the residential property management and construction/procurement arms of LCRE Group.
As a trusted consultant for the hospitality and real estate industry, he has worked extensively with private equity groups, start ups, and high net worth individuals to create business plans and go-to-market strategies. Prior experience includes Kasa Living, Deloitte Consulting, Tishman Hotel & Realty, and Starwood Hotels. He is a graduate of the Hotel School at Cornell University and has an MBA from Harvard Business School. In his free time, Richard enjoys spending time with his daughter and traveling to new destinations with his family.
JUSTIN SCARPA
Chief Operating Officer
Previously, Justin served as the Vice President of LCRE Group, maintaining a similar corporate profile. Prior to that, Justin had a 16-year tenure with Marriott International in a variety of senior management roles.
Justin is native to New York, and currently resides in New Jersey. In his free time, Justin and his wife love to travel the world with their three energetic children!
LIZ MILLER
Chief of Staff and Director of Strategic Initiatives
GREG PRESNOL
Executive Vice President of Operations
One of his favorite quotes from Richard Branson is the philosophy he espouses in his leadership role: “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
Greg previously served as Vice President of Operations for Aimbridge Hospitality where he oversaw a large portfolio of assets in excess of $300M in annual revenues. Prior to this, he had held several Multi Property General Manager roles with Marriott and Hilton brands. Originally from New England, Greg currently resides in Atlanta with his wife. He and his family enjoy spending time together, traveling globally and going on cruises.
ASHISH KHULLAR
Vice President of Revenue Strategy
PUNIT SHETH
Head of Business Development
DANIEL LOU
Vice President of Construction & Development
Daniel oversees the company’s capital projects and developments. He leads a team of project managers that helps evaluate and execute capital plans, PIPs, renovations, and new developments. He also provides invaluable insight to ongoing repair and maintenance programs, helping to execute on each asset’s short and long term investment goals. Daniel has over 16 years of property management experience. Prior experiences includes Beacon Hospitality Partners, Moody’s Analytics, and Trinity Hotel Investors. He is a graduate of New York University.
SARAH MILLER
Senior Director of Corporate Finance
Outside of work, Sarah enjoys staying active through fitness and strength training, learning new skills like piano and Spanish, and traveling to experience new cultures and cuisines.
ALEXANDRA STARR
Sr. Director of Portfolio Finance
Alexandra lives in Pittsburgh and enjoys spending quality time with her teenage daughters (i.e., binge watching shows) and travelling with her husband around the country playing poker tournaments.
CHRIS TORRES
Regional Director of Operations
Prior joining Palette Hotels Chris worked with White Lodging for a year and Aimbridge Hospitality for 16 years. Chris has received several awards from various brands and management companies ranging from sales team of the year & president awards for RevPAR performance.
ANISSA VELEZ
Director of Revenue Strategy
JULIE ESSON
Director of Accounting
Throughout her career, she has partnered closely with operations and finance leaders to translate complex accounting into clear, actionable insights and drive continuous process improvement. Julie is a CPA and obtained her accounting degree from Syracuse University. Outside of work, she enjoys long-distance running, attending hockey games, and playing board games.
AILEEN AGATSUMA
Asset Management & Investments Associate
Aileen is a graduate of EHL Business School and holds a master’s degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. Outside of work, she enjoys discovering new cultures and destinations around the world and spending time with her Great Pyrenees, Casper.
PAM HILD
Senior Regional Director of Commercial Strategy
Pamela leads with gratitude and humility working to inspire others through her actions. With a degree in Business Administration, Pamela’s professional journey has been marked by her expertise in, strategic planning, coaching and development, as well as sales, marketing, and revenue management.
Outside of work, Pamela enjoys spending time with friends and traveling, especially to destinations with beautiful beaches like Bora Bora and Fiji. She brings this same passion and enthusiasm for exploration into her work, continuously seeking opportunities to learn and share her knowledge.
GARRETT STRAWN
Regional Director of Commercial Strategy
Garrett is passionate about training and development, dedicating himself to empowering others and fostering growth within teams to reach their full potential.
Outside of work, Garrett enjoys spending time with his rescue dogs and seeking out unique hotel experiences during his travels.
JASON ALLAN
Senior Regional Director of Operations
In 2016, he joined Whitestone Hospitality as Regional Director of Operations, overseeing a portfolio of Hyatt, Hilton, and Marriott hotels. Jason continued his career growth in 2022, joining Gibson Hotels in Knoxville, TN, as Regional Director of Operations and Development. There, he managed a portfolio of nine hotels, encompassing IHG, Marriott, and Hilton brands across both Full Service and Select Service categories. His contributions included supporting hotel openings, developing the company’s SOPs, and creating SOPs for the Sports Illustrated Brand.
LUCY HERREN
Corporate Regional Director of Salesnt
CIELO MILLAN
Operations Excellence Lead
With a focus on providing leadership, monitoring key performance metrics, and addressing operational challenges, Cielo strives to optimize efficiency and success across their portfolio.
Cielo studied Business Management and International Business in Cali, Colombia, and brings over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry. Throughout their career, Cielo has worked with brands such as Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Choice, and Wyndham, managing Full-Service, Extended Stay, and Select-Service hotels.
BRIAN GERNER
Corporate Finance Controller
From 2008 to 2021, he served as Controller at the Crowne Plaza Reading, where he led financial reporting, budgeting, and operational support for more than 13 years. He then joined Meyer Jabara Hotels as Regional Financial Controller, a role he held for over four years, where he managed financial reporting, budgets, and strategic analysis for properties across the Lehigh Valley region.
With deep expertise in financial reporting, budgeting, and process improvement, Brian is passionate about driving accuracy, accountability, and strong performance results within the hospitality industry.
SHERRY STEC
Corporate Controller
Outside of work, Sherry enjoys spending time on her family farm, caring for animals and gardening. She also appreciates quiet evenings at home crafting, working on puzzles, or watching a great movie.
BIANCA GRIJALVA
Corporate Human Resource Generalist
RICHARD LEE
Director of Growth
Having traversed the sides of both ownership and brand, he has been equipped with invaluable insights into the intricacies of asset management and the priorities that weigh heavily on the minds of hotel owners. He understands first hand the challenges and opportunities that come with entrusting one’s assets to management companies and is deeply committed to leveraging this perspective to drive impactful outcomes for our clients.
Richard is a native son of Southern California and is based in Los Angeles, but proudly calls himself a citizen of the world, having lived and worked in Singapore, London, Seoul, New York and San Francisco. He received his Master’s from the Nolan School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and Bachelor’s from the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley.
LAURIANE BAMBOU
Revenue Program Director
TAYLOR BREEDLOVE
Corporate Human Resources Generalist
SAMOYA WHYTE
Corporate Human Resources Manager
Samoya is known for streamlining processes, addressing issues proactively, and ensuring compliance to protect both employees and the business. Born and raised in Jamaica, she brings a warm, people-first approach to her work. Outside of HR, Samoya enjoys staying active and playing netball.
LILLIAN POWELL
Programs & Systems Manager
Outside of work, Lillian enjoys camping and exploring the outdoors, embracing opportunities to disconnect and recharge.
AMANDA FRANK
Senior Vice President of Commercial Strategy
STEVEN ROSARIO
Brand Performance Manager
Outside of work, Steven enjoys traveling with his wife, Sarah, their three adult sons, and soon-to-be daughter-in-law.
Joseph Yi
Chief Investment Officer
Prior to joining Palette, Joseph served in Chief Investment Officer roles at Frontier Development & Hospitality Group and Real Hospitality Group, where he was instrumental in driving transformative investment strategies. At Real Hospitality Group, he played a pivotal role in the firm’s expansion from 64 to over 100 hotels, launched its first investment fund in 2017, and directed over $100 million in lodging asset acquisitions. He also led the company’s global expansion, establishing its first international venture in China. Earlier in his career, Joseph held the role of Vice President of Investments and General Counsel at Lam Group, a prominent hotel development firm with over 30 ground-up projects, and also held the role of Managing Director of Acquisitions at SHVO, a leading luxury developer in the United States with notable projects such Aman Hotels & Residences and Mandarin Oriental Residences.
With cumulative experience in more than $4 billion in hotel-related transactions, Joseph brings deep expertise in sourcing and structuring complex deals, forming programmatic joint ventures, raising institutional capital, and optimizing investment returns. His leadership has consistently aligned cross-functional teams, capital partners, and operational stakeholders to deliver strategic value and long-term growth.
Joseph holds a Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from Binghamton University. He is a member of the New York State Bar and serves on the board of the International Luxury Hotel Association – East Coast Chapter.
Jeremy Smith
Digital Marketing Specialist
Jeremy is a digital-first marketing and communications leader with over 20 years of experience launching brands, building campaigns, and leading creative teams across hospitality, e-commerce, and lifestyle sectors. Known for blending strategy with storytelling, he specializes in developing full-funnel marketing programs, scaling content, and driving lead generation—all with a focus on audience engagement and measurable impact.
Throughout his career, Jeremy has activated immersive guest experiences, produced live events, and brought local culture into every touchpoint—from digital campaigns to on-property activations. His approach is rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and a passion for work that connects people and places.
Outside the office, Jeremy is an avid traveler, urban explorer, and backpacking enthusiast who finds inspiration in the outdoors as much as in city streets. He’s also a cat lover, a knitter, and someone who never says no to a new creative side project.
Jennifer DeLuca
Senior Director of People Operations
Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family, focusing on health and fitness, and finding opportunities to recharge through travel and new experiences.
