We operationalize empathy in hospitality through practical principles that drive belonging, loyalty, and measurable business growth.

HospitableMe was founded to move the hospitality industry beyond fragmented diversity programs and toward a universal framework for inclusive hospitality.

Our founders combine experience in tourism, marketing, education, and identity research — translating lived experience and strategic insight into practical tools organizations can implement immediately.

Billy Kolber is the co-founder of HospitableMe, and a leading voice in the LGBTQ+ travel industry. He co-founded OUT&ABOUT, the first gay + lesbian travel magazine in the US, and ManAboutWorld, one of the first mobile-only magazines of any kind.

He and his team provide education and training to empower destinations and brands to provide more inclusive, authentic, personalized and welcoming service to travelers and guests. Billy has a B.S. in Biology from Yale, and sang around the world with the Yale Whiffenpoofs.

He has worked as a commercial photographer, chocolatier, top-selling Avon Representative, author and guest experience consultant. A 3rd generation New Yorker, Billy has visited 95 countries, and currently lives in Frankfurt, Germany. Connect with Billy on LinkedIn.

Kenny Porpora is the co-founder of HospitableMe.

He is The New York Times best-selling author of The Autumn Balloon and his work has appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, Buzzfeed, Salon and others. He has curated content for some of the largest destination marketing organizations in the world.

He graduated  from Columbia University, where he studied journalism and philosophy, and holds an M.S. from Columbia in investigative journalism, where he wrote his master’s thesis on professional wrestling. Connect with Kenny on LinkedIn.

HospitableMe Collective Partners are expert practitioners in identity, accessibility, marketing, leadership development, and operational strategy.

They extend the Seven Secrets framework into specialized advisory and implementation services — helping destinations, brands, and organizations activate inclusion across every touchpoint.

Neha Arora, founder of Planet Abled, pioneers inclusive travel for persons with disabilities and the elderly, inspired by her experience with her parents’ accessibility needs. Planet Abled integrates accessibility into tourism through innovative travel design, destination consulting, training, and ecosystem building. It addresses barriers like inaccessibility and bias, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals. Recognized by Condé Nast Traveller as a global visionary leader in making travel accessible worldwide, Neha is a Global Good Fund Fellow and Advisory Board member of Travel Unity (USA). With offices in India and Austria, under her leadership, Planet Abled has received multiple national and international recognitions, including the India’s prestigious National Tourism Award by the Ministry of Tourism, the Zero Project Award at the United Nations Vienna, TO DO Award Human Rights in Tourism at ITB Berlin, the Travel + Leisure Global Vision Award, USA, the WTM London Responsible Tourism Award (India) and NCPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Award.
Connect with Neha on LinkedIn

Martinique Lewis is an award-winning diversity in travel consultant, President of the Black Travel Alliance, Director of Partnerships for the Black Travel Summit, and the host of National Geographic’s Black Travel Across America. She is also the creator of The ABC Travel Greenbook and App, the number one resource connecting destinations to Black travelers and the African Diaspora globally. Trusted among her peers as a “connector,” she is always connecting the dots to ensure the travel industry is mindful of diversity—not just as a “buzzword” but as an action that produces results. As a digital disruptor and someone immensely in love with all things travel, she strives daily to change the narrative by advocating for travelers from different demographics across multiple platforms. Working directly with tourism boards and travel brands, she creates content that is exciting and influential. Her mission is to change the face of tourism forever so that everyone feels represented and sees themselves reflected. Martinique has been recognized by Travel + Leisure and Travel Pulse as one of the “Most Influential People in Travel.” She is deeply committed to the success of the Black Travel Ecosystem and has dedicated her life to supporting all those within it.
Connect with Martinique on LinkedIn

John is the Founder and CEO of Accessible Travel Solutions. Since 2009, his focus has been on breaking down barriers in travel and events, ensuring people with disabilities have equal access to experiences around the world. Through Accessible Travel Solutions, he partners with nearly every cruise line to deliver accessible shore excursions in 100+ ports worldwide. He has also pioneered accessible European travel planning, helping thousands of travelers with disabilities explore destinations confidently and independently. His work also extends to the global stage, contributing to accessibility initiatives with the World Travel and Tourism Council, UN Tourism, and the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, where he advised the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. He has also collaborated with organizations such as IMEX and PCMA to strengthen event accessibility.
Connect with John on LinkedIn

Kara Richardson Whitely is the CEO of The Gorgeous Agency, as well as a plus-size adventurer, advisor and keynote speaker. Her book, Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds, is being made into a movie produced by and starring ‘This Is Us’ actress, Chrissy Metz. Kara has partnered with brands such as Peloton, L.L. Bean, Keen and Discover Puerto Rico to showcase diversity and inclusion, and build positive brand sentiment in the plus-sized and big and tall community. Her mission to encourage people of all sizes and abilities to get active outside made her a great fit for Come Alive Outside’s Board of Directors, and she has inspired teams and individuals to overcome obstacles and bet on their own success at companies such as Pfizer, Google and Uber. She has also been featured in countless media outlets such as The New York Times, Washington Post, Good Morning America, The Today Show, She Explores, and more.
Connect with Kara on LinkedIn

Catarina Rivera, MSEd, MPH, CPACC is a disability public speaker, DEIA consultant, and content creator with over 14 years of experience in the public sector. Catarina works with companies to improve disability awareness, inclusion, and accessibility. She is the founder of Blindish Latina, a platform smashing disability stigmas through storytelling and advocacy. Catarina has worn hearing aids from a young age and was diagnosed with a progressive vision disability at 17 years old. She has a BA from Duke University, an MSEd from Bank Street College of Education, and an MPH from Hunter College. Catarina is a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (IAAP). She is a member of KeyNote Women’s Global Speakers Directory. She has been featured in Nasdaq, POPSUGAR, ABC News Live, and as an unstoppable woman by Telemundo. She was also named a LinkedIn Top Voice in Disability Advocacy. Past clients have included HarperCollins Publishers, LinkedIn, Hachette Book Group, Whole30, Grant Thornton, ColorStack, and BCG Digital Ventures. Catarina is a TEDx Speaker and her TEDx talk “Creating Inclusive Workplaces for All” has over 73,000 views.
Connect with Catarina on LinkedIn

Danny (he/him) is a global marketing executive, consultant, thought leader, educator, and entrepreneur with 25 years of experience. He is a well-regarded voice and changemaker on inclusion, reinforcing how cultural connections and cultural relevance in tourism narratives create opportunities across the industry. As Founder of The Culturist Group, Danny pioneered the travel industry’s first multicultural brand and marketing communications practice in the U.S., focused on the growing influence of multicultural, intersectional travelers and the diverse communities that fuel tourism across destinations. Previously, Danny led teams at prominent PR and marketing agencies, destinations, and hospitality. He holds an Executive MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management with a Certificate in Entrepreneurship, and is a founding member of Latinos In Travel, 2026 Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA), and a member of Destinations International’s Social Impact Committee. He is a lecturer at the International Institute of Tourism Studies at George Washington University, and a frequent guest speaker at the NYU Tisch Center for Hospitality.
Connect with Danny on LinkedIn

Monika Bielskyte is a futurist in residence @Nike, speculative designer, foresight strategist & founder of @ProtopiaFutures. With expertise in information technologies and immersive media (AI, spatial computation, VR/XR, UI/UX), Monika examines both the promises and perils of innovation as the blurring boundaries between the digital and physical worlds become increasingly weaponized through strategies of hybrid warfare. Monika is passionate about the value of disability & neurodivergence inclusion: from tech, to policy, to built environment, in order to design a more resilient future for most of humanity. Her career in Hollywood includes futurist consultancy for Disney / Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Monika has done speaking and advisory work for BBC, DreamWorks, Google, Huawei, IDEO, KSA, L’Oreal, McKinsey, Meta, Microsoft, TATA ,Technicolor, Telefonica, UAE, Unesco, Universal, Warner Media, WEF, among others. Monika has given lectures at academic and scientific institutions including: CERN, Rockefeller University, Royal Society, Royal College of Art, IIT, OCAD.
Connect with Monika on LinkedIn

Zoe Moore is a Strategic EDI Consultant known for empowering organizations to create transformative, data-driven strategies that advance equity and inclusion. As a Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) and a U.S. Army veteran with 12 years of honorable service, she brings a unique perspective on fostering sustainable, measurable change in the hospitality, events and tourism industries. She uses proprietary “INSIGHT to IMPLEMENTATION” framework to help leaders develop actionable, results-oriented EDI strategies. Her expertise spans speaking engagements, organizational assessments, educational courses, and strategic consulting—all aimed at holding leadership accountable to their commitments to social sustainability, driving economic empowerment in marginalized communities and improving workplace culture. Zoe initiates bold, often provocative discussions that challenge conventional DEI perspectives, encouraging leaders to gain deeper insight and implement strategies that are measurable and sustainable.
Connect with Zoe on LinkedIn

Gabrielle Claiborne (she/her) is Founder and CEO of Transformation Journeys Worldwide, an inclusion training and consulting firm with a transgender and gender expansive focus. She helps cutting-edge organizations position themselves to attract and retain the best talent and foster collaborative working environments, thus maximizing innovation and directly impacting the bottom line. She and her firm have been honored with awards from the Out Georgia Business Alliance, the Atlanta Hawks, Acquisition International Magazine, the Georgia Diversity Council, the Atlanta Business Chronicle, and the Georgia Small Business Administration. Her clients include Home Depot, COX, Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of America, Comcast, Microsoft, Mercedes Benz, UPS, Delta Air Lines, Hilton, Accor Hotels, International Hotels Group, HubSpot, WarnerMedia, AARP, StockholmLGBT, IGLTA, Papa John’s, IHG, Ulta Beauty, Newell Brands, The Grammys and the Centers for Disease Control, among others. Gabriel has served on multiple local, national and international boards, and currently serves as Chair of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association’s (IGLTA) Gender Diverse Travel Advisory Group, as board member of the Voices of Note, and member of Lambda Legal’s Atlanta Leadership Council.
Connect with Gabrielle on LinkedIn

Masa is an experienced ICF certified Executive and Team Coach, Advisory Board Member, EMCC certified Coach Supervisor, and People Development Consultant based in New York City with 25+ years of experience in global tech organizations including 12+ years at Google. Masa has coached 2500+ worldwide C/E/S/VP/Director+ leaders plus an astronaut. Masa designed and launched Google’s Manager as Coach Workshops and Manager Communities serving 18,000+ people leaders worldwide. Masa has devoted her life to understanding differences and focused her graduate thesis on intergroup bias – “Missing Link: Marrying Applied Positive Psychology and Diversity Training”. Masa trained under Robin DiAngelo in 2017, scholar and author of “White Fragility”, and has 5+ years of experience delivering and designing diversity, equity, and inclusion experiences. She teaches and speaks in various forums about leadership and management, career, women’s health and psychology, diversity, and well-being. A history and Spanish major from Yale University, a Yale Delegate-At-Large, and a Columbia Executive Education alumnus, she completed her master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and served as an Assistant Instructor for the program. Masa served as an Advisory Board Member for Neo supporting INSEAD Executive Programs.
Connect with Masa on LinkedIn

Our educators are experienced facilitators trained in the Seven Secrets curriculum and skilled in engaging audiences from C-suite leaders to front-line teams.

Every educator is grounded in practical hospitality realities — ensuring the work is actionable, not theoretical.

Alysse Dalessandro is a queer plus size fashion and travel blogger. Her blog, Ready to Stare, focuses on making travel and fashion more accessible for all. It’s a space where individuality is celebrated and breaking the rules is encouraged.

Alysse was named one of NBC Out’s #Pride50 for 2019 and one of Cleveland Magazine’s Most Interesting People in 2018.

Devin-Norelle is a professional model, public speaker, opinion writer, and trans advocate changing the future for the better. Devin-Norelle (Ze/Zim/Zis) has contributed to several top-shelf publications and recently walked in fashion shows including Chromat. Ze is passionate about uplifting the trans and non-binary communities and has been awarded for advocacy work. Devin-Norelle facilitates individual D&I Gender Expansive training to create a more inclusive world.

Koumei van Zeeland has a yoga career spanning nearly 30 years and over 20 years of teaching. As a physiotherapist specializing in community rehabilitation, they have supported Japan’s nursing care policies and public health consultations, and since 2009 has held yoga classes to create a space to support various social minorities, including LGBTQ+ and people with various physical disabilities. 

In recognition of his achievements, they were selected as one of 50 people from the world’s largest yoga organization (Yoga Alliance)’s education team (Teaching for EQUITY 2022) from among approximately 90,000 registered yoga instructors around the world. Connect with Koumei on KYC (HP)

Dimitri Joseph Moïse is a NYC based actor, producer, and entrepreneur. Dedicated to a life of philanthropy and activism, Dimitri is a co-founder of TORCH, dedicated to uniting marginalized communities through arts entrepreneurship, Creative Team Member of The Leading Edge Arts Project, former liaison at Broadway Serves, Rotating Support Artist at Collaborative Opportunities without Limits and Boundaries (CO/LAB), working with actors with physical and mental disabilities, and a Director of the Board at the NYU LGBTQ Alumni Network.

He is also co-founder and lead producer of Subito Politico Productions, creating politically, socially, and culturally conscious work that inspires larger conversations and calls to action, within our industry and with our audiences

Logann is a Festival Winning, published playwright.  In addition to being a writer, they are an actor, comic, model, dancer, and activist.  As an actor Logann has been on the stages of NYC, as well as in many of the productions that film in the city. 

They aim to write pieces that represent underrepresented communities, and challenge audiences to step into a world that might be unfamiliar to what they know, allowing their minds to be opened.

Logann has performed with TATCO and NSPF in NYC and via Zoom, and was photographed for Peter Bussians book, “Trans New York: Photos and Stories of Transgender New Yorkers.”  They are featured in an exhibit about the importance of pronouns, at the new Planet Word Museum located in Washington D.C.

Logann is honored to be working with Hospitable Me.  Their plays “Seahorse Dadz” and “Same” can be purchased in a collection at Amazon.com

Sitara Herur-Halbert (they/them) is a Black, South Asian, LGBTQIA+, and neurodivergent community organizer and educator, who has spent several years uplifting marginalized voices and advocating for reform.

They currently serve as DEIB Coordinator for Student Communities and Communications Manager at the Lycée Français de New York; and are a 2019 graduate of the Dual BA Program between SciencesPo and Columbia University, as well a 2022 Institute for Nonprofit Practice Community Core Fellow.

Previously, they have served as Director of DEIB at NYC Pride; as a member of the Tarrytown Police Reform Committee; and as part of the Columbia University Alumni Association Task Force on Belonging. Outside of their work as an activist, they are a dedicated fiber artist and collector of books.

Stan Eshuis (he/him/his) obtained his MSc in Change Management in Amsterdam and speaks five languages: Dutch, English, Brazilian-Portuguese, French, and German. With a passion for traveling, he has lived abroad in three different countries for a total of 2.5 years: Brazil, Australia, and the UK.

Stan has worked for an international B2B networking organization, where he built and maintained relationships with CHROs from large organizations and connected them with HR solution providers through matchmaking events.

His work experience, combined with his strong intercultural competencies and strategic insights into Brazilian culture, has driven his ambition to pursue an international career.

Ariel Heller is an experienced activist and graphic designer dedicated to advancing LGBTQIA+ inclusion and anti-racist advocacy across Europe. Ariel has led communications for major civil society organizations and serves as president of a pan-European advocacy network, bringing expertise in strategic campaigning, creative storytelling, and community empowerment. They apply intersectional approaches to amplify marginalized voices and strengthen grassroots movements, fostering safer, more inclusive spaces. Connect with Ariel on Linkedin

Grigoris Gkougkousis is a social anthropologist (BA, MA, Panteion University) based in Athens, Greece. He has worked on research projects addressing gender-based violence, the history of HIV-related stigma, and queer activism. His research examines the intersections of sexuality, digitality and the body through ethnographic work on queer men’s dating apps. He is the co-editor, with Athena Athanasiou and Dimitris Papanikolaou, of the collective volume Queer Politics/Public Memory: 30 Texts for Zak Kostopoulos (in Greek). Connect with Grigoris on LinkedIn

Parth Patnaik is the Membership Manager for India and Asia at IGLTA. He is based in New Delhi, India. He’s passionate about creating inclusive spaces and experiences, food, travel and connecting with people. Parth believes everyone should travel and experience the world as their authentic selves. His passion drives his work at IGLTA in building a network of inclusive tourism businesses across Asia. He has a strong hold on cross-cultural communication, navigating one of the world’s most diverse regions and building meaningful relationships across markets, and sensitivities. He believes education and awareness help open minds to build a stronger, more open, connected & community-driven society. Connect with Parth on LinkedIn

Our marketing imagery is a mix of stock photos, and Gemini enhanced or reimagined images. We’ve tried to capture the world as we’ve seen it, and also as we’d like to. With Expedia/Apco reporting that only 16% of all travelers feel like they see themselves represented in marketing, it’s time to change the way that tourism and retail organizations represent their customers and guests. We hope to inspire that with our imagery, and help bring it to be through the work of our collective. We make monthly donations to the UN World Food Program to offset the wage loss of our previous imagery subscriptions.