Passionate about creating more hotel ownership and leadership diversity, Mary Beth founded Amara Capital in 2018, a top hotel DE&I investment platform for high-net worth women and minority investors to gain access into hospitality, multi-family, and retail real estate.
Most recently, Mary Beth served as EVP & Chief Development Officer at Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG), a nationally recognized owner and operator of 50 full-service hotels and resorts and select-service hotels consisting of premium branded properties with Hard Rock, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG as well as independent boutique and lifestyle hotels between January, 2011 to October, 2021.
With over 30+ years in the hospitality industry, Mary Beth has been actively involved in hotel real estate transactions with an approximate valuation of $1.3+ Billion. Her experience includes hospitality operations, new development, and M&A. During her 10+ year tenure at HVMG, Mary Beth led Development Team on acquisitions, dispositions, new development, and third-party management agreements including deal sourcing, origination, underwriting, due diligence, and the selections of real estate investment opportunities.  Since 2011 and under my leadership of the Development team HVMG added over 90 new properties to the portfolio and the company’s annual revenues grew in access of 300% to exceed $280M+.
Honored in 2021 by ULI/WLI as a “2021 The Leaders” as a seasoned real estate industry giant, in 2017 as one of the 30 Influential Women in Hospitality by Hotel Management Magazine, Atlanta Magazine as one of “Atlanta’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders” (2020 & 2019), and one of the top hospitality leaders to follow on social media by Crowdriff.
Mary Beth is a C-suite executive experienced in new business development and organizational growth, a known and respected innovator and visionary in the hospitality industry and nationally recognized for her thought leadership on hospitality and real estate. Mary Beth is a frequent global speaker at hotel investment conferences who’s insight has been sought out by numerous news and media publications including the Wall Street Journal, Skift, Hotel News Now, Hotel Business, Hotel Management, Long Live Lodging, and the No Vacancy Podcast Show.
Mary Beth is an active board member and past President of the Atlanta Hospitality Alliance, a founding board member and Vice Chair of the Castell Project, a national initiative increasing leadership diversity within the hospitality industry, a member of AHLA’s FORWARD Council, and a member of Marriott International’s Women Supporting Women Council.