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NYU IHIF 2026 was full of insights and thought leadership from some of the best and brightest hospitality professionals in the industry.  In this episode of the Suite Spot, you will get to hear from some of the most influential and biggest names in hospitality in the exclusive interviews we were able to cover at the event.  NYU IHIF is the epicentre of hospitality brands, capital, and fast-paced dealmaking – opportunity moves fast, and so should you. This is where the rebound takes shape, where leaders uncover what's next, and where relationships turn into real transactions. Ryan Embree: Welcome to Suite Spot, where hoteliers check in, and we check out what’s trending in hotel marketing. I’m your host, Ryan Embree. Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of the Suite Spot. This is your host, Ryan Embree and VP of Marketing here at Travel Media Group. Cassady Quintana: And I’m Cassady Quintana, Brand Ambassador here at TMG. Ryan Embree: And today we are fresh back from NYU IHIF 2026. My second time in attending this incredible event. Cassady, your first, what were your thoughts? Cassady Quintana: Yeah, I thought overall was a great event. A lot of optimism, especially as we’re heading into the summer season. So I thought, you know, the conversations that we heard on the panels and the ones that we were having with people were awesome, and a lot of you know, good things coming out of that. I feel like the biggest topics that I heard, there were three major takeaways I took from a lot of the panels and people we were talking to, but one being that K-shape economy that we’ve heard a lot about, right? We know that luxury is still outperforming while economy segments are feeling a little bit more of that pressure especially as we head into this summer season and looking at some of those trends. And then I think one of the biggest topics we have been talking about since the beginning of this year is the World Cup and how international travel we thought was gonna be booming. We were expecting a lot of busy hotels, but it’s kind of been on the softer side, and we’ve actually seen international travel dip a bit. So I think right now we’re kind of in that wait and see period of maybe you know people are waiting to see if their teams make it out of the group stages and then they’ll plan on booking a hotel. So keeping an eye on kind of that last minute travel. But the biggest topic that we were talking about a little bit last year, but the biggest one this year is AI and how hotels are using that within their systems. You know, there’s a lot of trends around using that for more personalization and being able to use it to look at your, you know, revenue optimization and how you’re performing online. So finding ways that we can use AI that doesn’t take the hospitality out of hospitality and doesn’t replace that human element. But that kind of went with that overarching theme of the entire event, which was sharpening the edge. So the thing I took from that is that the hotels that are really gonna win are the ones that are understanding their guests and using AI to further that, to further get to know their guests, to make that experience a little bit better. Ryan Embree: You know, and we had some incredible conversations and interviews with some professionals that we’re gonna share here in a second. But just to kind of jump on what Cassidy’s saying, we’re at a really cool inflection point in our industry right now as we go gear towards the busy travel season. So it’ll be interesting to see, you know, we had the opportunity to meet with development person from Minor hotels who’s looking to bring their brand into US and Canada, which will be very interesting. We know how they have a huge global footprint, a lot of interest early on in getting into the Americas. Uh, we then visited with AHLA and Kevin Carey and his team doing such wonderful work over there advocacy for our industry and some really cool initiatives that we were able to sit down with Kevin for a few minutes and chat about, uh, Jan Freitag from STR our hotel Data North Star and compass. They just released a revised forecast for the hospitality industry. So we went over some major points of that revised forecast and finally we got the opportunity to sit down with president and CEO Best Western Larry Cuculic. What a wonderful conversation about the best Western brand and how they are implementing, um, some of that AI and technology into their brand, and capitalizing on not only the World Cup, but also America 250. So wonderful insights that you’re only gonna find here on the sweet spot. Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoy these exclusive interviews from NYU IHIF 2026. Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of The Sweet Spot. We are live on location at NYU IHIF 2026 here with Genna, the VP of US and Canada Development for Minor Hotels. Genna, thank you so much for taking the time to stop and the busy big apple and talk with us today. Genna Panagopoulos: Thanks for having me. Ryan Embree: Excited about, this show. A lot of energy, a lot of buzz. You know, when you come to an NYU talking to ownerships, a lot of capital here, what are the conversation kind of stem around, and what does a successful NYU show look like as you head back to your home base? Sure. Genna Panagopoulos: Successful NYU would really be finding some deals, perpetuating some deals. So hopefully advancing some opportunities and it’s really all about for right now because we’re relatively new into the region. Educating our owners and the, the broader development community. So, you know, some of, some of the players do already know us, but in the luxury space, but there’s a lot of people we gotta get out in front of and introduce Minor hotels to. Ryan Embree: And this is a great place and, obviously a great city to do that in. What has been kind of the feedback? I mean, you’ve been tasked with this enormous job. We have such a great brand, worldwide, you’re bringing it here to us, Canada, and North America. What have been some of those initial conversations and hearing that and initial interest and feedback from owners? Genna Panagopoulos: Yeah, we’ve had a lot of feedback and interest on Anantara. So some of our, you know, established luxury brands that are pretty well known when you know the luxury hotel space in a global environment. Sure. So those owners have actually come to us saying, we’re really excited about the opportunities here. So that’s one piece. Of course we have NH Hotels, NH collection, and NH, which are very well known brands, especially in Mediterranean, Europe. Yeah. And, Central and South America. So there’s excitement around that too. Ryan Embree: Does it help, I mean, having such an international brand, we got the World Cup here, right? In a couple months. You kind of using that as maybe some momentum as you kind of come into, and introduce this brand into the Americas. Genna Panagopoulos: Absolutely. There’s a lot of, you know, I’m also educating Minor of the markets we wanna be in and so that’s definitely helping as well and putting some places on the map. Ryan Embree: And let’s talk about that because there’s been some announced projects already right here actually in New York. Talk about that project a little bit. Genna Panagopoulos: Yes. Thanks for asking too. We have a Worsely Hotel that’s opening, here next year. It’s gonna be super exciting because Worsely is a restaurant brand that we are taking into the hotel space. So it’s the first of its kind and nowhere better than to start in New York comes from London. So there’s a lot of correlation between the two markets. Ryan Embree: One of a kind hospitality venue and a one of a kind city, so. Exactly. But another project we’re really excited about just ’cause we’re home based, obviously in Orlando right down the road, a bright line away in Miami. Talk to us a little bit about that project and how that’s different. Yeah, Genna Panagopoulos: It’s a high rise building built in Miami. Hasn’t started construction yet, but it’ll open in 2030. It’ll be an Anantara hotel with branded residences, both private branded residences and, um, ones that will be able to be rented to hotel guests as well. Super wellness oriented. There’s gonna be a really extensive spa. Right. Very experiential. Wonderful for the residents that are gonna be buying, the residence. Ryan Embree: It’s incredible. It sounds like you guys are really taking care of all of the kind of popular travel trends right now. Right. FMB has really had this resurgence in hospitality with the project here. Wellness, obviously a huge piece of what hospitality is leaning into and what travelers are looking forward to. So having that flexibility between the brands too, I’m sure is a definitely a fun place to be when having these conversations with owners. But you talked about another project in Turks and Caicos. Genna Panagopoulos: Turks and Caicos. So we have an Anantara in Turks and Caicos that I believe will open in 2029. So in order we’ll have one in New York next year, and then 29 on Ontario trips and Caicos 2030, Miami. Ryan Embree: So no shortage of news on the Minor Hotel side. Congratulations to you and your team. Thank you. As you wrap up, I mean, what’s your vision? What’s your goal? As you bring Minor Hotels into the North American region? Genna Panagopoulos: Yeah. Well, if I think about next year at NYU, I hope people, more people are coming towards us. Excited about us being a different brand a different mindset. So we offer, we think of ourselves a little bit differently from the parent brands that are already established here because we have, you know, ownership still of most of our portfolio or we lease most of our portfolio. Um, so I hope there’s more inbound traffic coming towards my way. I hope people generally just walking down the street know us a little bit more. Certainly. You know, white Lotus helped us with Anantara, so there’s a lot of people who Oh, yes, are are diehard Anantara fans because of that. But that’s what I’m hoping for. And eventually we’d love to have an office here. So as long as we do our, our, our work, right, we, we get a strong pipeline, we’ll be able to have an office, a regional office in, in North America. Ryan Embree: Incredible. Well, super exciting. Can’t wait to catch up on all the exciting projects that you have at Minor Hotels. This is the first of a couple collaborations we’ll be doing with Minor hotels, so make sure you stay tuned. Congratulations again, Genna. And thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. Genna Panagopoulos: Thanks for having me. Ryan Embree: Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of The Suite Spot. We are live on location, New York City at NYU IHIF. I’m here with Kevin Carey, President and CEO of the AHLA Foundation and COO of AHLA. Kevin, not your first time on the Suite Spot. Appreciate you taking some time and joining me here today. Kevin Carey: It’s lways a pleasure to spend time with you. Ryan Embree: Yeah, it’s fun.Incredible event so far. NYU obviously AHLA, AHLA Foundation Forward has a huge presence here. What does, you know, when you come to the event like this, we always talk in hospitality, these events are always going to exist no matter what. Technology comes down the pike because hospitality, we’re people, right. We like connecting. What is a successful NYU IHIF look like for you and your team? Kevin Carey: Well, It’s always an important period of time in the year at, as we approach midyear to check in with our members, to have that conversation about the advocacy issues we’re leading on behalf of the industry to hear how the business performance is tracking as well. And just to build enthusiasm and engagement for the events and the initiatives that we’re leading, not only in the association, but with the foundation as well. Ryan Embree: And none more important than the No Room for Trafficking initiative that you and your team have done some fabulous work on. I mean, we have all sorts of brands up on stage, sometimes with differing opinions here and there, but one cause that everyone in our industry has really gotten behind, and it’s the work of you and your team, is this No Room for Rrafficking? We always like to spread awareness of this. Talk to us a little about, about on that front and the progress you’re seeing and making. Kevin Carey: Well, this is a longstanding commitment that the industry has to human trafficking prevention and awareness. It started in 2019 with the development of the No Room For Trafficking Initiative and its focus on training and expanded in 2022 to include the Survivor Fund. So this is an area where AHLA and the foundation specifically serves as a convening entity to bring the industry together to rally around this important issue to work, to build awareness that’ll drive prevention of human trafficking, and also to gather funds to help support survivors. So this is a commitment not only on a longstanding basis, but also on a going forward basis as well. Ryan Embree: And such inspiring stories that you’ve told over the years. And people, you know, hoteliers and other people listening to this can really get behind and encourage people to kinda look at that initiative. Another kind of initiative that you’ve done in these events that, when we’re talking about these events is forward. We had a record breaking attendance a couple months ago in the spring. Talk to us about how that is. And you actually have some of those the forward initiatives here at NYU. Kevin Carey: We do within the foundation, our mission is to advance the workforce of the industry. And we do that through a focus not only on the current workforce, those over 2 million associates and colleagues who deliver hospitality day to day, but also how do we attract the future workforce to the industry. I talked about being a convening entity. The foundation brings together the industry across all segments. And there’s two areas where we believe we can make a difference. One is around human trafficking that we just spoke about, but also around the forward initiative which is geared towards, and its purposes to advance women in the hospitality industry and in leadership roles in the hospitality industry. So we were delighted to host our most recent forward conference in Atlanta, back in April. And the results were outstanding but really the momentum and the impact that that forward is having is really, which has us so enthusiastic and committed to this initiative moving forward. Ryan Embree: Yeah, that’s gotta be so cool to see industry leaders in hospitality raise their hands and want to be a part of this movement and really see the results from that. Kevin Carey: Well, it’s grown from just being a conference, that started in 2018 and had about 150 people at the first event to now over 1100 attendees. But as it as it has expanded from a conference to a leadership development curriculum. And you mentioned the forward exchange, which took place, here in New York earlier today, where it brought together over a hundred early and mid stage career and professionals of women and some men who are participating along with their peers to focus on networking and building those relationships so they can be well suited and take on roles, over time in the industry. Ryan Embree: Really cool to see. And again, probably some incredible stories coming from that over the years as the as the initiative matures. One thing that, that hospitality in general, really looking forward to, we got big summer, right? We’re usually really excited about summer is just ’cause of the travel season, kids being outta school. But this summer in particular, we’ve been looking forward to for a couple years. We got World Cup on the horizon, finally. We played just a couple miles from here and in America 250. What are you kind of hearing from hoteliers and how are AHLA really, gearing up for these big events, showcasing our industry? Kevin Carey: Well, these are really defining opportunities, for the industry to support those guests to welcome that demand, to drive the hospitality infrastructure over time. So there’s a lot of enthusiasm around the potential that that represents and as we’ve seen on stage already today the results in the first part of the year for the industry have been positive. a number of the outlooks are increasing the Revpar and ADR and other industry metrics, here with the these large events we are still waiting to see some of the demand materialize and we’re in a critical period of time right now, about 10 days out before the games to see that hopefully what’ll be a late surge in bookings, then translate into further business success for the industry. Ryan Embree: Yeah. Hopefully, and hopefully see that international travel continue to come back to North America, you know, a lot of hoteliers, hoping for that. Zooming in a little bit on a AHLA summertime, also time for interns, right. Come in and we’ve talked about this before. I mean, internships, mentorship in hospitality. So critical. I mean, throughout the years we’ve had these staffing shortages and we’ve talked about getting creative, our industry, getting creative on ways to fill those roles, internships being one of them. Talk about a little bit about the AHLA internship program and what these interns are are ready for this summer. Kevin Carey: Well, it’s not new. We’ve had a well established program from a number of years now. And, and we’re excited annually to bring a number of interns into our team across each function. we’ll have an interns in the government affairs team, in marketing, in the foundation. it’s so refreshing to engage them in our work to see their enthusiasm about their future to see them pick up valuable skills and experience of being in an office environment, learning more. And you know what? They, they have a real impact. They have some fun along the way as well and we have a wonderful session at the end where they get to present the results of some of the work in the initiatives that they’ve been working on. So it’s an annual opportunity that we look very forward to. And they’ll be starting just in about a week’s time. so it’ll be a great another repeatevent for us. Ryan Embree: Yeah. Love to see it. You know, again, any way that we can have more exposure to all sides of hospitality. Beause as we know, it’s not just, you know, the front desk. There’s so many elements to it and there’s none more demonstrated by how big our hospitality industry is than by the hospitality show that you put on. And this year is gonna be right in our backyard. In Miami, Florida. Get us a little bit excited about what we can expect at this year’s fourth annual. This is our fourth Hospitality Show, correct? Kevin Carey: So we started in Vegas, went to San Antonio, we’re in Denver last year. A lot of enthusiasm coming out of Denver for the content. And then what’s unique about the hospitality show is it’s really the only conference in the industry with a focus on operations and how operations is driving profitability. So there’s a terrific enthusiasm and people are looking forward to being in Miami, coming together in Q4, all segments of the industry represented. So we’ll have the brands we’ll have management companies, owners, service providers, suppliers, independent hotels also play an important role in the industry. So we’re about to open registration and that’ll really kickstart, the focus on November 2-4 in Miami. Ryan Embree: Well we’re looking forward to it. We’re hoping to go 4/4 on covering the hospitality show. Especially with it being right there in our backyard. Kevin, we know you’re busy. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today on some of these important initiatives. And hopefully we’ll see you in Miami in just a few months. Kevin Carey: Hopefully I have something else on. Ryan Embree: Alright. Appreciate it. Thanks. Kevin Carey: Thank you so much. Ryan Embree: Hello everyone. Ryan Embree. here live at NYU IHIF 2026 here with Jan the National Director of Hospitality Analytics at CoStar. Jan, you were just on a panel. Thanks for taking the time to jump off and speak with us. Jan Freitag: Absolutely. Ryan Embree: State of the state, love the name obviously you’re the north star of hospitality data out there. Jan, revised forecasts just came out. Talk to us a little bit about those points that you were sharing with the audience today. Jan Freitag: So we’re suggesting that RevPAR this year is gonna grow 2.8%, which is very different from the way we looked at the world at the ALIS Hotel Investment Conference. First quarter performance was much more stronger than we had expected than the public traded companies had expected the brands or the …. And a lot of them have revised their year end forecast up. So, you know, we followed suit. Now they, most of them just revised their forecast by the outperformance of Q1. But we’re suggesting No, no, there’s momentum. So we actually took our forecast up by a lot more to 2.8%, 2% driven by ADR and 0.8 by occupancy, which is really good to see. ’cause it implies that demand is outpacing supply. You know, so we get occupancy gains and then some pricing power. Ryan Embree: Love to see that. I mean we were here a year ago with Amanda who is talking about trying to decipher through the noise, a lot of noise right now. But great to see the momentum with those revisions and so important to have those revisions because the landscape can change ever so rapidly as you know. But talking about the supply, talk to us a little bit, go into a little bit more in depth and then obviously every market is different. What markets right now are running a little bit hot on supply? Jan Freitag: Yeah, so fational forecast for Supply goes to 0.4%, not a whole lot. Right. The long run average is 1.6, so we’re well below that. The number of rooms in construction used to be between, we know, 150,000 – 160,000. It’s now 140,000. So it’s sort of staying there. It’s just so expensive to get anything done. And interest rates are still high and could go higher. Who knows, we’re not making interest rate forecast. But you know, there’s definitely no longer this idea of how we should cut, you know, interest rates twice this year or so. I think those days are gone, you know, and so now the question is, okay, so where are people getting things done? And you can look at it by markets. So a couple of them are usual suspects. So Nashville, very strong, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Phoenix. So those are markets sort of in the smile states, sort of in the Sunbelt that still get a lot of people moving there. And you know, migration determines the economic performance. And so we’re seeing a lot more room supply growth there, but there’re just a lot of markets where it’s very, very hard to get anything done because of that higher cost of construction and of the higher interest rate. So I would single out those markets, but overall the picture is rather muted. On the supply side. So what that means then, for existing owners is the time to renovate is right now percent. Because you want to be the new kid on the block with the new hotel, there’s not a lot of new competition coming. This is time to renovate and really put your best foot forward. Ryan Embree: A hundred percent. And you know, one of the other topics we talked about, or you talked about rather on stage was segments right now luxury, doing very, very well leading the way. Obviously a lot of bifurcation, that K-shaped economy. What are you seeing across the segments right now? Jan Freitag: Yeah, I mean there are no wrong answers in luxury, right? I mean, luxury last year was the winner. This year is the winner. We’re projecting, very healthy RevPAR growth double of what we’re saying for the nation. We think the luxury class can materialize. And then what’s really nice to see is that for upscale upper midscale midscale, there’s also RevPAR growth there, which we hadn’t seen last year. And to me that speaks to the strength really of the American economy. But it sort of permeates toward all income classes. Now the exception is was and unfortunately will be likely the economy sector now even there we’re suggesting RevPAR’s growing, but it’s just, you know, 0.8% call that flat for all intent and purposes. Ryan Embree: International travel too, obviously World Cup on the heels of this. What are you see any interesting data points there you wanna share just right ahead of the America 250 and World Cup? Jan Freitag: There are two very different vibes coming from the panel that I was on. Adam Sacks prior to US presenting was talking about, oh wow, international inbound is really still quite a bit lower than it was in 2019. But the gentleman from the NTTO, the National Travel Tourism Organization was like, no, we’re projecting rock and roll, really strong growth of international inbound. The truth is probably gonna somewhere in the tween this year. World Cup is gonna drive a lot of international travelers. What I’m wondering about though is are some of those travelers basically stealing from 2025 and from 2027 and now they’re saying, oh, let’s not go in 25, let’s go in 26. And then when next year comes around, they’re like, we just went to the us you know, and not go in 27 either. So I just hope that the more positive spin from the government comes true and this and, and not that we’re just sort of packing everything into this year and then international inbound is gonna deteriorate. Ryan Embree: So many interesting data points. Anyone in particular you have your eyes on where, you know, obviously we love a nice rosy outlook and try to look for opportunities through all of the data that’s out there, but anyone’s that are like unexpected data points or something that you’re at least keeping an eye on right now? Jan Freitag: Yeah, so there are a couple, but the one that I’m really focused on is consumer price index. Everything is getting more expensive and so that means that hotels will see their cost increase. And the big question then is how much of that cost increase can they pass on to the customer? And I just told you that our ADR forecast for this year is 2% and inflation is gonna be what, 3.5 or something? I mean, it’s gonna be much more than that outpacing that. So that’s really the crux and I think that’s what we here at NYU, to talk to owners and investors and management companies have figure out, okay, so how can we keep our margins expanding even maybe how do you do that in this environment where top line growth may be not keeping pace with with inflation. So the CPI number is really something I’m keeping an eye on. Ryan Embree: Yeah, pretty challenging time right now. when it comes to margins and hospitality that we, again, trying to suss out and figure out here, what are those maybe opportunistic data points that you’re seeing that you’re saying this, this is really good, maybe unexpected on the other end of the spectrum? Jan Freitag: Yeah, I think the Americans are wealthier than they ever have been. And Adam Sachs has this fascinating data point where he shows at the emerge that the middle class in America is shrinking, but part of it is because a lot more people are rich. So people are moving up the income chain and that allows ’em then to spend more money on experiences, very clear that people favor experiences over goods. And we are right in that Suite Spot. Ryan Embree: That continues to be the experience over stuff. We love to see that. And then you’re kind of here celebrating an anniversary/birthday of your podcast, is it? You know you’re, you’re usually, typically used to be in the host, not so much the guests, so thank you. Tell us a little bit more and maybe where our hotel audience can find the insights that you provide. Jan Freitag: Yeah, and thank you for having me. So we have our own podcast. My colleague Isaac Collazo from STR and myself get together once a month. It’s called Tell Me More, A Hospitality Data podcast. And three years ago at juniors across the street over cheesecake, we sort of hatched the idea. And so now we’re, I don’t know, like, you know, almost 30 episodes into it. And we get together once a month and we just sort of riff on the data and hopefully you can join us. Ryan Embree: I love it. That’s awesome. Well, Jan, thank you so much. Very busy time. Appreciate you stopping by and talking to us. Jan Freitag: My pleasure. Thank you so much. Ryan Embree: Alright. Hello everyone. Ryan Embree here with the Suite Spot. We are live at NYU IHIF 2026 here with Larry Cuculic, President and CEO of BWH Hotels. Larry, thank you so much for taking time outta your busy schedule to join us here on the Suite Spot. Larry Cuculic: It’s my absolute pleasure. Thank you for the invitation and for allowing me to share some thoughts with regard to the success and BWH hotels. Ryan Embree: Yeah. We’ve got a lot to cover cause you’ve got a lot going on right now. But let’s start with this event, right? NYU IHIF, lot of major brands here what does a successful NYU look like for you and your team? Larry Cuculic: To us, a successful NYU is interacting with developers and investors such that they’re aware of what BWH has become. We’re now 18 brands, over 4,000 hotels in over a hundred countries and territories from premium economy up to luxury hotels. We acquired world hotels about six years ago. And so it really is continuing to educate about the possibilities of their associating with BWH hotels because we would be singularly focused on their success if they partner with us. And you’re also in a powerhouse panel tomorrow, the Executive Exchange Hospitality Performance Strategies for Success give our audience a little bit a sneak peek of what you’re gonna be talking about on stage. Larry Cuculic: Well, we’re gonna be talking about of course, the economy near term as well as long term projections for what that looks like. we’ll be talking about the importance of loyalty programs. We’ll be talking about the impact of really the economy and things like labor insurance and how we as brands need to focus on the success of our hotels by offering them programs to really offset that impact on net RevPAR. Ryan Embree: And I’m sure one of the subjects and topics that we brought up on your panel, certainly something we talk about these hospitality events is, AI and technology. And we had the privilege of having SVP and your CTO Bill Ryan on at the Hospitality Show a couple months in October, gave us a little bit of lay of the land when it came to AI and technology. How do you feel personally that this technology is really changing the way that travelers choose hotels, but also how they have their hotel experience, their guest experience? Larry Cuculic: Sure. So the first thing we’re doing is we’re reinvesting in our .com as well as our app. And we want them to be easy to use intuitive, but we also wanna make sure they have content that convinces guests when they’re shopping that our hotels will provide them kind of that customization and personalization. ’cause it’s not about a commodity, a hotel room, it’s about all those things that we can offer. By way of example we’re partnering with an AI agency to kind of harvest content with regard to where our hotels are located in those communities. At the same time, we’ll take that harvested content and we’ll filter it through our hoteliers who live in those communities and create the content that will be the AI answer when somebody’s looking for a place to stay. And they’ll know that we want them to have the best possible time while we’re in that community, not just staying with us as a hotel, that we recognize that people don’t want just to stay, they want really a journey. Ryan Embree: Yeah. Something that we aspire in hospitality to provide that not just a hotel stay, but an experience. And we talked to Joelle Park about the power of storytelling and how that can play a component in one of the best stories, obviously that you just had a really exciting announcement with is America 250 and the story of this great nation. So talk to us a little bit about that partnership and what BWH Hotels is doing with America 250. Larry Cuculic: Well, we are a sponsor of America 250, and we’re encouraging our hoteliers to embrace the 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation. And part of that is not just USA 250, we also have the 100th anniversary of Route 66. We have hotels that have been with us, believe it or not, we have a hotel that’s been with us 75 years. And it speaks to the heritage of our brand. So we’ll be leaning into the history of this great country. At the same time we’ll be leaning into the history of our great brand and encouraging people to travel and see the United States and all that it has to offer no matter where you go. And the beauty of our hotels we have 2200 of them in North America and wherever they’re going to go, we want them to know that we have a hotel that will meet their travel leads such that they can experience really the 250th anniversary of USA. Ryan Embree: Yeah. It’s a really exciting partnership right in at an inflection point with the World Cup as well. So introducing maybe some international travel also to the brand and the nation. You know, you’re a great following on LinkedIn. I encourage our audience, if you haven’t, make sure you follow Larry, but one of the things you’re reflecting on your North American regional conferences that you’ve done up to this point in 2026 and you quoted to say that you want BWH hotels to become the most welcoming brand in the world. What does that mean to you and how is your team working to achieve that? Larry Cuculic: Well, welcoming means that we’re gracious hosts, but it also means that we’re, I’ll call it easy to do business with understanding, being flexible and recognizing that we are somebody you’d want to be partners with. Whenever anyone walks into a hotel we should tell them, you know, welcome, we’re glad you’re here by way of example. But I used to think of it that way in terms of being gracious host and everything that happens at the hotel, but when I think of welcoming, I also want to think about our new.com and app. Again, it’s that ease of use and personalization so that when you go there, we know it’s you and we want to help you make good decisions with regard to travel. So welcoming is about ease of.com, the app we’re redoing our loyalty program. I think Joel probably talked to you about that. And we want the loyalty program to be welcoming as well. Well, what does that mean? Well, that means that when you interact with us, you’ll know how many points you have. You’ll know they never expire. You’ll know that you can use them to buy down the price of a room at any point. That you don’t have to, to have as many points for a full stay to leverage those points. It’s a value of the program. And of course welcoming. I always lean into the importance of being not just a gracious host, but somebody that appreciates our guests. To me, that’s welcoming because you have to recognize that people, they’re traveling with their families, it’s something that you wanna leave a terrific impression on them and their family. And you also want them to know that we appreciate that they’ve spent their hard-earned money staying with us. To me, that’s being appreciative gracious hosts. And that’s part of the welcoming. It’s not, the welcoming doesn’t just happen when they enter. Welcoming has to be entire stay. Ryan Embree: So key. And the brands that kind of make that connection with their travelers, especially in a time where, I mean, we just talked about in this interview AI technology, there’s way more places become disconnected, to find that connection, that human to human connection. Very important right now. So as we wrap up the interview, obviously at these events we’re always, whether it’s the hospitality data we’re looking into, whether it’s a conversation, we’re always trying to take a glimpse into the future, trying to predict that future. Larry what do you see, what’s your vision for the future of BWH Hotels. Larry Cuculic: People will always wanna travel. And for us, if we can become that welcoming brand that appreciates our guests, we will build that loyalty. When we build that loyalty, that program will grow. Our revenue delivery brand direct will grow which is the lowest cost for us in terms of that reservation for our hoteliers but what I think I would also offer to you is we’re also very focused on thoughtful growth. And what that means is if you grow your loyalty program, you also wanna make sure you have hotels that are in locations where guests want to go. Be it London, be it Rome, be it Frankfurt, be it Bangkok, no matter where it is around the world. And so, you know, we have a, a focus goal of 5,000 hotels, which means we will grow thoughtfully, but with our guests in mind. And because when we have a hotel join us, our sole focus is the success of that hotel as well as having a quality hotel where guests want to go. Ryan Embree: That’s awesome. Well, we wish you nothing but success. Hopefully maybe can join the Suite Spot when that 5,000 hotel opens and we can celebrate that together. But in the meantime, thank you, Larry, for taking the time out of your day to join us here on the Suite spot. Larry Cuculic: Well, thank you. Thank you for the opportunity. Very much appreciate it. Speaker 2: To join our loyalty program, be sure to subscribe and give us a five star reading on iTunes. Suite Spot is produced by Travel Media Group. Our editor is Brandon Bell with Cover Art by Bary Gordon. I’m your host Ryan Embree, and we hope you enjoyed your stay.

In this episode, Larry Cuculic, the President and CEO of BWH Hotels, shares why the guest experience now starts the moment someone types "hotel Chicago" into a search bar and what it took to grow brand.com revenue and mobile app revenue. You'll hear his own moment about getting the customer journey wrong once, and why every digital touchpoint is a hospitality moment.Referenced: our earlier episode with BWH's Jay Hubbs, HSMAI's Marketing Professional of the Year. A few more resources:If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestionsIf you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free.Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together.If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve!Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

8:05PM: Assessing a MA bill that aims to find a solution to homelessness, criminalization, death and preventable tragedy due to untreated severe mental illness in the Commonwealth. Massachusetts Senate Bill 2973.Guest: Kerry Martin - Director of Impact at the National Shattering Silence Coalition 8:15PM: The Mission of the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation at BWH and their Boston Marathon Team. (Center named after one of the Boston Marathon bombing victims). Guest: Cheryl Lang - Program Director at the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation at Brigham & Women’s Hospital 8:30PM: An Update from the Quincy Gas Station Owner who hired violists to serenade customers at the pump! Guest: Harvey Kertzman – Gas Station Owner of Quincy Gas & Luke Norman – One of the Violists who played at Quincy Gas 8:45PM: What is "Doomjobbing" and how is it hurting job searches? & Networking mistakes holding Boston job seekers back right now. Guest: Monique Kelley - a Boston University professor, Fortune 50 communications leader, and author of Redefining Networking: How to Lead with Your Unique ValueSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Predicting Clinical Responses to Asthma Biologics

Sex Differences in Asthma: What Genomics Can Teach Us

Livepodd från Busienssmässan i Linköping den 13 november 2025.  721 40-årskrisen som blev hållbart mode Maria Seraki startade BWH of Sweden AB som en motreaktion mot en modeindustri som präglas av präglad av överproduktion, dåliga arbetsvillkor och kläder som inte fungerar i verkliga livet. Hennes 40-årskris blev startskottet för att skapa etiska, funktionella och långlivade kostymer för kvinnor – designade i Sverige och producerade i Portugal. Resan har byggt på envishet, mentorskap, LinkedIn-kontakter och en vilja att utmana normer i en extremt svår bransch. MWH har stark produkter, community och intäkter, men ännu inte lönsamhet – ett marathon Maria vägrar ge upp.  Hon är tydlig: Idéer saknas inte, kapital gör det, och framtiden kräver att investerare vågar satsa på kvinnor och underrepresenterade entreprenörer. Inspelningen gjordes live inför publik på Businessmässan i Linköping den 13 november 2025.   Tre slutsatser Hållbar innovation börjar i frustration – många starka företag föds ur att något i världen är fel och någon vägrar acceptera det. Kapitalflödena är problemet, inte idéerna – kvinnor och underrepresenterade grupper har driv och lösningar, men får nästan inget riskkapital. Långsiktighet slår snabbhet – att bygga hållbara produkter och beteendeförändring kräver tid, tålamod och ett starkt "varför".

Allergen- and Damage-sensing Epithelial Cells in the Airways

Check out the latest Suite Spot episode featuring SVP and CMO at Best Western Hotels, Joelle Park! Joelle joins the Suite Spot to discuss the incredible BWH portfolio, their Life's a Trip campaign, marketing to different traveler segments, and much more.  Be sure to catch the full episode now! Ryan Embree: Welcome to Suite Spot, where hoteliers check in and we check out what's trending in hotel marketing. I'm your host, Ryan Embree. Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of The Suite Spot. This is your host, Ryan Embree, here for another special edition of The Suite Spot. I am so excited to bring in our guest today. We're gonna be talking about everything, the Best Western Hotels and Resorts brand, but also marketing that is, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Joelle Park. Thank you so much, Joelle, for being on the Suite Spot with me today. Joelle Park: Thank you for having me, Ryan. Ryan Embree: We're gonna have a great conversation about marketing, about your wonderful brand. Some of the recognitions that the brand has seen recently. And we're gonna talk about some industries trends as well. But as per tradition here at the Suite Spot and really hospitality, we love to hear everyone's kind of journey story that led you in. You know, sometimes we have people just fall into the industry, but at the end of the day, a lot of people fall in love with our industry 'cause hospitality is one of the, if not best industries to work in. Talk to us a little bit about your story, Joelle, and what led you to SVP and CMO at Best Western Hotel and Resorts. Joelle Park: Thanks, Ryan. Well, I'm really excited to be here and it sounds like many others. I have fallen into hospitality and fallen in love. I've spent over two decades in marketing overall working across brand strategy, customer experience, communications, and on every project, every account, it's about driving results through innovative marketing. Early in my career, I started agency site and I partnered up some incredible brands in retail, entertainment, technology, and my last client was hospitality. And that's where I fell in love with the industry. And now I've spent really more than 16 years in hospitality telling compelling stories. I have a love of travel personally, but I also just believe in the power of travel to make the world a better place. So I've been fortunate to take on some leadership roles spanning across loyalty. Now product development and something I'm especially passionate about is culture and customer experience, because the most powerful form of advertising really is the customer experience here at BWH Hotels. I have the privilege of leading our marketing, communications, loyalty and partnerships teams, and that's encompassing of Best Western rewards and Worlds Hotels rewards. So excited to share more about what we're up to. Ryan Embree: Yeah, it's exciting to hear and it's interesting because hospitality, you talk to a lot of hoteliers in the hospitality world, and they say, although it's a massive industry, right, it's a very small world. You run into people that you know all the time. Sometimes you're working with one brand, then you go to another brand. But I always find it fascinating to find stories like yours, Joelle, where you start outside of hospitality maybe, and then find your way into it. Because I do think that really does show the passion and love that people have towards our industry because once that bug, you know, and it happens to travel too, it grabs a hold of you. It's hard to let go. And here you are. And a lot of the hospitality professionals that I have spoken to they've had that exposure to other industries. And there's just something about hospitality that is so special. And I think you nailed it on the head about talking about the power that travel has. And one of the things within travel is storytelling. And I've heard you in other interviews talk about your passion and storytell...

Repressionen gegen Fußballfans sind ein altes Thema, welches in den letzten Jahren auch dank der Arbeit der Fanhilfen medial deutlich mehr Aufmerksamkeit erfährt. Während früher immer nur die Polizeiberichte abgeschrieben wurden, gibt es heute eine Gegenöffentlichkeit. Beim FC St. Pauli nennt sich die Fanhilfe die "Braun-Weisse Hilfe" und bietet neben der konkreten Hilfe für Fans auch Bildungsangebote und eben besagte Medienarbeit. Wir haben uns mit drei Vertreter*innen der BWH getroffen und ausführlich über ihre ehrenamtliche Arbeit gesprochen.

Novel Imaging Techniques and Phenotypes in Asthma and COPD

Update on Pulmonary Function Test Interpretation

Beyond the Digest are bonus episodes to the DermSurgery Digest that include reviews of interesting and relevant articles from JAMA Network and JAAD. Articles featured in this episode include: ·        “Oncologic outcomes for invasive squamous cell carcinoma with a clinically resolved biopsy site managed by watchful waiting: A retrospective cohort study” JAAD·        “Risk Factor Number and Recurrence, Metastasis, and Disease-Related Death in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma” JAMA Network·        “A multicenter validation study of Mohs micrographic surgery versus wide local excision in primary high-stage cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma” JAAD·        “Identifying the impact of minor risk factors in Brigham and Women's Hospital stage T1 cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas on risk of poor outcomes: A retrospective cohort study” JAAD·        “Prevalence of poor outcomes in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma by AJCC and BWH tumor stages: A systematic review and meta-analysis” JAAD·        “Lymphovascular invasion is an independent predictor of metastasis and disease-specific death in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: A multicenter retrospective study” JAAD·        “riSCC: A personalized risk model for the development of poor outcomes in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma” JAAD  Beyond the Digest Contributors include Naomi Lawrence, MD, Dermatologic Surgery Digital Content Editor; Yesul Kim, MD, Beyond the Digest Co-host; Caresse Gamret, MD; Tara Jennings, MD; Sydney Proffer, MD; Yssra Soliman, MD; Kathryn Shahwan, MD; Ami Greene, MD; and. Your feedback is encouraged. Please contact communicationstaff@asds.net.

BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod ***Purchase BWH Pod "Healing On The Daily" mugs here: blkwmnhealing.bigcartel.com/product/hea…e-daily-mug Today is our co-host, Donika's bday! Listen as she does a quick reflection on the last year of life and how she wants to live moving forward. Listen, Like and share to your peeps

The Role of Viruses in Asthma Development and Severity

BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod ***Purchase BWH Pod "Healing On The Daily" mugs here: blkwmnhealing.bigcartel.com/product/hea…e-daily-mug This episode is a good one for the soul! Our guest today is Heniya Cheyenne. She is a vivacious force from Inglewood, CA, who has dedicated her life to laughter and spiritual empowerment. While she believes that life continuously offers beauty and abundance freely, it is her embodiment of the challenges that arise from life's evolution that truly informs her art. WE love us some Heniya. You gotta go

***This episode is sponsored by MESkin. MESkin's mission is simple yet profound to provide soothing, corrective, and comforting skincare solutions to parents worldwide whose children suffer from eczema and similar skin conditions. Find all MESkincare products: https://meskincare.online. *** ***Purchase BWH Pod "Healing On The Daily" mugs here: blkwmnhealing.bigcartel.com/product/hea…e-daily-mug Follow us on Youtube for the visuals: www.youtube.com/@bwh_podBWH In this week's episode we discuss the impact of today's political climate on anxiety within marginalized communities with our special guest Shawniel. Shawniel Chamanlal is an award-winning Licensed Therapist, Business Coach, and the visionary Owner of Healing Springs Wellness Center, a pioneering holistic counseling and wellness practice. You gotta go listen

***Purchase BWH Pod "Healing On The Daily" mugs here: blkwmnhealing.bigcartel.com/product/hea…e-daily-mug Follow us on Youtube for the visuals: www.youtube.com/@bwh_podBWH Grief can be so hard and disheartening but we appreciate our co-host Myra for sharing that there is indeed beauty in grief! You can find more about Myra on her social media www.instagram.com/mysensesofself/ and website www.mysensesofself.com. BWH healing workbook can be found at: amzn.to/3kpZZF1 & Urbana Goods Store located at 1756 W El Segundo Blvd Unit D Gardena, CA 90249

***Purchase BWH Pod "Healing On The Daily" mugs here: blkwmnhealing.bigcartel.com/product/hea…e-daily-mug Follow us on Youtube for the visuals: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod We are joined this week by the lovely Candice Marie! She is an international relations specialist, author of The Most Disrespected Person in America, and a global travel expert with over 20 years of experience living and working abroad. It was such a joy to talk with her in this casual conversation about solo travel ☺️ Follow her on all platforms : @shygirlsfly You gotta go listen

***Purchase BWH Pod "Healing On The Daily" mugs here: https://blkwmnhealing.bigcartel.com/product/healing-on-the-daily-mug Follow us on Youtube for the visuals: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod In this weeks episode, we are joined by Rev. Tammie Denyse, PhD, and we were so fulfilled to have her for this episode. Rev. Tammie has such a bright spirit and was able to bring light and authenticity in discussing navigating Breast Cancer as a community. Rev. Tammie Denyse, PhD is a dedicated advocate focused on empowering and healing women of color affected by breast cancer. A nearly 20-year breast cancer survivor, Rev. Denyse is an ordained minister and a published author with extensive expertise in breast cancer awareness, entrepreneurship, and spiritual wellness. Find her non-profit Carrie's TOUCH here : https://carriestouch.org You gotta go listen

***BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod Information was definitely gained in this weeks episode with our special guest Dr. Njideka N. Olatunde, an accomplished Naturopath and a leading authority on the cultural integration of traditional health practices with conventional medicine for mind, body and emotional wellness. She has 40+ years experience in Reflexology Therapy as a Master Reflexologist, Pain Relief Educator and consultant who has helped thousands of chronic pain suffers with Relieve Pain First before treatment using the power of touch and Reflexology therapy, as an alternative in addressing the opioid epidemic. You gotta go listen

Happy Black History Month! We love us! *** BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod Our co-host, Donika, led February's intention of the month to take a break from social media. 1 day..2 days.. the whole month whatever makes sense for you, just take some type of break. Reset, rejuvenate, recenter! You gotta go listen

***BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod We absolutely love this woman! She has a such a beautiful, bright, and most important genuine soul. In this episode we discussed Nilla navigating life, challenges and being a black creative women in the music industry. You gotta go listen

***BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod Happy MLK Day

In this episode, we dive deep into the transformative journey of Best Western Hotels (BWH) with the incredible Amy Hulbert, Vice President of Boutique and Upscale Brands for Best Western Hotels. Discover how this iconic hospitality brand has split into three distinct brands to lead the charge in reshaping the industry and how sustainability lies at the heart of their mission.We'll explore why Europe is leading the way in sustainability certification and discuss how the U.S. hospitality market can catch up. Learn how a strong focus on sustainability not only enhances a hotel's environmental impact but also increases guest retention and satisfaction—proving that happy teams and sustainable operations drive business success.Amy shares her expertise on the design evolution of Best Western's boutique and upscale brands. Alongside that, we discuss the role of Green Key Global certification in pushing sustainability forward, including actionable steps hotels can take—like moving beyond small details such as Keurig cups to implementing large-scale changes in food, beverages, and operations.Finally, we look to the future, as BWH aims to certify all of its properties by 2026, setting a standard for affordable, sustainable innovation across the industry. Whether you're a hotelier, a sustainability advocate, or just someone curious about the future of hospitality, this conversation is packed with insights you won't want to miss!Tune in to hear how Best Western is becoming a community leader, a pioneer in sustainability, and a trendsetter in design—all while preparing the hospitality industry for what lies ahead.Key Takeaways:Best Western Hotels - How the brand split into 3 brands to try and push the hospitality industry forward.The Sustainability Certification - Europe is leading in sustainability, so why isn't the USA following? How can a sustainability certification push a hotel forward?The Local Connection - Best Western encourages their hotels to be pillars in their local communities.Retention and Satisfaction - People seek out sustainable places to stay, and sustainable hotels that keep their staff happy and satisfied tend to see an increase in patrons.Green Key Global and Synergy - By hotels, for hotels. BWH is trying to find people aligned with their goals and the industry by getting ahead of the market.Going Green - The steps to becoming Green Key certified. From small Keurig cups to meals. The Future - All BW Hotels will be certified by 2026. Food and beverages are seeing massive sustainable overhauls, and teams are being contacted directly to find affordable solutions.

BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod The Greater Los Angeles area has ongoing wildfires that have and continue to impact residents and the entire community. This is a very devastating time and a testament to how important community is. Black Women Healing Podcast is here to remind you to prioritize your well-being and support one another. Please follow our Instagram for more resources! Happy Birthday to our co-host Myra! Enjoy this week's episode with her. You can find more about Myra on her social media https://www.instagram.com/mysensesofself/ and website www.mysensesofself.com. BWH healing workbook can be found at: amzn.to/3kpZZF1 & Urbana Goods Store located at 1756 W El Segundo Blvd Unit D Gardena, CA 90249

Send us a textTravel rewards have become increasingly popular in recent years, with more and more people taking advantage of the opportunity to earn points and miles on their everyday spending. According to a recent survey by NerdWallet, 41% of Americans have at least one travel rewards credit card. The variety of travel rewards programs in the market allows consumers to choose rewards that fit their lifestyle and build loyalty with brands they identify with. s have at least one travel rewards credit card. The variety of travel rewards programs in the market allows consumers to choose rewards that fit their lifestyle and build loyalty with brands they identify with.  BWH Hotels has accommodated travelers and listened to their needs for over 75 years. At the core of this diverse portfolio of brands, including Best Western, is a commitment to exceptional customer experience. BWH's recent initiatives, including the launch of two new co-branded credit cards in partnership with Mercury Financial and Visa, highlight their commitment to meeting the evolving needs of customers and helping them stand out in the competitive hospitality market. These credit cards offer a variety of benefits tailored to both frequent and occasional travelers.   "We are excited that this will make travel experiences more possible for our cardholders and our members," said Jay Hubbs, Vice President of Advertising, Marketing, Innovation and Analytics at BWH Hotel Group. "Our partnership combines the expertise of Mercury Financial and Visa with our award-winning Best Western Rewards loyalty program." Read the full article on Loyalty360 here: https://loyalty360.org/content-gallery/in-depth-exclusives/bwh-hotels-elevating-customer-loyalty-and-inspiring-travel

***This episode is sponsored by California Black Women's Health Project. CALIFORNIA BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH PROJECT, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was established in 1994 as an affiliate of the Black Women's Health Imperative (formerly National Black Women's Health Project) based in Washington D.C. CABWHP seeks to empower women to become active participants in improving their health status. For the 12 days of Wellness events, please visit www.cabwhp.org/12days or follow California Black Women's Health Project www.instagram.com/cabwhp/?hl=en on Instagram! If you want to join Sisters Mentally Mobilized Advocate Training Program; Don't wait—apply today and become part of a movement for healing and justice. Learn more at www.cabwhp.org/sisters-mentally-mobilized or follow California Black Women's Health Project @cabwhp on Instagram! *** BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod Our co-host, Donika, led Decembers intention of the month to not let stress take over. Pay attention to your body, mind, and spirit and make the best accommodations to move through the adversities of life. You gotta go listen

***This episode is sponsored by California Black Women's Health Project. CALIFORNIA BLACK WOMEN'S HEALTH PROJECT, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was established in 1994 as an affiliate of the Black Women's Health Imperative (formerly National Black Women's Health Project) based in Washington D.C. CABWHP seeks to empower women to become active participants in improving their health status. For the 12 days of Wellness events, please visit www.cabwhp.org/12days or follow California Black Women's Health Project https://www.instagram.com/cabwhp/?hl=en on Instagram! If you want to join Sisters Mentally Mobilized Advocate Training Program; Don't wait—apply today and become part of a movement for healing and justice. Learn more at www.cabwhp.org/sisters-mentally-mobilized or follow California Black Women's Health Project @cabwhp on Instagram! *** BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod Today's special guest is Kevito, Founder of Love, Peace & Games: Play It Forward, a 501(c)(3) that facilitates free and donation-based community programming throughout Los Angeles. This episode was just what we needed right now. Community really is EVERYTHING

BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod DBT? What's that you might ask? In short, it stands for Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and in words of todays guest Mariah Covington, DBT helps you to change the things you can and accept the things you can't. You have to listen to the full episode to get the details on all the benefits of this specific therapy treatment. You gotta go listen

Mast Cells in Asthma-More Complicated Than We Thought

BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod In November's

In this episode of Beyond The Abstract, Dr. Joji Suzuki stops by the show to discuss his recent co-authored review on GLP-1 agonists and their potential role in addiction treatment. Dr. Suzuki is the founding Director of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (HMS). He is board certified in both Addiction Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, and has continued to maintain his clinical role as an inpatient addiction consultant at BWH. He has received NIH funding continuously since 2017, having completed a K23 Career Development Award to receive training in conducting clinical trials with an emphasis on research to improve the care of hospitalized patients. He is now a principal investigator on multiple NIH funded trials to evaluate novel pharmacologic and psychosocial treatments for substance use disorders.   The Efficacy of GLP-1 Agonists in Treating Substance Use Disorder in Patients: A Scoping Review   Journal of Addiction Medicine 18(5):p 488-498, 9/10 2024   Sept-Oct 2024

BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod Just the two of us:) In this episode Myra leads the discussion on different forms of entertainment and we discuss healing through shows, movies, podcast, and overall entertainment. BWH healing workbook can be found at:
amzn.to/3kpZZF1
& Urbana Goods Store located at 1756 W El Segundo Blvd
Unit D Gardena, CA 90249

BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod In today's episode, we are joined by the amazing soul Shelah Marie. Shelah Marie is an author, content creator, and women's wellness influencer, helping disrupt the ideas that women should place themselves last or seek others' approval in order to lead healthy, fulfilling lives. And in this episode we dive into her new book Unruly: A Guide to Reclaiming Your True Self, which we highly suggest you run and buy because it is

***This episode is sponsored by Butter & Lye*** Get 15% off your first order using code HEALING 15! You can find more about Butter & Lye at https://butterandlye.com/collections/all and social media https://www.instagram.com/butterandlye/ *** BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod We backkkk

BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod This week we are joined by SaVonne founder of Aya Paper Co. Aya Paper Co. is a black owned company that creates greeting cards and stationery that actually look and sound like US! With illustrations and messages that reflect the diversity of the Black experience, their greeting cards help us celebrate more authentically than ever before. You gotta go listen

BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod This week we are joined by Deborah Jane Burke, a dynamic filmmaker, writer, and producer. She has a vibrant Hollywood career having worked with networks including FOX, TBS, BET, and PBS. We discussed how the trauma of learning the history of Black people in America shapes us as Black women and we absolutely loved this episode and couldn't get enough of her, so yall know this was a good one. You gotta go listen

***This episode is sponsored by Be Rooted Co., Be Rooted Co. is a black owned company, created by Jasmin Foster. Jasmin Foster founded Be Rooted to create a space for women of color to see themselves in a place they hadn't been. Weaving culture into every design and message, Be Rooted inspires customers to explore their inner muse and celebrate self. You can find more about Be Rooted Co at berootedco.com and social media www.instagram.com/berootedco/. *** BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod Today's special guest is Dominique Jeffries, a plant based holistic health and business mentor. Her mission is to help families regenerate their lineage on a physical, spiritual, emotional and financial level using organic superfood nutrition as their anchor to transformation. You gotta go listen

***This episode is sponsored by Be Rooted Co., Be Rooted Co. is a black owned company, created by Jasmin Foster. Jasmin Foster founded Be Rooted to create a space for women of color to see themselves in a place they hadn't been. Weaving culture into every design and message, Be Rooted inspires customers to explore their inner muse and celebrate self. You can find more about Be Rooted Co at berootedco.com and social media www.instagram.com/berootedco/. *** BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod For the month of August, we will be hosting a Black Men Series. Up next we have Deandre, who recently went viral on IG's viral interviews. We discussed the highs and lows of social media and ways to not let it impact your mental wellness. Find clip here: https://www.instagram.com/p/C8UT3E5ImRm/ You gotta go listen

*** CareFreeBlackGirl CookOut is back in LA for a good time!The CookOut is an interactive day festival that promotes black women empowerment, entrepreneurship and the arts ! Location: 2023 West Gage Ave. Los Angeles 90047 Date: Saturday Aug 24th, 2024 Event Time: 3pm-9pm Purchase tickets here

BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod Myra reflects on different types of self-care and the importance of finding the right ones for yourself. Take a listen and share with others

***This episode is sponsored by Be Rooted Co., Be Rooted Co. is a black owned company, created by Jasmin Foster. Jasmin Foster founded Be Rooted to create a space for women of color to see themselves in a place they hadn't been. Weaving culture into every design and message, Be Rooted inspires customers to explore their inner muse and celebrate self. You can find more about Be Rooted Co at https://berootedco.com and social media https://www.instagram.com/berootedco/. *** BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod It's just us in this episode and we utilized a segment from our new and revised BWH Interactive Healing Workbook. This book is the perfect gift for yourself, friends, or family

***This episode is sponsored by Aya Paper Co. Aya Paper Co., is a black owned company that creates greeting cards and stationery that actually look and sound like US! With illustrations and messages that reflect the diversity of the Black experience, their greeting cards help us celebrate more authentically than ever before. Use our Coupon “BWHPOD" 1st time customers spending $20 or more will receive 15% off of their order. This code can only be used once. You can find more about Aya Paper Co at https://ayapaper.co. *** BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod It's just us in this episode and we utilized one of the products "KINFOLK DECK: AFFIRMATIONS, MEDITATIONS, AND CONVERSATION PROMPTS" from our sponsor Aya Paper Co. This deck is perfect for the entire family

BWH YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@bwh_pod In this episode, Donika shed some light on the importance of positive perception. If you are noticing everything feeling negative in your life, it might be time to change your perception on things. This is a game changer, as there will always be adversity in life. You can find more about Donika on her social media @nika502comeup and website www.dbcomforttherapy.com. BWH healing workbook can be found at: amzn.to/3kpZZF1 & Urbana Goods Store located at 1756 W El Segundo Blvd Unit D Gardena, CA 90249 If you are interested in being a guest, please find form here: linktr.ee/bwh_pod

Upcoming Event with BWH Pod LIVE Podcast: California Black Women's Health Project 30th Anniversary www.cabwhp.org/familyreunion-support.html Date: Sunday, June 30th 2024 Time: 12pm-6pm Place: SoFi Stadium Price: FREE! Donations highly suggested to keep our communities thriving

In this episode, Kenisha Nichelle, a transformative figure in the sports industry, delves into the essence of grief. Drawing from personal experiences, she offers valuable insights and practical strategies for navigating this complex emotion. You can find more about Kenisha on her website https://linktr.ee/Kenishanichellespeaks and social media handle https://www.instagram.com/kenishanichelle/ BWH healing workbook can be found at: amzn.to/3kpZZF1 & Urbana Goods Store located at 1756 W El Segundo Blvd Unit D Gardena, CA 90249 If you are interested in being a guest, please find form here: linktr.ee/bwh_pod

In this episode, Valerie Ph.D., Co-Executive Director of Families for Depression Awareness, dynamic mental health advocate, and ethnomusicologist, discusses protecting our mental health during the political season. She shares insights on staying informed and offers strategies for safeguarding our well-being. Take a listen and share with others:) You can find more about Valerie on her website https://www.familyaware.org and social media handle https://www.instagram.com/familyawareteens/ BWH healing workbook can be found at: amzn.to/3kpZZF1 & Urbana Goods Store located at 1756 W El Segundo Blvd Unit D Gardena, CA 90249 If you are interested in being a guest, please find form here: linktr.ee/bwh_pod

It's that time again:) Donika is back with her yearly birthday reflection and early word of the month for May. It's short but, as always sweet! BWH Pod will be taking a short break April 22nd-May 5th. Please use this time to catch up on our other episodes. We truly appreciate yall:) You can find more about Donika on her social media @nika502comeup and website www.dbcomforttherapy.com. BWH healing workbook can be found at: amzn.to/3kpZZF1 & Urbana Goods Store located at 1756 W El Segundo Blvd Unit D Gardena, CA 90249 If you are interested in being a guest, please find form here: linktr.ee/bwh_pod

CardioNerds Dr. Rick Ferraro (CardioNerds Academy House Faculty and Cardiology Fellow at JHH), Dr. Gurleen Kaur (Director of the CardioNerds Internship and Internal Medicine resident at BWH), and Dr. Alli Bigeh (Cardiology Fellow at the Ohio State) as they discuss the growing obesity epidemic and how it relates to cardiovascular disease with Dr. Ambarish Pandey (Cardiologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center). Show notes were drafted by Dr. Alli Bigeh. CardioNerds Academy Intern and student Dr. Shivani Reddy performed audio editing. Obesity is an important modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and it is on the rise! Here, we discuss how to identify patients with obesity and develop an approach to address current lifestyle recommendations. We also discuss the spectrum of pharmacologic treatment options available, management strategies, and some therapy options that are on the horizon. This episode was produced in collaboration with the American Society of Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) with independent medical education grant support from Novo Nordisk. See below for continuing medical education credit. Claim CME for this episode HERE. CardioNerds Prevention PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls and Quotes - Lifestyle & Pharmacologic Management of Obesity Identify obese patients not just using BMI, but also using anthropometric measurements such as waist circumference (central adiposity). Lifestyle modifications are our first line of defense against obesity! Current recommendations emphasize caloric restriction of at least 500kcal/day, plant-based and Mediterranean diets, and getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity weekly exercise. Dive into the root cause of eating and lifestyle behaviors. It is crucial to address adverse social determinants of health with patients to identify the driving behaviors, particularly among those individuals of low socioeconomic status. Newer weight loss agents are most effective at achieving and maintaining substantial weight loss, in particular Semaglutide (GLP-1) and Tirzepatide (GLP-1/GIP). Initiate at a low dose and titrate up slowly. Obesity is a risk factor and potential driver for HFpEF. Targeted treatment options for obese patients with HFpEF include SGLT-2 inhibitors and semaglutide, which recently showed improvement in quality of life and exercise capacity in the STEP-HFpEF trial. Show notes - Lifestyle & Pharmacologic Management of Obesity How do we identify and define obesity? The traditional definition of obesity is based on body mass index (BMI), defined as BMI greater than or equal to 30.0 kg/m2 (weight in kg/height in meters).Recognize that BMI may not tell the whole story. A limitation of BMI is it does not reflect differences in body composition and distribution of fat.Certain patients may not meet the BMI cutoff for obesity but have elevated cardiovascular risk based on increased central adiposity, specifically those that are categorized as overweight.The devil lies in the details of anthropometric parameters. Include waist circumference measurements as part of an obesity assessment of visceral adiposity. A waist circumference greater than 40 inches for men and greater than 35 inches for women is considered elevated. What are some current lifestyle recommendations for obese patients? Lifestyle recommendations are the first line of defense against obesity.Current ACC/AHA guidelines suggest a target of reducing caloric intake by 500 kcal per day. For patients with severe obesity, this number may be higher.Emphasis on hypocaloric plant-based and Mediterranean dietsReduce total carbohydrate intake to 50-130 grams per day.Focus on a low-fat diet with less than 30% of total energy coming from fat with a high-protein diet to main...

Calling all those with a passion for cardiovascular prevention! In this episode of the CardioNerds Cardiovascular Prevention Series, we take a deep dive into the world of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. Along the way, you'll hear about the biology of the GLP-1 molecule and its related peptides, learn more about how GLP-1 agonists promote glycemic control, weight loss, and cardiometabolic health, and explore the current body of literature supporting the individualized application of these medications to patients with diabetes, obesity, and/or ASCVD. Join Dr. Christian Faaborg-Andersen (CardioNerds Academy Fellow and Internal Medicine Resident at MGH), Dr. Gurleen Kaur (Director of the CardioNerds Internship, Chief of House Einthoven, and Internal Medicine resident at BWH), and Dr. Rick Ferraro (CardioNerds Academy House Faculty and Cardiology Fellow at JHH) for a wide-ranging discussion on GLP-1 and GIP agonists with Dr. Dennis Bruemmer (Cardiologist and Director of the Center for Cardiometabolic Health in the section of Preventive Cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic). Show notes were drafted by Dr. Christian Faaborg-Andersen. Audio editing was performed by CardioNerds Academy Intern, student Dr. Tina Reddy. This episode was produced in collaboration with the American Society of Preventive Cardiology (ASPC) with independent medical education grant support from Novo Nordisk. See below for continuing medical education credit. CardioNerds Prevention PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls and Quotes - GLP-1 Agonists: Mechanisms to Applications The selection and dosing of GLP-1 and GIP agonists (GLP-1s and GIPs) depends on their intended use as an anti-glycemic or anti-obesity agent. The cardiovascular benefits of GLP-1s and GIPs may be independent of improvements in glycemic control, and in part be driven by reduction in inflammation, a key driver of arterial plaque formation. In patients with comorbid coronary artery disease, obesity, and diabetes, GLP-1 agonists and SGLT-2 inhibitors should be used as first-line agents, over metformin. Tirzepatide is a dual agonist that activates GIP and GLP-1 receptors. GIP is highly expressed in the brain, which may mediate satiety, promote energy expenditure, and enhance peripheral glucose metabolism. Caution should be used with GLP-1 agonists in patients with long-standing diabetes complicated by gastroparesis, as well as incompletely treated diabetic retinopathy. GI upset is not uncommon with GLP-1/GIP agonists, and switching to a different agonist is unlikely to help.  Show notes - GLP-1 Agonists: Mechanisms to Applications What are the mechanisms of action by which GLP-1 and GIP controls blood sugar and body weight? Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an endogenous hormone that is secreted in response to an oral glucose load. It promotes insulin release, inhibits glucagon secretion, and slows gastric emptying via the brain-intestine axis, leading to satiety. GLP-1 agonists are medications that mimic the effect of this hormone and, on average, lower hemoglobin A1C by 0.8% to 1.5%. These medications include semaglutide, liraglutide, and dulaglutide. Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) is also an endogenous hormone, similarly secreted by the body in response to an oral glucose load such as a meal. GIP is highly expressed in the arcuate nucleus and hypothalamus, which may mediate satiety, promote energy expenditure, and enhance peripheral glucose metabolism. Tirzepatide is a dual GLP-1/GIP agonist. What is the role of GLP-1/GIP agonists in patients with overweight/obesity and/or type 2 diabetes? How does the dosing of GLP-1/GIP medications change with their intended disease target?