Dr. Caroline A. Cooper, CHA, brings more than three decades of experience and innovation in the field of Education to her position as Professor in the Alan Shawn Feinstein Graduate School.  As a previous Dean of the Hospitality College, her progressive style of leadership is credited with making The Hospitality College the nation’s largest hospitality educator, with 11 programs, more than 2,700 students, and a national ranking in the top 10 programs in the U.S.

In 1995, the White House recognized Dr. Cooper’s international reputation as a leading tourism educator by naming her to several national committees charged with guiding the future of the U.S.  tourism industry. Internationally, Dr. Cooper is the past Chair and President of the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (CHRIE), and was inducted into the CHRIE Hall of Fame in 1996. Dr. Cooper presently serves as the formative president of the Northeast Federation of CHRIE.  She has served on the Board of Trustees, the Executive Committee, the Nominating Committee and Chair of the Certification Commission for the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI).

Dr. Cooper has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Lamp of Knowledge Award as Outstanding Educator by the EI, and the Pacesetter Award from the Roundtable for Women in Foodservice.  She holds a Doctorate of Education Leadership in Higher Education from U Mass, Boston as well as a MBA from Bryant College, and is also a Certified Hotel Administrator.  Prior to joining Johnson & Wales University in 1978, she held a variety of positions in the foodservice industry including Foodservice Administration, Research & Development, New Product Development, New Product Marketing, and was President of her own consulting company. Dr. Cooper has lectured extensively throughout the U.S., as well as in Canada, Egypt, Iceland and Israel, and has published extensively in texts and journals. 

Pedro Mandoki, CHA, owner of Mandoki Hospitality, Inc., has been associated with the hotel and resort industry for more than 40 years.  He has served as Regional Director of Operations for the International Hospitality Group (Orlando, Florida), as a Managing Director of the Breckenridge Hotel (Jefferson City, Missouri), and as General Manager of Lodging & Restaurants for Callaway Gardens (Pine Mountain, Georgia).  He has held management positions with the Mayflower Hotel (Washington, DC) and the Royal Orleans Hotel (New Orleans, Louisiana).

He founded Plantation Resort Management, Inc. (PRM) in 1985 and was the sole owner until 1998, when the company merged with ResortQuest International, Inc., the first branded vacation rental and property management company offering vacation rentals in premier resort destinations throughout North America. In 2005, he repurchased the assets of Plantation Resort Management and he now operates the Gulf Shore Plantation Resort under his management company Mandoki Hospitality, Inc.

Mandoki is also the sole owner and President of N.P. Hotel Group, Inc., a hotel/resort management and consulting company that operates primarily in Florida, as well as operating various other companies all under the umbrella of Mandoki Hospitality Group. He was the founding Chairman of the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.  In November 2004, he was named Chairman of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, after serving as Secretary/Treasurer and Vice Chairman.

He serves as an adjunct instructor at the Faulkner State Community College hospitality program, and has been a guest lecturer at major universities throughout the U.S. Mandoki also co-authored Resort Condominium and Vacation Ownership Management: A Hospitality Perspective, the first book published by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) on condominium and vacation ownership management.

A native of Hungary, Pedro Mandoki graduated with B.S. degree from the University of Morelos, Mexico, where he grew up and started his career in the hotel industry.

Richard C. Nelson, CHA, a 40-year veteran in the hotel industry, is Vice President Emeritus of Hyatt Hotels Corporation. In June 1996, he retired from day-to-day operations as Vice President/Managing Director, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, D.C. Today, he remains active in the hospitality industry through his consulting work, and mentoring of young hoteliers.

Prior to joining Hyatt in 1972, Nelson spent 15 years with Hilton Hotels Corporation in various management positions around the country; his last position being General Manager of the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. (1969-1972).

A graduate of Duke University and the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, Nelson was invited to return to Cornell as Executive in Residence in 1997. His tenure as President of the Hotel School's Alumni organization (Cornell Hotel Society1997-98) marked the Hotel School’s milestone 75^th Anniversary.

A Past President of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the Washington, D.C. Hotel and Motel Association, and the Washington Convention and Visitors Association, Nelson has had numerous affiliations with business, non-profit and civic organizations. Among his many honors received include: Capital Achievement Award by the Washington Convention and Visitors Association, Man of the Year by the National Academy of Tourism Organization, and Leader of the Year by the Greater Washington Board of Trade.

Paul O’Neil, CHA, Chief Operating Officer of Kerzner International, manages and operates all worldwide Atlantis and One&Only brand resorts, which includes the Company’s flagship resort, Atlantis, Paradise Island in The Bahamas. He has been integral to the success and growth of Atlantis, overseeing the revitalization of Atlantis, helping to make it one of the most well-known brands in the travel industry. Under his leadership, Atlantis unveiled a $1 billion expansion, including; two new luxury resorts; a dolphin interaction and education center; a 97-acre addition to the resort’s water park; and 100,000 square feet of conference and meeting space, making the resort home to the largest conference facilities in the Caribbean. He also played a central role in expanding the Atlantis brand in 2008 with the opening of Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai.

O’Neil studied Hotel Administration at Florida State University before beginning a career with ITT Sheraton in 1968 in the Management Training Program. His 23-year tenure with ITT Sheraton culminated as Vice President, Director of Operations for the North America Division.

Prior to rejoining ITT Sheraton in 1992 as President of Sheraton Hotels in New York, he served as Executive Vice President of Canadian Pacific Hotels & Resorts. He also served as President and CEO of Doubletree Hotels, and was Partner of Medallion Hotel Corporation. 

Immediately prior to joining Kerzner International, O’Neil held the position of President and CEO of Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada from 1998 to 2000.