Her Story
About Heather
Heather Davis is a seasoned hospitality executive and Senior Vice President of Operations at Aimbridge Hospitality, where she oversees three major portfolios encompassing approximately 140 hotels across the United States. With more than two decades of progressive leadership experience, she is responsible for driving operational excellence, revenue performance, owner relations, renovation initiatives, and strategic business growth across a diverse hospitality portfolio. Her leadership focuses on supporting hotel teams, enhancing guest experiences, and delivering strong financial results while maintaining high standards of service and operational execution.
Heather’s hospitality career began in food and beverage operations at the iconic Waldorf Astoria New York, where she developed the operational foundation that would shape her career. She later spent four years living and working in Ireland, gaining valuable international experience and a global perspective on hospitality management. Upon returning to New York City, she advanced through a series of leadership roles, including Hotel Manager, General Manager, Dual General Manager, and Area General Manager. Throughout her career, she has successfully managed both union and non-union properties, overseeing all aspects of hotel operations, from food and beverage and guest services to large-scale property management and team development.
Since joining Aimbridge Hospitality, Heather has continued to rise through the organization, serving as Regional Vice President of Operations, Vice President of Operations, and now Senior Vice President. Known for her strategic mindset, collaborative leadership style, and commitment to developing high-performing teams, she has managed portfolios generating hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue while helping owners maximize asset value and operational performance. A passionate advocate for employee wellness, professional development, and industry innovation, Heather is recognized as a respected leader who is shaping the future of hospitality operations while fostering a culture of excellence, engagement, and growth.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Heather
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to finding really good mentors and being a mentor to people below me. I think having somebody that can help guide you if you're unsure about where your next role should be, or just provide guidance in the role you're in if you're going through a turbulent stage, is really important. At the same time, growing leaders below you is equally valuable. I also believe in being yourself and being outgoing as well as professional. I think people feel like you have to be a certain sort of way in business, especially as a woman, but I think you have to be yourself because that's the only way you're going to feel comfortable in any position you're put into, whether it's going into a meeting with a CEO or with an owner. You have to feel comfortable going into that.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
It's still tough for us at senior leadership levels - we're still the minority. You have to find that balance of keeping the emotion out, because that's where everybody says women get emotional about things. I also think we always tend to not have our voice heard because we feel like people will think we're overly passionate or we get agile. That's not the case - we just have to be able to make our case and be heard, and not silence ourselves. There's a way around doing it. There's direct, and then there's direct with a rounded edge. You have to be able to be direct, but with a rounded edge so people don't think that you're somebody that's not approachable. You still have to be approachable, but yet forceful the right way. You also need to prove yourself and work hard as a young leader in the industry. You always want to work and do the work of the role that you're going for, because it just makes you ready for it. Whether it's your job description or not, you should be doing items of the role ahead of you. If you're an assistant general manager, learn as much as you can so that when you do get a general manager position, you already knew how to do all of the items that a general manager is doing. You always want to be doing that next role and items from it, so that you are ready for the next role and you're the shoe-in when that role comes available.
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