Her Story
About Juana "Dana"
Juana "Dana" Morales is a hospitality professional with more than 14 years of experience in hotel operations, restaurant management, and customer service. Based in Brooklyn, New York, she currently serves as Housekeeping Manager at the Hudson Yards Hotel in Manhattan, where she is responsible for maintaining exceptional guest experiences and leading daily operations. Throughout her career, she has also held leadership positions in food and beverage management, including restaurant management, while gaining valuable experience in event support and hospitality services. Her passion for creating welcoming environments and leading with empathy has made her a respected member of the hospitality industry.
Committed to lifelong learning, Juana recently completed her associate degree at LaGuardia Community College and continues to expand her professional expertise through specialized training. She holds a certificate in domestic violence advocacy earned in California in 2018, a public speaking certification through the Hispano Asociación de Conferencistas Hispanos, and is currently studying neuro-linguistic programming with the goal of becoming a certified life coach. Fluent in both Spanish and English, she credits her success to being an attentive listener, remaining humble, embracing challenges, and striving for excellence in every aspect of her work. In recognition of her professional achievements, she has been selected to be featured in the 2026 edition of Influential Women representing Brooklyn, New York.
Looking ahead, Juana aspires to advance into a general manager role with a leading hospitality company such as Marriott while also pursuing her long-term vision of launching her own hospitality services business specializing in event coordination and food and beverage management. She believes that the best career advice is to pursue work you genuinely love, because passion inspires excellence and perseverance. Guided by the values of family, respect, humility, and mutual support, she encourages the next generation of hospitality professionals to continue learning, exceed expectations, and build careers that are both personally fulfilling and professionally rewarding. Outside of work, Juana enjoys basketball and photography, interests that reflect her appreciation for teamwork, creativity, and capturing meaningful moments.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Juana "Dana"
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being a good listener, staying humble, and viewing challenges as opportunities to grow. I continually strive for excellence and believe that a commitment to learning and improving has been key to my personal and professional development.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to do what you love. When you’re passionate about your work, it becomes more than just a job—it’s something you genuinely enjoy and are motivated to do every day.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
If you love what you do, give it your best every day. Stay curious, keep learning, and embrace every opportunity to grow. Most importantly, find happiness in your work and let that passion guide your career.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges is managing and leading employees with diverse personalities, experiences, and backgrounds. At the same time, it’s a valuable opportunity to build strong relationships, foster collaboration, and create an inclusive environment where everyone can succeed.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Family and respect are the values I hold closest. I believe in supporting one another, treating everyone with respect, and building meaningful relationships based on trust, kindness, and mutual understanding.
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