A bold, intentional initiative is underway across the United States between higher education institutions and top hospitality stakeholders to build a strategically aligned foundation, to address the needs of and create a pathway for talented, lower socio-economic, underrepresented minority students to pursue a hospitality management degree and become future leaders in the industry.
AHED will provide a path for high school and community college students to gain access to leading hospitality education programs in the pursuit of ultimately attaining positions in executive-leadership—where Black professionals represent less than one percent of all industry CEOs and presidents and women less than 12 percent—and/or an academic career leading to professorships in hospitality management with an esteemed institution.

Our Mission
To intentionally transform the hospitality industry to uplift and amplify a culture representative of untapped talent.
Our Vision
To create a hospitality workforce of diverse, equitable, and inclusive leaders
Our Strategy
To catalyze hospitality DEI action through recruitment, scholarship, advocacy, mentorship, and partnership—elevating measurable belonging and accountability
Did you know?
- <1%Of hospitality industry CEOs/Presidents are black
- <12%Women in hospitality industry leadership positions
- <11%Hispanic/Latinx professors in hospitality higher education
- 40%The drastic drop of female employees moving up to mid-level management positions
The Alliance for Hospitality Equity & Diversity (AHED) will seek to:
- Establish the Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits (SGWS) Endowed Professorship
- Create pathways and scholarships for underrepresented minorities and in gender diversity
- Generate new hospitality industry research
- Offer mentorship program with diverse Alliance-member executives
- Build inclusive, committed partnerships with other hospitality programs
- Develop a recruitment team to identify potential students and future leaders in our industry.

AHED Council Members
The Alliance for Hospitality Equity & Diversity council is made up of academic, industry, and associations professionals in the hospitality field.
Support the Alliance
Partnership Alignment
We are confident that our partnership opportunity can help reshape the DE&I demographic landscape within the Hospitality and Tourism industry.