LAKENDRA D. NEALY
Coconut Creek
Summary
Hospitality leader with 20+ years of experience driving guest experience strategy, loyalty optimization, and operational performance within Marriott International and The Ritz-Carlton. Proven ability to influence property and regional leadership, improve guest satisfaction, and contribute to revenue growth through data-driven insights and service excellence. Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) candidate with expertise in ethical leadership, employee well-being, and global workforce strategy. Known for strengthening brand loyalty, optimizing service recovery, and aligning operations with business outcomes.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Leader, Guest Experience & Loyalty Strategy (Property + Regional Influence)
Marriott International / The Ritz-Carlton
11.2006 - Current
- Drive guest experience and loyalty strategy execution for a high-performing luxury property while influencing regional service standards and operational alignment
- Leverage guest satisfaction data and behavioral insights to support improvements in retention, service delivery, and overall guest satisfaction scores
- Lead complex service recovery cases, resolving escalations and contributing to increased guest loyalty and brand trust
- Partner with property leadership to optimize front office operations, reservations systems, and end-to-end guest journey performance
- Contribute to incremental revenue growth through upselling, premium service positioning, and strategic guest engagement
- Support regional operational consistency by collaborating with cross-functional teams across sales, reservations, and on-property departments
- Coach and support team members to enhance service excellence, engagement, and performance outcomes
- Manage high-volume group and enterprise reservations (Passkey), ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and revenue capture
- Strengthened guest satisfaction and loyalty outcomes through high-impact service recovery and personalized engagement strategies
- Supported revenue performance through upselling and premium service delivery initiatives
- Improved operational efficiency and guest journey consistency through cross-functional collaboration
- Contributed to employee engagement and service quality improvements through coaching and development support
Education
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) -
Florida International University
Miami, FL07-2027
M.S. - Hospitality Management
Florida International University
Miami, FL07-2024
B.S. - Hospitality & Tourism Management
Florida International University
Miami, FL05-2023
Skills
- Google Analytics
- SEO/SEM
- PeopleSoft
- Passkey
- Microsoft Office
- CRM Systems
Thought Leadership
Presenter, Academy of International Business Latin America and Caribbean Chapter Conference, 03/05/26, Lima, Peru, Ethical Leadership, Employee Well-Being, and Global Job Satisfaction Measurement, Delivered insights connecting employee experience to organizational performance in global hospitality.
Technical And Professional
- Google Analytics
- SEO/SEM
- PeopleSoft
- Passkey
- Microsoft Office
- CRM Systems
- Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International
- National Society of Leadership and Success
- National Association of Black Accountants
Select Business Impact
- Strengthened guest satisfaction and loyalty outcomes through high-impact service recovery and personalized engagement strategies.
- Supported revenue performance through upselling and premium service delivery initiatives.
- Improved operational efficiency and guest journey consistency through cross-functional collaboration.
- Contributed to employee engagement and service quality improvements through coaching and development support.
Core Leadership Impact
- Guest Experience Strategy
- Loyalty & Retention
- Revenue Growth
- Operational Leadership
- Service Recovery
- Cross-Functional Influence
- Data-Driven Decision Making
- Employee Engagement
- Performance Optimization
Timeline
Leader, Guest Experience & Loyalty Strategy (Property + Regional Influence)
Marriott International / The Ritz-Carlton
11.2006 - Current
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) -
Florida International University
M.S. - Hospitality Management
Florida International University
B.S. - Hospitality & Tourism Management
Florida International University