Mauna Lani Appoints New Sales & Marketing Team Members

Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, has appointed new marketing leadership members, joining Vice President and General Manager Sanjiv Hulugalle of the all-new luxury resort set to debut in late-2019.

Mauna Lani welcomes Chris White as senior director of marketing, leading the sales and marketing efforts, along with hospitality and Hawai‘i veterans Mika Hara, Michelle Edwards and sales experts Robin Killett and Elisa Pak, to round out the team.

“I’m delighted to have Chris at the helm of the sales and marketing efforts, matched by a dynamic and experienced team of industry mavens with the likes of Mika, Michelle, Robin and Elisa—who each bring a wealth of luxury hospitality expertise, forward-thinking strategies and innate business sense to their respective areas of proficiency, along with an affinity for Hawaiian culture and Hawai‘i Island’s active lifestyle pursuits,” said Sanjiv Hulugalle, vice president and general manager of Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection. “This senior sales and marketing leadership team will be instrumental as we introduce a new era of wonder here on Hawai‘i Island and establish Auberge Resorts as Hawai‘i’s most coveted new haven and best loved resort in Hawai‘i.”

The new appointments include:

Chris White, Senior Director of Sales and Marketing

As senior director of sales and marketing, White is charged with overseeing the Auberge Resorts Collection’s extensive marketing efforts, including advertising, sales, marketing, brand conceptualization and driving revenue to achieve global growth. White, who brings over two decades of luxury marketing experience to the role, has been at the helm of numerous properties and has garnered industry recognition for his visionary approach, leadership and strategic marketing and branding launch tactics, all the while successfully leading an effective and revenue driven sales department.

Most recently, White served as senior director of Hotel Marketing for Auberge Resorts Collection, managing the marketing and sales performance for multiple resorts within the brand’s coveted portfolio and leading parallel efforts for new developments. Prior to Auberge Resorts Collection, he served in myriad sales and marketing leadership roles for renowned luxury brands including St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort, Laguna Niguel; Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Island of Hawai‘i; St. Regis Princeville Resort, Kauai; and Fairmont Chateau Whistler, British Columbia.

When not in the office, White can be found paddling along the Kohala Coast or exploring, via an adrenaline-infused e-bike, one of the many nature trails surrounding the resort and throughout Waimea’s pristine backcountry.

Mika Hara, Senior Director of Revenue Strategy

Hara brings over 25 years of hospitality industry to her new position at Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection. She specializes in revenue management with also experiences in hotel operations as well as sales. Most recently she held the position of director of Revenue and Yield Management at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai for last seven years. During Hara’s tenure and as a result of her leadership, the property remained among the top three resorts within the brand and achieved the highest Revpar in the company. She also served in revenue leader roles for reputable luxury resorts and hotels including Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, Four Seasons Hotel Beverly Wilshire, Four Seasons Resort Maui and Grand Wailea Resort.

As a travel and culinary enthusiast, Hara enjoys exploring the food and beverage scenes in new destinations to capture an authentic sense of place, as well as right here at home. She’s a frequent visitor to Hawai‘i Island’s island-to-table farmer’s markets with her family.

Michelle Edwards, Director of Public Relations and Communications

A 13-year luxury hospitality professional, Edwards brings a wealth of public relations expertise, luxury brand know-how and innovation to the Director of Public Relations and Communications role. Edwards joins Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection most recently from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts where she served as a strategic communications consultant for the luxury brand, working on publicity and branding campaigns for Four Seasons properties globally, including Four Seasons Resort O‘ahu, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, Four Seasons Hotel Doha, Four Seasons Costa Rica and Four Seasons Hotel Austin. Edwards, who has managed highly effective publicity campaigns for a myriad of hotel and restaurant openings throughout her career, has garnered global recognition for her innovation, creative vision and flawless execution in developing unique storytelling campaigns and cultivating groundbreaking experiential activations.

An outdoor enthusiast with a passion for photography, Edwards enjoys spending much of her free time paddle boarding, diving and hiking—documenting her adventures along the way.

Robin Killett, Director of Sales

As the director of sales for Mauna Lani, Killett is responsible for maximizing group revenue and profitability through the sale of guest rooms, catering events and sales initiatives, along with managing global key accounts and overseeing the group sales team. Her career spans almost 30 years in the hospitality industry, including 23 years with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Robin brings her unparalleled knowledge of the Hawai‘i group landscape in the luxury market, along with her award-winning sales experience to Auberge Resorts Collection.

An avid tennis player with a passion for art and culture, Killett can be found on the tennis courts or perusing the latest exhibit at Lahaina Galleries, owned and operated by her family.

Elisa Pak, Director of Leisure Sales

A luxury hospitality veteran with more than 26 years of experience, Elisa Pak has been appointed director of Leisure Sales. In her role, Pak oversees all areas of the leisure sales department, development of strategic plans to positively impact the leisure market, including all sales efforts targeting individual travel producers, retail travel agents, consortiums and wholesalers for the resort. Prior to joining Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, she held the position of Senior Regional Sales Manager with Four Seasons Resorts Hawai‘i, which included Maui, Lana‘i, Hawai‘i Island and O‘ahu. Prior to Hawai‘i, Pak held several key leadership positions for Four Seasons Hotel Newport Beach; The Ritz Carlton Battery Park; The Pierre—A Four Seasons Hotel; and Four Seasons Hotel New York.

An adventure enthusiast, Pak enjoys spending time outdoors by way of zip lining, stand-up paddle boarding and outrigger canoe paddling to reconnect with nature.

Redefining a new era of experiential luxury on the Island of Hawai‘i, Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection is set to debut late-2019. Ideally located on 32 expansive oceanfront acres, marked by ancient royal fish ponds, natural lava plains, lush tropical gardens and bordered by alluring beaches, Mauna Lani – meaning “mountain reaching heaven,” is an inspiring spiritual haven that captures a distinct sense of place deeply rooted in rich cultural traditions, yet seamlessly blends a modern tomorrow. Nowhere in the Hawaiian archipelago is the land more powerful, more sacred, more alive, than this storied and natural place of wonder.

Mauna Lani boasts 333 contemporary guest rooms and suites, five private bungalow residences, six extraordinary restaurants and lounges, three distinct pools, a signature spa and wellness haven and interactive Holoholo Kids Crew—all matched by Auberge’s intuitive and gracious service. Transformational experiences, enriching cultural immersion, unrivalled amenities and curated moments—await guests at Mauna Lani. This is all centered around the piko—an infinite circle, which reflects the area’s distinct eternal spirit, anchored by Hawai‘i’s five great mountains. From this singular locale, the mountains of Hualālai, Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Kohala and Maui’s Haleakalā are all visible in the distance. It is here, at the piko, Mauna Lani intrinsically links the people, the culture and the land, to a deeply woven sense of place rooted in extraordinary core values and experiences—where friendships are fostered, families reconnect and curiosities unfold.

For more information, visit this website.

About Auberge Resorts Collection
Auberge Resorts Collection is a portfolio of extraordinary hotels, resorts, residences and private clubs. While each property is unique, all share a crafted approach to luxury and bring the soul of the locale to life through captivating design, exceptional cuisine and spas and gracious yet unobtrusive service. With 19 hotels and resorts across three continents, Auberge invites guests to create unforgettable stories in some of the world’s most desirable destinations. For more information about Auberge Resorts Collection, go online.

About The Friedkin Group
The Friedkin Group encompasses a consortium of automotive, hospitality, entertainment, golf and adventure companies. These organizations include: Gulf States Toyota, GSFSGroup, GSM, US AutoLogistics, Ascent Automotive Group, Auberge Resorts Collection, Imperative Entertainment, 30WEST, NEON, Diamond Creek Golf Club, Congaree and Legendary Adventures. The Friedkin Group is led by Chairman and CEO Dan Friedkin. For more information, visit this website.