Trustees

As a Taft-Hartley trust fund, the Hospitality Industry Training and Education Fund (HITEF) is jointly governed by a Board of 3 permanent Trustees and 3 alternate Trustees appointed by UNITE HERE Local 11 and 3 permanent Trustees and 3 alternate Trustees appointed by employers who contribute to the Fund.

SUSAN MINATO
HTA Board Chair

Susan Minato is the Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11, representing more than 30,000 hospitality workers across Southern California, and an International Vice President of UNITE HERE. A graduate of UCLA School of Law, she began her legal career at the LA County Public Defender’s Office and the Inner-City Law Center, advocating for Skid Row residents. She later served as staff attorney for the Utility Workers Union of America Local 132, representing Gas Company workers.

Drawn to the power of worker organizing, Susan transitioned to UNITE HERE in 1993, taking on assignments in San Diego, Laughlin, and Las Vegas before settling in Los Angeles. For over two decades, she has led organizing efforts in the hospitality industry and mentored emerging leaders in the labor movement.

A fourth-generation Japanese American, Susan’s family immigrated to California in 1888, working as farmers and fishermen before being incarcerated in internment camps in 1943. She lives in Northeast Los Angeles with her husband and two sons.

JAMIE CLOUGH
HTA Board Secretary

Jamie Clough is the Senior Vice President of Labor Relations at Compass Group USA, leading labor strategy and negotiations across the organization.

Previously, he served as Regional Director of Human Resources for Levy Restaurants’ West Division, overseeing HR operations for more than 40 sports and entertainment venues from California to Texas. Originally from the UK, Jamie began his career with Levy UK before relocating to Los Angeles in 2013, where he worked extensively in the LA market at major venues such as STAPLES Center and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

KURT PETERSEN
HTA Board Trustee

Kurt Petersen graduated from the University of Notre Dame and received his J.D. from Yale Law School.

Upon graduation from law school, Kurt joined the United Farm Workers of Washington State in Sunnyside, Washington, as an Organizer. Kurt has been with UNITE HERE Local 11 since 1995, and currently is the Co-President.

KARINE MANSOORIAN
HTA Board Trustee

Karine Mansoorian is the Chief Negotiator for UNITE HERE Local 11, advocating for respect and improved standards for workers across the hospitality, tourism, leisure, and food service industries. She represents a wide range of sectors within the union, including hotels, gaming, food service, airport concessions, airline catering, office and studio cafeterias, and event venues.

Karine shapes policy and programs in response to evolving industry trends and employer practices. A graduate of the London School of Economics with a BSc in Economics, she began her career at Local 11 in 1989 as an organizer. Her strong understanding of the workforce and skill in negotiation led to her promotion to negotiator, and in 2000, she was named Chief Negotiator.

DAN STIMMLER
HTA Board Trustee

Dan Stimmler was named vice president for auxiliary services in May of 2016, previously serving as associate senior vice president of auxiliary services since October 2006. In this capacity, he oversees the university’s auxiliary services enterprise, which consists of the following operating units: USC Bookstores, which is the second largest independent college bookstore system in the United States; USC Hospitality, which encompasses residential dining at Everybody’s Kitchen, Parkside and the USC Village, full-service catering operations at Town and Gown and the Ronald Tutor Campus Center, and more than 30 restaurant and retail outlets located on the University Park and Health Sciences campuses; USC Housing, which accommodates more than 9,200 USC students; USC Transportation, which spans campus entrances, parking services, trams, Campus Cruisers, rideshare programs, citations, a gas station, and the USC Hotel.

As of 2013, Stimmler also oversees the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, as Chief Operating Officer. Before being named associate senior vice president, Stimmler served as associate vice president of auxiliary services from 2005 to 2006, and as director of the USC Bookstores from 2002 to 2005. He has worked at USC since 1992.

Stimmler earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and his MBA from the University of Southern California.

MICHELE GAUL
HTA Board Trustee

Michele Gaul is a seasoned Human Resources professional with a B.S. in Hotel/Restaurant and Institutional Management from Golden Gate University. She began her hospitality career in 1986 as an HR Assistant at the Berkeley Marina Marriott, advancing to HR Manager upon graduation.

Her journey continued at the SF Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf as Assistant Human Resource Director, where she gained valuable union experience, and later at the San Diego Marriott Suites. After a shift to the medical industry as HR Director and Director of Volunteers for Mount Zion Health Systems / UCSF, she returned to hospitality with Kimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group as Corporate Employee Relations Manager.

She furthered her career with Wyndham and Starwood, opening several properties during Starwood’s expansion. In 2000, she founded her own HR consulting firm, partnering with labor attorneys and clients across industries, including film and high tech, while maintaining close ties to hospitality with Starwood and Joie de Vivre Hospitality.

For the past 20 years, she has served as Regional Director of Talent & Culture for The Fairmont San Francisco, supporting five properties across California and Washington State. She is an active board member, including as founding member and board treasurer of Equality and Inclusion in the Hospitality Industry, a partnership with Local 2, the San Francisco Hotel Council, and the SF Office of Workforce Development.

Alternates

BEATRIZ TOPETE
HTA Alternate Board Trustee

Beatriz Topete is an organizing director at UNITE HERE Local 11, where she has played a pivotal role in numerous organizing campaigns since joining the union in 1998. She began her career at Local 11 working on a political campaign to elect Gray Davis.

Before joining the union, Beatriz served in the military from 1985 to 1989 and later worked with at-risk youth in East Los Angeles.

Since joining UNITE HERE as an organizer, Beatriz has developed worker leaders and helped bring hundreds of workers into the union. She led the contract negotiations with Disney and political campaigns in Orange County. She served as staff director for UNITE HERE Local 5 in Hawaii before relocating to Phoenix, Arizona in 2019. In Arizona, she led efforts to organize new workers into the union and has played a key role in expanding the Hospitality Training Academy in the state.

JAVIER CANO
HTA Alternate Board Trustee

Javier Cano is Area General Manager for Marriott International’s Los Angeles properties, overseeing operations for ten hotels, including The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles, JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, and Sheraton Grand Los Angeles. With 44 years at Marriott, he has built a distinguished career in hospitality operations across properties in the U.S. and Mexico.

Cano’s tenure includes serving as General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua in Maui, where he managed the AAA Five Diamond resort for nearly five years. He was also Area General Manager for the Los Angeles Airport Marriott and was named “General Manager of the Year” for Marriott’s Western Region in both 1999 and 2001. In 2012, he received Marriott’s prestigious “General Manager of the Year” award for his leadership at L.A. LIVE, and in 2018, The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles earned Hotel of the Year for North America under his direction.

As the pre-opening team leader for the L.A. LIVE hotels, Cano has been a key figure in downtown Los Angeles’ ongoing renaissance. He was recognized on the 2018 LA500 list by the Los Angeles Business Journal for his contributions to the city’s development.

An active community leader, Cano has led the L.A. LIVE hotels to receive Marriott’s “Alice S. Marriott Award for Community Service” in 2012 and 2014. He has also guided the Los Angeles Airport Marriott to win Marriott’s “Spirit to Serve” award.

Cano currently serves as Chairman of the Los Angeles Tourism Marketing District, overseeing a $27 million fund to promote the area’s hotels. He is also on the executive committees of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board and the California Hotel & Lodging Association and sits on the boards of the California Travel Association, Los Angeles Hotel Association, California Hospital Medical Center Foundation, and the Central City Association.

AUSTIN LYNCH
Organizing Director, UNITE HERE Local 11
HTA Alternate Board Trustee

LARRY LABRADO
Director, Government and Industry Relations at Disneyland Resort
Alternate Board Trustee

DYLAN DANEY
Lead Organizer, UNITE HERE Local 11
Alternate Board Trustee