Meet the team

The team’s aim is to deliver the finest quality training to inspire our learners, all delivered at incredible value for money. We employ the same stringent business principles as those of a high performing hotel business. That’s why our team has a track record not just in teaching and mentoring, but in business management to the highest level.

**ZOE MINIHAN**
**Programme Manager**

Zoe is Hotel School’s programme manager with over 14 years experience in the voluntary & homelessness sector with Thames Reach and other leading organisations.

**DANA SANDROCK**
**Employment & Progression Manager**

Dana’s career within the luxury hotel industry started with a two-year apprenticeship at The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg in Germany. Whilst completing the apprenticeship, Dana received a job opportunity from The London EDITION. During her time at The London EDITION, Dana was promoted to the role of the Guest Relations Manager and was chosen as one of the lead front office trainers of The Abu Dhabi EDITION opening. Dana’s move into the charity sector saw her volunteering with a leading homelessness organisation before coming on board with Hotel School.

**GIACOMO SCOPINICH**
**Training Coordinator**

Giacomo studied Hotel & Tourism Management at Vatel School in France and since then he has worked for multiple hotel companies including The Ritz-Carlton, InterContinental, Starwood, and Hyatt. Giacomo has been a cook in the south of France, a doorman in Barcelona, a concierge in Ho Chi Minh City, a receptionist in Milan, and a bartender in London. His huge passion for hospitality pushed him to learn more about different roles within the industry, something that he can now share with the students of Hotel School.

**TABITHA CHIDEME Employment Progression Coach**

Tabitha graduated from the University of Portsmouth with a degree in English Literature and Journalism. She spent a year volunteering as an ESOL teacher with the charity Heart for Change in Medellin, Colombia . She then made a shift in her career by working as a Work Coach at DWP. This is where she gained experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds find employment whilst assisting them to overcome various barriers . Eventually this led towards Hotel School and its mission in supporting homeless and vulnerable people into sustainable employment

**MICHAEL DAVIES**
**Chef Trainer**

Michael is Hotel School’s chef trainer. A graduate of New York University and The French Culinary Institute, he has also worked in the food and media sector. Michael teaches everything from food safety, knife skills and gourmet cooking on a budget. Michael also focuses on understanding what real food is, and explores with Hotel School students a rich variety of delicious cuisines that are good for us, and good for the planet.

**FLORA COOPER MADDOCKS Fundraising Manager**

Flora’s background is in fundraising, communications & creative campaigning for people and planet. She has worked for a variety of NGOs and mission-driven start-ups.

**JEREMY GORING**
**Founder**

Jeremy is Chief Executive of The Goring. Graduating from the Lausanne Hotel School, Jeremy has worked at the Four Seasons and The Lanesborough in London, and opened hotels for Rosewood in Mexico, the Caribbean and Indonesia.

**MICK CLARKE**
**Founder**

Mick is Chief Executive of the Passage, London's largest voluntary sector resource centre for homeless and vulnerable people.

RUTH DUSTON MSc.MIED

Trustee

Ruth is one of the country's leading experts in urban partnerships, specialising in bringing together public, private and voluntary sectors to deliver meaningful change. She is the founder and CEO of Primera, which powers a dozen business improvement districts in London.

ROB FLINTER

Trustee

Managing Director at the 650 room Park Plaza on London's River Thames, Rob is running one of the busiest top quality hotels in the country, and has a long history of promoting altruism within the hospitality sector.

OUR SUPPORTERS

We can call upon a wide range of support from both the hospitality industry and education environments. We only employ those who can combine their knowledge and expertise with the right approach to mentoring our candidates. Our mission is to change lives by calling on the support of our wide network of industry and educational influencers. We aim to provide individual tailored learning experiences which help shape the futures of our learners.

INSPIRATIONAL GUEST SPEAKERS & DEMOS

David Morgan-Hewitt Managing Director, The Goring
Rob Flinter Managing Director, Park Plaza
Fernanda Lewis Head Housekeeper, The Goring
John Andrews Head Concierge, The Goring The Good Slice Pizza making with a purpose Pret Foundation Rising Star Programme

WORLD CLASS Industry Trainers

Extract Coffee Roasters Barista training specialists
Intercontinental Hotels Group - Concierge & Reception training
HOP training - bespoke hospitality customer service training The Ritz - Restaurant & service skills Rosewood Group - Winning CV & Interview Skills

EMPLOYER PARTNERS

The Goring . Park Plaza Waterloo . Conrad St James . The London EDITION . Intercontinental Park Lane . Yotel . Park Plaza Victoria . Nobu Portman Square . Mondrian Shoreditch . Doyle Collection - The Bloomsbury . St. Martins Lane . Allpress . Searcys - 30 Euston Square . Searcys - Allen & Overy . Searcys - Inner Temple . Searcys - One Moorgate Place . TRAMPOLINE by Nemi Teas . Pret A Manger . Carousel Restaurant . Fallow restaurant . The Westin London City . The Jones Family Kitchen . Holiday Inn Express Southwark .

TRAINING & TEACHING PARTNERS

Asma Khan . The Broadwick Soho. Intercontinental Hotels Group . Hospitality Action . Hop Training . The Goring . The Ritz . The Rosewood London . John Williams MBE Executive Chef . Extract Coffee Roasters and others

REFERRAL ORGANISATIONS

Beyond Food Foundation . Centre Point . Change Please . Crisis . House of St Barnabas . Groundwork London . Migrateful. Refugee Council . St Mungos . Thames Reach . Well Grounded . Westminster Employment Service and others

MAIN SPONSORS

Alastair Storey . The Goring . Savoy Educational Trust . Lord Forte Foundation . The Northbank Business Improvement District . Victoria, Victoria Westminster and Whitehall Business Improvement Districts . Westminster Community Contribution Fund . AlixPartners . AKO Foundation . 3i Group . The Albert Hunt Trust . West London Hotel Managers Association . My Budget Break . Royal Warrant Holders Association and others

SPECIAL SUPPORTERS & PATRONS

Ronan Keating . Ruby Bhogal . Will Greenwood OBE . Mary Berry . Nathan Outlaw . John Williams MBE . Chris Galvin and others