The number of women and female-identifying leaders in the multibillion dollar vacation rental industry has exploded in recent years, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate International Women’s Day by sharing some of the most inspiringwomen in the vacation rental industry.
We are proud to support the empowerment of women, both in the industry and within our team. These women are highly successful business owners, educators, and influencers who play a key role in inspiring upcoming professionals in this sector and have been recognized by their peers as such.
We’ve categorized these trailblazers to highlight their unique strengths and contributions, but it’s essential to note that most of these women transcend these categories. They wear multiple hats, push boundaries, and innovate in numerous ways.
If we’ve missed someone you think needs to be on our list, let us know!
This category honors women who have been in the vacation rental industry for years. Their unique experience, innovations, and projects have helped shape the industry as we know it today.
Stacey St. John — STR Global
Stacey is the founder of STR Global, a data-driven solution that delivers education, resources, and support for short-term rental investors. She also provides training courses and hosts the STR Sisterhood podcast, where she highlights real-life stories from women within the STR industry, and is the president and CEO of boutique property management firm Kozy Getaways. Kozy Getaways is dedicated to helping investors realize the financial rewards of STRs in a hands-free environment.
Jenn Boyles — Direct Booking Success
Jenn Boyles created Direct Booking Success to help hosts take control of their accommodation businesses. She shares expert resources and tools to teach them how to get more direct bookings, including how to leverage social media and other marketing tactics to attract visitors and convert them into guests. Jenn is also the host of the Direct Booking Success podcast.
Heather Bayer — Vacation Rental Formula
Heather Bayer is the co-founder of Vacation Rental Formula and is a veteran of the vacation rental industry. With over 20 years of experience, Heather is a published author and hosts a highly-rated podcast, Vacation Rental Success, making her an established expert voice for any owners and property managers looking for advice.
Victoria O’Connell — Golightly
Victoria is the CEO and co-founder of Golightly, the first invite-only vacation rental and home-sharing marketplace for women, which promotes safe hosting and stays for women in vacation rentals.
Audrey Leeds Miller — VRPOme.org
Audrey Leeds Miller has many feathers in her cap, including being the founding president of VRPOme.org (Vacation Rental Professionals of Maine, Inc.), uniting the VR managers in Maine.
She is also co-founder and co-owner of Cottage Connection of Maine, a vacation rental company offering a wide variety of vacation home rentals throughout the Midcoast region of Maine (the Boothbay Region and the Midcoast).
Amy Hinote — VRM Intel
As the founder and editor of VRM Intel Magazine, Amy Hinote is responsible for one of the most respected publications in the vacation rental sphere.
On February 7th, 2018, Hinote launched the annual #BookDirect movement, an initiative to help owners educate guests on the benefits of booking directly. The inaugural campaign reached an estimated 3 million travelers and 18.2 million consumers in total. During the pandemic, Hinote provided countless resources and news for vacation rental owners looking to stay informed.
Deborah Labi — The Guest Innspector
Deborah Labi is a seasoned entrepreneur and thought leader in the short-term rental industry. With a deep understanding of property management and guest experiences, she has launched several ventures, including Have You Got, a platform for guest referrals, and one that connects travellers with verified property managers. Passionate about innovation, Deborah speaks at STR events and hosts The Techsplained Series and The Green Path Podcast, where she explores eco-conscious practices in the STR industry.
Debi Hertert — Host2Host
Founder of Host2Host.org, Debi Hertert has long been an advocate for home-sharing, especially in her local area of Portland, Oregon. This robust community platform has gone global to provide education, awareness, and support to hosts worldwide.
While now retired, Debi dedicated her career to the vacation rental cause and to bringing like-minded industry professionals together.
Founders and C-level superstars
In this category, we acknowledge women occupying high-ranking positions in their organizations as well as women who’ve dared to venture out and build their own companies. Their leadership and strategic vision are driving their companies—and the industry—forward.
Margot Lee Schmorak — Hostfully
CEO and co-founder of Hostfully, Margot has dedicated her professional career to developing community-driven products that help bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and their customers. Prior to founding Hostfully, Margot led marketing initiatives for the first iPhone Developer Program and worked at ServiceSource as VP of Marketing and Strategy.
Madison Rifkin — Mount
Madison is the CEO and founder of Mount, a platform that helps hosts provide adventure-filled memories for their guests via equipment rentals such as bikes, e-bikes, scooters, kayaks, paddle boards, surfboards, snowshoes, and beach equipment.
Julie is the founder and director of the Vermont Short-Term Rental Alliance (VTSTRA), a nonprofit business association for vacation rental owners and hosts in Vermont. The group works to represent and protect Vermont’s short-term rental industry, supporting members with educational tools and resources.
Angela Leone — Coconut Condos
Angela Leone is the CEO and owner of Coconut Condos, a property management services company in Maui. Coconut Condos was included in the list of 5,000 fastest-growing small businesses in the U.S. economy by Inc. Magazine in August 2020 and also won “Vacation Rental Management Company of the Year” in the VRMA Excellence Awards in October 2021.
Starting as a home-based venture with one vacation rental (her own), Angela has expanded to a robust operation of 10+ people with 60 units on Maui. Coconut Condos has emerged as an industry leader, recognized for the quality of service, engagement of staff, and commitment to giving back to their community.
Jessica Vozel — Guest Hook
Co-founder of Guest Hook, Jessica Vozel is a selfless educator in the industry. She has traveled to many conferences and has provided educational materials for the short-term rental community for years. Her expertise helps owners around the world tell better stories and create excitement and anticipation for guests.
Noelle Randall — Nuurez.com
Noelle Randall launched an equity-crowdfunded vacation rental business called NuuRez that allows member investors to not only reap dividends from the performance of the company, but also to enjoy discounts on vacation rentals across the Gulf Coast and Jamaica.
NuuRez takes the concept of location-sharing and temporary home rentals a step further. The company buys and leases a series of unique properties in prime locations and other territories that are highly attractive to its clients, who travel constantly.
Alanna Schroeder — The Distinguished Guest
Alanna Schroeder is the founder and curator of The Distinguished Guest, an online resource that helps other owners find high-quality linens, towels, and personal care products on a budget. Additionally, Schroeder has wonderful networking skills and manages a number of Facebook groups in the industry, fostering an environment of encouragement and support for owners, managers, and hosts.
Rocío Lane — Cleancio
Rocío Lane is the founder of Cleancio, a fast-growing and innovative startup that provides on-demand vacation rental cleaning services. Originally from Bolivia, Lane has a strong background in real estate, combined with a natural flair for entrepreneurship–as demonstrated through previous positions at companies like SpotHero.
Nancy McAleer — Florida Rental By Owners
After years of frustration with third-party booking platforms, Nancy decided to co-found her own booking website, Florida Rental By Owners, a no-booking-fee website “Built By Owners FOR Vacation Rental Owners” with the goal to give full control back to the short-term rental host, homeowner, and property manager.
Julie Brinkman – Beyond
Julie Brinkman is the CEO of Beyond, a short-term rental revenue management platform. She joined the company in early 2020 before being appointed CEO in February of 2021. Prior to this, she spent more than a decade in leadership positions at high-growth technology companies, including Groupon and Hireology.
Interestingly, 62% of the executive team at Beyond identifies as female!
Vered Raviv Schwarz — Guesty
Vered Raviv Schwarz is president and COO of Guesty, a property management platform for short-term and vacation rentals. She previously worked as COO for Fiverr. A lawyer by training, Vered’s early career also included stints at Kenshoo and Media Mind.
Noelia Novella — Doinn
Noelia is the CEO and co-founder of Doinn, an operations automation platform that connects short-term rentals with hotel service providers. Doinn hand-picks licensed housekeeping services in each city and connects them with property managers to save money, protect guests, and increase productivity.
Resha Shroff — Lynx
As the CEO and co-founder of Lynx, Resha Shroff is a strong representative for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in the vacation rental industry. In addition to being an engineer, Shroff is a savvy businesswoman (a vacation rental host herself), and she started Lynx to help automate the mundane and time-consuming aspects of managing short-term rental properties.
What’s more, Resha was named one of the top 10 entrepreneurs to watch in 2023 by Entrepreneur Magazine.
Erica Muller — Vrolio
Erica Muller, a realtor for over 20 years in Orlando and founder and CEO of Vrolio, is known for bridging the gap between real estate and the vacation rental industry with a platform for professionals looking to purchase or sell short-term rental properties.
Jill Mason — Operto
Jill Mason is the VP of Business Operations at Operto (formerly VRScheduler), a vacation rental and housekeeping management software solution that enables property managers to streamline employee and task scheduling. Jill was the founder and CEO of VRScheduler until it was taken over by Operto in February of 2022.
Lisa Roads — The Holiday Property Coach
A seasoned STR strategist with over 25 years of experience in property marketing, ownership, and management, Lisa specializes in helping property managers and owners optimize their businesses. What’s more, she works exclusively with female short-term rental business founders through her company The Holiday Property Coach as part of her mission to make women in the STR sector more visible and successful—making her a great ally for women in the industry!
The social media stars
These are the women who have harnessed the power of social media to amplify their voices and influence in the vacation rental space. Their engaging content and strong online presence are inspiring others—and definitely us!
Kristen — @KristenandMichael
Kristen is an Airbnb Superhost and Lodgify customer who runs a YouTube channel with her partner Michael documenting their hosting journey while sharing tips and ideas. Followers can see how they manage all kinds of obstacles when it comes to STR investing, from appraisals and inspections to renovating and creating their own website using Lodgify.
Lauren Piller — TikTok influencer & business coach
Lauren is a former nurse-turned-vacation rental host from Texas who creates educational content for STR hosts on TikTok. She aims to help hosts improve their STR businesses by sharing her hosting secrets and ideas. She also runs a Facebook group for Airbnb hosts.
Zoey Berghoff — TikTok and Airbnb coach
Through TikTok, Zoey shares her hosting ideas, inspiration, and short-term rental advice, from how to manage your rental remotely to discussing the latest Airbnb updates. She also runs Airbnb coaching courses where she helps fellow hosts achieve financial freedom through investing in STRs.
Uvika Wahi — Rental Scale-Up
Uvika Wahi leads content and community efforts at Rental Scale-Up, a media company specializing in the short-term rental industry. She is responsible for publishing insightful industry reports, analyses, and news aimed at empowering hosts, property managers, and vendors to make informed decisions for growth. Additionally, she organizes monthly online conferences focusing on different aspects of running a short-term rental business.
Rachel Gainsbrugh — Short-Term Gems
Rachel is a best-selling author, pharmacist, and real estate coach who hosts The Luxury STR Doctor Show podcast on YouTube. She also shares short-term rental insights and offers training and courses on vacation rental investing via her site Short-Term Gems, and serves as a wealth-building mentor at the Real Estate InvestHER.
Alex O. Husner & Annie Holcombe — Alex & Annie Podcast
With over 35 years of combined experience in the vacation rental industry, Alex Husner and Annie Holcombe have teamed up to create the popular podcast Alex & Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals. Together, they tell the stories behind the people and brands that have made the short-term rental industry what it is today.
Aside from the podcast, Alex recently founded Directly Alex, a company launching soon that will be dedicated to driving direct bookings and strategic growth for vacation rental companies and brands. She also serves as a part-time fractional CMO at property management system Boom.
For her part, Annie has over 30 years of experience in hospitality and tourism, holding positions from front desk to sales and marketing and owner relations. Currently, she’s serving as the director of technical supply partnerships (Americas) for the channel manager NextPax.
Sara Karakaian and Annette Grant — Thanks for Visiting
Sara Karakaian and Annette Grant host a weekly podcast called Thanks for Visiting, where they interview industry players and highlight successful STRs, asking listeners to “heart” them in order to lift their search numbers. They provide insights and information weekly through their podcast, website, and Facebook page.
Annie Switzer — Say No to Vrbo Service Fees
Annie Switzer is a co-founder and moderator of the Say No to Vrbo Service Fee Facebook group, which now boasts over 7,500 members. The invite-only community she leads is a constant source of education and support for those who manage listings on third-party booking sites (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com). It also provides direct marketing support for business owners.
Andrea Clarkson — Mamma Mode
Andrea is an online educator, designer, and Airbnb Superhost and Ambassador who loves to teach new hosts how to confidently start and run the vacation rental business of their dreams. She is the founder of Mamma Mode, a space for hosts to learn and gain inspiration from her creative hosting ideas. She also runs her blog through Instagram, where she provides an array of educational content to help fellow hosts become Superhosts.
Hailie Anderson — @hailiemaarie & Airbnb Takeoff
Only 22 years old with a seven-figure Airbnb business under her belt, Hailie isn’t your typical real estate investor. She has automated an Airbnb arbitrage strategy to generate $200,000/month—and wants to help you do the same by sharing tips on Instagram and offering an Airbnb Takeoff course.
Mercedes Sanchez — MBX Homes
Mercedes channels her expertise as the founder of MBX Homes, the leading vacation management company in Los Angeles, into her Instagram account and YouTube channel, sharing tips on everything from cleaning and decorating to direct booking strategies. She also offers 1:1 Airbnb coaching for anyone who needs a little more support!
Lydia Patel — @lydiapatelll
Looking for short-term rental and finance advice from someone you can relate to? Lydia Patel’s YouTube channel will be your new go-to. As a clinical pharmacist and mother of three, Lydia knows that the average woman doesn’t have time to waste and focuses on concise but comprehensive videos that are truly helpful—just ask her more than 24k subscribers!
Ashleigh Brown — @ashleighsavenue
Tech industry professional-turned-Airbnb Superhost, Ashleigh shares content highlighting her STR business and neurodivergent lifestyle on Instagram. Follow her account for everything from hosting to wellness tips, perfect for those interested in building a successful vacation rental business while also prioritizing their well-being.
Brianna Amigo — Brianna Michele Interiors
The founder and designer at Brianna Michele Interiors, an interior design studio focused on short-term rental property design, Brianna’s goal is to help hosts increase their bookings and revenue by creating beautiful designs that provide unique guest experiences. Another way to benefit from Brianna’s expertise? Follow her on Instagram, where she offers vacation rental interior design tips you won’t want to pass up!
Vacation rental marketing and PR
This category celebrates women specializing in marketing and public relations for the vacation rental industry. Their creative strategies and communications expertise play a crucial role in shaping the industry’s image and success.
Carla Chicharro — Operto
Carla Chicharro is VP of Marketing for hospitality management software Operto, where she’s leading the charge in positioning them as a global authority in hospitality tech. Prior to this, Carla spent over eight years with us at Lodgify, working her way up to our Head of Marketing after serving in various marketing roles since Lodgify’s inception in 2016. She played a key role in defining and developing Lodgify’s GTM, customer, and brand strategy.
Carla is a passionate digital strategist with experience helping global companies and funded startups to grow through inbound marketing while creating relationships that contribute to long-term success. In her free time, she hosts a humor podcast and runs a foodie Instagram account.
Christine Myer — Rest
Christine is the co-founder and VP of customer operations and marketing at Rest (formerly NoiseAware), a privacy-safe property monitoring platform for short-term rentalproperty managers and hotel operators. She built the infrastructure, go-to-market strategy, and brand, defining and developing the marketing planning and execution process.
Jessica Gillingham — Abode Worldwide
In 2017, Jessica Gillingham decided to hone her PR expertise to focus solely on the niche industry of vacation rentals. Gillingham is now the founder and CEO of Abode Worldwide, a specialist public relations partner for lodging tech innovators. She has presented at major international industry conferences and is a frequent contributor to VRM Intel and VRMA Arrival magazines.
Kathryn Ryan — SharpLaunch
Kathryn Ryan, an expert in business growth through social and partnerships, served as the Head of Partnerships at Truvi and the Community Manager for SCALE before becoming the Head of Sales & Partnerships for the commercial real estate marketing software SharpLaunch. She has a proven track record in fostering successful relationships in the short-term rental property management sector, enabling companies to scale sustainably and profitably.
Louise Brace — Rental Tonic & SCALE
Louise Brace’s expertise lies in creating digital marketing channels for vacation rentals around the world. In addition to having over 15 years of experience in the travel marketing industry, Louise is the go-to expert on short-term rental regulations in Spain and the owner of Rental Tonic. She also serves as the Head of Marketing at SCALE, one of the most important conferences for professional short-term rental property management companies.
Jodi Bourne — JodiBourne.com
Jodi Bourne is a vacation rental marketing consultant, web designer, content marketer, and educator at JodiBourne.com. She helps vacation rental owners and property management companies build and grow independent businesses.
She’s known for building beautiful and modern vacation rental websites, consulting and coaching with owners and property managers, and sharing ideas and strategies for owners and managers who want to maximize their business and drive direct bookings.
Mercedes Brennan — 1 Chic Retreat
More than an interior designer, Mercedes Brennan knows all about marketing vacation rentals. Her website, 1 Chic Retreat, helps educate owners on the specific design strategies that can increase website click rates and the guest experience to maximize their vacation rental ROI.
In addition to providing free resources and useful blog articles for budding vacation rental professionals, 1 Chic Retreat also offers tailored interior design advice on a one-to-one basis.
Paola Gheis — Luxury Rental Consulting
Paola is the founder and director of a consulting firm that specializes in marketing and communications for high-end vacation rentals, Paola Gheis. She’s also the property manager for The Villa Italy, a collection of exceptional villas in Italy, and the co-founder of the very first short-term luxury rental training conference, LUXRE.
Short-term rental industry experts
Finally, we wanted to recognize women with significant expertise in the short-term rental segment, from authors and coaches to photographers. Their insights and advice are invaluable for those navigating any niche sector of the industry.
Daniela Derin – Skol Apartments Marbella
Daniela Derin is a powerhouse in the vacation rental industry—managing not just one property, but over 90! Together with her husband, Vincenzo, she owns and operates Skol Apartments Marbella in Marbella, Spain, one of the Costa del Sol’s most sought-after destinations.
Since entering the industry in 2010 with 15 rentals, Daniela has witnessed and embraced its rapid evolution, growing her portfolio alongside it. Her dedication has clearly paid off—Skol Apartments earned the prestigious Shortyz Award for Best Holiday Site Operator in both 2023 and 2024, as well as the 2024 Book Direct Show’s Best Property Manager award. Fortunately for the industry, Daniela is passionate about giving back, regularly sharing her expertise through speaking engagements, webinars, and industry events.
Julie George — Author of “Million Dollar Host”
Julie George is the author of the best-selling book “Million Dollar Host,” which tells her story and the story of her unique STR property management business model that resulted in a portfolio of 130 properties and generated more than $8 million in income in three years. She travels the world speaking at conferences and is one of the most influential names in the short-term rental industry, supporting thousands of hosts worldwide.
Natalie Palmer — Level Up Your Listing
Natalie is an Airbnb Superhost who began managing her first rental in 2017 when she started hosting her family’s rental in Big Bear. She now manages over eight Airbnb properties and has been recruited by Airbnb to act as an ambassador. Natalie also hosts the Level Up Your Listing Summit with Tatannia Taylor-Tait, an award-winning designer and STR coach.
Megan McCrea — NASTRA & The Hospitality Creator
President of NASTRA, Megan McCrea was the fighting force behind the state of Tennessee grandfathering in existing homeowners to run legal short-term rentals. She has been and continues to be an unrecognized force in this industry. Her peers describe McCrea as a leader for good, a successful short-term rental owner, and a talented designer.
Megan also runs The Hospitality Creator, which helps other rental owners and managers stand out, connect with potential guests, and provide an amazing guest experience once they arrive.
Tracey Northcott — Tracey Northcott Consulting
Tracey’s Airbnb journey began in 2010, when she acquired a second home in Japan. Over the next few years, she grew her portfolio to 23 properties and built a seven-figure business. She then went on to host over 12,000 guests in a span of eight years and now provides courses and hosting resources through her consulting business, Tracey Northcott Consulting.
Tyann Marcink Hammond — VR Mastered
Considered the industry leader in vacation rental photography, Tyann Marcink Hammond also has the advantage of being a property owner herself. Her passion and expertise for what makes a good photo gallery have led her to co-found VR Mastered and Vacation Rental Boot Camp. In addition to all this, Tyann worked at Touch Stay as the Queen of Guest Experience up until recently.
Yamaris Bonilla — Vacationhomehelp.com
Yamaris created VacationHomeHelp.com, a marketplace for vacation rental owners and cleaners in the Disney World destination market (Orlando, Florida). She founded the company after leaving Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria and has been creating opportunities for cleaners in the gig economy ever since!
As this industry grows and evolves, we’re looking forward to getting to know even more women who are helping to shape the future of vacation rentals. If you’d like to suggest an addition to this list, use the button below!
