i-Engage!26
Annual Conference

Nilufar Ramji is a communications leader at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Her work focuses on strategic communications, STEM engagement, public storytelling, and live broadcasts connected to NASA’s major exploration initiatives, including the Artemis missions and the Moon to Mars campaign.

Throughout her career at NASA, Nilufar has contributed to projects related to the International Space Station, commercial lunar missions, and NASA’s efforts to engage global audiences in the future of space exploration. Her work helps connect scientific discovery with public understanding by translating complex scientific initiatives into accessible and engaging experiences for audiences around the world.

Nilufar’s professional journey reflects the many pathways that exist within STEM and space exploration beyond engineering and astronautics alone. With a background in political science and communications, her work demonstrates the importance of interdisciplinary thinking, leadership, storytelling, and collaboration in shaping the future of scientific innovation and discovery.

Mahmood Khimji is a founding Principal of Highgate, an industry-leading real estate investment and management firm, and has been involved in all aspects of Highgate’s development since its founding in 1988.  Prior to founding Highgate, Mr. Khimji practiced law at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Mr. Khimji is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sagicor Financial Corporation.  He also serves on the Board of Directors of Minor International and American Hotel Income Properties and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), Chief Executives Organization (CEO), and the Real Estate Forum. He previously held board positions at MeriStar Hospitality Corporation, Interstate Hotels, Morgans Hotel Group, and Playa Hotels & Resorts.

Mr. Khimji also serves on the boards of Aga Khan Museum and the Asia Society.  Additionally, Mr. Khimji serves on the Board of Trustees for St Mark’s School of Texas and on the Board of Visitors for Columbia Law School.

He attended the University of British Columbia, holds a B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Houston and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.

Lisa Lombardo is the president of ARK Holdings Group.

Lisa started her career in fund development for nonprofits. From there, she launched a nonprofit consulting business and helped a number of organizations raise their single largest gifts at that time. Coaching nonprofit boards of directors evolved to include for-profit leadership teams – guiding them through overhauls of mission statements, programming intentional culture and facilitating the development of strategic plans. She believes the first step toward progress is having clarity of purpose and is a self-professed “serial connector”.

Lisa has worked with nonprofits, financial institutions, construction companies, manufacturing, Broadway and other arts organizations, high-profile and televised sporting events, higher education institutions, entertainment, and hospitality. Along the way, she co-founded the Performing Arts Conservatory in her hometown as another way to give back to her community.

Lisa received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, and a Master of Arts in Public Administration from the University of South Florida in Tampa. She serves on boards of directors and committees within the hospitality industry including, but not limited to, the Executive Committee of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, AHLA Human Resources Committee, International Franchise Forum Franchisee Forum, human and social services organizations, arts and culture, and her church. Lisa was recognized by Florida Trend magazine as “an executive making a mark” in the hotel industry.

With over 30 years of extensive market experience and a distinguished list of projects across a variety of industries, Rahim B. Charania stands as an accomplished and visionary business leader. An alumnus of Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business—where he earned both his BBA and his Executive MBA—Mr. Charania professionally blends advanced financial theory with sharp entrepreneurial execution. His multi-decade track record of identifying market inefficiencies, engineering creative capital solutions, and scaling massive commercial ventures has cemented his status as a proficient operator and an industry pacesetter.

Currently, he serves as Founder and Managing Partner of Woodvale, a leading alternative investment firm focused on Commercial Real Estate investments and developments across the United States. Woodvale currently has over $500 million in assets under management across the Southeast United States and Texas. Woodvale’s deep experience in special purpose real estate development, equity capitalization, and debt restructuring creates a single-source solutions provider for the needs of today’s commercial real estate market.

Under Rahim’s leadership, Woodvale has built a diverse asset portfolio that includes major industrial and media developments. Notably, the Woodvale portfolio includes Three Ring Studios (“TRS”), which created one of the largest studio production campuses in Georgia’s growing film and television production industry. With over 450,000 square feet of production space and over 150,000 square feet of office space, TRS is a premier facility for film and television productions of all types.

The Woodvale portfolio also features American Fueling Systems (“AFS”), a national leader in the fueling industry founded in 2011, which provides alternative and mainstream fuels to the transportation and energy sectors. He took AFS from an idea into a nationally recognized leader in the energy marketplace, culminating in a successful exit in 2020 that yielded investors an impressive 3x multiple return in 5 years.

Furthermore, Woodvale has significantly expanded its hospitality division, which now boasts an inventory of more than 1,200 keys spread over a variety of brands, segments, and locations throughout the Southeast. This milestone marked the successful deployment of Woodvale Opportunity Fund I. Building on that success, the firm subsequently launched Woodvale Opportunity Fund II to pursue additional hospitality, multifamily, and other strategically positioned commercial real estate assets.

These successful businesses have afforded Mr. Charania many opportunities to be recognized for his efforts by industry and civic leaders across the United States. In 2011, he was named one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Top 40 Executives under 40; in 2012, Georgia State University honored him with the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award. In 2015, he was recognized as the Businessperson of the Year by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. In 2023, he was honored with the award for Distinguished Fellow by the J. Mack Robinson College of Business. Most recently, he has been named one of Atlanta Magazine’s 500 Most Powerful Leaders for four consecutive years. Mr. Charania has been published in many publications including Forbes and Success magazines, sharing his business insights.

Mr. Charania’s business credentials only play a part in the impact he has generated. His philanthropic work list is extensive, focusing on projects that benefit those most in need in the areas of education and personal development. He readily provides his knowledge and expertise to projects and public speaking opportunities. Until recently, Rahim served on the board of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Center for International Business, Education and Research (CIBER).

Bob Webster is the Vice Chairman and President of CBRE Hotels Institutional Group and specializes in highvalue investment sales in the United States. Bob has 46 years of diverse experience in high-value hotels from working at the Plaza Hotel, to hotel consulting with Laventhol & Horwath, to Director of Real Estate for Ritz Carlton, to over 40 years in hotel real estate. In his extraordinary career, Bob has sold over 250 hotels totaling over 60,000 rooms for $25 billion. Bob is widely recognized as one of the top hotel brokers in the world and is a two-time recipient of the Jack A. Shaffer Financial Advisor of the Year Award given to the top hotel investment sales professional in the lodging industry.

Feras is a serial entrepreneur with a tech background. He holds a Computer Science degree from the University of Texas at Austin and began his career working at Microsoft as a Program Manager where he became an Invited Expert of the W3C to help define the next generation of the web, followed by starting his own software firm. After Microsoft, Feras continued his career in real estate by launching Disrupt Equity with Ben Suttles to focus on large-scale apartment acquisitions. To date, Disrupt Equity has acquired 5,000+ units and $1B+ in assets acquired, primarily throughout Georgia, Texas, and Florida.

Tena Sachu is a hospitality leader with more than 20 years of experience spanning hotel operations, sales, brand management, commercial strategy, and owner relations holding roles in two large global brands. Currently, as Director of High Value Owner Accounts for Hilton’s Brand Management Americas team, she manages strategic relationships with 32 high-value ownership groups. Tena is known for building strong partnerships, leading cross-functional initiatives, developing talent, and driving innovative solutions that support owners, guests, and business performance. She has been in the corporate brand management roles for over 16 years, previously with IHG Hotels corporate offices for 6 years in Atlanta and now with Hilton Hotels for nearly 10 years (remote based- Dallas).

Tena holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Roosevelt University, along with certifications in hotel management, asset management, and owner relations from Harvard Business School and Cornell University.

Shaiza Damji serves as the Principal/Managing Director for 360° Hotel Group. She oversees the strategic direction, legal and financial matters for the company’s hotels and other investments. Shaiza graduated from Yale University with a BA in History (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa). She then attended Harvard Law School where she received a JD law degree (cum laude). She practiced international corporate law at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton in New York before returning to the west coast to join her family’s hospitality business.

Shaiza serves as the President of Marriott’s TownePlace Suites brand Franchisee Advisory Council.  She has recently been appointed to the Washington State Tourism Assessment Program Ratepayer Oversight Board.  She has previously served as a Chairperson and Board Member of the Washington State Hotel & Lodging Association and as a Board Member of the Seattle Hotel Association.  In 2023 she received the Burtenshaw Lifetime Achievement Award from the Washington Hospitality Association for her leadership on behalf of the hotel industry in Washington State.

She is an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization YPO-Gold Seattle chapter.  Since 2024 she has served as Vice Chair of the Aga Khan Foundation USA’s National Committee and prior to that served for seven years as a member of the AKF USA National Committee.

Shaiza currently resides in Kirkland, Washington, with her husband, Alif Nurani, and their two teenage sons.  She loves outdoor activities, reading and spending time with family and friends.

HDG Legacy is built on a multigenerational foundation of resilience, hospitality, and people-centric leadership.
Navroz Saju’s parents immigrated from East Africa to Ocala in 1981, purchasing an Econo Lodge that became the family’s entry into the hotel business. Their belief in hard work, service, and genuine care for people shaped the family’s philosophy: happy guests and empowered team members are the cornerstone of success.
That ethos evolved into a diversified hospitality enterprise over several decades, culminating in the founding of HDG Legacy in 2022. Navroz leads the company with a commitment to being “brilliant in the basics,” focusing on relationships, purpose-driven growth, and long-term value creation.

A graduate of the University of Florida and Georgetown Law, Navroz is a member of the Florida Bar and has overseen the successful opening of hotels across major brands. He lives in Ocala with his wife and two sons and is passionate about family, fitness, reading, and sports.

Navid Kapadia is the Co-Founder and President of LOGIK, a hospitality management and investment company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Navid has helped grow LOGIK’s portfolio across multiple markets and hotel segments, with experience spanning Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Choice, and Wyndham-branded properties.

Navid takes a hands-on approach to leadership and stays close to every level of the business, from property operations to corporate strategy. He works closely with property and corporate leadership to drive operational performance, develop strong leaders, and create long-term value. His leadership philosophy is grounded in investing in people, building genuine relationships, and creating an environment where teams are empowered to grow. He believes some of the strongest financial and operational results follow from getting the people side of the business right first.

Navid pairs that people-first approach with a focus on operational efficiency, leveraging technology and data-driven tools to streamline processes, improve performance, and elevate both the employee and guest experience.

Outside of work, Navid enjoys traveling, discovering new foods and cultures, and running—always looking for the next challenge and the next goal, both in business and in life.

Ryan Bosch is a Principal at Arriba Capital, where he leads underwriting, capital markets strategy, and advisory for hotel developers, private equity sponsors, and institutional owners. Since joining Arriba in 2016, Ryan has structured more than $2 billion in hotel financings across construction, bridge, conversion, and permanent executions, and GlobeSt recognizes him as a Finance, Debt & Equity Rainmaker. A frequent speaker at ALIS, Hunter, and the NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum, Ryan maintains regular bylines in Hotel Business, Hotel Investment Today, CoStar, and Hospitality Investor. He is based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Pat is a Taxation Partner in the Roanoke office of Brown Edwards. With over 25 years of experience, he specializes in accounting, taxation, and various consulting services for diverse clientele, including real estate entities, developers, partnerships, hospitality entities, and manufacturers.

Pat regularly assists businesses with local, state, and federal business incentives, grants, and tax credits. He consults on real estate matters in structuring projects for developers and owners while providing compliance services for the historic rehabilitation tax credit program and the Virginia Enterprise Zone program. Pat’s extensive experience allows him to provide clients with the financial guidance needed to meet their goals.

Pat holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Virginia Tech and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Adnan Merchant is a corporate business and private securities attorney and co-founder of MW Law. Since establishing the firm in 2017, he has helped facilitate billions in investment transactions across private equity funds, real estate syndications, venture capital, and investment acquisitions. His practice focuses on structuring private investment funds, maintaining securities compliance, and managing investment transactions end-to-end for clients.

Prior to co-founding MW Law, Adnan served as in-house general counsel to a family venture office. He also co-founded FinTech Austin in 2017, which grew into one of Austin’s largest entrepreneurship organizations with 3,000+ members.

Adnan received his J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law and his B.A. from Austin College (Cum Laude). He has been named D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers Under 40” in the Private Equity space for four consecutive years (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026).

Bijal Patel is a Principal at Sonari Capital Partners, a hospitality investment firm focused on hotel acquisitions, development and strategic investment opportunities across the United States. A third generation hotelier, Bijal has spent his career on the ownership side of the industry, with experience spanning acquisitions, development, and joint ventures.

Beyond his investment work, Bijal is an active hospitality industry advocate. He serves as Chair of Government Affairs for the California Hotel & Lodging Association and previously served as the association’s Chairman.  He has also been recognized as an AAHOA 35 Under 35 honoree and regularly speaks on hotel ownership, investment, development and advocacy.

Aly Valiani is a people-first leader, a family man, and a proud Houstonian. Guided by values of service, loyalty, and generosity, he brings a strong sense of purpose to his businesses and community involvement.

As Vice Chair of the Aga Khan Foundation Greater Houston, Aly helped lead fundraising efforts that generated more than $7 million over three years, supporting access to food, clean water, and basic healthcare. He also served on the board of Compassionate Houston, helping advance its mission of cultural understanding, empathy, and respect.

Through his leadership and service, Aly remains committed to making a meaningful impact in his community.

Evergreen Hospitality Group is one of Western Canada’s largest family-owned hospitality & tourism groups, with 25+ boutique properties across British Columbia. As proud owners of waterfront locations, they love sharing the beauty of the west coast with their guests. Most of all, they enjoy leveraging the company’s growth & expansion to create opportunities for their incredible team (in their words, “the Evergreen Family”).

Shakil started Evergreen back in 2011, following his father’s footsteps into the hotel industry. Alisha grew up hearing about hospitality around the dinner table, and joined the company officially this year after roles in management consulting, tech, and private equity. They’re both excited about this new chapter for Evergreen, and feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to continue building this business together.

Evergreen Hospitality Group is one of Western Canada’s largest family-owned hospitality & tourism groups, with 25+ boutique properties across British Columbia. As proud owners of waterfront locations, they love sharing the beauty of the west coast with their guests. Most of all, they enjoy leveraging the company’s growth & expansion to create opportunities for their incredible team (in their words, “the Evergreen Family”).

Shakil started Evergreen back in 2011, following his father’s footsteps into the hotel industry. Alisha grew up hearing about hospitality around the dinner table, and joined the company officially this year after roles in management consulting, tech, and private equity. They’re both excited about this new chapter for Evergreen, and feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to continue building this business together.

Al-Karim Khimji is the Principal at Shirin Group, where he oversees the operations, development, and asset management of a mid-scale, multi-city hotel portfolio. He is also the CEO and Co-founder of Propra, an AI driven financial operations platform built to automate real estate accounting and eliminate back-office administrative bottlenecks specifically for residential real estate (rentals and condos). Previously, Al-Karim served as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and worked in private equity, including leading corporate turnarounds that generated over $125M in profit margin growth. He has also held various roles with the Aga Khan Development Network. Al-Karim is currently the Vice Chair of the Calgary Public Library Board and Global Trustee on the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation. Al-Karim holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University and an MBA from Queen’s University.

Amin Khimji is a Director of Shirin Group, an Alberta-based hospitality company he founded more than four decades ago. Together with his family, he has built a successful multi-brand hotel portfolio across Alberta, spanning IHG, Hilton, and Choice Hotels.

Before entering the hospitality industry, Amin served as Dean of a private university and taught computer science at Mount Royal University. His career has been driven by a passion for entrepreneurship, developing people, and giving back to the community. Amin has dedicated decades to volunteering within the Ismaili Muslim community and has supported numerous philanthropic organizations, including the Institute for Canadian Citizenship and various Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) institutions. He also mentors aspiring hoteliers and entrepreneurs entering the industry.

Amin holds a degree in Computer Science and a CHA. In his spare time, he enjoys painting, drawing, and spending time with his granddaughters