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Our Work
Our Work
Our Work
Stay Inspired Interview Series, sponsored by Sommet Education
Stay Inspired Interview Series, sponsored by Sommet Education
Stay Inspired Interview Series, sponsored by Sommet Education
Stay Inspired Interview Series, sponsored by Sommet Education

Our Team

Elizabeth Espinosa
Founder & CEO
Elizabeth began her hospitality career in 2004 with the Walt Disney World College Program in fine dining.
Has since worked with the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Studios Orlando, the pre-opening team for the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai and The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong as the Rooms Operations Executive and was a Ritz-Carlton Pre-Opening Hotel Trainer. While in China, she has graduated from the Chinese Language and Culture Program from Fudan University, consulted for The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation’s China Hospitality Education Initiative and has delivered training and guest lectures for hospitality education programs across the country. In 2018, Elizabeth launched Inspire Hospitality, which is a hotel management company and hospitality consultancy.
In 2020, Inspire Hospitality was recognized as a leading private sector organization driving economic development through tourism and was accepted as an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
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Murat Askin
Executive Advisor
Murat is a graduate of Glion Institute of Hospitality & Business Education (Montreux, Switzerland).
His hospitality leadership experience has covered 5 countries, including Switzerland, Turkey, United States, United Arab Emirates and China. He has been a senior hotel pre-opening and project management leader for 8 properties, including Marriott Hotels & Resorts, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, The EDITION Hotels and start-up hospitality concepts in Dubai and Afghanistan.
While in China, he has been the pre-opening task-force lead trainer for the Sanya EDITION, the Hollywood EDITION and for the JW Marriott Marquis Shanghai and was the Hotel Manager for the Shanghai EDITION. Murat has completed his HAMA Asset Manager Certification for China.
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Christine Lee
Lead Consultant, Finance
Christine has started her career with the audit firm Arthur Andersen and in 2002 joined the hotel industry as an internal auditor for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts group.
She then transitioned to hotel operations within the group and became a Financial Controller in 2007. She joined The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong as the Director of Finance in 2011. During her tenure there, she worked closely with the hotel team and delivered one of top performing hotels in revenue and profit margin within the Marriott group.
In 2018, she was promoted as Director of Financial Operations - Asia Pacific excluding China, based in Singapore regional office, supporting the Vice President of Luxury Brands (overseeing the Ritz-Carlton, Bulgari, St. Regis, Edition, W Hotel, and the Luxury Collection). In 2021, Christine joined Inspire Hospitality as a Lead Consultant for Finance.
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June Ren
Lead Consultant, F&B
June began her career in Food & Beverage with the Grand Hyatt Shanghai and in 1999 became the Assistant Director of Catering & Event Services.
In 2010, she joined The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong as the Director of Catering & Conference Services overseeing the event and banquet sales and event execution for global clients such as the NBA, Decanter Wine Magazine, Nike, Mercedes-Benz, JP Morgan Chase, Chanel, Rolls-Royce, and Porsche, among hundreds of high profile weddings and VIP events and outside catering. Since 2019, she has served as the Director of Sales & Marketing for the Intercontinental Shanghai Wonderland and for the Bellagio by MGM Shanghai.
In 2021, June joined Inspire Hospitality as a Lead Consultant for F&B Operations, Event Management, and Sales & Marketing.

George Ubbelohde
Lead Consultant, Hospitality Education
George is an educator and L&D professional with over 30 years of blended hospitality industry and academic experience, in Europe, Middle East, Asia and for the last 8 years in China as executive dean of reputable university hospitality programs.
Devoted to education and learning, for the last 20 years, he is faculty member, certified senior master trainer, educator, and advisor for AHLEI – American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute, regularly facilitating AHLEI’s worldwide industry recognition certification programs; CHA- Certified Hotel Administrator, CHE- Certified Hospitality Educator and CHT- Certified Hospitality Trainer.
Currently he is appointed as honorary professor within prestigious universities and various associations in Europe and Asia. He is also certified as an “Excellence Assessor” for EFQM- European Foundation of Quality Management (Business) and certified “Quality Auditor” of UNWTO Academy TEDQUAL Program.
His latest contribution to industry, involves applying research-based practical psychometric tools and related mentoring and coaching, targeting a strong “interests match” between new talents, associates, job and culture in the organizations, in order to tackle recruitment challenges.

John Chen
Advisory Board Member, Legal Counsel
John is a graduate of the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics and started his legal career in 2011 with a leading U.S. international law firm in Paris and has since worked for several international law firms in Shanghai. John practiced law in the area of mergers and acquisitions, foreign direct investments into China, outbound investment as well as various corporate-related and contract-related matters. He acted for a broad range of companies, ranging from startups and venture-financed businesses to large, publicly traded corporations.