Heather Carnes Joins Industry Leaders at the 2026 HerOwnership Conference
Carnes Agency Founder and Managing Director Heather Carnes joined fellow hospitality leaders for a discussion on service, personal strengths, and the role of giving back in leadership.
Heather Carnes was invited to speak at the 2026 HerOwnership Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, as part of the AAHOA Charitable Foundation’s roundtable discussion, “Lead with Purpose: How Service Shapes Stronger Leaders.
In Photo: Jagruti Panwala - ACF Board Member and Past AAHOA Chairwoman (Moderator), Kataki Patel - Vice President Operations, Exceptional Hospitality, Dee Patel - Managing Director, The Hermitage Hotel and Heather Carnes - Managing Director & Founder, Carnes Agency.
Joining Heather on the panel were Dee Patel, Managing Director of The Hermitage Hotel, and Kataki Patel, Vice President of Operations at Exceptional Hospitality. Moderated by ACF Board Member and AAHOA Past Chairwoman (2019-2020) Jagruti Panwala, the discussion explored how women in hospitality can draw on their professional experience, personal passions, and individual strengths to contribute meaningfully to their communities.
One of the questions addressed during the roundtable was how women can identify which of their skills may be valuable to nonprofit organizations.
Heather shared her perspective on the connection between personal branding and service, encouraging attendees to consider what they are known for professionally and how those abilities might benefit others.
“Think about your personal brand, think about what you want to be known for, what you have become known for, and figure out how to turn that into service,”
HEATHER CARNES
Drawing from her experience at Carnes Agency, Heather spoke about using her background in public relations, marketing, and communications to support organizations and causes. Her contribution reflected the agency’s longstanding connection to the hospitality industry and its commitment to applying professional expertise in ways that serve the broader community.
The roundtable benefited from the different experiences of its panelists, with Dee and Kataki contributing perspectives from hospitality leadership and operations. Jagruti guided the discussion, bringing together their insights on the practical ways service can become part of a leader’s professional life.
The conference also provided an opportunity for Heather to reconnect with industry colleagues, engage with fellow women leaders, and experience the event alongside her daughter, who is preparing for her own professional future.
Heather Carnes during the Roundtable Discussion (brought by ACF)
Carnes Agency extends its appreciation to Dee Patel, Kataki Patel, and Jagruti Panwala for their contributions to the discussion, and to the AAHOA Charitable Foundation and HerOwnership for inviting Heather to participate in this year's conference.
In Photo: Kataki Patel - Vice President Operations, Exceptional Hospitality, Jagruti Panwala - ACF Board Member and Past AAHOA Chairwoman (Moderator), Heather Carnes - Managing Director & Founder, Carnes Agency and Dee Patel - Managing Director, The Hermitage Hotel.
The experience offered an opportunity to share the agency’s perspective on service while learning from the women whose work and contributions continue to strengthen the hospitality community.
