Sustainable Lodging Experts 2025

Shellie Pomeroy is the founder and creative director of Silk & Willow, a globally recognized textile brand celebrated for its trendsetting, naturally dyed products and dedication to sustainability. As an expert natural dyer, color trendsetter, and tablescape stylist, Shellie draws her inspiration directly from the quiet beauty of the natural world. Her philosophy celebrates the harmony of colors found in nature, which she translates into exquisite silk ribbons and textiles. This process is thoughtfully detailed in her authored book, "Natural Tables," published by Chronicle Books. Shellie spends her days tending to her gardens and walking the land, gathering inspiration that she transforms into designs for events ranging from intimate gatherings to high-end luxury and celebrity celebrations. With a deep respect for historical methods and the earth, Shellie’s work is a reminder that true luxury is found in meaningful, handcrafted details. She consults as an expert on silk textiles, color theory, and table styling, sharing her unique vision for creating cherished moments infused with nature's beauty.

My work focuses on the intersection of consumerism, overproduction, marketing, and climate change. I aim to bring easily digestible guidance to everyone on how to live a more sustainable life for people, animals, and the planet, without sacrificing joy, style, and fulfillment. My No New Things Challenge has been awarded a Silver Stevie Award for Non-profit Innovation, and is now a popular book by the same name, with a trademarked process that gets folks out of the consumerist swirl and back into their lives. I am a featured expert on CNN, Live with Kelly & Mark, TODAY, Good Morning America, have spoken at SXSW and the United Nations, and have a popular TED Talk. I hold a BA from Brown University and an MSc from The University of Oxford, UK, am a Professor of Marketing for Sustainability at various institutions, and live in Chicago, IL. In a nutshell: I reconnect people with the truth that they have and are enough.

Anastasia Vasilieva is a founder, former Big Four consultant, and mother of two who builds and advises purpose-led consumer brands. She is the founder of Treehouse, a children’s clothing brand focused on safer materials, ethical manufacturing, and long-lasting design. Launched in 2023, Treehouse was built after years of supplier research in India, hands-on product testing with parents, and deep work on materials, pricing, and supply-chain decision-making — balancing sustainability with the realities of running a modern business. Before entrepreneurship, Anastasia was a Senior Manager at EY, where she worked on global risk, regulation, and supplier due diligence. She now brings that business and operational lens to fashion, manufacturing, and consumer goods — particularly as brands navigate rising tariffs, supply-chain uncertainty, cost pressures, and shifting consumer expectations. Anastasia regularly speaks to journalists about building and scaling a brand, manufacturing overseas, tariffs and pricing, sustainable fashion without greenwashing, mom entrepreneurship, immigrant-founded businesses, and what it really takes to build an ethical company that survives in today’s economy.

Emily Dailey is the Founder & CEO of PenDailey Consulting, a boutique firm specializing in branding, marketing, and commercial strategy for hospitality, tourism, and wellness businesses. With a background rooted in hotel operations and commercial strategy dating back two decades, Emily brings expertise in both the creative and analytical sides of marketing and brand development. She has led teams through great change and approaches leadership through the lens of leading the whole person, not just the professional. She cultivates retreats for professional women in wellness, hospitality, and entrepreneurship. Emily serves on the board of Accelerate Women Leaders in Travel and is a member of Female Founders in Hospitality and Women's Travel Freelance Network. In addition to her consulting work, Emily owns Green Thread Circle, a wellness practice focused on education, ceremony, and connection. Her certifications include Sustainable Tourism (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) and Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer (Hotel Sales & Marketing Association International). She also holds a B.S. in Business Administration and is a registered yoga teacher (RYT 500).

Sustainability and ESG consultant for businesses of all sizes in all industries. I have been managing sustainability for organizations for twelve years and launched a sustainability consulting firm in 2017. Sustainability consulting services focus on developing corporate sustainability strategies/plans, producing sustainability/ESG reports in line with GRI, SASB and TCFD, conducting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories, setting GHG reduction targets and guiding clients in sustainability certifications such as TRUE Zero Waste, B Corp, LEED and CarbonNeutral.

I am a travel journalist with bylines in New York Times, The Guardian, BBC Travel, CN Travel and more. I run the anti-overtourism travel blog Shortcuts and Sidequests, dedicated to sustainable adventures. If you are writing about sustainable travel, eco-tourism, or solo female adventures, please get in touch, I will be happy to answer your questions.

I love working with architects, designers, and contractors to assist in creating the perfect product and design for their project. I've been in the lumber industry since 1996 continually learning every aspect of the industry so I can speak accurately and honestly regardless of the situation, product, or logistics. Whether working through architectural design, quantities, color, or application - there is no roadblock too large to overcome. Because of my full knowledge of the industry from procurement, manufacturing, and shipping, I can provide the answers, assistance, and correct product for your project.

Simbo Natai was born and raised in the heart of Tanzania Safari and brings over a decade of experience in planning unforgettable safaris and Kilimanjaro Climbs. His passion for showcasing Tanzania’s beauty and culture led to the creation of African Scenic Safaris. With a focus on authentic experiences, sustainability, and community impact, Simbo continues to guide a dedicated team in delivering meaningful and memorable journeys across Tanzania.

I am a freelance syndicated travel writer with bylines in Fortune Magazine, Euronews, Yahoo, Fox, MSN, NBC, The Indiana Gazette, The San Francisco Examiner, Star Local Media, The Daily Gazette and more. I am also the founder and editor-in-chief at Eco Lodges Anywhere, featured in Forbes. All articles are available on Muckrack: https://muckrack.com/emese-maczko or on https://ecolodgesanywhere.com/category/news/

Tim Kroeger is the founder of Universal Traveller and a luxury wellness travel specialist based in Bangkok. After 15+ years of nonstop travel across 110+ countries, constant flights and jet lag pushed him to shift from chasing “more places” to protecting better energy. Today, he writes and speaks about travel recovery—how sleep, nervous system regulation, movement, and environment determine whether a trip restores you or drains you. He reviews luxury wellness hotels and spas through a performance lens, combining firsthand testing with expert insights from Beyond the Spa and global industry roundups.

Elvin Zimmerman started Wildwood Rustics LLC in 2009, focusing on crafting quality rustic log furniture. As central Pennsylvania's premier rustic furniture, log railing, and steps builder, Elvin is an expert on artistic furniture pieces, handcrafted furniture, and wood, including cedar logs, aspen, and pine.

I help purpose driven small and medium size companies create a competitive advantage by…

lifelong hotelier, worked in industry from Bellman to Area VP/GM. Managed Sheratons, Marriott, Hilton, Cambria in Resort, Airport, Downtown, Beach and Suburban markets. Specialize in community engagement and successful operations. Winner; Choice Hotels Community Champion for hurricane housing of 150 locals in evac situation. People Magazine Kindness Award winner, published story of double hurricane standing ground helping 150 locals in Tampa Bay under an evacuation. FoxWeather, ABC, NBC interviews on unique caring during trying times. Jennifer Hudson Show; Hurricane Hero Episode interviewed on set with story of beating odds in Natural disaster and providing comfort and safety for 150 locals who then lived 6 months in hotel. Personal story includes a 13 home Foster Care survivor from 6 months to 16 in Boston and finding solace in hotels and to this day; Earned; #1 Employee Satisfaction out of 800 Starwood Hotels and #1 in community engagement in Starwood hotels. Specialize in opening and motivating a team with driven empathy and am in Tampa Bay St. Pete area.

Lindsay Scherr Burgess is the Founder and Moss Boss of Green Wallscapes, a company that brings spaces to life with no-hassle preserved moss, walls, logos, lettering and art. She has done over 1000 projects in over 35 states, Canada, and the Caribbean and employs a team of mostly artists in her West Palm Beach studio. Her company’s work has been called “a lavish expression of botanical joy” and has been featured in Architectural Digest, Veranda Magazine, Palm Beach Post, Palm Beach Daily News, and more. In 2023, Green Wallscapes won gold for the iPlants Magazine Biophilic Design Awards. Green Wallscapes was selected to participate in the prestigious Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse in 2019. Green Wallscapes' client list includes major developers like Amli Residential, Aimco, Greystone, Related, Weinstein Properties, and Zom and major brands like Amazon, Starbucks, Autonation, Stella Artois, Garden of Life, Hilton, Westin, Marriott Vacation Rentals, and more. Lindsay’s background is diverse, she has worked in organic produce, construction, commercial real estate, and book publishing in a sales and marketing role. She loves to travel, speaks fluent Italian, and can be found painting, doing yoga, and jet-skiing on the weekends. She graduated from Northwestern University, and lives in West Palm Beach with her entrepreneurial husband, Jon and their Daughter, Skylar. Specialities: Moss Walls, Moss Logos, Moss Art, Moss Wall Art, Green Walls, Commercial Interiors, Interior Design, Sales, Marketing

Jared Sternberg is a passionate champion for the environment and its communities. With his company, Gondwana Ecotours, he has become a leader in sustainable travel. Raised in a home where sustainability was not only taught, but practiced, Jared understood the importance of preserving the environment around him at an early age. His awareness and appreciation for the world inspired a thirst for travel that began in his adolescence and continued into adulthood. At the University of California, San Diego, Jared pursued an International Studies and Spanish Literature degree. During his studies, he spent a semester abroad in Barcelona to immerse himself in the local language and culture. Following this, he backpacked across Europe, which solidified his belief in the transformative power of travel. Upon graduating, Jared left California again in search of meaningful travel experiences. His journeys led him to Africa, where he worked with locals in Ghana to build a vocational school. Inspired by their resilience and commitment to creating positive social change, Jared reflected more deeply on inequity, privilege, and his role in shaping a better world. As a result, between 2010 and 2013, Jared studied environmental and human rights law at Tulane University’s Law School in Louisiana, hoping to positively impact communities through legal action. During his studies, he continued broadening his perspective by working with locals in Ecuador, Cuba, Brazil, Panama, Nicaragua, Alaska, and more. During this time, Jared had a pivotal realization– working with local communities to improve the conditions of the places he traveled to provided a profound and direct impact on the world. While legal actions are a necessary piece of the puzzle, after observing the sustainable projects of ecolodges that he frequented and worked with, Jared began to see tourism as a powerful channel for redistributing resources and educating others. This realization sparked the vision of Gondwana Ecotours. Jared aspired to create a small, sustainable tour operation whose mission was to generate positive change for the destinations and communities it visited. The tours would emphasize nature, wildlife, and local culture to create unique experiences that foster genuine connections between the traveler and the places they explore. In 2013, he founded Gondwana Ecotours, dedicating to serving the communities he worked with, the destinations he cherished, and for you–the intrepid traveler seeking meaningful, sustainable travels off the beaten path. When he’s not working with his global team office or collaborating on-site with local vendors, Jared resides in Homer, Alaska, with his wife Ashley, son Levi, and dog Leeroy. In his spare time, Jared enjoys wildlife viewing and photography, playing and watching soccer, and practicing the drums and piano.

As a child I remember breathing in the toxic chemicals as I would “help out” at my Father’s screen printing shop after school. My Mother and her Father before her were both incredible artists. Norman Rockwell’s painting of my Grandpa Jim always hung somewhere in our family home. Design has always been in me even as a child. For the past 10 years I have been focusing on creating delightful digital experiences for human users.

Konstantina Antoniadou is an expert non-toxic home and living advocate and writer, certified in Chemicals and Health by Johns Hopkins University, where she focused on the toxicity of commonly found household chemicals and their health impacts. She has also completed specialized studies in Sustainable Fashion (Copenhagen Business School), Business Models for Sustainability (BMS), and Sustainable Development Goals (University of Copenhagen), deepening her expertise in the connection between personal choices and global environmental change. With over eight years of experience in the field, K now writes from different places around the world as a digital nomad.

Thomas Lu is a systems thinker, entrepreneur, the author of The Personal Sustainability Handbook and the founder of The Sustainabilitist (sustainabilitist.com), a project dedicated to sustainabilize the many different facets of human activities. A musician, polyglot, theorist and troubleshooter by hobby, his need for sustainability has led him to a general philosophy for tackling human challenges.

I’m the founder of LeafPackage, a packaging partner built for small brands that need custom, eco-friendly packaging without high minimums. We support businesses in the US, Canada, the UK and Europe with packaging starting at 10 units and more than 200 styles, including bags, boxes, mailers, rigid formats and food-safe options. I guide them through materials, printing, sizing and sustainable choices so their packaging feels thoughtful and practical at tiny-batch scale. My work spans cafés, bakeries, coffee roasters, beauty labels and e-commerce shops that want packaging to look consistent and reflect their story from the very first order. I started LeafPackage with a simple belief: small orders can create a big impact, and every brand deserves packaging that feels intentional, accessible and supportive as they grow.

Jennifer Spatz is the Founder of Global Family Travels and a leader in regenerative, community-based tourism. A cultural anthropologist at heart, she designs immersive travel experiences grounded in her company’s mission to Learn, Serve, and Immerse—connecting travelers meaningfully with local communities, cultures, and natural environments. Through partnerships with global and local nonprofits, Jennifer integrates regenerative tourism principles and aligns programs with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Her journeys combine cultural exchange, educational experiences, homestays, and community-driven projects that strengthen social and environmental systems in the destinations visited. Her insights on regenerative travel have been featured in TravelAge West (“Regenerative Meets Family Fun”) and on the podcast Regenerative Tourism: When Sustainability Isn’t Enough. (see all news links here: https://www.globalfamilytravels.com/news)