Hospitality Keynote Speaker Ryan Jenkins
Wall Street Journal Bestselling Leadership Author
and Award-Winning Keynote Speaker
Build More Connected Hospitality Teams
Hospitality is built on human connection. Every guest experience is shaped by the people creating it, and by how well those people work together.
Today’s hospitality organizations are navigating talent shortages, frontline turnover, changing guest expectations, rapid advances in AI and technology, and a multigenerational workforce with up to five generations working side by side.
Today's hospitality organizations are working to:
Strengthen teamwork and communication across frontline, operations, management, and corporate teams
Connect a multigenerational workforce with different expectations, experiences, and communication styles
Attract, engage, develop, and retain the next generation of hospitality professionals
Equip managers to lead increasingly diverse and multigenerational teams
Embrace AI and technology without losing the human connection at the heart of hospitality
Build cultures where employees feel supported, connected, and motivated to create exceptional guest experiences
Ryan equips hospitality professionals with practical, research-backed strategies to build stronger relationships, communicate more effectively across generations, and create teamwork that drives better performance.
Whether speaking to executives, general managers, frontline leaders, operators, emerging leaders, or industry associations, Ryan delivers an engaging keynote experience with actionable insights that strengthen workplace culture, improve collaboration, and prepare people for what’s next.
Exceptional guest experiences start with connected employee experiences.
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Ryan’s Keynote Topics for
Hospitality Organizations
Connectable
Strengthening Relationships to Improve Teamwork, Engagement & Guest Experience
Hospitality is a relationship business. The connections employees have with their managers and teammates directly influence engagement, teamwork, retention, and the experience they create for guests.
Ryan reveals practical strategies to strengthen workplace relationships and create cultures where people feel seen, supported, and connected.
Improve teamwork across frontline, operations, management, and corporate teams.
Strengthen relationships between employees and managers.
Create greater connection and belonging across shifts, departments, and locations.
Build stronger employee experiences that positively impact the guest experience.
Generational Connection
Leading & Working Across Generations in Hospitality
Hospitality brings together employees across generations, while many organizations rely heavily on Gen Z and emerging talent to power their frontline workforce.
Ryan helps leaders and employees move beyond generational stereotypes to understand what’s shaping each generation, and how to turn those differences into an advantage.
Understand what motivates different generations at work.
Improve communication and teamwork across generations.
Equip managers to lead Gen Z and younger employees more effectively.
Attract, engage, develop, and retain the next generation of hospitality talent.
Strengthen collaboration between experienced and emerging leaders.
Team Binding
The Relationship Advantage in the Age of AI
Hospitality teams are often spread across shifts, departments, properties, and locations. Communication may be constant, but that doesn’t always mean people feel connected.
Ryan introduces the practical habits and systems that help teams continuously strengthen trust, alignment, and support.
Build stronger, more connected teams across shifts and locations.
Strengthen trust and collaboration between departments and roles.
Prepare employees to embrace AI and technological change.
Move beyond occasional team building and create continuous team binding.
Every leader needs
to hear Ryan.
-Patrick Lencioni
Who Should Book Ryan Jenkins for Hospitality Events?
01
Hospitality Executives & Senior Leaders
Equip leaders with practical strategies to strengthen culture, improve teamwork, navigate generational differences, retain talent, and protect the human connection that differentiates exceptional hospitality.
02
General Managers, Operators & Frontline Leaders
Give the leaders closest to employees practical tools to build trust, communicate across generations, strengthen teamwork, and create more connected employee experiences.
03
HR, Talent & Emerging Leader Programs
Help current and future leaders engage a multigenerational workforce, strengthen retention, develop younger employees, and build the next generation of hospitality leaders.
04
Hospitality Associations & Industry Conferences
Bring an engaging, research-backed keynote speaker to your event who understands the people side of hospitality….from generations and teamwork to employee engagement, human connection, leadership, AI, and the future of work.
Hospitality Organizations Ryan Has Worked With
Club Management Association of America (CMAA)
Vacation Internationale
Tailwind Group
Chick-fil-A
International Association of Reservation Executives (IARE)
TouchPoint Support Services
Generator Hostels
Care.com
National Association for Catering and Events (NACE)
The Impact of Ryan Jenkins'
Keynotes on Hospitality Organizations
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Stronger Teamwork & Team Connection
Create more connected teams that communicate better, collaborate more effectively, and build greater trust across shifts, departments, properties, and locations.
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Greater Employee Engagement & Retention
Strengthen the relationships employees have with managers, teammates, and the organization—creating cultures where people feel supported, valued, and more likely to stay.
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Better Generational Collaboration
Bridge communication gaps across generations and equip leaders to better understand, engage, and work alongside employees with different experiences and expectations.
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Strong Frontline Leaders
Give managers practical tools to build trust, communicate effectively, create connection, and lead increasingly multigenerational teams.
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Better Guest Experiences
Strong hospitality starts behind the scenes. When employees feel connected to their managers and teammates, they’re better equipped to create the attentive, consistent, and human experiences guests remember.
THE BUZZ
Excitement from Engaged Audiences:
“Ryan sparked insights and ideas that I can apply in my team and across our company."
- Donna Kimmel, Chief People Officer at Citrix
“The best speaker we’ve ever had!”
- Ashley Breedlove, Director at CVS
“Ryan was phenomenal!”
- Kaylin Orr, Kimberly-Clark
“Great feedback from ALL attendees!”
- Mariana Fagnilli, VP at Liberty Mutual
"Utterly groundbreaking! Ryan equipped us to build a more connected organization with improved engagement.”
- Melissa Bernstein, Co-founder of Melissa & Doug
Why Book Ryan Jenkins for Hospitality Events?
Hospitality-Relevant, Research-Backed Insights
Ryan understands the people challenges facing today’s hospitality organizations…from generations and frontline engagement to teamwork, talent retention, leadership, and technological change. Every keynote is grounded in research and translated into practical strategies your people can use immediately.
Engaging, Practical & Actionable
Ryan combines compelling stories, humor, audience interaction, and practical takeaways to create a keynote that’s both engaging and immediately useful. Attendees leave energized, and equipped with ideas they can put into practice the very next day.
Customized for Your Organization
No two hospitality organizations or audiences are the same. Every keynote is tailored to your people, incorporating your goals, challenges, culture, workforce dynamics, and industry realities so the message feels relevant and specific.
Ready to Build a More Connected Hospitality Workforce?
Strengthen teamwork, bridge generational gaps, engage your frontline workforce, develop stronger leaders, and create the employee connections that lead to exceptional guest experiences.