Driven by the wise words of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, “You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be 100% committed,” Karen McWilliams channels her steadfast determination into every endeavor. As Vice President of Revenue Strategy at Concord Hospitality Enterprises, she champions neoteric approaches, fosters synergistic collaboration, and guides the company toward sustained growth. Her ardor for mentoring and prescient strategic vision have been pivotal in shaping the company’s revenue management breakthrough. mastery.
Growing up in a military family, Karen constantly adapted to new places and cultures—a skill that would later prove invaluable in hospitality. She notes that frequent moves made her the “new kid on the block” for years, shaping her ability to build friendships effortlessly and connect with new people naturally. Her first job at a hotel front desk kindled her passion for the industry, exposing her to the fast-paced, people-driven nature of hospitality. As she progressed through various roles, she developed a keen interest in revenue strategy, recognizing its power to drive business success.
Role in Revenue Leadership at Concord Hospitality
The revenue division Karen leads is a vital part of Concord Hospitality’s Corporate Sales Team. Each member functions as a precision-tuned component in a high-powered engine, working seamlessly to drive success. They report to Kevin McAteer, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales, who oversees sales, revenue management, and digital marketing. While each team brings its own expertise, their goals are tightly aligned—like a three-lane superhighway where every lane moves toward the same destination, with drivers supporting each other along the way. For Karen, collaboration is the fuel that powers Concord’s high-performance engine.
Karen’s mission is to ensure that both short-term wins and long-term vision propel Concord toward market dominance. Her team employs sophisticated market intelligence to identify and capture the most lucrative demand streams proactively. She underlines the importance of nurturing strong brand partnerships. Concord, she explains, is committed to exceeding expectations in systems management and believes in complete transparency with its valued brand partners. Karen remarks, “We invest time in advisory boards (both brand and vendor) to allow our voice to be heard as well as share real-life examples for areas of opportunity.”
A Day in the Life: Balancing Leadership, Strategy, and Purpose
This seasoned leader in the hospitality industry doesn’t just “start her day.” She awakens it. A firm believer in the power of gratitude, Karen begins each morning with a mindful moment, acknowledging the blessings in her life and setting a positive intention for the day. This practice, she finds, elevates a servant leadership approach, emphasizing empathy and a genuine desire to uplift others.
As a mentor, Karen encourages her team to discover what truly ignites their passion. For her, it’s the exhilarating challenge of overcoming obstacles, the thrill of the hunt for innovative solutions, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable hurdles.
A typical day for Karen is anything but usual. It’s a dynamic dance between strategic thinking and operational execution. She’s constantly looking ahead, anticipating future needs, identifying and proactively addressing potential roadblocks, and seizing every opportunity to propel the business forward.
Karen champions collective intelligence, emphasizing a layered team dynamic where distinct strengths align toward a shared goal: exceptional results. Like a meticulously crafted marketing plan, each layer—from strategy to execution—plays a vital role. She ensures seamless communication and synergy across all levels, orchestrating efforts with precision.
Drawing an analogy to the Blue Angels Jet Pilots, Karen describes their synchronized, high-performance approach. They move with accuracy, adapt swiftly, and maintain a unified vision. To her, a strong company culture—rooted in trust, transparency, and shared purpose—is essential for navigating challenges with resilience and grace.
Fueled by Learning, Driven by Impact
What drives this astute executive throughout her career? An unapologetic hunger for learning. She sees knowledge not as something to hoard but as a gift to be shared—a duty, not an option. Every investment in her development, whether self-made or sponsored by others, powers her mission to pay it forward. The ultimate reward for Karen? Seeing her protégés soar to new heights.
Furthermore, she highlights that at Concord, they are reminded that “Our differences are our greatest strengths.” With this mindset at the core, she firmly believes that each person is a gem in their own right, and true leadership shines through in the ability to see and harness this diversity. Karen clarifies that truly grasping the aspirations and goals of others opens the door to valuable, meaningful, impactful mentorship opportunities.
Finding Her Diamond in the Rough
At a crossroads in her professional life, Karen reveals how her beliefs were tested. Like a rough diamond needing to be unearthed, she found herself facing a challenging situation that threatened to dim her own brilliance. “For some, walking away can be seen as giving up,” she clarifies, “However, looking closer, it can be more like the pressures that build up, turning coal into something far more valuable, representing endurance and refinement.”
She recounts a time when a new entity acquired a previous company. Karen quickly realized that her values were fundamentally incompatible with those of a senior executive within the new organization. It was like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole – a jarring dissonance that made it clear she needed to find a new path.
Compromising her integrity was simply not an option for Karen. She could not condone behaviors that contradicted her deeply held beliefs. While this decision meant relinquishing certain professional advantages, she resolutely upheld that prioritizing her values and the well-being of her colleagues was paramount. Despite the unfamiliar terrain, she chose to lead with empathy and put her team’s welfare first. Karen asserts that this ordeal has taught her a valuable lesson, which she always stresses to her mentees, underlining the significance of being authentic and putting one’s principles first, no matter how difficult things become.
Turning Criticism into Power: The Greatest Achievement
With her contagious enthusiasm and a deep-seated belief in people-centric progress, Karen has consistently pushed boundaries throughout her illustrious career. This inspiring leadership has rightfully earned her a place among “The 10 Most Empowering Women Leaders to Follow in 2025.” But this is just one facet of her remarkable journey. There’s so much more to the story. When asked about her greatest professional achievement, Karen doesn’t point to a single milestone or accolade. Instead, she sees success as a continuous journey—one shaped by both victories and setbacks. “I have been blessed to have many wins along the way,” she states, but she’s just as grateful for the tough days that pushed her to grow.
One of her proudest accomplishments is her ability to seek out her toughest critics and use their feedback as fuel for improvement. She embraces the concept of “holding up the mirror,” taking an honest inventory of where she can learn and evolve. Rather than shying away from constructive criticism, she welcomes it, seeing it as a catalyst for progress.
Beyond her own growth, Karen finds tremendous joy in mentoring others. She has worked with individuals who have risen to become CEOs, COOs, and VPs in their respective organizations—some even launching their own strategy firms. She feels no act of support is too small if it helps someone unlock their potential. A recent experience in this capacity was especially meaningful. Karen had the opportunity to coach the daughter of a former peer, passing down her insights to the next generation. To her, this wasn’t just a privilege but a full-circle moment.
The Art of Alignment: Navigating Career, Family, and Innovation
Success is rarely a straight path—it’s a continuous juggle between ambition and personal commitments. Karen has spent her career mastering this delicate dance. In the early days, she and her husband embraced the whirlwind of frequent relocations, a challenge that grew more complex with the arrival of their children. Recognizing the importance of presence during those formative years, they made the bold decision for her husband to step back from his career to support their family. Today, as a proud grandmother, she continues to prioritize meaningful moments, ensuring that family remains at the heart of her journey.
Karen knows firsthand that the hospitality industry moves at an unrelenting pace, often placing personal well-being on the back burner. But she sees self-care not as an indulgence but as a necessity. By prioritizing renewal, she remains sharp, focused, and ready to lead with both strength and clarity.
This philosophy extends to her leadership style. As Seneca observed, “When we teach, we learn,” Karen is all about strengthening her team and loves every moment of coaching and directing them to success! She nurtures a supportive atmosphere where each person is heard, and she learns as much from her team as they learn from her.
She approaches her work with purpose, stepping into each day like an explorer—curious, driven, and unafraid to push boundaries. By honing her skills and taking calculated risks, she cultivates continuous innovation. This mindset enables her to embrace the “what ifs,” transforming uncertainty into opportunity and driving strategic excellence. For Karen, balance isn’t about sacrifice—it’s about building a life where ambition and personal fulfillment coexist.
A Leader Driven by Values and Collaborative Strategy
For this adept professional, every decision starts with a solid foundation—values first. She believes that strategy isn’t just about numbers and forecasts; it’s about aligning with the right principles. At Concord Hospitality, five core cornerstones and key leadership commitments ensure that no single voice outweighs another. This philosophy guides Karen in shaping department goals and contributing to broader hotel objectives. Her philosophy is rooted in the belief that success goes beyond revenue—it’s about delivering value to owners, associates, and guests alike.
Karen views revenue strategy as a balance of science and art. The science relies on data, analytics, and market trends, while the art involves understanding people, behaviors, and the nuances beyond numbers. She believes the best strategies emerge when both elements carry equal weight. Success isn’t just about making decisions—it’s about making the right ones for the right reasons.
Vision for the Next Era of Hospitality
This visionary leader recognizes that the hospitality industry is on the cusp of another major transformation. During the last decade, revenue leaders have transitioned from the use of outdated rate and inventory systems to powerful data science systems that balance supply and demand in a systematic, rational and profitable way. Added to that, the convergence of digital distribution, this evolution turned revenue leaders into educators and coaches, guiding teams through enormous change.
Adopting the mindset of “We can do hard things!” Karen recognizes that the industry has had to rethink traditional strategies, replacing spreadsheets with automated optimization and analyzing algorithm output for key decision-making. While the transition has brought challenges, she believes disruption fosters resilience and sparks innovation.
Looking ahead, she is particularly excited about the continued rise of AI in hospitality. She observes that industry leaders increasingly explore AI-driven solutions to optimize day-to-day operations. For Karen, the next decade represents a thrilling era of reinvention—one where adaptability, technology, and human ingenuity will converge to redefine the guest experience. And she’s ready to play a key role in shaping that future.
Empowering the Generation Next
Karen was recognized for her outstanding contributions to the industry, earning a spot among HSMAI’s Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization in 2021. This prestigious honor highlights her strategic vision, leadership, and impact on the commercial real estate and hospitality sectors. In 2022, she was also named an Honoree for Influential Women in Hospitality by Hotel Magazine, further solidifying her reputation as a trailblazer in the field. These accolades reflect Karen’s dedication to excellence, innovation, and mentorship, inspiring future generations of women leaders in the industry.
Her impact on the hospitality industry extends beyond her impressive career achievements. Karen nurtures a vibrant ecosystem where future leaders can flourish. As co-chair of C-Women, a haven for women seeking to ascend the leadership ladder within Concord Hospitality, Karen diligently works with a team of women that draft content and educational opportunities targeted to all levels of business acumen. A testament to this dedication is the blossoming of a scholarship program, a beacon of support for aspiring hospitality professionals, to date enriching four lives with the fuel of education.
Moreover, as Vice President of Membership for the North Carolina chapter of HSMAI, Karen cultivates a fertile ground for professional growth, fostering an environment where hospitality professionals can continually hone their skills and expand their horizons. Through these initiatives, Karen diligently sows the seeds of leadership, ensuring a bountiful harvest of talent for tomorrow’s hospitality industry.
Message to Aspiring Professionals in The Industry
As a mentor and leader, Karen passionately encourages young women aspiring to leadership roles in the hospitality industry to embrace opportunities with an open mind. Her mantra is simple: “Get out of the comfort zone and say YES!” She believes that stepping into the unknown, pushing past fear, and welcoming new challenges lead to growth, fresh experiences, and unexpected possibilities. Karen also stresses the importance of seeking out mentors—those giants whose shoulders one can stand on to gain a broader perspective and see beyond their own limitations.
The Art of Leadership in Hospitality
“For whom much is given, much is required.” Karen lives by this truth, viewing leadership as an onerous privilege—a role that demands heart, hustle, and vision. In the dynamic world of hospitality, she believes true leaders master the art of active listening, communicating clearly, and inspiring relentlessly. Guest satisfaction isn’t just a goal; it’s a commitment. Adaptability and problem-solving keep things running smoothly, while empathy and managing emotions make good leaders great. Attention to detail distinguishes the exceptional, cultural awareness fosters inclusivity, and innovation drives progress. Karen regards leadership as the art of creating meaningful experiences, building strong teams, and leaving a lasting impact.
