Maggie Barrera: Shining Like a CHLA Hotel All Star

January 12, 2026 | Awards

More than a quarter-million people work in California hotels — and among them, Maggie Barrera shines. Indeed, this standout Area Director of Sales has been recognized by the California Hotel & Lodging Association as a 2025 Hotel All Star for embodying the essence of hospitality while consistently performing at the highest level.

The CHLA Hotel All Stars program celebrates a distinguished class of hospitality professionals who represent the industry’s best and brightest.   

As Area DOS at Hyatt Centric Mountain View and Hilton Garden Inn Palo Alto, Maggie exemplifies every guiding principle that defines OTO’s company culture. Her unwavering leadership and relentless drive for results are evident in all aspects of her work.

With Maggie at the helm, the Silicon Valley sales team is embracing innovative strategies to earn and shift business. By leveraging her two properties, for example, she’s secured larger pieces of business while continuing to maximize value for clients. By collaborating with OTO’s corporate revenue team to optimize room type availability, she’s captured increased ADR. And by partnering with national account managers at Hyatt and Hilton, she’s widened her hotels’ visibility into certain corporate account programs.

Maggie’s leadership has yielded sustainable, strategic growth in just one year. For example:

• Group rooms revenue increased 11% YOY
• Catering revenue increased 32% YOY
• Rooms revenue increased $1.5M YOY 

Maggie leads with love and compassion. She mentors her sales team members to reach their full potential, resulting in strong client retention, expanded market share, and a significant increase in revenue.

To be sure everyone feels seen and heard, Maggie schedules regular one-on-ones; to foster camaraderie, she plans a variety of team outings. She played an integral part in the ideation and implementation of OTO’s Sales Managers Advisory Committee, a task force that brings on-property perspectives to corporate decision-making. With Maggie as a founding member, SMAC provides frontline employees a greater say in shaping company policies, informing training, and securing resources.

Maggie is a true role model for partnership and integrity. She goes above and beyond to support both internal colleagues and external clients, always representing Hyatt Centric Mountain View and Hilton Garden Inn Palo Alto with distinction.

Her impact is measurable — not only in numbers but also in the trust, respect, and inspiration she fosters across the organization. Maggie’s performance is a testament to what exceptional leadership looks like.

CAPTION: HOTEL ALL STAR Maggie Barrera and her son, Rafael Montes, at the California Hotel & Lodging Association’s 2025 awards luncheon.

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