Sarah Deaton and Maria Maksimova Shine Like ‘Rising Stars’

October 3, 2025 | Awards

Sarah Deaton started at OTO Development as a marketing intern while still an undergrad; Maria Maksimova had just finished her MBA when she joined the company’s Florida sales team. Right away, both young women stood out as future leaders and today — as Creative Services Manager and Area Director of Sales — they’ve been recognized among Hotel Management’s 2025 Thirty Under 30, a list that showcases our industry’s rising stars.

Read Hotel Management’s 2025 Thirty Under 30 Special Feature

Every year, Hotel Management highlights young professionals who are already making meaningful contributions early in their careers. Below is the magazine's Q&A with Sarah and Maria:

HOTEL MANAGEMENT: Tell us about your current position and your top five responsibilities.

SARAH: As the Creative Services Manager at OTO Development, I lead the design and brand strategy for our corporate office, hotels, and F&B outlets.

My key responsibilities include overseeing print design for marketing materials such as flyers, brochures, presentations, banners, signage, and menus. I also manage digital media efforts to maintain a consistent brand identity across websites, email campaigns, and social platforms.

Brand management is a core part of my work, ensuring a cohesive voice and style across departments and properties. I produce multimedia content to support both internal communications and promotional initiatives, and I contribute to event marketing by developing creative assets for special events, sponsorship activations, and company-wide conferences. 

I collaborate closely with various teams to align creative direction with business goals, and I am skilled in bringing concepts to life through both digital and print mediums. Through each project, I help ensure every brand touchpoint reflects our company’s standards and values.

MARIA: As an Area Director of Sales for OTO Development, I oversee strategic direction, sales performance, and revenue growth at Hilton Garden Inn St. Pete Beach and DoubleTree North Redington Beach. I work closely with the hotels’ general managers and on-property sales teams as well as corporate leadership to ensure both hotels are positioned competitively in their markets.

Day to day, I am responsible for achieving and exceeding sales targets; developing and actualizing strategic plans to achieve sales goals and expand the client base; leading and developing my two on-property sales teams; and building and maintaining customer relationships.

 

HM: What leadership skills have you used the most in your current role?

SARAH: One of the leadership skills I’ve relied on most in my role as Creative Services Manager is taking initiative, especially when it comes to improving internal processes that help our properties operate more efficiently. I’ve learned that spotting small inefficiencies or communication gaps early on can have a big impact, particularly when working across multiple brands and departments.

Taking initiative also means being proactive in finding ways to enhance the guest experience through design. That might look like refining signage, updating menu layouts, or rethinking how visuals are presented online.

I’ve come to see leadership not just as managing people, but as stepping up when something needs to be improved. It’s about being able to spot opportunities, step in with solutions, and make things easier and more effective for everyone involved. That mindset has shaped how I approach each project and the way I support both our internal teams and our properties every day.

MARIA: The leadership skills I use most include strategic thinking, team development, communication, and collaboration.

I consistently apply strategic thinking to align each hotel’s strategy with market conditions, brand goals, and financial targets. This includes identifying demand trends, maximizing revenue streams, and guiding my sales teams through market shifts such as seasonality and economic changes.

I strongly believe sales leaders are only as strong as their teams; therefore, developing high-performing people is essential. With this is mind, I focus on creating a structured sales process and ensuring my team’s goals are aligned; coaching, mentoring, and holding everyone accountable; and challenging my team to think outside of the box and set ourselves apart from other hotels in our markets.

Clear, consistent communication between the sales team and other hotel departments is vital for a successful property. I lead weekly meetings, communicate performance expectations, and ensure every sales manager understands both their individual and collective goals.

Lastly, I collaborate closely both internally and across departments to drive revenue and ensure seamless guest experiences. Within the sales team, we share leads, align on goals, and use a CRM tool to manage client relationships. We work with the front office to manage room blocks and special requests, revenue management to optimize pricing strategies, marketing to align promotions and branding, and operations teams to ensure smooth execution of group bookings and banquets.

 

HM: What was appealing about the hospitality industry to you prior to joining the industry? Is that the same thing that appeals to you today?

SARAH: I was drawn to the hospitality industry’s creativity, energy, and human connection that are at the heart of it all. The idea of creating memorable experiences for people, whether through thoughtful design, exceptional service, or engaging environments, really resonated with me. I loved how hospitality blends business strategy with creativity, making room for both innovation and relationship-building.

What initially attracted me was the chance to work on something tangible: designing materials that directly contribute to how guests perceive and enjoy their stay. From the moment someone clicks on a hotel’s website to reading the menu at a restaurant, every little detail felt like an opportunity to make an impression.

Now that I’ve been in the industry for a while, that same excitement is still there, but it’s grown into something deeper. I’ve come to appreciate how much my work impacts the bigger picture — guest satisfaction, revenue, even team morale.

I also love how collaborative hospitality is. Every department, from sales to housekeeping, works together to bring everything to life. Being part of an industry that’s always evolving, open to new ideas, and puts people first continues to appeal to me every day.

MARIA: Growing up, I had the opportunity to travel quite a bit, and looking from the outside in, the hospitality industry appeared to be a diverse and dynamic work environment where no day was ever the same. I saw an opportunity to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds, and make them happy through my work.

Therefore, when the time came to choose a university degree, I majored in Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management; then, I obtained my MBA from the Florida Institute of Technology.

Today, hospitality’s original appeal still holds true — but it has deepened. What continues to motivate me is the impactful role sales plays in driving the success of a hotel. I now have a greater appreciation for how hospitality blends service, strategy, and leadership. Seeing how strong sales performance supports team members, enhances guest offerings, and contributes to the community gives even more purpose to the work.

So yes, the core appeal — people and impact — is the same. But with experience, it’s grown into a genuine passion for building teams, growing revenue, and shaping long-term success.

 

HM: What is the most pressing challenge you’ve faced on the job in the past year? How did you resolve it?

SARAH: One of the most pressing challenges I’ve faced this past year was supporting the rollout of a new beverage program across OTO Development’s entire portfolio. This required updating every restaurant, catering, and online menu to reflect the new offerings — more than 150 menus in total. It was a large-scale initiative that involved coordination between our corporate F&B, on-property, sales, and operations teams.

With a tight deadline, we recognized early on that staying organized would be critical to the success of this project. Our team took the initiative to lead the organizational side, creating a shared tracking document that included links to every menu. This allowed team members from different departments to view everything in one place, streamlining the review process and eliminating potential confusion or delays.

As edits were submitted, my creative team handled all updates and ensured accuracy across print and digital platforms. A major challenge was that not all properties were rolling out the new program at the same time, so communication became just as important as execution. This project reinforced the importance of organization, communication, and cross-department collaboration.

MARIA: One of the most pressing challenges I faced in the past year was helping my hotels navigate through two major hurricanes that struck within weeks of each other. These storms resulted in two evacuations and caused significant damage to both properties.

After the storms passed, as a team, we quickly shifted our focus to recovery — supporting displaced employees and working in collaboration with restoration crews to restore the hotels to full operation — and we worked tirelessly to secure group bookings to fill the hotels.

Through teamwork, resilience, and dedication, we not only reopened but came back stronger.

 

HM: How are you working today to develop your career for your next roles? 

SARAH: I’m focused on growing both creatively and strategically to be ready for whatever’s next in my career. I’ve been taking on more cross-functional projects that allow me to work closely with departments such as sales, operations, and real estate, which has helped me better understand the bigger business picture and how creative fits into it.

I’m also being more intentional about stepping into leadership moments, whether that’s mentoring newer team members, leading larger-scale campaigns, or helping streamline processes to make our team more efficient. These opportunities are helping me grow beyond just design work and think more like a creative lead or brand strategist.

I’m staying curious, embracing new challenges, and building a well-rounded foundation to support whatever the next step may be.

MARIA: I’m actively investing in my career development by seeking opportunities to expand both my skills and knowledge. I am part of OTO Development’s Mentor Committee, supporting new Directors of Sales who join the company; I’m part of Hilton Garden Inn’s Brand Advisor Council and Hilton Garden Inn’s brand expert for OTO. I challenge myself to actively invest time in learning and expanding my skills, seeking feedback, and taking on new challenges.

 

HM: What experiences, people or tools have taught you the most?

SARAH: I’ve learned the most through a mix of hands-on experience, great mentors, and the tools that help bring creative ideas to life. Working in a fast-paced, multi-property environment has taught me how to juggle deadlines, adapt quickly, and remain solution-oriented, which I believe are skills that come only from experience.

I’ve been fortunate to work alongside leaders who challenge and encourage me to grow. One mentor taught me the value of asking the “why” behind each project, helping me shift from simply executing creative tasks to thinking strategically about how design supports the bigger business goals.

From a tool’s perspective, programs like Adobe Creative Suite help me translate ideas into impactful visuals, while platforms like Asana improve my ability to juggle multiple priorities with clarity and efficiency. Ultimately, the combination of collaborative relationships, evolving creative technology, and hands-on experience is shaping not only how I work, but also how I lead and problem-solve.

MARIA: I’ve benefited from the support and guidance of so many people during my time with OTO Development. Jodie Kuchta, Senior Regional Director of Sales, has been one of the most involved professional mentors; she has been instrumental in my ability to learn and grow in my current role. My General Manager, Kerri Green, has taught me to never settle and to always challenge myself to think of what we can do better. I have been very fortunate to have these two strong female leaders guide me through my career.

As a company, OTO Development provides me with many great tools for success. One of the best tools that the company has introduced is the OTA Insight, which helps us understand, in detail, everything from market pricing and demand to hotel segmentation and pace.

 

HM: What is the most appealing aspect of your work environment?

SARAH: The most appealing aspect of my work environment is the strong sense of collaboration between departments. I love that no two days are the same, and I’m constantly working with different teams to bring creative ideas to life. I enjoy learning how each team operates, what their priorities are, and how creative can support their goals. It’s rewarding to be able to connect the dots between strategy and execution, knowing that the work we do plays a part in everything from guest satisfaction to business performance.

It's also motivating to be part of a team where everyone is working toward a shared vision. We each bring different strengths to the table, and when we come together, the result is always stronger. Whether we’re launching a new campaign, opening a property, or rolling out updated branding, that collaborative energy is what makes it all come to life. The mix of teamwork, shared purpose, and the constant opportunity to learn from one another is what makes my work environment not only appealing but also inspiring.

MARIA: The most appealing aspect of my work environment as a hotel sales leader is the collaborative and results-driven culture. I thrive in an environment where cross-functional teamwork — between sales, operations, revenue management, and marketing — is essential to success. Working closely with different teams to align strategy and execute initiatives is rewarding.

I also value the balance of autonomy and accountability. I’m trusted to make strategic decisions, manage my team, and drive performance, but I’m also held to clear goals and standards, which keeps me focused and motivated.

Lastly, I appreciate the fast-paced, ever-evolving nature of the hospitality industry. Market conditions shift quickly, and the ability to adapt, innovate, and lead through change keeps the work exciting and meaningful.

Print