Meet The Team
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Katie Hayton, Principal & Director of Development
Katie Hayton is the Principal of PNW Hospitality Ventures, a visionary leader reshaping the boutique hospitality landscape in the Pacific Northwest. Recognizing a gap in women-owned hospitality investment companies, Katie founded PNW Hospitality Ventures to bring a fresh perspective to the industry while championing diversity and innovation.
Based in the greater Seattle area, Katie combines strategic vision with hands-on expertise, striving to create unique destinations that resonate with travelers and deliver exceptional value to investors. Her commitment to excellence goes beyond design and guest experience—Katie is dedicated to treating her investors with integrity and ensuring above-average returns.
With a keen eye for opportunity and a passion for creating remarkable spaces, Katie leads PNW Hospitality Ventures with a focus on revitalizing hidden gems into must-visit destinations. Her complete resume of experience is available on LinkedIn, reflecting her journey from industry expert to influential entrepreneur.
Join Katie on this exciting venture as she redefines boutique hospitality, one exceptional property at a time.
Laurie Drier, Director of Finance
With over a decade of financial leadership in the real estate and hospitality sectors, our Director of Finance brings deep expertise in managing complex, multi-million-dollar projects with precision and confidence. She has successfully overseen the financial operations of numerous high-value developments simultaneously, ensuring each remains on budget, compliant, and investor-ready.
Known for her meticulous attention to detail, she works closely with legal counsel and accounting teams to maintain transparency, accuracy, and alignment across all reporting and regulatory requirements. In addition to leading strategic financial planning, she manages a team of professionals to ensure investor distributions, statements, and communications are delivered with the highest standard of integrity and timeliness.
Her leadership helps drive the long-term financial strength of PNW Hospitality Ventures—and ensures our investors are not only well-informed but exceptionally well cared for.
Jessica Donovan, Office Administrator
With 16 years of experience as a flight attendant—10 of those with Alaska Airlines—our Office Administrator brings a wealth of hospitality expertise, professionalism, and poise to the PNW Hospitality Ventures team. Her background in aviation cultivated a strong foundation in customer service, adaptability, and attention to detail, all of which translate seamlessly into her role supporting our office and investor operations.
In addition to her time in the skies, she also served as a General Manager of a boutique hotel property, where she honed her skills in team leadership, guest relations, and day-to-day operations. This rare combination of front-line service and property management makes her a vital asset to our team.
At PNW Hospitality Ventures, she ensures smooth communication, organized operations, and a welcoming presence for partners, investors, and guests alike.