Brian C Barker

Professor Brian Barker has recently become a member of NYU's School of Professional Studies, which is home to the renowned Jonathan Tisch Center of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Notably, the Tisch Center will also house the Alliance for Hospitality Equity and Diversity (AHED), an initiative originally founded by Professor Barker during his tenure at FIU. It's worth mentioning that while AHED is now registered as a 501C3 entity, Professor Barker now serves as its Founding Executive Director.

At NYU, Professor Barker will take on the dual role of teaching courses in marketing and entrepreneurship, as well as contributing to the university's community diversity initiatives. Before his current appointment, Professor Barker held the esteemed Endowed Professorship of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management starting from June 2021. Unfortunately, his ability to continue this valuable work was impeded by state legislation.

With an impressive background spanning over two decades, Professor Barker's experience encompasses both hospitality and academic leadership. A significant portion of his career was spent with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts (FSHR), where he functioned as an operational manager in Philadelphia and Miami. A notable achievement during this time was leading the FSHR Miami to its first AAA-Five Diamond Award status as Front Office Manager. Before his appointment at FIU, Professor Barker taught courses in Leadership, Tourism, and Lodging at DePaul University's School of Hospitality Leadership. His educational journey includes obtaining a Master of Arts in Multicultural and Organizational Communication from DePaul University. Currently, he is a Ph.D. Candidate at Iowa State University.

Professor Barker's contributions extend to his design and development of a globally recognized DE&I Leadership course, featured in prominent publications such as Condé Nast Traveler. Moreover, he has been dedicated to establishing a comprehensive national Alliance focusing on DE&I and the talent pipeline within hospitality education, with far-reaching implications for the C-suite. Professor Barker spearheaded the naming process, resulting in the formal designation of the DE&I alliance as AHED—Alliance for Hospitality Equity & Diversity. Notably, he curated the AHED council, consisting of esteemed leaders from entities including Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, JLL, Southern Glazier's Wine & Spirits (SGWS), and prominent academic institutions such as Howard University, Virginia State University, Delaware State University, and UNLV.