The Network of Executive Women in Hospitality (NEWH) has announced that Deidre Schwartz will assume the role of International President from January 1, 2026, serving a two-year term through 2027.
Schwartz will succeed Sandy Banks, who has held the position since 2024. NEWH, Inc. is a global organisation focused on supporting education, mentorship, networking and scholarship opportunities across the hospitality industry.
Schwartz brings a wide-ranging professional background to the role. Her career began in Chicago, where she developed experience in luxury residential and senior living design before transitioning into the hospitality sector. Over the years, she has held senior roles across development, sales, design management, marketing and merchandising, building a reputation as a multidisciplinary leader within the industry.
Currently based in Arizona’s high desert region, Schwartz has played an active role within NEWH at both chapter and international levels. She has been instrumental in expanding the organisation’s presence across the Arizona and New Mexico Chapter, while also supporting scholarship growth and contributing to broader international leadership initiatives.
In addition to her work with NEWH, Schwartz runs DS Contract Solutions, a business that represents a selected portfolio of brands operating across hospitality and adjacent markets. Her work places her at the intersection of design, strategy and business development within the sector.
NEWH said Schwartz’s appointment reflects both her long-standing commitment to the organisation and her experience across multiple areas of the hospitality industry. As she steps into the presidency, her priorities will include supporting the volunteers who make up the International Board of Directors and continuing to build on the organisation’s existing programmes and reach.
Outside of her professional commitments, Schwartz is an active member of her local community. She spends much of her free time hiking with her husband, Michael, and their two dogs, Theo and Wilson. She is also an enthusiastic reader of murder mystery novels and has recently taken up quilting and knitting.
NEWH said the leadership transition signals a new chapter for the organisation, while maintaining continuity in its mission to support professional development and education across hospitality. Schwartz’s term is expected to focus on strengthening engagement, sustaining growth and supporting future leaders within the global hospitality network.
