Shayna Zand Joins Host Agency Reviews as Managing Director to Lead Next Phase of Growth

Minneapolis, MN - Jan. 20th, 2025 - Host Agency Reviews (HAR) is excited to announce that Shayna Zand will lead the organization as its new Managing Director. Zand’s hire into a new position marks a dynamic transition for Host Agency Reviews in growing its capacity to empower travel professionals to establish and grow a thriving travel business.  

Entering the industry as an energetic tour guide 16 years ago, Shayna quickly grew into new roles and responsibilities across the supplier and tech sectors and offers a breadth of experience from sales, to business development, to organizational management, and strategic partnerships. 

Beyond Shayna’s diverse background in the travel industry and dynamic leadership, she embodies HAR’s ethos with her commitment to transparency and communication, her passion for responsible travel, emphasis on allyship and inclusion, and love of dogs. Her appointment comes at a pivotal time as HAR continues to expand its resources to a rapidly growing community of travel advisors. 

In her role as Shayna Managing Director, Shayna will guide HAR’s growth and run day-to-day operations. She'll focus on building an innovative remote team that aligns with the company culture, expanding our reach to amplify support of the travel advisor industry, and working hand-in-hand with the founder to shape what's next for the company.

HAR founder, Steph Lee, commented on the hire, “I'm beyond happy to welcome Shayna to the HAR team! While I'll remain involved with HAR, this transition will allow me to better focus on my health with peace of mind. Things will continue to run like clockwork. Running HAR for the last 13 years has been such a privilege and an amazing experience. As any entrepreneur knows, it's not easy to step back from your baby, but I say with complete sincerity that Shayna's proven leadership, shared values, and deep understanding of our mission makes me crazy excited for what lies ahead. Her vision for HAR perfectly aligns with the foundation we've built, and I couldn't be more confident in her ability to lead our team into the future!”

Prior to joining Host Agency Reviews, Zand was Director of partnerships for Intrepid Travel and Director of Partnerships & Enterprise Sales for Wetravel, consistently achieving organizational goals and enhancing organizational brand with a focus on establishing thriving industry partnerships, increasing sales, and supporting industry initiatives. Over her industry tenure, Zand has established herself as an industry leader, speaking at industry events including Women in Travel CIC, World Travel Market, and Adventure Travel Trade World Summit, United States Tour Operator Association (USTOA), and more. Shayna will also co-host Host Week 2025 with HAR founder, Steph Lee. Most recently, Shayna was appointed as Board Chair of Tourism Cares. 

Zand spoke regarding the vision for her role, “My vision for HAR is to empower travel advisors and agencies with the tools, resources, and insights they need to thrive in an ever-evolving industry. By fostering transparency and providing a trusted platform for collaboration, we aim to be the bridge that connects innovation with opportunity, ensuring our community grows stronger together.”

Host Agency Reviews is thrilled to bring Shayna Zand on to lead their initiatives and reflect the core purpose of HAR: to support and empower the ever-growing community of travel advisors and have fun doing it.