Room for All

The Inclusion in Hospitality Podcast

Welcome to Room for All – the podcast where we dive deep into the world of inclusive employment and explore the power of creating opportunities for people with disabilities.

Andrea Comastri, CEO and co-founder of Hotel Etico, Australia’s first not for profit social enterprise hotel and Saraya O’Connell, General Manager of Hotel Etico. will be your hosts as they talk about the importance of breaking down barriers in the workplace with a particular focus on hospitality and other customer facing roles, and how businesses can lead the charge toward inclusion.

At Hotel Etico, we believe that everyone deserves a fair chance to succeed, and we’ve made it our mission to not only provide jobs but to build meaningful careers for people with disabilities. On this podcast, we’ll be sharing success stories, best practices, and inspiring conversations with industry leaders from the hospitality sector, disability sector, other social enterprises, philanthropy and of course our own trainees graduates and staff.

Whether you’re a business owner, an advocate for inclusion, or someone curious about the future of work, this podcast is for you.

So come and join us at Hotel Etico, or as we call it…the Hotel California for the heart. A place where once you have checked in…your heart will never never leave!”

So, let’s get started and open the doors for all.

Contributors

Host

Andrea Comastri

Andrea is Co-founder and CEO of Hotel Etico, the first multiple award winning not for profit social enterprise hotel in Australia, employing and training young people with disability, challenging the wider community to see both the human and economic value of an inclusive society.

A strong believer in the transformative power of social enterprises to create sustainable impact, Andrea is an expert changemaker with over 25 years’ experience in the not for profit sector.

He held executive, director and advisory roles in charities and philanthropy in areas including disability, youth unemployment, homelessness, domestic violence, addiction, aged care and education.

Andrea is an Honorary Industry Fellow at the UTS Business School, 2022 AMP Tomorrow Maker and 2024 Westpac Scholar Social Change Fellow.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreacomastri/

Co-host

Saraya O'Connell

Saraya O'Connell is the General Manager at Hotel Etico Australia.

Saraya is a passionate and dedicated disability leader advocating for inclusion, with 15 years’ experience in the disability services industry.

Saraya's commitment to creating inclusive workplaces is evident in her crucial role at Hotel Etico, where she champions inclusive employment and independent living initiatives while fostering a new era of diversity and inclusivity in the hospitality industry, challenging norms, and leading the way for employing people with disabilities.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/saraya-o-connell-9a0973182/

Guests

Guest

Sophia Ballone

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophia-ballone-ba2634208/

Guest

Tracylee Arestides

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracylee-arestides-7a1a991b/