The Standard, High Line Strengthens New York Hotel Leadership With Two Senior Appointments

The Standard, High Line Strengthens New York Hotel Leadership With Two Senior Appointments, naming Andrea Puizina Director of Sales & Events and Dominique Baira Director of Marketing & Culture. The appointments reinforce the Manhattan property’s focus on luxury hospitality, international partnerships, cultural programming and distinctive guest experiences across New York City.

The Standard, High Line Strengthens New York Hospitality Leadership With Two Strategic Appointments

New York City’s competitive hospitality industry continues to place growing importance on experienced leadership, personalised guest experiences and strong connections with international travel markets. Reflecting these priorities, The Standard, High Line has announced two senior appointments aimed at strengthening its commercial performance, cultural identity and position within Manhattan’s hospitality landscape.

The hotel has appointed Andrea Puizina as Director of Sales & Events and Dominique Baira as Director of Marketing & Culture. Both executives bring different but complementary professional backgrounds, covering luxury hospitality, international business development, brand strategy, entertainment and cultural engagement.

The appointments represent an important development for the property as it continues to build its reputation as a destination for accommodation, dining, nightlife, meetings and cultural experiences.

Located in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, The Standard, High Line is recognised for its distinctive architecture, contemporary hospitality offering and close relationship with New York City’s creative community.

The new leadership structure is intended to strengthen these established characteristics while identifying opportunities for business development, guest engagement and partnerships.

Andrea Puizina Takes Charge of Sales and Events Strategy

Andrea Puizina joins The Standard, High Line as Director of Sales & Events, bringing more than ten years of experience in New York’s luxury hospitality industry.

Originally from Croatia, Puizina has developed an international career across five countries, including Italy, Uganda and the Dominican Republic. Her professional experience combines commercial hospitality management with international business development and relationship building.

Her expertise includes meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE), luxury travel and corporate partnerships. These areas are particularly relevant to New York City’s hospitality industry, where hotels compete for business travellers, international visitors, corporate meetings and private events.

In her new position, Puizina will oversee the property’s sales and events strategy, with responsibility for strengthening commercial relationships and identifying new business opportunities.

Her work will also involve developing partnerships with clients and organisations across domestic and international markets.

For The Standard, High Line, this approach offers opportunities to broaden its commercial reach while reinforcing its appeal among event organisers, corporate clients and luxury travellers.

Puizina’s appointment reflects the importance of maintaining strong relationships with travel professionals and event planners in an increasingly competitive hospitality environment.

International Experience and Industry Recognition Support New Role

Puizina brings several industry distinctions to her new position.

In 2026, she received the Marketing Executive of the Year honour at the 30th Annual Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) New York City Frank W. Berkman Awards Gala.

She was also recognised with the 2026 Women In Tourism Award in Hotel Management.

Previously, she was named among HSMAI’s Top Five Sales Professionals in 2025, recognising her contributions to hospitality sales.

Beyond her hotel responsibilities, Puizina serves as Vice President of Marketing & Communications for SITE Northeast, an organisation connected with the incentive travel industry.

These professional activities provide experience across hospitality marketing, international networking and business events.

Discussing her appointment, Puizina highlighted the importance of relationships in hospitality and her ambition to build on the hotel’s established reputation.

She said she was looking forward to creating new partnerships, strengthening connections with clients and developing experiences that encourage guests to return.

Her leadership is expected to support the hotel’s efforts to attract international business while maintaining relationships with its established New York clientele.

Dominique Baira Appointed to Lead Marketing and Cultural Programming

Alongside its commercial leadership appointment, The Standard, High Line has named Dominique Baira as Director of Marketing & Culture.

Baira brings a multidisciplinary background spanning hospitality, lifestyle, beauty, entertainment and brand development.

Her appointment reflects the hotel’s emphasis on creating experiences that connect accommodation with the wider cultural identity of New York City.

Most recently, Baira co-developed and launched Grow-Good, the haircare brand associated with American rapper Cardi B.

According to the announcement, the brand’s debut collection sold out within one hour of launch.

This experience demonstrates her involvement in consumer brand development, product positioning and audience engagement.

Earlier in her career, Baira worked with brand consultancy Redscout, contributing to guest experience strategies for hospitality clients including Waldorf Astoria and Conrad Hotels.

She subsequently worked on brand identity and content strategy for The Class.

Her professional background also includes developing new venues and food and beverage brands across Live Nation’s portfolio.

These experiences have given her exposure to hospitality branding, entertainment-led experiences and consumer engagement across different industries.

At The Standard, High Line, Baira will lead marketing activities, strategic partnerships and cultural programming.

Her responsibilities will include developing distinctive experiences that strengthen the hotel’s relationship with New York City’s creative and cultural communities.

Cultural Experiences Become Central to Hotel Brand Development

The appointment of a dedicated Director of Marketing & Culture highlights the role that cultural programming plays in contemporary hospitality.

Hotels increasingly seek to distinguish themselves through experiences that extend beyond accommodation and traditional guest services.

For properties operating in major international destinations, restaurants, entertainment venues, artistic collaborations and community partnerships can contribute to a distinctive brand identity.

The Standard, High Line already operates within an environment closely associated with New York City’s cultural, dining and nightlife sectors.

Its location in the Meatpacking District provides a setting where hospitality, fashion, art and entertainment intersect.

Baira’s responsibilities will focus on developing this connection through marketing initiatives and cultural collaborations.

Her experience across entertainment and lifestyle branding may help the property engage audiences beyond conventional hotel guests.

Speaking about her appointment, Baira emphasised that hospitality involves creating a sense of place and bringing people together.

She also expressed enthusiasm for combining culture, creativity and partnerships to develop experiences that reflect New York City’s character.

Her approach places importance on relevance, community engagement and programming that contributes to the property’s identity.

New Leadership Supports New York’s Meetings and Luxury Travel Markets

The appointments also have wider relevance for New York City’s tourism and business events sectors.

As an international destination, New York attracts leisure travellers, corporate visitors, conference delegates and event organisers seeking distinctive accommodation and meeting experiences.

Hotels with established dining, nightlife and event facilities can appeal to several visitor segments.

For The Standard, High Line, combining sales expertise with cultural marketing creates opportunities to connect commercial objectives with guest experience development.

Puizina’s knowledge of international hospitality markets and the MICE sector will support business development and relationships with event professionals.

Meanwhile, Baira’s experience in branding and cultural programming will contribute to the property’s positioning among leisure travellers and local audiences.

Together, these responsibilities could help strengthen the hotel’s appeal across corporate events, private celebrations, international travel and cultural experiences.

The leadership appointments also underline the value of bringing professionals from different sectors into hotel management.

While traditional commercial expertise remains essential, contemporary hospitality increasingly benefits from experience in entertainment, consumer branding and creative industries.

The Standard, High Line Focuses on Long-Term Hospitality Development

The Standard, High Line’s latest appointments reflect a strategy centred on commercial relationships, cultural relevance and guest engagement.

Puizina will concentrate on expanding business opportunities and strengthening the hotel’s presence across important travel and events markets.

Baira will focus on marketing partnerships, creative programming and the property’s connection with New York City’s cultural community.

Their combined experience provides the hotel with leadership across two closely connected areas of hospitality development.

As New York continues to attract international visitors and business events, properties must maintain their distinctive identity while responding to changing traveller expectations.

For The Standard, High Line, the new appointments are intended to support that balance.

By bringing together international sales experience and multidisciplinary brand expertise, the property aims to reinforce its established position within Manhattan’s hospitality sector while developing new opportunities for partnerships, events and guest experiences.