Hawaii’s Hāna-Maui Resort Appoints Kiana Jepsen to Lead Sales, Marketing and Events

Hāna-Maui Resort, A Destination by Hyatt, has appointed Kiana Jepsen as director of sales, marketing & events, bringing a long-standing Hyatt hospitality career and deep Maui market experience to the East Maui property.

In her new position, Jepsen will lead efforts focused on business development, market positioning, group business and events, supporting the resort’s commercial strategy while strengthening its presence within the Hawaii hospitality market.

Her appointment also brings a locally rooted perspective to the resort, with Jepsen having been born and raised in Lāhaina, Maui.

What Will Kiana Jepsen Lead at Hāna-Maui Resort?

Jepsen’s new responsibilities will centre on expanding the resort’s commercial opportunities and strengthening its position within the market.

As director of sales, marketing & events, she will focus on business development, sales and marketing activity, group opportunities and events, helping connect the property with new customers and business partners.

Her previous experience across event sales, meetings, major-market sales and marketing provides a broad background for the role.

The appointment comes as Hāna-Maui Resort continues to operate as part of the Destination by Hyatt collection, where individual properties are positioned around the character and identity of their destinations.

How Did Jepsen Build Her Hyatt Hospitality Career?

Jepsen began her career with Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa in 2012, building extensive experience across the resort’s events and sales operations.

She later moved into the Events team and progressed through several positions, including event sales manager, meeting connections sales manager and major market sales manager.

This progression gave Jepsen experience across different elements of resort commercial operations, including event business, meetings and major-market relationships.

Her long tenure within the Hyatt organisation also gives her familiarity with the Maui hospitality landscape and the operational environment of a major Hawaii resort.

What Marketing Experience Does Kiana Jepsen Bring?

In addition to her sales and events background, Jepsen has experience in hotel marketing and digital engagement.

In 2023, she served as interim director of marketing at Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa. During that period, she worked on expanding the resort’s social and digital presence, managing on-property content and supporting key resort programming.

The temporary leadership assignment broadened her experience beyond sales and events and added marketing strategy and content management to her professional background.

Her performance was subsequently recognised when she received the resort’s Manager of the Year Award in 2024.

How Could Her Local Background Shape the New Role?

Jepsen’s connection to Maui provides a local perspective that complements her professional hospitality experience.

Born and raised in Lāhaina, she has developed her career within the Maui resort industry while building relationships and expertise through more than a decade with Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa.

That combination of local knowledge and commercial hospitality experience is relevant to a property such as Hāna-Maui Resort, which operates in a destination where the character of the surrounding community and landscape is closely connected with the visitor experience.

Her understanding of Maui also provides context for her new responsibilities involving market positioning, business development and event opportunities.

What Is Hāna-Maui Resort’s Position Within Destination by Hyatt?

Hāna-Maui Resort is part of Destination by Hyatt, a collection of independent hotels, resorts and residences designed around the identity of their individual locations.

The brand spans properties ranging from upper-upscale to luxury and places emphasis on immersive experiences, authentic design and service connected to each destination.

For Hāna-Maui Resort, its East Maui setting is central to its identity within the collection.

Jepsen’s sales, marketing and events responsibilities will therefore involve promoting the resort while maintaining its connection to the distinctive character of Hāna and Maui.

What Are Jepsen’s Academic Qualifications?

Jepsen holds a master’s degree in Global Business from the University of Victoria in Canada.

Her academic background adds an international business dimension to a career that has primarily developed within Hawaii’s hospitality sector.

Combined with her experience in sales, events, marketing and major-market business development, the qualification supports the commercial responsibilities associated with her new leadership position.

Her career progression from event-focused roles to major-market sales and interim marketing leadership also demonstrates experience across several functions that will now come together in her role at Hāna-Maui Resort.