Kevin Carey serves as AHLA’s chief operating officer, a role he assumed in 2017, and as President & CEO of the AHLA Foundation since 2025.

In his role as COO, Kevin is responsible for all AHLA’s revenue generating activities, including membership acquisition & engagement, strategic partnerships & business development, and conferences & events. He also oversees financial operations and IT for AHLA and its affiliates.  Kevin works closely with AHLA’s President & CEO and supports the association’s officers, Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and its numerous committees and councils.  As President & CEO of the AHLA Foundation, Kevin leads the charitable arm of AHLA which works to support the hotel and lodging industry’s greatest asset – its people.

Prior to joining AHLA, Kevin held senior executive leadership roles at American Express Company and American Express Global Business Travel.  He spent more than two decades rising through the ranks at American Express, beginning his career in public affairs as a member of the company’s government affairs office in Washington, D.C., before transitioning to client management and sales leadership roles in the company’s card, merchant services, and travel business groups.

Kevin has a breadth of experience across the travel and hospitality industries through his service as a board and executive committee member for numerous travel and tourism industry associations, including U.S. Travel and the Travel Business Roundtable.  Currently, Kevin serves as a board member of Green Key Global and an industry advisory board member at Penn State University.