Capella Hotels and Resorts has announced the appointment of Michael Katigbak as Capella Washington, D.C., Georgetown’s Director of Sales and Marketing. Katigbak will oversee leadership of the hotel’s marketing functions, driving collaboration and partnerships with local and national organizations, and ensuring guest satisfaction. He will also be responsible for driving and maintaining Capella’s strong relationships with the diplomatic community in the capital city.
“Michael joins us at an ideal time as Capella Washington, D.C., Georgetown enters a new chapter after garnering a slew of prestigious awards including being named by TripAdvisor’s members as one of the ‘Hot New Hotels of 2013’ in the U.S.,” said Kit Pappas, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “He will play a key role in positioning the hotel as the premier ultra-luxury hotel in the region and also introducing exciting new experiences for our guests including immersing them in the finest in capital arts, culture and entertainment.”
A hospitality industry veteran, Katigbak has over seven years of transient sales experience in the Washington D.C. luxury hotel segment. He joins Capella from Mandarin Oriental, D.C., where he served as Associate Director of Sales, overseeing the transient segments, and also the corporate negotiated market and entertainment sector. He was also responsible for developing the property’s diplomatic audience and creating key partnerships with organizations such as The Smithsonian Institution.
Prior to his role as Associate Director of Sales at the Mandarin Oriental, D.C., Katigbak was the Corporate Sales Manager for Four Seasons, D.C., and was responsible for sales outreach and managing the corporate transient segment for the hotel.
Consistently meeting and exceeding sales goals for hotels he has worked at, Katigbak has also garnered a whole host of awards including receiving a 2007 Sales Achiever’s Award and 2009 Sales President’s Club Award. During his time at the Four Seasons, D.C. Katigbak also received the Four Seasons Five Year Service Award.
He is active in local organizations and cultural institutions, serving as Host Committee for the Freer and Sackler Galleries and their annual gala. Katigbak is a member of The Silk Road Society (Young Benefactors of the Freer and Sackler Galleries), and a volunteer at The Studio Theatre, Washington D.C. Of Filipino descent Katigbak has called Washington, D.C. his home for the past 10 years. He attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia on an academic scholarship and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management. Born in Mexico City, he has lived in Virginia, New York, Singapore, and Thailand. In his free time he enjoys rock climbing, tennis, gardening, theatre, and cooking with his wife.