April Mazza - President

April is the Director of Human Resources for HEI Hotels and Resorts / Sheraton Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hotel. Prior to that the Pelican Beach Resort, Hilton Hotels Corporation and the Ramada Plaza Beach Resort for ten years five as Food & Beverage Director . She has been a member of the HHRABC since it first began in 1998.

Lisa Baldi - Vice President

With seven years in the Hospitality industry, Lisa Baldi is looking forward to the future of the hotel industry in South Florida.

“I love helping people enjoy their workplace and I love seeing them evolve into higher positions. It brings a smile to my face to see hard work and determination pay off for our hotel staff. Seeing others happy and satisfied in the workplace feeds the entire culture of the hotel, and their inner job satisfaction radiates to our guests.”

Lisa has worked at such esteemed hotel properties as the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando as well as the New York Palace Hotel. Lisa’s past experience at these luxurious properties as well as her dedication to the hospitality industry made her a perfect candidate for her current position as the Human Resources Director of il Lugano Hotel.

“il Lugano Hotel is an exciting place to work. Since we are still considered a ‘new’ property, we are currently creating new standards of practice to not only enhance the services we offer to our guests, but to also enhance the level of services for our staff.”

Lisa is excited with new position as the Vice President of the Hospitality Human Resources Association of Broward County. “I am very excited to be awarded this esteemed title, Human Resources is an essential department of every business and I am excited and appreciative that I was chosen to represent our association.”

Darrelle Johnson - Membership Coordinator

Darrelle A. Johnson, PHR leads the Human Resources team at the new Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina. In this capacity she continues the transition of the employee culture from LXR Luxury Resorts to Hilton Hotels Corporation. Darrelle is no stranger to Hilton. In fact, she began her Human Resource profession with the organization in Seattle and Miami in 2001. Prior to leading the Human Resources effort at the Fort Lauderdale Marina, she held the leadership position of Recruitment and Talent Selection Manager at Luxury Resorts and was a Service Advocate Team Leader which focusing on Quality Assurance.

Her specialties are mergers and acquisitions, opening hotels, international recruiting, mass hiring and cold calling.

Darrelle is the Membership Coordinator of the HHRABC and is an active Advisory Committee Board Member at Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts where she advises the educational institution on current trends in hospitality recruitment and talent selection. She is also a Certified Professional in Human Resources, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Psychology and plans to complete her Masters Degree in International Business in 2009 at Nova Southeastern University.

Freyda Hyman - Treasurer

Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Freyda is a graduate of Brooklyn College where she met her husband of 37 years. She moved to South Florida shortly after getting married. Freyda has been the Secretary for the South Florida Hospitality Human Resources Association since 1989. When the Hospitality Human Resources Association of Broward County was being formed, she acted as a consultant and advisor to get the organization started on the right foot. She filled in as Secretary and is now the Treasurer. Freyda is also very active in the International Association of Workforce Professionals, having served locally, as State President, as District Rep. for Florida and Georgia, and on the International Executive Board. Freyda worked for the State of Florida for 35 years. Many of those years were spent recruiting staff for new hotel properties as they opened, and as liaison with the hospitality industry. Her last assignment was the Supervisor of the Business Services Hub of WorkForce One in Ft. Lauderdale. She is now retired and volunteering at The Humane Society.

Rafe Jacobs - Secretary

Rafe is currently the Human Resources Manager for the Las Olas Company, Riverside Hotel. Rafe has worked in a variety of management positions within the hospitality industry, focusing on Human Resources over the past 9 years. He served as the Director of Human Resources at the Palm Beach Hilton from 1999 through 2003, Director of Human Resources at the Brazilian Court Hotel from 2003 through 2005, and Director of Human Resources at the Renaissance Hotel from 2005 through 2007. He previously held the position of Membership Coordinator for the HHRABC. Rafe earned his PHR designation in 2003, and his SPHR designation in 2008.