Big Dreams, Meaningful Impact: Meet Hilton’s 2026 Thrive Winners

Hilton announced the 30 team members who have received 2026 Thrive Sabbatical and Thrive Reset opportunities, continuing its investment in benefits that support its team members’ professional, physical and mental well-being.

Thrive Programs
- Thrive Sabbatical: 1 month paid leave + $5,000 grant.
- Thrive Reset: 1 week paid leave + $2,000 grant.
- Designed to support personal growth, wellbeing, and community impact.

2026 Winners
- Ashley Pierce (Grand Wailea, Maui): Launching a sustainable farm business to support her community.
- Betul Cakir (Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus): Creating a “Miracle Room” for children in remote communities.
- Colin Perry (Hilton Corporate): Traveling with his father and daughter to create lasting family memories.
- Dale Nelson (Hilton Minneapolis): Coaching athletes at the Special Olympics USA Games.
- Debarati Mitra (Hilton Jaipur): Empowering formerly incarcerated women with skills training.
- Jane Chen (DoubleTree Beijing): Cycling journey with her mother, honoring resilience after cancer.
- Mia Carreras (Hilton Corporate): Expanding her headwrap initiative for women undergoing cancer treatment.
- Michael Krown (Hilton Chicago O’Hare): Growing farm operations to donate pesticide-free food to children.
- Natalia Aguilar (Hilton Corporate): Supporting a nonprofit in the DRC through documentary storytelling.
- Suranga Rajapakse (Hilton Corporate, APAC): Developing a women’s health clinic in Sri Lanka.

…and many more across both Sabbatical and Reset programs, each reflecting Hilton’s values of purpose, growth, joy, and lasting impact.

Leadership Perspective
Laura Fuentes, Hilton’s Chief HR Officer, emphasized:
> “The dreams our winners are pursuing are as unique as they are inspiring. This program is about so much more than time away – it’s about purpose, growth, joy, and lasting impact.”

Big Picture
The Thrive initiative is part of Thrive at Hilton, an enterprise-wide wellbeing strategy supporting team members in body, mind, and spirit. It reinforces Hilton’s commitment to being a workplace where people can dream big, care deeply, and thrive personally and professionally.