Meet The Team.

Meet The Team.

Benson Wang  

 Co-Founder & CEO           

  • As the CEO, Benson Wang oversees the day to day operations, recruitment, financial planning and reporting, purchasing and concept development. Benson works directly with the director of operations and managers of each location to problem solve and strategize on growth, systems development and best business practices to deliver serious leisure. Benson has always loved hospitality and bringing people together. Growing up, he worked from the bottom up for his family’s restaurant operations (full-service and fast casual) where he began to learn the art of gracious hospitality and developed his love for operations and food. In 2013, he linked up with Anderson to develop and open the Palm House, Bergerac, the Dorian and ultimately the parent company, Palm House Hospitality. Prior to returning to the hospitality space, Mr. Wang worked in the fundraising group at TPG Capital, a global private equity investment firm. Prior to joining TPG, Mr. Wang was at Moelis & Company in Los Angeles, where he worked in the investment banking division and private equity group. Benson is a bay area native and received his B.S. in Business Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a board member of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association and Treasurer of the Guardsmen of San Francisco, In his free time, Benson loves spending time with his wife and three children in Marin County.

Anderson Pugash

        Co-Founder & Advisor

  • As a Co-Founder of Palm House Hospitality, Anderson helps advise on design, development and construction of new concepts, and the marketing and branding of existing concepts. Anderson began his career in hospitality at an early age. He is the co-founder of Palm House Hospitality which owns and operates Palm House, The Dorian, Bergerac, and Audio, and is a partner in the Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa, CA. Anderson studied sound healing at the Globe Institute. He is a disciple of non-dualist yoga and a Reiki Master Practitioner in the Usui Reiki tradition. He received his BS in Economics from the Wharton School.​

    Anderson was born in San Francisco and grew up in the Bay Area and earned his B.S. from the Wharton School of Business. He has a passion for music, meditation and spiritual pursuits. He studied Sound Healing at the Globe Institute, is a Reiki Master Practitioner and a life-long student of Siddha Yoga.

Christopher Straub

Area Director of Operations    

& Operations Partner              

  • A highly experienced hospitality professional with a strong background in food and beverage operations. With a career spanning various prestigious establishments, he has excelled in concept development, venue openings, and team leadership. Most recently serving at The Flamingo Resort as Food and Beverage Director, Christopher has overseen the re-opening of the resort’s operations after a multi-million dollar renovation. His previous roles include operations at Andaz (NYC), Park Hyatt (Chicago, NYC), Grand Hyatt (Washington D.C.), owned and operated Tiki Rock restaurant and bar in Boston. Christopher has a proven track record of increasing profitability, improving employee engagement, and enhancing customer satisfaction. He is proficient in several industry-standard systems and holds multiple certifications, making him a versatile and valuable asset in any hospitality setting.

Jazlyn Hoover

         Director of Events &

        Business Operations

  • As Director of Events & Business Operations, Jazlyn runs all of the various events at the Palm House Hospitality properties. All groups with guests ranging from 12 to 350, Jazlyn and her team will make an unforgettable experience for your guests from start to finish. When she is not planning and running events she can be seen leading the marketing team and heading up our recruiting department. After earning her business degree in Corporate Communications from Arizona State University, Jazlyn moved to the Bay Area to continue her career with The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company gathering knowledge from some of the world’s top leaders in the hospitality industry. During her 6 years The Ritz Carlton she worked in various job roles from supervising multiple restaurants, to VIP Coordination and finally ending her time there as part of the Events Team executing weddings and large corporate events. After being offered a position as Senior Event Manager at ACI Event Group, Jazlyn was able to travel the world planning and executing events for various financial institutions, real estate firms and venture capitalists. Outside of Palm House Hospitality she is on the Board of Directors for Membership at Meeting Planners International Northern California as the Director of Membership.

Lauren Shortliffe

Brand Strategy & Marketing      

  • Lauren Shortliffe is a seasoned strategist and marketing director with 14 years of in-house brand management, agency leadership and independent consulting experience and over two decades in the hospitality industry. Her extensive background combines seamlessly with strong operational acumen to deliver

    results-driven creative expertise. Growing up in the Bay Area, Lauren began her career in hospitality at an early age, going on to continue splitting time gaining operational experience while studying political science and sociology at UC San Diego. Following graduation, she moved off the floor and into the office while directing marketing and events with several restaurant groups across California. Eager to hone her skills in a fast-paced environment, she joined SF-based hospitality consulting agency Andrew Freeman & Co, where she concepted, opened, and marketed over 50 notable brands across the Bay Area as Senior Director of Marketing. She has managed strategy for clients including Virgin Hotels, Marriott Autograph Collection, Marriott Luxury Collection, AC Hotels by Marriott, National Geographic, Hotel Indigo, Crescent Hotels, TableOne Hospitality, Lazy Bear, Gott’s Roadside, True Laurel, Viridian, One Market and Acacia House at Las Alcobas.

Haley Stanten

      Marketing & Events Manager

  • Haley Stanten is the Marketing & Events Manager at Palm House Hospitality, where she blends her design skills with a strategic approach to event management. She’s the driving force behind creating unforgettable experiences at the company’s diverse venues, managing everything from intimate gatherings to large-scale events. When she’s not orchestrating events, Haley can be found overseeing the catering department and drives the visual direction of the corporate brand, ensuring a cohesive and impactful presence. A proud Bay Area native, Haley graduated with a degree in Graphic Design from Indiana University. She started with Palm House as an Events & Design Assistant, quickly moving up to Creative and Events Coordinator, and now thrives as the Marketing & Events Manager. Outside of Palm House, she stays connected with the industry through her work with MPI, where she continues to make her mark in marketing.

 Jeffrey Davis 

  • Whether launching a new restaurant from the ground up or reviving a preexisting establishment, Jeffrey Davis thrives in establishing hospitality brands. Davis brings more than 20 years of experience to his role as Director of Operations and Operating Partner of Palm House Hospitality. Prior to PHH, Jeff was Regional Operations Director of Red O restaurants in Southern California. Prior to Red O, he worked as Director of Operations at Kinetescape Inc., the Los Angeles management group behind The Edison and Clifton’s Brookdale.

    After graduating from Bowling Green State University just south of Toledo, OH—two hours north of his birthplace in Dayton—Davis began his managerial experience as a corporate trainer at Gordon Biersch Brewing Company in Southern California before joining Levy Restaurants in 2002. He served as bar manager at Dodger’s Dugout Club in L.A., at which he gained recognition for his innovative thinking on the cocktail menu. His management style continued attracting big names in business, leading him to book events for celebrities and global corporations such as Microsoft and Google, as well as supervising functions for major network companies like CBS and ABC. By 2009, Davis worked his way up the managerial ladder, serving as a senior manager at Hyde Lounge at the Staples Center while concurrently working at Dugout Club. During his tenure with Levy, he was honored with the “Levy Legend” award three times for his work at Dodgers Stadium and Staples Center.

    Jeff wants guests of the restaurants to experience the extravagantly styled, yet relaxed atmosphere and feel as if they’re on vacation. “In everything we do, we look to create ‘guests for life.’”

    When he’s not at one of the restaurants, Jeff can be found pursuing one of his hobbies: boxing, watching sports, or spending time with family, friends, and his dog Steve.

Managing Partner