IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STAA & UKAA

Meet the Board

Our board includes leaders across different sectors, united in their focus to grow TrustedStays and realise the potential for the wider industry.

Merilee Karr

Founder and CEO of UnderTheDoormat Group

CEO and Founder of UnderTheDoormat Group encompassing; UnderTheDoormat Managed, professionally hosted short-term lets; Hospiria, a SaaS + Service software to simplify distribution and operations and TrustedStays, a government and corporate focussed booking platform.

Passionate about professionalising the growing industry, she is elected Chair for UK Short Term Accommodation Association, working with BEIS, HMRC, Westminster Council and MHCLG.

Shomik Panda

Director general of STAA

Shomik founded Inline Policy in 2013 to provide high-quality consulting services to technology companies. As CEO, he is responsible for managing the overall operations of the company and advises clients on EU and UK regulatory developments. He has led numerous government influencing campaigns and market entry projects for clients looking to enter the EU. He works across several technology policy areas and has a particular interest in online platforms regulation.

Dave Butler

CEO of UKAA

Dave joined as UKAA CEO in July 2018, with a brief to help grow the sector and our members businesses through a focus on sharing knowledge and highlighting best practice. Under his leadership, the UKAA has more than doubled in size to 300 members, expanded the scope and range of activities and built a reputation for innovative and dynamic events. In January 2022, Dave was named in the EG’s  50 Most Influential in BTR.

Dave is also currently a Non-Executive Director for Orbit Housing Association, and a trustee of Smile Through Sport, a leading disability sports charity operating across the North- East.

Deborah Heather

CEO of Quality in Tourism

Deborah Heather is CEO of Quality Int’l Assessment Services (QIAS), home of Quality in Tourism (QT).  QIAS is an international assessment and accreditation company working across sectors including Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Property and Further Education, primarily assessing quality, compliance and customer service.  Deborah and her team have evolved a new type of accreditation, focussed on the consumer and operator needs. Partnering with the STAAA, PASC and ASSC, QIAS is now the largest hospitality accreditation body in the UK.