meet us
We’re artists, historians, writers, urban planners, designers, builders, and architects. We’ve come together to create the new Hotel Sequoia. Locally sourced food and wine, sustainable building, community art, welcoming public spaces, attention to detail like no other – these are the things we create. We are the Hotel Sequoia team – all local, all from the Bay Area. Meet us.
Dani and Alyn share the same passion for family, friends and community. Dani was born and raised in Redwood City where she attended public schools, built her career and was elected to the Redwood City Council as mayor. Alyn was born in San Francisco but spent his childhood across the street from his home today, where his son and family now live. He has owned Beals Martin, Inc. for the past 45 years where he serves as CEO. To say Dani and Alyn are “rooted” in Redwood City is an understatement.
Alyn had a vision for Hotel Sequoia at the young age of seven, while Dani saw Hotel Sequoia as an anchor for downtown Redwood City while seated on the Redwood City Council. The restoration and rebuild of Hotel Sequoia is a passion project for Dani and Alyn. They hope you will see this passion through the hotel design, concepts and story they wish to tell.
“This hotel is not about Alyn or me, or our partners; it is about telling the story of this building, and how it was once at the center of innovation and the economy in Redwood City. Now we want to present a new vision for the future.”
Nancy is an architect and an architectural historian, who has devoted her entire 30+ year career to preserving, rehabilitating, restoring, and studying historic buildings. The goal of this work is to create environments that enhance the lives of those who use these buildings. A love of travel – and being pampered – informs her work on hospitality projects. She is a principal in Treanor HL’s Preservation Studio.
As a Bay Area native, Nancy has connections with many communities. As a child, many weekends were spent in Redwood City visiting family friends. Later, project work involved performing a historic survey of parts of Redwood City. Treanor HL has collaborated with Hornberger + Worstell before, so Nancy was delighted when approached about the Hotel Sequoia project.
“We are delighted to help transform the Sequoia into what it was originally intended to be – a luxury hotel! What a great project for Redwood City!”
Mark is the founding principal and design leader at Hornberger + Worstell. Under Mark’s leadership, the firm has designed over 40 hotels located throughout the Western United States and Asia. Among its many projects, Hornberger + Worstell is known for its work rehabilitating a number of California’s landmark historic hotels including the Hotel Del Coronado, The Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite, the Fairmont at Ghirardelli Square, the Westin St. Francis Hotel, and the San Francisco Proper Hotel.
“Preserving our existing historic buildings is arguably the most effective form of sustainability. Our specialization in the rehabilitation of historic hotel structures dovetails beautifully with Dani and Alyn’s vision for the future life of Hotel Sequoia. Plus, when we met them, we knew immediately that we would like working together.”
Dwight is a Minnesota native who grew up farming and working on construction projects. He became involved in the home-building business in Kansas before joining forces with Bank Building Corporation in 1978. He spent five years with that firm, acting as project manager on financial institution projects throughout the Western United States. After supervising BMI’s addition to the Lockheed Credit Union in Sunnyvale, Beals Martin, Inc. was successful in convincing Dwight to join the team in 1983. Dwight currently manages client and subcontractor relations, contract administration, field personnel management, and project management.
“This is an exciting project to be involved in as President of Beals Martin and a partner in Hotel Sequoia.”
Cavanaugh Creative is a team of senior-level creative and marketing leaders. With more than 25 years of experience from both the agency and client side, Cavanaugh Creative has worked with global corporations, small businesses and nonprofits to meet and exceed client goals. Purpose is at the core of our shared values, and it ignites our passion to help clients and communities succeed in a rapidly changing marketplace. It’s what inspires us, binds us and drives us.
Joanie Cavanaugh, founder, and Mary Schwedhelm, creative director, are Bay Area locals having worked in and around Redwood City for more than 25 years. As Chamber San Mateo members, Joanie and Mary have worked with Dani on numerous projects and always look forward to Dani’s energy, creativity and hometown spirit. When called about branding Hotel Sequoia, both jumped at the chance.
“Branding Hotel Sequoia and working on this historical landmark is the opportunity of a lifetime. We are thrilled to help bring Dani and Alyn’s vision to life.”
Anne is a principal consultant with over 20 years of experience specializing in hotel and restaurant PR, marketing, operations, and development. She is a former principal partner at af&co., a premier hospitality consulting firm based in San Francisco. While at af&co., she advised the firm’s top hotel and restaurant clients on feasibility studies, concepts development as well as personally pitching and placing regional and national press stories in outlets such as Silicon Valley Magazine, Wine Enthusiast and Forbes. Prior to af&co., Anne was the proprietor of nationally acclaimed restaurants in San Francisco and Palo Alto.
“I am thrilled to be working with the Hotel Sequoia team. The concept of the hotel is going to be a love letter to the history and heritage of the city, and I am honored to help return this landmark back to the people of Redwood City.”
Linh Inokuchi, principal of Autotemp, has been providing program development, project management and implementation consulting services to government agencies, non-profit and for-profit developers, along with legal professionals, for more than 15 years. The prerequisite knowledge of the various rules and regulations, planning and innovative solutions, combined with the necessary focus, attention and unsurpassed level of service, have led to the successful completion of hundreds of projects involving thousands of households and commercial entities. This success can be measured not only from the client’s perspective, but by those impacted by the project.
“Our work plan’s philosophy considers its client to be both the client, along with the individuals with whom we will interact. This philosophy of displaced occupants being our client translates into a continual personal presence and an interest in providing whatever services are necessary. Developing a relationship, inspiring confidence and education are all critical components of our interactions, leading to the success of the project.”
Raj Virk has nearly a decade of diversified relocation experience and has managed various residential/non-residential relocation projects. His duties include managing assigned project personnel and subcontractors as required to complete projects within the schedule and scope of work. Raj’s experience as a relocation agent consists of business, residential homeowner and tenant relocation cases. Raj is multilingual English/Punjabi/Hindi. His multilingual capabilities enable him to effectively communicate with Autotemp’s diverse client base, and he possesses strengths in problem-solving and conflict resolution.
“Once we met the other team members of Hotel Sequoia, I knew this was a project Autotemp would want to be a part of. The managing members understand their legal responsibility for relocation of the current residents but are willing to go that extra step to build individual plans when necessary.”
Aaron Aknin, AICP, is a principal and co-owner of Good City Company. He has nearly two decades of Bay Area municipal experience, including serving in an executive capacity for several different Peninsula cities. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and the American Planning Association. His company, Good City Company, provides urban planning and local government consulting services for public and private sector organizations throughout the Bay Area.
Aaron worked in Redwood City as a city staff member during a time of unprecedented growth and community involvement (2014-2019). During his half-decade with Redwood City, the city reviewed and processed more than 4,000 new housing units, as well as several million square feet of office space. Aaron helped shape a first-of-its-kind community benefits program (“Partnership Redwood City”), adoption of several key affordable housing initiatives including an inclusionary housing ordinance, an Airbnb affordable housing tax and renter protections, and the adoption the Citywide Transportation Plan.
Aaron was born and raised on the Peninsula and currently resides in San Carlos with his wife, Cindy, and two children.
“When my paternal grandparents, father and many aunts and uncles first immigrated to the United States, they spent their first nights on the West Coast in the Hotel Sequoia. I look forward to the hotel being restored to its original use, in a manner that respects the history of the site and downtown Redwood City.”
Community Input
As we work on turning our vision into a reality, we’ve asked for community input every step of the way. Here is a list of the organizations and individuals who have helped us shape our vision for Hotel Sequoia.
COUNCIL MEMBERS
Former Mayor Ian Bain
Former Mayor Shelly Masur
Former Mayor Barbara Pierce
Former Mayor Rosanne Foust
Former Councilmember Janet Borgens
Vice Mayor Giselle Hale
Councilmember Michael Smith
Councilmember Alicia Aguirre
Councilmember Diana Reddy
Former Mayor John Seybert
Former Mayor Jeff Ira
Council Member and Former Mayor Jeff Gee
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT LARGE
Susie Peyton, Parks & Arts Foundation
Stasha Powell, Housing and Human Concerns commissioner
Jason Galisatus, RCEF
Dennis McBride, Former RC School Board trustee
Tara Fowler
Paula Uccelli
Bonnie & Tony Addario
Lynne, Tessa, Allie & Camille Board
Debi & Jerad Beltramo
Dee & Rich Eva
John Shroyer
Jodi Paley
Beth Mostovoy
Chris Beth
Jerry Pierce
Steven Howard, MD
Amy Buckmaster
PLANNING COMMISSIONERS
Nancy Radcliffe
Ernie Schmidt
Kevin Bondonno
Rick Hunter
HISTORIC RESOURCE ADVISORY
Present & Former Committee Members
Linda‐Marie Rodriguez Roche
John Goldman
Libby Hagman
James Gernand
Nori Jabba
Ken Rollandelli
Kaia Akin
ARTS COMMISION
Jason Newblanc
DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSOCIATION
Kimberly Koch
Kate Mossley
MAIN STREET + BROADWAY
Kathy Oyster (Fitzpatrick Building)
Mark Murray & Scott Smithers (Lane Properties)
Gary Johnson
Greg St. Claire (Milagros)
Peter Boronne (Vesta Pizzeria)
Manuel Martinez (LV Mar)
Anne Le Ziblatt (Warung Siska Restaurant)
Dave Parks (3 Pigs Tavern)
