Dolly Duran, MBA, SPHR

Dolly Duran is the CEO and co-founder of Atelier 5 Star, where she leads the educational vision, people development strategy, and curriculum architecture of the platform. She brings a rare combination of academic rigor, HR expertise, and real-world hospitality operations to everything Atelier delivers.

Dolly holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designation — one of the most advanced credentials in the HR profession, held by fewer than 5% of HR practitioners globally. Her expertise in organizational culture, adult learning, and behavioral change is embedded throughout Atelier's LQ™ framework and certification programs.

In the short-term rental and luxury hosting space, Dolly is a recognized industry voice. She has been an Airbnb Superhost since 2017, a Superhost Ambassador, and an active Community Leader mentoring hosts across the United States. In 2023, she was selected to serve on Airbnb's Host Advisory Board — a distinction recognizing her as one of the most influential hosting voices in the industry. She is also a featured presenter with the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy, where she supports new hosts from underrepresented communities in building sustainable, excellence-driven hospitality businesses.

Her culturally grounded approach to hospitality — shaped by her Dominican-American heritage and a deep belief in the power of human connection — brings warmth and precision to Atelier's educational philosophy.

Together with Dr. Gershwin Narraidoo, Dolly co-founded Atelier 5 Star from a shared conviction: that luxury service should not live only in training manuals. It should be visible in what teams do every single day.