Meet Our Team
Alicia Payseno
Chief Executive Officer
Alicia served as Director of Economic Development for the City of Cabot and previously led the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce. In Cabot, she oversaw commercial recruitment, business expansion, and community development initiatives that helped drive the city’s rapid growth.
She also holds leadership roles with the Arkansas Economic Developers & Chamber Executives and the Arkansas Municipal League, reflecting her deep involvement in statewide economic and community development efforts. Alicia holds the Professional Community & Economic Developer (PCED) certification and is a graduate of the Community Development Institute at the University of Central Arkansas. Her experience building strong business environments, strengthening partnerships, and supporting member-driven organizations positions her well to enhance AHA’s advocacy efforts, workforce support, and statewide industry coordination. As CEO of the Arkansas Hospitality Association, Alicia says she is focused on strengthening AHA’s role as the unified, statewide voice for hospitality by expanding member value, improving advocacy, and building organizational capacity to support long-term growth.
Shay Stout
Chief Operating Officer
Shay Stout serves as Chief Operating Officer of the Arkansas Hospitality Association, where he leads organizational strategy, operations, and performance across membership, finance, programs, and government affairs. Since joining AHA in June 2023 as Director of Finance and Human Resources, Shay has played a key role in strengthening internal systems, advancing member value, and positioning the association for long-term growth.
With a background that spans hospitality management, nonprofit leadership, and the creative arts, Shay brings a distinctive combination of operational discipline and forward-thinking perspective. He oversees financial strategy and reporting, drives membership growth and retention, and leads the implementation of key organizational systems, including AHA’s association management platform and digital infrastructure. He also directs advocacy efforts, ensuring the hospitality industry has a strong and informed voice at the state and federal levels.
Prior to AHA, Shay served as General Manager of the 1836 Club in Little Rock, where he led operations for a private membership club focused on high-level networking and curated experiences. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Filmmaking and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of Central Arkansas.
Shay remains actively engaged in the broader hospitality and association community. He served on the Board of Directors for Food Jobs Work and is involved with the Arkansas Society of Association Executives and SKAL International Arkansas. He is passionate about workforce development, strategic growth, and building meaningful connections that strengthen Arkansas’s hospitality and tourism industries.
Lauren Anderson
Chief Revenue Officer
With a wealth of development, project management, event planning and management experience in her tool-kit, Lauren's focus at AHA is on building membership value, recruitment and retention. She negotiates strategic partnerships and benefits for AHA members and stays engaged with the evolving needs of the Hospitality industry in Arkansas. As a small business owner who values building lasting client relationships, she brings leadership skills to the AHA team in service to our membership. Lauren is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with degrees in Journalism and Public Relations and is the owner of Lauren Anderson Art & Design. She enjoys spending her free time with her husband and two daughters, dinner out at their favorite restaurants, painting and tennis!
Dylan Kinkade
Director of Marketing & Communications
Bringing a wealth of experience in the service industry, Dylan has dedicated a substantial portion of their career to this dynamic field. Over the past five years, Dylan has steadily climbed the corporate ladder within a leading distribution company, transitioning from an analyst to assuming the role of department head. During this time, Dylan has become adept at serving as the bridge between the sales team and the rest of the organization, ensuring a strong and clear voice for the team's needs and objectives. Beyond his corporate experience, Dylan has ventured into the world of politics, contributing to a successful campaign both in fundraising and strategy. His overarching objective is to harness these diverse experiences and apply them to empower the organization. In his free time, Dylan loves to spend time with his family, traveling and cooking.
Renee Smith
Coordinator of Education
Renee Smith is an experienced hospitality arts expert with a rich background in culinary arts programs and education. With a passion for teaching and ensuring food safety, Renee is an instrumental asset to our AHA team. She will be leading our education efforts including our ServSafe classes and ProStart programs, among other initiatives. Her illustrious career includes the role of Associate Dean at the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College, Assistant Director and Director of (UAPTC) Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute, and many more titles where she has made significant contributions to the culinary education landscape and tourism communities in Arkansas.
Chief Executive Officer
Alicia served as Director of Economic Development for the City of Cabot and previously led the Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce. In Cabot, she oversaw commercial recruitment, business expansion, and community development initiatives that helped drive the city’s rapid growth.
She also holds leadership roles with the Arkansas Economic Developers & Chamber Executives and the Arkansas Municipal League, reflecting her deep involvement in statewide economic and community development efforts. Alicia holds the Professional Community & Economic Developer (PCED) certification and is a graduate of the Community Development Institute at the University of Central Arkansas. Her experience building strong business environments, strengthening partnerships, and supporting member-driven organizations positions her well to enhance AHA’s advocacy efforts, workforce support, and statewide industry coordination. As CEO of the Arkansas Hospitality Association, Alicia says she is focused on strengthening AHA’s role as the unified, statewide voice for hospitality by expanding member value, improving advocacy, and building organizational capacity to support long-term growth.
Shay Stout
Chief Operating Officer
Shay Stout serves as Chief Operating Officer of the Arkansas Hospitality Association, where he leads organizational strategy, operations, and performance across membership, finance, programs, and government affairs. Since joining AHA in June 2023 as Director of Finance and Human Resources, Shay has played a key role in strengthening internal systems, advancing member value, and positioning the association for long-term growth.
With a background that spans hospitality management, nonprofit leadership, and the creative arts, Shay brings a distinctive combination of operational discipline and forward-thinking perspective. He oversees financial strategy and reporting, drives membership growth and retention, and leads the implementation of key organizational systems, including AHA’s association management platform and digital infrastructure. He also directs advocacy efforts, ensuring the hospitality industry has a strong and informed voice at the state and federal levels.
Prior to AHA, Shay served as General Manager of the 1836 Club in Little Rock, where he led operations for a private membership club focused on high-level networking and curated experiences. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Filmmaking and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of Central Arkansas.
Shay remains actively engaged in the broader hospitality and association community. He served on the Board of Directors for Food Jobs Work and is involved with the Arkansas Society of Association Executives and SKAL International Arkansas. He is passionate about workforce development, strategic growth, and building meaningful connections that strengthen Arkansas’s hospitality and tourism industries.
Lauren Anderson
Chief Revenue Officer
With a wealth of development, project management, event planning and management experience in her tool-kit, Lauren's focus at AHA is on building membership value, recruitment and retention. She negotiates strategic partnerships and benefits for AHA members and stays engaged with the evolving needs of the Hospitality industry in Arkansas. As a small business owner who values building lasting client relationships, she brings leadership skills to the AHA team in service to our membership. Lauren is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with degrees in Journalism and Public Relations and is the owner of Lauren Anderson Art & Design. She enjoys spending her free time with her husband and two daughters, dinner out at their favorite restaurants, painting and tennis!
Dylan Kinkade
Director of Marketing & Communications
Bringing a wealth of experience in the service industry, Dylan has dedicated a substantial portion of their career to this dynamic field. Over the past five years, Dylan has steadily climbed the corporate ladder within a leading distribution company, transitioning from an analyst to assuming the role of department head. During this time, Dylan has become adept at serving as the bridge between the sales team and the rest of the organization, ensuring a strong and clear voice for the team's needs and objectives. Beyond his corporate experience, Dylan has ventured into the world of politics, contributing to a successful campaign both in fundraising and strategy. His overarching objective is to harness these diverse experiences and apply them to empower the organization. In his free time, Dylan loves to spend time with his family, traveling and cooking.
Renee Smith
Coordinator of Education
Renee Smith is an experienced hospitality arts expert with a rich background in culinary arts programs and education. With a passion for teaching and ensuring food safety, Renee is an instrumental asset to our AHA team. She will be leading our education efforts including our ServSafe classes and ProStart programs, among other initiatives. Her illustrious career includes the role of Associate Dean at the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College, Assistant Director and Director of (UAPTC) Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute, and many more titles where she has made significant contributions to the culinary education landscape and tourism communities in Arkansas.