Acts of Service Turns 2!
Behind the Scenes,
I came back to the hospitality industry last year, and instead of seeing it through the eyes of someone returning after 5 years away. I saw it through the eyes of everyone who never left. I felt the weight of what the hospitality industry went through and I let that settle inside me and take its place. The pandemic didn’t just disrupt the industry, it revealed who the industry leans on, who carries it, and who gets left behind when it struggles.
The most difficult thing about building Acts of Service this past year I realized wasn’t the endless legal filings, or the learning about board governance, or even being completely new to an industry that may seem nothing like the hospitality industry. The most difficult thing about this process is choosing to be seen, to take something private and to offer it to the world because I believe it can open doors for someone else.
If you know me you have seen how it’s changed me, how I have had to shed old versions of myself and old narratives. In the end I had to let go of the hotelier in me, to open space in all areas of life to welcome in the new journey. But in no way have I done this on my own. Thank you to those special individuals that have offered their support and encouragement. Thank you to those who were curious and open that have allowed me to share my personal background and how it lead to Acts of Service.
What we built in 2025
Our Mission: to support and empower underserved youth seeking careers in the hospitality industry with community building, job readiness, and career development services.
Acts of Service will focus on the professional development by offering training to youth in the 18-24 year range from communities that lack resources. Our focus is to train, mentor, and help them get ready to enter the hospitality industry, specifically to work in hotels in San Francisco by creating a community that will be a source of support at every point in their career.
We deepened our understanding of this City
I had the privilege of participating in the Leadership San Francisco program through the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, a civic program that month after month gives me a new perspective of this amazing city and its inner magic.
I sat in rooms with nonprofit leaders, city officials, and community builders who are all working on different corners of the same problem: how do you create opportunity in one of the most beautiful and most difficult cities in the world? I consistently see these passionate individuals who want to create change in San Francisco that inspires me to do the same.
Leadership San Francisco Retreat in Santa Cruz, September 2025
We showed up for OEWD
Attending the OEWD’s (Office of Economic and Workforce Development) listening and feedback sessions last year was eye opening, I learned about the process on how workforce dollars are directed, gained an understanding of the challenges similar programs face, learned how aligning with city priorities benefits an organization, and was proud to be the only representative of hospitality sector that has experience working in a hotel in San Francisco.
The knowledge and understanding that I’ve gained will serve as a roadmap on how to navigate through the nonprofit sector in San Francisco.
We filed out first taxes
Its a small thing but also not a small thing!
Thank you Greg & Lindsey
Thank you to our outgoing Board of Directors, Greg Shafer and Lindsey Wilkins completed their two-year term with Acts of Service. Your support, your time, and your willingness to show up built something that will last well beyond your term. I am genuinely grateful for your support and encouragement!
Our outgoing Board of Directors, Acts of Service 2024-2026
Welcome to our New Board of Directors
In March 2026, Acts of Service welcomed two remarkable people to its Board of Directors, each beginning a two-year term running through March 2028.
Pilar M. Hernandez Motta brings more than 20 years of hospitality leadership, with deep expertise in People Operations across some of San Francisco's most sophisticated properties. Originally from Lima, Peru, Pilar has led in both union and non-union environments, supported properties across the US and internationally, and built a career around one consistent belief: that people, when genuinely supported, do extraordinary things. She currently serves as Co-Chair of CoralTree Hospitality's CORE Council, guiding work centered on belonging and inclusion. She brings both strategic depth and a deep personal commitment to purpose-driven leadership.
Melissa Tytko Andretta brings more than 20 years experience in travel & tourism and has spent 11 years as Director of Aviation Marketing & Development at San Francisco International Airport, one of the most dynamic intersections of hospitality, travel, and city identity in the world. A Georgetown University graduate, Melissa is one of those people who makes every person in a room feel genuinely seen. She has strong leadership experience and an instinct for connection that can't be taught. I met her through Leadership San Francisco, and it became clear quickly that she belonged in this work. She was drawn to Acts of Service because she wants to make a real impact in the industry she loves.
Pilar& Melissa, Welcome! What you bring to this organization goes far beyond your credentials. It's your belief that matters most.
Looking ahead
Acts of Service is two years old and our formal program building phase will officially begin. We don’t have any participants yet, that will take some time as we build the infrastructure, the partnerships, and the credibility of our organization.
Acts of Service exists because of the hardship that we have endured as an industry, and we lean towards that hardship and will continue to build because of it. If we can open the door to just one person, it will all be worth it.
Thank you for two years of support, belief, and community. I look forward to what is ahead.
With gratitude,
Alex Lexson, Founder & Executive Director, Acts of Service
