about Maura zhang

Maura Domínguez-Zhang, CIS, CITP, RYT, CWP, is an island girl from the Dominican Republic who is  currently living in South Florida.  She is a travel industry leader with 20+ years in luxury-tier hospitality sales and marketing, hotel operations and travel industry sales. Maura’s hotel experience includes the top luxury hotel companies such as The Ritz-Carlton, Kimpton, Biltmore, Noble House hotels and Benchmark, where she earned achievement awards such as Chairman’s Club, Platinum Club, Attitude & Determination Awards.

Maura has a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management from Florida International University and has been a lecturing guest speaker at FIU School of Hospitality, contributor for MPI Chicago’s newsletter, editor of SITE Florida & Caribbean newsletter and speaker at SITE Global Conference 2020.  She maintains active roles in SITE and MPI.  Earned both CIS & CITP, and is past President of SITE FL & Caribbean chapter.  In 2017, Maura helped launch Synergy-Connect, a boutique representation firm for emerging destinations. She is managing partner at Synergy-Connect which currently represents Naples Marco Island Everglades CVB, Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau and the Curacao Tourist Board; as well as boutique DMCs in Latin America's top destinations through their brand LatinPlus DMC Group (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama and Peru).

Maura is also a big advocate for health and wellness, sustainability and innovation.  In August 2020, as a way to heal from losing her father to Covid, Maura completed the 200HR yoga teacher training and is now a registered  yoga teacher (RYT) with Yoga Alliance and in May 2023 she became a Certified Wellness Practitioner (CWP) through the National Wellness Institute. She is keen on continuing education and has been certified in Yin Yoga, Trauma Informed Yoga, Sound Healing, a Reiki Master, and Event Wellness Design.  Yoga and Healing Arts have made her stronger in body, mind and spirit to believe in her own power to heal and overcome grief, obstacles, fear and anxiety.  Maura’s practice includes mindfulness, meditation, music, sound healing, mantras and breathwork.  

This transformative experience has given her a new perspective and purpose, and Maura is sharing this love and light with friends and family (including her husband Chuck and fur baby Stormi), as well as her travel and events industry family.  Maura is excited to transcend boundaries and merge her passions of travel, wellness and events into future workshops, retreats and more through Welldom Inc (established in 2021 to consult, create and curate well-being experiences for events).