The Philip C. Wolf Memorial Scholarship

Jessie Fischer

Jessie Fischer is the Founder & CEO of GuestOS, an AI-native concierge platform transforming the hospitality industry by reimagining the guest experience. GuestOS focuses on increasing guest satisfaction, unlocking new revenue streams for hotels, and giving employees more meaningful roles.

Growing up immersed in the hospitality industry near Yosemite, Fischer gained deep insights into the intricacies of hotel operations from a young age. This early exposure laid the foundation for her commitment to creating exceptional guest experiences. Fischer later spent a decade working alongside founders at early-stage startups, gaining valuable experience in improving efficiency and building scalable operations.

By combining her hands-on hospitality knowledge with her startup experience, Fischer launched GuestOS to merge the warmth of traditional hospitality with the efficiency of modern technology, streamlining processes and creating personalized, engaging experiences for guests.

In October 2024, Fischer was voted onto the Yosemite Tourism Board, a role that allows her to continue contributing to the preservation and promotion of Yosemite, a place that has shaped much of her life.

Arielle Warren

Arielle Warren is the Founder and CEO of Places To Go, a mobile app that simplifies group travel by enabling friends to plan, book, and pay for trips together. Before founding Places To Go, Arielle worked as a Strategy Consultant at Deloitte, where she supported technology modernization. This fall, she is participating in the Antler Residency and also serves as a mentor for Boston University’s Innovate@BU program, helping young entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life. Arielle is passionate about the intersection of technology and real-life connections and aims to build technology that can enhance meaningful experiences and bring people closer together.

Read a profile about the winners

Dana Le

Founder and CEO, Wander Health

Dana Le is the CEO and Founder of Wander Health, a tech-enabled medical concierge startup that connects travelers going abroad to English-speaking doctors for non-emergency care. Prior to this, she advised an international consortium of 60+ hospitals on their innovation strategies, built 7 prominent healthcare accelerators, and implemented startup solutions and negotiated multimillion dollar payment model contracts for hospitals and insurance companies. Le is a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient, TEDx speaker, and LinkedIn Top Voice.

Charles Shima

Founder, CEO and Chief Storyteller, ZaNiheza

Charles Shima, a Rwandan-Canadian travel tech entrepreneur, is the Founder and CEO of ZaNiheza. ZaNiheza is not only a booking software but also Africa's first travel marketplace for immersive experiences that connects travelers with local curators. Through his work, Shima aims to change the negative narratives surrounding Africa by showcasing its positive aspects through travel experiences and content creation.

Shima's efforts have gained recognition from various media outlets, including VOA Upfront Africa, NBC Africa, Forbes Africa, CBC Radio Canada, Phocuswire and Vancouver Tech Journal. He is committed to empowering vulnerable youth and women throughout Africa. After spending 24 years away from his home country, he returned with a determination to give back to his community.