Lisa Williams is our new UKHA National Chair
Following Kerry Adams's decision to step down as UKHA National Chair, we are very pleased to announce that Lisa Williams was voted into this role by the regional chairs at the recent national committee meeting. Lisa will officially become the new UKHA National Chair from 1st April 2025. We all welcome Lisa as our new National Chair and look forward to the next exciting phase of the UKHA in this, our 40th year.
Welcome to Lisa Williams
Lisa Williams was the Regional Chair for the UKHA Yorkshire & NE region until 1st April 2025 and holds the position of Executive Housekeeper at The Grand, York
With over 20 years of five-star hospitality experience, Lisa Williams brings an exceptional level of dedication, expertise to the UKHA. Her impressive career includes senior positions at some of London’s most renowned luxury hotels, including The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, 41 Hotel & Rubens at the Palace Hotel, W Hotel on Leicester Square and opening the Jumeirah Residences in Park Lane, amongst others.
Throughout her career, Lisa has garnered numerous awards that celebrate her personal commitment to excellence and the strength of the teams she leads. Recent accolades include the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024, Hotel Housekeeping Honours Awards, Housekeeper of the Year at The Hotel Cateys in 2023 and the AA Housekeeper of the Year.
Her leadership has also earned awards for her teams, such as Team of the Year and Best Opening Team, showcasing her knack for creating motivated, cohesive, and guest-centred teams. We know she will bring these team building skills to our association.
Lisa’s experience extends beyond the hotel industry; during the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked with the NHS’s Kings College Trust, gaining valuable insight into hospital-grade cleaning standards, which she later applied to enhance health and safety practices in hospitality.
Looking to the future, Lisa is passionate about integrating sustainability, diversity, and innovation into housekeeping and ever forward-thinking, she champions new technologies to enhance guest feedback and support team recognition, ensuring that Housekeeping remains at the forefront of hospitality excellence.
We are looking forward to working with Lisa to develop and promote the UKHA of the future.
Thank You to Kerry Adams
Kerry Adams served as the UKHA National Chair for three highly productive years and remains an active member of the association. She is widely recognised for her outstanding contributions to the hospitality and cleaning industry, with over four decades of experience, including international roles within leading global five-star hotel chains and brands. Through her expertise and passion, Kerry has worked tirelessly to elevate the profile of Housekeepers and the Housekeeping industry.
In January 2024 and 2025, the National and Regional Committees gathered for the UKHA annual conference, an event Kerry reintroduced after the pandemic. These meetings reviewed the association’s progress, celebrated achievements, and set goals for UKHA’s 40th anniversary year and beyond. Kerry remained dedicated to fostering a dynamic forum for sharing knowledge and ideas while adapting to the evolving needs of the industry. She extends her heartfelt thanks to managing directors, general managers, generous sponsors, and committed members whose support made these events possible. Kerry also acknowledges the incredible housekeeping teams, emphasizing that they are not just a cost but a vital asset, adding immense value to our most profitable resource—our rooms.
With deep gratitude, Kerry personally thanks the Regional Chairs and Committees across the UKHA regions. This year, new leaders have thrived in their roles, driving their regions to outstanding success. Over the past three years, Kerry has fulfilled her commitment to growing membership, enhancing communication, and strengthening UKHA’s foundation. Kerry has recently commenced a project to develop a UKHA App to further increase communication and strengthen the UKHA. Although very much in its infancy.
As my tenure draws to an end, I am confident that the strong foundation we have established over the past three years, will thrive under the capable leadership of Lisa Williams who is stepping into the role.
After 17 years of dedicated service on UKHA Committees - including her time as National Deputy Chair to Anne Britton, National Chair, and Chair of the Yorkshire and North-East Region - Kerry is now stepping down as National Chair. She will continue her housekeeping journey as Group Housekeeping Support Manager for Seymour Hotels in Jersey while also focusing on her family and her daughter’s wedding.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Kerry for her leadership, dedication, and lasting impact on UKHA. She now turns her attention to her demanding role in Jersey and her growing family commitments.
As an Association we need to celebrate our Housekeepers and Associate membership fully for their incredible work, to encourage, motivate, develop and strengthen the next generation of Housekeepers in every part of the cleaning industry. Kerry Adams
