John came into the industry on the floor, learning early that culture, clarity, and consistency matter most when the room is full and expectations are high. Over the past two decades, that perspective has carried him across fine dining, boutique concepts, and large multi-unit restaurant and hotel F&B portfolios, helping teams open, grow, and steady businesses in cities including Cleveland, Chicago, Boston, Denver, and Philadelphia.

Through AXOH Hospitality, John has partnered with groups and operators connected to Sage Hospitality, DineAmic, and Fabio Viviani Hospitality, contributing to the development and operation of concepts such as Urban Farmer and VU Rooftop, and working alongside chefs including Dante Bocuzzi. In each case, his role has been rooted in alignment. Making sure ideas translate into systems, teams are set up to succeed, and operations function in real service conditions, not just on paper.

John’s strength lies in bridging vision and execution. He builds relationships and opens doors, but stays close enough to the work to ensure accountability, consistency, and care. He believes strong performance follows when teams are trusted, expectations are clear, and leadership shows up alongside them.

As founder of AXOH Hospitality, John focuses on business development, operations, and long-term performance. He is also an Advanced Sommelier (CMS Level 3), bringing a deep respect for craft, balance, and intention to hospitality experiences.

At his core, John believes the most successful hospitality businesses are built when every role is treated as critical. That belief is the foundation of how he leads, how he partners, and how Critical Role Hospitality exists today.

Anni has spent more than 25 years working in hospitality, building relationships and helping restaurants become places people choose for meaningful gatherings. Through McNulty Events, Anni has partnered with a wide range of restaurant groups and hospitality teams, supporting private dining, catering, and events programs for concepts connected to groups such as 4 Star Restaurant Group, Sage Restaurant Group, Fabio Viviani Hospitality, Tavistock Restaurant Collection, Mainstay Hospitality Group, The Palm Restaurant Group, Restaurants America Group, and Pangea Restaurant Group. In each case, her role has been collaborative, working alongside operators and teams to build sales and events strategies that fit the realities of service.

Anni’s superpower is people. She has an uncanny ability to walk into a room and already know who to call, who can help, and how to bring the right people together. She’s the kind of teammate who will pause her own work to help someone else out of the weeds, and if she’s not the right person to solve a problem, she knows exactly who is.

Anni helps hospitality teams clarify their sales approach, streamline execution, and build programs that feel organized, thoughtful, and human. She believes the best sales work doesn’t feel like selling, it feels like good hospitality, supported by strong relationships and clear communication.

Samantha has spent more than 20 years partnering with hospitality and lifestyle brands to help them tell their stories with clarity, credibility, and intention. Through Samantha Crafton Public Relations (SCPR), Samantha has collaborated with restaurant, hotel, and nightlife teams across major markets including Chicago, Las Vegas, New York, Miami, Dallas, Washington DC, Southern California, and beyond. Her experience includes working alongside groups and concepts connected to Ballyhoo Hospitality, Fabio Viviani Hospitality, Gage Hospitality Group, DMK Restaurants, TAO Group, and destination properties such as JW Marriott, The Venetian Resort, and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Her work has helped hospitality brands earn consistent local & regional in their respective markets as well as national visibility in outlets such as Food & Wine, Forbes, Condé Nast Traveller, Eater, The TODAY Show, and Chicago Tribune.  

Samantha founded SCPR with a simple belief: PR works best when it feels like a partnership, not a transaction. She is known for her holistic approach: blending media relations, brand positioning, thoughtful storytelling, and operating as a true extension of the teams she supports.

What sets Samantha apart is her ability to translate. She understands how to align founders, operators, and media around a shared narrative, and how to do it in a way that feels honest, human, and grounded in the real experience.

Bella has spent more than 10 years working in hospitality marketing, working alongside teams, operators, and owners. Through Sol Marketing Group, Bella has partnered with hospitality groups both internationally and domestically, including teams in Morocco, Peru, Bali, Panama, and across the United States. Her partnerships span multi-unit restaurant groups such as Fabio Viviani Hospitality, family-run restaurants, live entertainment venues like House of Blues and Aragon Ballroom, and fast-casual and QSR concepts including JARS and Chuck Lager.

Working across different countries and operating environments has given Bella a practical understanding of how culture, global trends, and local habits shape hospitality. Those contrasts have formed how she approaches branding and marketing, with an emphasis on observation, adaptation, and respect for place.

Bella brings this experience into brand development, marketing strategy, and creative direction, helping teams clarify who they are, how they show up, and how to build brands guests love. She’s known for connecting brand, guest experience, and business goals in a way that feels aligned rather than performative, pairing a strong creative eye with a practical understanding of scale and long-term sustainability. At her core, Bella believes hospitality brands aren’t manufactured; they’re revealed through curiosity, restraint, and intention.