#65 Artistry and Magic with Cecilia Cuff

Design Voice Podcast

Cecilia Cuff is a 20-year veteran of the hospitality scene and the Founder and Managing Principal of The Nascent Group, a hospitality design and project management agency. Cecilia has established herself as a pacemaker in the hospitality design industry, focusing on art and efficiency-inspired design, inclusivity, community development and sustainability.

Cecilia has managed hospitality openings and brand launches for companies like Hyatt Hotels & Resorts all over North & South America, Ski Resort and Adventure Resort Renovations for companies like Taos Ski Valley and M Vacation Resorts & Properties. Her involvement and enthusiasm for corporate brand development is always guided using community development, food sustainability and minority inclusion as a moral compass. Regenerative farming practices, local ingredient sourcing and at-risk youth professional development are common threads that link her work and programming that remain strong long after she has developed a project.

As a part of a career dedicated to flawless and carefully executed hospitality service, Cecilia’s career client list brags seamlessly handling celebrities from Sheryl Crow, Lil Wayne, Emeril Lagasse, Snoop Dog, Rihanna, Kanye West, Seal, Brad Pitt & Angela Jolie. Elevated hospitality experiences in event production has remained her differentiator, creating and curating large scale wine festivals all over the United States, as well as aiding in the production of multi day music festivals and experiences.

Cecilia now operates her own firm, The Nascent Group, acting as an ally to urban planners and community developers to create more inclusive economic design, as well as aiding businesses with hotel and restaurant openings, operation brand launches and design. She also operates Parse SECO, a multidisciplinary art space offering art residencies and space for underrepresented communities and mentorship for at-risk youth with sister branches in New Orleans, San Francisco, New York and Mexico.

In this episode, Cecilia shares her career journey in the hospitality industry, using her entrepreneurial spirit as a force for good, and pushing for inclusivity in her work with developers. We also talk about how the hospitality industry has the power to change the trajectory of people’s lives, and the magic of walking into a space and having your breath taken away.