Anita Cooke Wells

Anita Cooke Wells is the Senior Vice President, Administration/Corporate Secretary at RLJ Lodging Trust. Anita has over twenty years of experience in the hospitality industry, working in both the public and private sectors.

Wells began their career as an attorney with Marriott Corporation, where they supported the hotel operations unit, including the Courtyard by Marriott division. In 1993, they joined Host Marriott as Assistant General Counsel, supporting the operations and development of a company providing food and retail services to the tollroad and airport industries. In 1995, they were promoted to Corporate Secretary and Assistant General Counsel for Host Marriott Services Company.

In 1999, Wells left the private sector to join the U. S. Department of Commerce as Chief of the Office of Business Development for the Minority Business Development Agency. In this role, they were responsible for promoting the growth of minority-owned businesses across the country. Anita returned to the hospitality industry in 2007 when they joined RLJ Development, LLC as Vice President, Administration. In this role, they were responsible for human resources and labor matters, investment fund compliance, and strategic planning for a privately-held private equity firm investing in hospitality assets.

Wells has been with RLJ Lodging Trust since 2011. In their current role as Senior Vice President, Administration/Corporate Secretary, they are responsible for all aspects of the company’s administration, including human resources, finance, and legal.

After Anita Cooke Wells earned their B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles, they attended Harvard Law School and earned their J.D. Anita then pursued a Master's degree in Organization Development from the School of Public Affairs at American University.

Their manager is Leslie D. Hale, President & CEO. Anita Cooke Wells works with Christopher A. Gormsen - Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, Jeffrey Dauray - Co-Chief Investment Officer, and Frederick D. Mckalip - Senior Vice President and General Counsel.