Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos is a hotelier and urban real estate developer based out of New York City. She is the co-founder, President and COO of Flag Luxury Group LLC. Flag Luxury is a real estate development company with a primary focus on luxury hotels, boutique hotels and retail development. In her role as President, Olarte de Kanavos is involved in all aspects of Flag Luxury’s real estate initiatives which include site selection, finance and acquisitions, selection of hotel brands, management contracts, architectural and interior design, hotel properties programming, zoning and construction, and asset management. Prior to joining the Flag Group of Companies, Olarte de Kanavos completed a Masters in Real Estate Development and Finance from New York University after several years working in New York as a commercial real estate financial analyst and broker. She received a Bachelor of a Science from the School of Hotel Administration from Cornell University. Olarte de Kanavos is a member of The School of Hotel Administration Dean’s Advisory Board at Cornell University. She also serves on the Cornell University Council; The President's Council of Cornell Women; Major Gifts Campaign committee member. She was the guest lecturer in the 45th edition of the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series at the School of Hotel Administration. She is also the Founder of The Friends Of New Yorkers For Children which support children in foster care through initiatives in education, mentoring, and career opportunities.