Deidra Mathis is a hotelier, and world traveler. In 2018, she founded Wanderstay Hospitality Group, a multi-concept hospitality brand based in Houston, Texas. Wanderstay Hospitality Group has a 24-bed hostel and a 10-room boutique hotel in its portfolio. Deidra made history as the first Black woman to own and operate a hostel in the United States. In addition to running an independent hospitality company, Mathis is the Director of Wander Abroad Foundation. These 501 (c) (3) organizations provide passports and short-term study abroad opportunities for underrepresented college students. The organization has provided 19 student scholarship programs and six student passports. Having traveled to over 49 countries across all seven continents, Mathis understands the importance of obtaining global experiences.

When Deidra isn’t managing WHG operations, she often travels as a keynote speaker, speaking on various topics such as budget travel hacking, the benefits of studying abroad, and raising funds for startups. Mathis earned a Bachelor’s in Broadcast Journalism from Florida A&M University, a master’s degree in Corporate Communications from Bowie State University, and a graduate certificate in Tourism management from the George Washington School of Business. She is a 2021 Beyonce BeyGood entrepreneur grant recipient and a 2019 Tory Burch Fellow. In 2020, she was a 40 Under 40 award recipient for the Houston Business Journal. Deidra was recently honored as a 2023 Influential Woman in Hospitality by Questex’s Hotel Management. Mathis is a proud Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated member and is married with a toddler daughter and twins.