Meet The Team
After years of working on the front lines of the private staff and lifestyle management world, our founder Adriana recognized a gap in the industry: a lack of agencies truly led by those with hands-on experience. Determined to change that, she set out to build something different—an agency led by those who have actually done the work, who understand both the unspoken nuances and the complex, high-standard ecosystems of UHNW homes, family offices, and luxury operations.
She soon joined forces with other seasoned professionals from the world of luxury private service to create the first-ever international staffing and consulting agency for high-profile, UHNW households and family offices founded and run by true industry insiders.
As the first agency of its kind, Squad sets a new standard of excellence—bridging the gap between expertise and genuine insight.
Adriana Amselem
Founder & Managing Director
Adriana is a multilingual, multi-passionate expert with over a decade of experience in UHNW private service. Her career began as a governess and quickly evolved into high-level Personal Assistant and Estate Manager roles supporting some of the world’s most demanding and influential individuals across Europe, the US and Russia, navigating an extraordinary range of households and cultures with exceptional discretion and grace.
With academic foundations in Business and Communications—combined with advanced training in Psychology and Holistic Wellness—she brings both analytical sharpness and emotional intelligence to every challenge. Her ability to anticipate needs, design efficient systems, and build trust with both Principals and staff has made her a sought-after problem-solver for everything from household restructures to team development and communication flow within family offices.
Adriana’s strength lies in her ability to zoom out and see the full picture—strategic needs, emotional undercurrents, and cultural nuance—then translate that into clear, actionable systems. Whether guiding newly wealthy clients through their first hires or helping long-established estates modernize, she approaches every project with empathy, humor, and uncompromising attention to detail.
As the driving force behind Squad, she now leads a growing team while staying closely involved in key consulting projects and client relationships. Known for her warmth, wit, and high standards, she champions a new vision of private service—modern, human-centered, and built to last.
Sara Tailliez
Staffing & Operations Manager
Paris-born and globally minded, Sara brings over a decade of people-first experience across five-star hospitality, high-growth startups, and complex multi-entity organizations in Spain and the UK. With roots in luxury hotels like The Landmark London and Andaz Liverpool Street, she built a solid foundation in team development, HR operations, and the kind of quietly brilliant service that keeps the engine humming behind the scenes.
At Squad, Sara leads our staffing department with warmth, precision, and an intuitive understanding of what makes a household — or a business — truly tick. Drawing from her years in luxury hospitality, she excels at identifying candidates who embody service excellence and pairing them with the right clients, from private residences to family offices. Her sharp operational mind and background as an Executive Assistant to high-performing CEOs also make her an indispensable partner to our consulting team, providing behind-the-scenes structure and logistical support that allows our projects to run seamlessly.
With a unique blend of discretion, structure, and service instinct, Sara bridges the worlds of luxury hospitality and private staffing — making her a trusted ally to both clients and candidates seeking long-term success.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and French, she brings cultural dexterity to every placement. Sara is especially passionate about creating the right match — ensuring both clients and professionals thrive in long-term, meaningful placements.
Maria Alvarez
Senior Culinary Consultant
María is an internationally trained private chef with over a decade of experience cooking for Royal Families, A-list celebrities, and top-tier business figures — both on land and aboard superyachts. A graduate of prestigious institutions including the Basque Culinary Center, she combines technical mastery with a creative, health-focused approach that’s won her national recognition, including 2nd place on MasterChef Spain 2024.
María grew up between Seville, Madrid, and Argentina before moving to Antigua. It was at her family’s finca in Seville where she found a safe haven, tending to the garden, caring for animals, and learning to cook with her grandmother.
Beyond private service, María collaborates with luxury hotels and wellness retreats to develop bespoke menus, and currently serves as a nutrition and culinary consultant to high-performing athletes and Hollywood stars. She also runs a boutique temp private chef booking service specializing in tailored, wellness-centric cuisine where she blends her expertise with nutrigenetic testing to create bespoke menus.
At Squad, she leads our culinary consulting projects and occasionally cooks for some of our most important clients — bringing precision, flair, and a deep understanding of how food, lifestyle, and service come together in the world’s most exclusive households.
Roberto Freire
Senior Private Estate & Hospitality Consultant
Roberto brings over two decades of international experience across the luxury hospitality and private UHNW household sectors. He began his career managing five-star resorts in Europe and the Middle East, where he developed a strong foundation in high-touch service, team leadership, and operational systems. Over time, he transitioned into the world of private households, where he has since overseen large estates and complex multi-property compounds across EMEA.
Born to a Peruvian mother and a Galician father who met in New York City, Roberto was raised with a deep sensitivity to cultural nuance. This multicultural foundation, paired with years of global experience, allows him to navigate a wide range of households and client profiles.
From managing sprawling private estates with 20+ staff members to restructuring hospitality operations for boutique hotels, Roberto is known for his ability to transform chaotic or underperforming environments into polished, service-led ecosystems. His approach is strategic, empathetic, and highly collaborative—focused on long-term, sustainable results that elevate both guest experience and internal workflow.
At Squad, Roberto leads international consulting and training projects with precision, empathy, and a deep understanding of what it takes to deliver five-star service at home. He’s especially passionate about empowering private household teams with clear structure, elevated service standards, and a shared sense of purpose.
Patrick Darnuzer
Senior Hospitality Operations & Service Training Consultant
Patrick’s rare blend of global hospitality pedigree, world-class academic training, and hands-on operational mastery make him Squad’s go-to person for all hospitality and service training consulting projects.
Swiss-Peruvian raised in Spain, with an elite education in Hotel Management at Les Roches Marbella and Kendall College Chicago, shaped the sharp, design-minded, elite hospitality professional he is today.
Patrick has worked with some of the industry’s most prestigious names, including the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London and played a key role in opening and developing award-winning boutique hotels in Tulum, such as Bardo and Milam- with Bardo recognized as one of the best Boutique hotels in Mexico and Milam earning a Michelin Key within its first year. A testament to Patrick’s meticulous eye for detail, innovative spirit and commitment to excellence.
At Squad, Patrick leads Hospitality Operations & Service Training with clarity, structure, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. His background in top-tier hotel operations and international project delivery makes him uniquely positioned to help estates and private residences achieve true five-star standards across every department. His approach is immersive, human, and transformative—designed to empower teams, elevate service culture, and bring hotel-level precision into the rhythm of daily life at exceptional homes and private estates.