Gail McCleese, RID
founder + sensory director
Gail McCleese, RID, is the founder and sensory director of sensitori, with over thirty years of experience in hospitality-focused interior design. Her career began in Houston, where she studied design and discovered an early passion for hospitality environments centered on experience and human connection. That focus guided her from early professional roles into leadership positions and the founding of her own design practice.
Throughout her career, Gail has led award-winning hospitality work and managed large, multidisciplinary teams across the hospitality, restaurant, and senior living sectors, working on complex projects for global brands and diverse cultural contexts.
Gail’s approach is grounded in the belief that environments should create meaningful sensory experiences that foster connection. Guided by both art and science, she integrates research, human behavior, and intuition to shape spaces that connect people to place, nature, and one another.
Outside of practice, Gail draws inspiration from cooking, gardening, time spent in nature, meditation, and travel, which inform her holistic approach to design and her belief in its power to transform environments into unforgettable experiences.
