What initially inspired you to get into the hospitality business?
My path into hospitality began long before I realized it would become my career. I worked in restaurants throughout college and later started as a front desk agent at a hotel in Fayetteville, North Carolina. From the very beginning, I found caring for guests and helping solve their needs to be deeply rewarding, and I quickly knew I wanted to be part of an industry centered around people.
Hospitality continues to feel like a unique puzzle, where no two days or guests are ever the same. Whether it was something small, like making a child’s day with a Shirley Temple and extra cherries or collaborating with operations teams and owners to elevate guest experiences at scale, that sense of purpose and energy has stayed with me throughout my career.
Who were some of your mentors or role models, male or female, and what were their most valuable lessons?…