What initially inspired you to get into the hospitality business?
As early as high school, I knew I wanted to be in economics or the business sector in an industry related to travel or those who traveled. I knew it would be related to international business and/or macroeconomics. I ended up majoring in hospitality, which brought all those interests together, and I knew it was a perfect fit during my first internship at a Marriott hotel in St. Louis. I never looked back.
Who were some of your mentors or role models and what were their most valuable lessons?
I am very lucky to have had many great mentors along the way, but my first mentor was my hiring manager for my college internship, Patty Clark. She and the person who replaced her in that role, Maureen Healy, were significant mentors from the start. As a young woman entering a predominantly male industry, these two women set a tone that this was a natural path for women to have a seat at the table and continue to develop. They fostered a positive and healthy environment, which shaped my view that this is the way it is and will be for me. More recently, I view White Lodging’s CEO Jean-Luc Barone and Chief Commercial Officer Chris Anderson as mentors. They both foster and support a similar environment that I experienced with Patty at such a young age. I am treated no differently, and the expectations of my performance are the same. They also challenge me constantly to grow beyond what I thought I was capable of by bringing out the best in me.
What’s your outlook for the future with regard to diversity and inclusion within hospitality?
I’ve been fortunate to work with organizations that prioritized this from the start, but I know that isn’t the case for all of us. I’ve seen progress, particularly women and minorities in senior leadership roles and thought leaders in our industry. I’ve also seen many more vendors and partners being led or founded by women. I see a lot of potential in the next generation of hospitalitarians.
In your opinion, how is the lodging industry performing in terms of getting women into leadership positions?
There’s always room for improvement, but we are seeing progress. The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) took a significant step by acquiring and continuing the Castell Project, which speaks volumes about the industry’s commitment.
