Brenda Urias '02

Marketing Manager,
AAA Travel Programs

q: What do you do?

a: I've worked at AAA promoting travel and tourism for 11 years. In my current position, which I've held for about a year, I manage nationwide advertising campaigns for AAA Travel, which not many people realize is one of the largest leisure travel agencies in the U.S. One of my projects is creating eight "virtual travel shows" per year. Consumers can have the experience of attending a travel show -- learning about all the latest travel destinations and packages -- completely online, without leaving their homes.

q: What's your favorite part of the job?

a: Working with national travel partners, including hotels, cruise lines, tour companies and Disney. I'm passionate about travel and marketing, and love getting the messages out to consumers.

q: What's the greatest challenge?

a: There's not enough time to do everything. I have a huge list of ideas but can only accomplish some of them.

q: Do you stay in touch with any other UCF hospitality alums?

a: Brittney Shaw '04 and Alison Watkins '02 also work here at AAA. I see several others including Chris Fletcher '97 and Noelani Torres '02.

q: Outside work...you're most likely to be seen?

a: At the theme parks. I get a different annual pass each year. I also like to go out Downtown with my girlfriends and, of course, travel!

q: Your biggest accomplishment since graduating, outside your career?

a: Raising my two children who are ages three and 13. Also, a marketing paper I wrote about Dubai for my master's program at Webster University was selected as one of the Top 4 in Florida and is now in the Library of Congress.

q: How did UCF prepare you for what you do?

a: It taught me about all segments of the travel industry. The "Travel Agency Management" course plus classes covering theme parks and conferences were extremely helpful to what I do every day.

q: How could the hospitality program have been better?

a: If the new campus opened before I graduated. For instance, imagine us crammed into a tiny little kitchen at the Main Campus for the "Beverage Management" course. At Rosen College, they have a full size bar.

q: A UCF memory?

a: Dr. Milman's courses in theme park management were fun and let us be so creative. I enjoyed the assignment of creating our own theme park.

q: Favorite meal in Orlando?

a: The Garden of Eden Grill And Hookah in Kissimmee. It's Arabic and Mediterranean food. Everything's really good.

q: On your iPod?

a: Mostly Latin music including salsa and merengue, but also hip hop, R & B and lots of Josh Groban.

q: Little known fact about you?

a: People don't know that I do so much charity work. Even though I live in Clermont and drive all the way to Heathrow each day, I still go to Oviedo on the weekends to volunteer for Boys Town of Central Florida. I also volunteer for the BETA Center. For my community service, AAA recently recognized me with the James B. Creal Citizenship Award.

Scott Mifsud '03

Event Manager,
GET U.S. Destination Event Management

q: What do you do?

a: Manage all aspects of clients' meetings including ground transportation, dinners and off-site entertainment. My responsibilities include proposals, budgets, programming, managing client expectations, and billing. Ninety percent of our clients are pharmaceutical companies because our U.K.-based parent company, Universal Procon, specializes in health care events.

q: What's your favorite part of the job?

a: Traveling and doing something different every day. Instead of being city-oriented, GET U.S. travels with our clients and I've recently been working on planning events in Seattle, Hawaii and Phoenix. One day I could be sitting in the Orlando office making calls, and the next I could be learning the Chicago airport to find the best way to greet and direct guests.

q: What's the greatest challenge?

a: Also, traveling and doing something different every day. Previously I owned my own business and managed events in Panama, Rome and Austria all within a three week period. It's rewarding, but also requires flexibility and lots of energy.

q: Do you stay in touch with any other UCF hospitality alums?

a: Dave Buckalew '05, Danielle Derecola '03, Chris Fletcher '97, Ariel Gonzalez '07 and Erica Hanners '03.

q: Outside work...you're most likely to be seen?

a: In Thornton Park, at Universal CityWalk or at home catching up with my DVR.

q: Your biggest accomplishment since graduating, outside your career?

a: Meeting my girlfriend, a wedding planner.

q: How did UCF prepare you for what you do?

a: It gave me a foundation of industry knowledge, and taught me the ability to continue learning.

q: How could the hospitality program have been better?

a: The new school wasn't open yet so we were located in the Classroom Building on Main Campus. Most of our classes were held in two rooms, and I had four courses with Dr. Deborah Breiter and four with Duncan Dickson. For me the set-up worked -- thank goodness I liked these two professors -- and I understand that now there's a large number of faculty, classrooms and course offerings.

q: A UCF memory?

a: Homecoming my senior year. Also, traveling to California with Professional Convention Management Association. It was the first year ever of the PCMA student chapter and we raised approximately $10,000 in sponsorships to pay for our trip. I also enjoyed the Hospitality Association banquets, back when it was the only student organization.

q: Favorite meal in Orlando?

a: Dinner at JIKO at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

q: On your iPod?

a: A mix including the Barenaked Ladies, Jack Johnson, Counting Crows, John Meyer, Metallic and the Dave Matthews Band.

q: Little known fact about you?

a: I was a marketing major my first two years.