Jen Rosenthal '06

Catering Manager,
Rosen Shingle Creek

B.S., Hospitality Management '06 & M.S., Hospitality and Tourism Management '09

(Maiden Name: Jen Sandler)

q: What do you do?

a: I manage all "life event" celebrations at Shingle Creek Resort, including weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, bar/bat mitzvahs and retirements. Most of the events are weddings, as we average about 45 weddings a year. I handle everything start-to-finish including sales, banquet event orders, and helping implement all the details, usually in conjunction with a wedding coordinator.

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

a: Every day is different and so is every event. One example was a couple who met in an airplane terminal when their planes were late, so their entire wedding was airplane-themed. They had luggage tags for place cards and airline tickets for their "save the date" cards. Another couple had Lionel Ritchie play at their wedding and we had to coordinate extravagant lighting and electrical. I really do enjoy my job.

q: What's the greatest challenge?

a: Dealing with different personalities and cultures, which all negotiate differently.

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

a: Jackie Becker '08, Courtney Beckwith '04, Gary Deel '07, Francesca Fistner '08, Amanda Hayes '07, Rebecca Maxwell '05, Ann McAuliffe '06, Sonny Shaffer '08, Brandee Simmons Garr '01 and Alison Watkins '02.

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

a: With my husband and playing with my dogs, a collie and a border collie.

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

a: Getting married and completing graduate school.

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

a:My sorority, Chi Omega, taught me how to deal with different personality types. People ask how I can deal with stressed out brides every day. Well, drama just rolls off my back after being surrounded by girls for four years.

q: How could the hospitality program have been better?

a: More parking. I took my master's classes at night, so when I'd get to campus the parking lot would already be full.

q: A UCF memory?

a: Homecoming was always fun filled and spirited. Also beer class with Ed Measom. I learned so many fun facts about beer that I use when working with clients today. It was a relaxed way to bond with the other students.

q: Favorite meal in Orlando?

a: The Grilled Hearts of Romaine Salad with Warmed Goat Cheese and Palm Sugar Vinaigrette with the Blackened Seabass with Cilantro Buerre Blanc from A Land Remembered, at the Shingle Creek.

q: On your iPod?

a: It's all over the place: Josh Groban, OAR, Dave Matthews Band, AFI and oh, let's check what's playing right now (she pulled out her iPod)....Sublime.

q: Little known fact about you?

a: I'm a Canadian citizen.

Michelle Trias '05

National Sales Manager,
Shepard Exposition Services

q: What do you do?

a: I provide services to meeting and convention exhibitors; about 60% of my time is spent getting new business and 40% is spent working with clients. Because I'm located in-house at the Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, I'm available to personally help with floor planning and signage. I travel to my clients' shows throughout the U.S. since most work with me year after year, although their meeting destinations change.

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

a: When clients have problems. I love brainstorming creative solutions and putting them into action, to show that I really care and know what I'm doing.

q: What's the greatest challenge?

a: Learning to be a salesperson. The service side comes naturally to me which helps me get repeat business, beating my 2008 sales goal in spite of the economy and being named "Salesperson of the Quarter" for all of Shepard several times."Closing the deal" for new business is something I'm learning through experience and reading books. I like trying new ways to make an impact, ranging from sending hand-written notes on "Welcome to Orlando" postcards to showing off Orlando to one client by helicopter!

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

a: Michelle (Leary) Devitt '03 and I go to the same tiny daycare - it's a real coincidence. Becky (Long) Martin '05 works at Shepard with me, out of Chicago. I also stay in touch with Courtney Beckwith '04, Dave Buckalew '05, Lisette Gonzalez '05, Jennifer (Sandler) Rosenthal '06 and Clinton Winn '06.

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

a: At Acquatica, out at comedy clubs like the new Bonkerz at Firkin & Kegler, or Downtown with my girlfriends.

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

a: My nine month old daughter.

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

a: By actively participating in the student chapter of the Professional Convention Management Association, I learned how to network which is the basis for the sales aspect of my job. The classes taught me project management and how to be organized and detail-oriented. Although I wasn't a big fan of accounting at the time I took the classes, I do use what I learned in my work every day.

q: How could the hospitality program have been better?

a: When I was at Rosen, the Event Management degree wasn't available yet. Many of the required classes didn't interest me or have application to what I'd be doing after graduation. For instance, the quantity food production class is good for students who will manage kitchens some day but knowing how to dice an onion is irrelevant to my career path. My husband does thank Professor Kevin Murphy for teaching me that though!

q: A UCF memory?

a: Spirit Splash and tailgating.

q: Favorite meal in Orlando?

a: The fish at A Land Remembered at Shingle Creek, pan-seared with brown butter, lemon and capers.

q: On your iPod?

a: I have my iPod hooked up into my car stereo so play it when I'm driving my daughter around; besides lots of baby music, I listen to classical, Michael Buble, Andrea Bocelli and Maroon 5.

q: Little known fact about you?

a: After my career, I want a very simple life. My husband and I want to live in a villa on the beach in Spain.

Kacie Shuba '06

Convention Housing Coordinator
Rosen Centre Hotel

q: What do you do?

a: I’m the point of contact for clients for reserving rooms and suites for conventions and meetings. I manage the group’s room inventory and work closely with the client to confirm terms including method of booking, billing, cut-off dates and upgrades. I'm responsible for receiving and updating reservation rooming lists, blocking all room upgrades and verifying VIP reservations.

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

a: I enjoy my co-workers. Also, it's always great to meet a client for the first time, putting a face to the person you’ve been working with for many months via phone and e-mail.

q: What's the greatest challenge?

a: When the computers run maintenance updates during the day and I need to make or change a rooming list by a certain time. I can’t do my job without my computer but I understand these updates need to be done in order for them to work.

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

a: I work directly at the Rosen Centre with Courtney Beckwith '04, Becky Crowder '04 and Karli Bennett '08. I’m still great friends with Erin Mahaffey '06 and Taryn Dorsey '07. I still keep in contact with Nate Nakamura '06 and Megan Oxman '06. I’ve known Megan since middle school and Nate since high school.

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

a: You could find me at the movies or a restaurant with my friends, family, and boyfriend. I love going to concerts and theme parks as well.

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

a: One of my main goals in life is to travel as much as possible. I went to Chicago and Phoenix in 2008.

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

a: Because of all the required group projects, I learned how to work well in a team. Rosen College also showed me many job opportunities the hospitality field has to offer.

q: How could the hospitality program have been better?

a: The college didn’t offer some of the classes that they offer today. I would have taken cruise ship management, which sounds like an interesting class.

q: A UCF memory?

a: The UCF football games at the Citrus Bowl; also, the Rosen College Hospitality Association's 2004 trip to the Hotel, Motel, and Restaurant Show in New York City.

q: Favorite meal in Orlando?

a: The Factory Burrito Grande at Cheesecake Factory.

q: On your iPod?

a: I have a wide variety of music on my iPod. Some of my favorite music artists are Dashboard Confessional, Jimmy Eat World, Breaking Benjamin, 311, and Jason Mraz.

q: Little known fact about you?

a: I'm the first person in my entire family to graduate from college with a bachelor’s degree.