Director of Sales and Marketing,
Hilton Garden Inn,
Virginia Beach Town Center
q: What do you do?
a: Sell to groups coming to our 176-room property, located in the new Town Center of Virginia Beach. Built in 2003, our hotel is within walking distance of great shopping, restaurants and nightlife. I manage client calls and requests.
q: What's your favorite part of the job?
a: Building relationships with my clients and meeting all different types of people.
q: What's the greatest challenge?
a: Time management…staying organized and meeting deadlines while still keeping up with selling!
q: Do you stay in touch with any other UCF hospitality alums?
a: Yes! In fact, my former boss Sarah Butler '04 was a Rosen Alum and I also met Angela Petruso '05 who is the sales manager at the Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Small world!
q: Outside work...you're most likely to be seen?
a: Spending quality time with friends and family…I know, such a cliché answer, but it’s true!
q: Your biggest accomplishment since graduating, outside your career?
a: Traveling to Ireland, France, Germany, and Holland.
q: How did UCF prepare you for what you do?
a: The real-life experiences taught by the professors provided me with a good understanding of what to expect in the real world. Plus, the internship and hands-on training really gets your feet wet, in all sorts of areas of hospitality.
q: Your favorite class?
a: Catering Management. Our “Fire and Ice” event rocked!
q: How could the hospitality program have been better?
a: Provide more opportunities for students to do a site-tour of a true workplace for whatever track they are studying.
q: A UCF memory?
a: Tailgating and never making it to the actual football game.
q: Favorite meal in Orlando?
a: Gino’s Pizza located in Downtown..their pizza is so good, especially at 2 a.m.
q: On your iPod?
a: All sorts of music..from Alisha Keys to Queen to Justin Timberlake.
q: Little known fact about you?
a: I love to play soccer.
