My career in hospitality wasn’t intentional. I graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in accounting and began my journey in public accounting and finance at Marriott Corporation. Over time, I transitioned into restaurant operations and eventually into broader hospitality management. Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful for the encouragers in my life who guided me toward this field. Hospitality has provided me with the opportunity to work with fantastic individuals and leverage the skills I developed along the way.

In my Active Intentional Leadership in Hospitality class, I strive to create an exceptional learning environment rooted in industry experience. Having spent 10 years in C-suite roles as CEO, President, COO, and CDO. I use my career as a platform for teaching. Students gain direct exposure to industry leaders through guest lectures and final projects that involve interviewing hospitality executives. By the time they graduate, they will have engaged with at least 20 executives, ensuring they leave with meaningful industry insights.

My key advice for students is simple: "You can’t lead others if you can’t lead yourself." Don’t let life’s struggles define you; instead, let the way you overcome them shape where you’re going. Life will knock you down, but you must get back up and keep pushing forward because you are capable of achieving more than you think. My goal is to prepare the next generation of industry leaders. The class structure mirrors real-world executive leadership development. We meet in a conference room setting, engage in interactive discussions, and approach leadership the way executive teams do in the industry. This way, students leave not just with knowledge but with the confidence and mindset to lead in hospitality.