Mentored by a Memorable Leader

What initially inspired you to get into the hospitality business?

I was first exposed to hospitality during college when I started working at a local hotel. It was an eye-opening experience. While not my intended career path, I quickly learned to love it—especially when I realized that if you work in hotels, you can work anywhere in the world. I’ve been in the industry ever since. Hospitality is like that. Once it’s in your blood, you don’t want to do anything else.

Who were some of your mentors or role models and what were their most valuable lessons?

Early on in my career, I was fortunate enough to work for a general manager by the name of Joy Reighard. She was quick to take me under her wing and in doing so, played a critical role in my understanding of the business. She instilled in me that for a hotel to run well, every role is critical. What’s more, knowing that I wanted to grow in the industry, she insisted that I spend time learning and operating every role so that when I was ready to advance, I would have credibility. She was spot on. Today, Joy is 93 and retired, however, we still keep in touch. In fact, I was able to visit with her at her home in Vegas just last year.

In your opinion, how is the lodging industry performing in terms of getting women into leadership positions?

We’re making progress but still have work to do. While women make up the majority of the hospitality workforce (over 60 percent), only one in 10 holds a leadership title—be that in a corporate environment or as a hotel owner. In recent years, we’ve seen many companies—including Wyndham—as well as industry organizations, launch formal programs to help address this issue. These efforts are important, not just because of the doors they open, but because of the visibility they bring and the conversations they enable. Hospitality is an incredible industry. As leaders, our job is to identify and nurture talent, making sure everyone has the chance to realize their full potential.