What was your path/journey after you graduated from Cornell?
After graduating from the School of Hotel Administration, I relocated to Washington, DC, where I spent over a decade in various sales roles with luxury hospitality brands, including the Willard InterContinental, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. I also spent a few years representing a portfolio of destination management companies and hotels around the world, connecting corporate and association meeting professionals with local logistic experts across diverse destinations. These experiences culminated in the launch of Meeting Element, a meeting and event planning company in the metro DC area in 2012. While providing venue sourcing and event logistic support for our clients, the work has fulfilled my dream of seeing the world by creating opportunities to visit more than 46 countries so far!
Event planning is a lot of behind the scenes work, but it never gets old to witness the transformative power of in-person engagement. Shared moments and meaningful interactions leave a lasting impression and drive impactful results. As we all have seen during COVID, nothing can replace face-to-face connections, and I am proud to create settings that foster collaboration and engagement for my clients.
Outside of work, I have been volunteering for Meeting Professional International (MPI) Potomac Chapter, where I have served on the board on and off for the last 15+ years. This role allows me to give back to the industry that has provided me with so many opportunities. Our chapter administrator and one of the past chapter presidents are also Hotel alumni, so Cornell is well represented in our community.
I have made metro DC my home base since graduating from Cornell. My husband Michael and I share a passion for scuba diving and adventure travel, and we have explored some of the world's most fascinating dive sites, including Iceland, Eastern Island, Maldives, Bonaire, Little Cayman and Ishigaki Island.
What was your favorite class or Cornell? In retrospect, what has proven to be your most useful class from Cornell?
The Intro to Food and Beverage class at the Hotel School provided me with foundational knife skills that I continue to use every day. Having a good quality set of sharpened knives seems like such a basic thing until it isn't! And I am known to travel with my own set of knives when visiting family - a detail that always sparks a bit of humor.
Knowing my way around any kitchen is a gift I received from that class that has brought me so much pleasure over the years.
Developing grit to overcome challenges, whether in an academic setting or beyond, has shown me that with focus and determination, I can achieve anything I set my mind to. This mindset proved invaluable when I made the decision to leave the corporate world and launch my own business, carving out a path uniquely my own.
I am deeply grateful to have found a career path that combines my passion for travel with the opportunity to collaborate with long-time friends and colleagues from my years in the hotel industry, including friends from the Hotel School.
How did your Cornell experience most influence you post-graduation?
What extracurricular activity or hobby at Cornell was most meaningful to you?
My freshman year marked my fourth year in the United States, and I was still adapting to keeping up with everything in English. I often found myself sleep-deprived, staying up late to complete assignments, which led to my ability to fall asleep almost anywhere. (To this day, my friends still tease me about falling asleep during a 10,000 Maniacs concert!) One of my favorite pastimes then was discovering the most comfortable chairs and couches in various campus libraries to sneak in a quick nap between classes.