Industry Connections
Mentors
"Follow the Leader"
Throughout the course of the HTM program, we have been urged to meet industry professionals and make new contacts. Many times this "urging" was done through mandatory assignments that forced us out of our comfort zones and into the offices of people we had never met before. While all of the people I met provided great insight at the time, some of them took it a step further and became friends and mentors to me.
Nadia CeballosNadia is a pastry chef and catering manager for a restaurant in Del Mar. Her passion is in pasty and she also does freelance work on the side. I met Nadia over a year ago and have become great friends with her. She is the "go to" baker for any specialty cakes I need. Her talent, professionalism, and personality have really helped her business grow.
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Lisa DeFinoLisa teaches at SDSU and is also the Associate Director for the Institute for the Meetings and Events. I have worked closely with Lisa on various projects including my conference manager position. Lisa has truly been a mentor to me this past year. She is a great reference and contact and has tons of event expertise. I especially appreciate her straight forwardness and sincerity.
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Art FloresArt is a General Manger for a hotel in Palm Springs. He has been in the hotel industry for almost 40 years. Although he specializes in management he has worked in almost every hotel position and literally worked his way to the top. He is always willing to answer questions, provide guidance, and has recently sent job leads my way.
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Now that I am graduating and heading back into the workforce, I want to be the type of person that will be there for those still learning the ropes as these individuals have been for me. Having people I can reach out to for guidance that are seasoned professionals has boosted my confidence many times. Whether going into job interviews or taking on new projects, it is always great to feel supported and to receive advice you can trust.