Intern + Alumni Showcase
TSA would like to celebrate our alums and inspire current members as they find their paths beyond TSA and ASU. May we showcase YOU? Please reach out to claire.mcwiliams@asu.edu with a photo and info on what you're up to.
Andreya Kelly
Current Marriott Voyager: Copley Plaza in Boston
W.P. Carey School of Business -- Marketing & Events
Graduated: Spring 2023
ASU and TSA alumni Dreya Kelly became a Marriott Voyager in Fall 2023. She is embedded at the Marriott Copley Plaza--after moving across the country and starting a new life in Boston! She works primarily with the Events Services team, as well as with Banquets and some F&B and M Club Lounge too. She has already started working some solo management shifts.
Andreya reports that she has experienced all of the emotions a Voyager would...the adrenaline of big event implementation, the joys of new friendships with her fellow Voyagers, the nerves and the confidence that goes with taking on new roles and leading others. On the physical side...she has also felt the fatigue of clocking 5-9 miles during each work day, and a hunger to find the best shoes possible. She is enjoying the seasons of Boston and a rich experience with Marriott!
ASU alumni Alexxandra LaMacchia has joined Encore Global's National College Leadership Program and is engaged in a 5-month training process. So excited to watch Alexx shine on this journey!
Kathleen Duran has embarked on a new chapter in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she's pursuing a Manager in Training Program with Canopy West Palm Beach. Her passion is to become a General Manager for a hotel, with dreams of owning one someday, and through this program, she's enhancing her leadership skills and gaining valuable hotel operations experience. Kathleen is thrilled by the vibrant diversity in West Palm Beach, enriching her life with new experiences and perspectives, and she looks forward to exploring the wonders of the region, including the nearby Caribbean.
"My decision to become a Sun Devil was sparked from feeling stuck in a profession for which I had no passion. As graduation drew closer, I began to panic about finding a job - narrowing down what type of position I wanted to pursue in the Tourism and Recreation Management field was especially daunting. Having made the change in career path trajectories, my resume wasn't reflective of my new aspirations. I had reached out to a number of resources in various tourism roles (mainly, connections made through virtual TSA events) to assist me in tailoring the perfect resume, and I increasingly perused LinkedIn during my final semester. One day, I stumbled upon what seemed like a "too good to be true" position; it checked all of the boxes. My previous work experience, in addition to the education I received at ASU, was the perfect blend to make me a strong candidate. I was hired as the Customer Service Coordinator for AwayTeam Travel, L.L.C, a division of the Sports Facilities Companies, a month prior to graduating.
AwayTeam Travel is a lodging agent for travel sports and events. Founded by the Sports Facilities Companies, who advises, develops, and manages 30+ venues across the nation, our mission is to support the economic livelihood of the communities we serve. AwayTeam Travel officially launched for reservations in July, and has already surpassed forecasted projections.
I "wear many hats" in my role as we are still a small, start-up team. My current day to day tasks include gathering information about upcoming events, building RFPs, negotiating and contracting room blocks, developing and maintaining the user experience on the website, and monitoring and responding to customer inquiries through multiple communication channels. AwayTeam and SFC are rapidly growing and actively looking to onboard talent."
So proud of you, Brittany!
Interested in exploring careers at the Sports Facilities Companies? Check this out.
Ashley (Cullings) Faber
Early Childhood Development/Early Childhood Special Education
Minor in Tourism
Former VP of TSA (2020-2021)
Graduated: Spring 2022
Ashley is a nature-loving hiker/camper/wanderer who found her travel partner for life, married her sweetheart Aaron in the AZ Northland during Summer 2023. Ashley brings her love of travel and adventure into her 2nd grade classroom in the Kyrene Elementary School District--the very same district where she went to school as a child. During her time in TSA, Ashley helped build the club's membership and enthusiasm amongst members, and those very skills are at work opening up the world to her students.
Although my new role isn’t directly tourism related, my job allows me to interact with people from all across the globe and give them the tools they need in order to develop their careers.
In essence, I oversee translation strategy as part of the implementation of a multicultural employment program at Boston Scientific. I represent one of our company’s sites on a global scale, often collaborating with other reps from our sites in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and more.
If I could give any piece of advice to current students, it would be NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK! My role did not exist before. But through the connections I made during my internships, I was able to identify a need in a growing, seemingly inaccessible global corporation and presented myself as a solution to this need. You really never know where an opportunity can come from! So, network as much as you can, and never limit yourself. Be bold and be assertive and you may just wind up paving your own path :)
Way to go, Val!