Five Years with Spire Hospitality: The People, Places and Moments Along the Way

Five years ago today, I joined Spire Hospitality as Corporate Social Media Manager.

I was working at the front desk of a hotel in downtown Nashville and knew I wanted to get back to corporate hospitality marketing. I missed working with multiple hotels, telling their stories and helping their teams reach their marketing goals.

Five years later, it's incredible to look back at everything that's happened.

I've had the opportunity to help onboard hotels and be part of major transformations, including The Leta Santa Barbara Goleta, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, The Barnes San Francisco, Tapestry Collection by Hilton and Hotel Fera Anaheim, a DoubleTree by Hilton.

I've helped bring new identities to Fourth & U Restaurant & Bar, CAYA Restaurant and Bar and Bramble Restaurant and Bar, and launch vanity websites for Hotel Trio Healdsburg, a Residence Inn by Marriott and St. James Hotel, Selma, Series by Marriott.

Along the way, I've been fortunate to receive recognition I never imagined, including Spire's 2022 Impact Award and being named one of Hotel Management's Forty Over 40 in 2024.

But some of the moments I'm proudest of didn't come with an award.

One was our 2024 Spire Hospitality Leadership Conference, where I presented a session on leveling up your LinkedIn alongside Celeste Berke Knisely. Celeste has helped me tremendously with LinkedIn, and having Spire put its faith in what I bring to the table and let me share that knowledge with our teams meant more than they probably realized.

As proud as I am of the hotels, brands, websites, campaigns, presentations and awards, those aren't what I'll remember most.

I'll remember the people.

Some are still with Spire, while others have moved on, but several have become lifelong friends. There are too many to name everyone, but I can't reflect on these five years without mentioning Trish Crowley, Nate Swanson, Roger Barrantes, Ginny Morrison, Edith Williams, Liza Mina, Anne Reilly, Vinolie Chandrasekaram, Marletta Smith, Lindsay Greenshields, Tim Weber, Tracy Richards, Chris Russell, Richard Sandoval, Dawna Comeaux, and, of course, Michelle Santiago-Fuller, 2023 Spire Director of Sales and Marketing of the Year. If you know, you know. 😂

If these five years have taught me anything, it's the importance of putting people first.

I've worked alongside leaders who have shown me that making someone feel valued doesn't require a grand gesture. Sometimes it's an initiative like Hilton's Catch Me at My Best. Sometimes it's recognizing a job well done. Sometimes it's simply writing a card to remind someone they're appreciated.

Those little things matter.

Five years ago, I wanted another opportunity to do something I loved: help hotels tell their stories and reach their marketing goals.

I got that opportunity, but I also got friendships I never expected, experiences I'll never forget, people who believed in me and countless opportunities to grow.

I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who's been part of the journey, and to Anna Stone for this and more.

Five years down. Here's to many more. ♥️