A Family

You could call me the therapist, big sister, old wise one, tear wiper, policy officer, judge, rule maker, enforcer, peacekeeper, life of the party, cheerleader, watchdog, gatekeeper — or as most know it, the HR director. I started in HR in 2002, by happenstance! I was a supervisor in the tele-sales department of MBNA America and the HR admin had gone on maternity leave. The HR Director asked if I’d lend a hand, and it was a natural fit! I’ve been in HR in many fields, but I found my passion in Hospitality. Today, among the slew of HR responsibilities (which I’ll spare you), I also sit on our SCLT (Support Center Leadership Team), manage our onboarding process, and ensure that our DKN team members live by our culture and values.

What do you get when you combine creativity, critical thinking, analytical skills, a sharp focus on increased revenues and a notorious passion for writing and grammar? You get me! I am the DKN Hotels marketing megaphone. Almost a decade into my foray into the world of hospitality marketing, I can honestly say that my enthusiasm for the industry is boundless. I found my way into hotels by way of teaching (really!) and worked in the Revenue & Marketing Department of an independent hotel chain for seven years prior to coming on board at DKN Hotels. It’s my job to work closely with Sales and Revenue Management and use all available resources to amplify our brand messages and ensure they reach the appropriate audiences. I’m responsible for guiding the hotels in our portfolio to financial success through timely and effective marketing strategies backed by measurable results. The joy I derive from this job every day is the opportunity to build strong and solid relationships with my fellow team members as we work our way toward our shared goals. This means Teamwork is easily my favorite DKN Hotels value as there is nothing sweeter than finishing a project alongside people you truly value and respect.

The hospitality industry has always been my calling. After my first job at In N Out Burger while I was still in high school, I spent the first half of my career focused on Food & Beverage working in different capacities and various restaurants, bars and night clubs. In 2006, I made the leap to lodging as a Guest Service Agent and worked my way up through operations to where I am today. I joined the DKN Hotels family in 2013 and currently support the General Managers  of our properties on their own roads to success. I get so much joy out of helping to guide and mentor fellow team members in the progression of their hospitality careers as well as meeting interesting guests on property and being able to share in the experiences they are creating. My favorite story about DKN Hotels relates to our value of Teamwork. In the days just before the opening of SpringHill Suites Anaheim Maingate, we were working hard to finish final construction and get the hotel clean for guest arrivals. It was well after midnight as we were cleaning up boxes and trash in the hallways when I turned a corner to see our CEO, Kiran, along with members of the Housekeeping Team, carrying boxes of trash outside. To me, this one instance is the epitome of what Teamwork looks like at DKN Hotels. No matter your role or position, we all work together to get the job done. This is what makes the DKN Hotels culture so unique.

I would say at about 16 years old, I knew I liked the hospitality industry. And that never changed, but my attention turned once I started learning IT. I ended up here when I was looking for a change in companies. I came across that DKN job posting and couldn’t be more excited — I’d be able to continue my career in technology and also be involved in the hospitality world. Although I operate out of our Support Center, you can find me regularly at the job site, coordinating our low voltage subcontractor efforts, placing AV systems on our design drawings or developing DKN Pulse – a proprietary software that’s taking us to the next level, operationally.

In 2014, I helped open up the Springhill Suites in Anaheim with DKN. A year after, I was offered a position at Support Center in general accounting, where I learned the ropes from Fred. Another year later, and I took over as Accounting Manager where I now oversee accounting for the properties, and am responsible for P&Ls being completed on a timely and accurate basis. My background is in business, where I received my bachelors from CSUF (I have been contemplating a masters…). One of the reasons I am a part of DKN is because of team work. There was a huge difference between when I helped open up a previous SpringHill Suites to when I opened up the one with DKN. It’s only with DKN that the owner of the company was there as well, helping out until late at night. We’re all equals on our team and we treat each other as family.