A Rising Star Moment: Honored to Receive the FIU Hospitality Rising Star Award

When I began my journey in hospitality, I never imagined how many layers of growth, challenge, and discovery would shape my path. To be recognized today by my alma mater, Florida International University, as the 2025 Rising Star in Restaurant Management, is both humbling and deeply personal.

This award isn’t just a milestone — it’s a reminder of every early morning briefing, late-night tasting, and the countless moments of leadership that defined my career.

Full Circle: From Student to Leader

FIU was where it all started — where my love for hospitality evolved into purpose. It’s where I first learned that restaurant management is not only about food, but about people, precision, and storytelling.

Years later, standing in the heart of Pier Sixty-Six Resort as the first General Manager hired for its 12 Food & Beverage outlets, I often thought back to those foundational lessons. From conceptual design and team training to uniform styling, beverage programs, and pre-opening operations, every decision carried the imprint of those early FIU values: excellence, adaptability, and heart.

The Journey That Defined the Award

This past year tested every ounce of that resilience. We faced delays, openings, and re-openings — first launching our signature dining venue, Sotogrande, in January, and then the challenge of opening Garni in April amid leadership changes and limited culinary support.

There were moments when exhaustion felt heavier than progress, but what pushed us through was belief — in our vision, our team, and the legacy we were building for Pier Sixty-Six.

When Garni finally opened its doors, it wasn’t just a breakfast launch — it was proof of what unwavering teamwork and leadership can achieve under pressure.

This award, to me, is not about recognition. It’s about resilience rewarded — about honoring the countless unseen efforts that make hospitality what it is: a labor of love.

Gratitude and Forward Motion

I’m endlessly grateful to Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management for shaping the foundation that carried me through this journey. To the professors, mentors, and colleagues who believed in my drive before I even fully did — thank you for lighting the path.

To my teams at Pier Sixty-Six, this award belongs to you just as much. You turned challenges into opportunities, ideas into action, and long days into milestones.

The hospitality industry never stands still — and neither will I. With every service, every new concept, and every guest interaction, I’m reminded that leadership is not about the spotlight, but about igniting others to shine.

Here’s to FIU, to the Rising Stars who will follow, and to the passion that continues to guide us forward — one plate, one team, one unforgettable moment at a time.