SHAUNA JASKOT
Business Travel Sales Manager, Hilton Toronto

After completing a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree in Hotel and Food Administration at the University of Guelph, Shauna Jaskot jumped into a career in hotel management and sales. She started as a Sales-and-Marketing coordinator at the Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale, supporting the sales and events teams and preparing banquet-event orders. In just a year, she was promoted to Corporate Group Sales manager at the hotel and now holds the position of Business Travel Sales manager at the Hilton Toronto. While she continues to rise through the ranks, she also gives back to the groups that have given so much to her. As a committee volunteer for the Global Travel Business Association’s 2019 Toronto Conference and as a guest speaker for Humber College’s third-year Hospitality Sales and Marketing Class, she’s making an impact in a variety of ways. Over the next five years, Jaskot hopes to become a director of Sales at a mid-sized hotel.

DANIELA ALHANOVA
Assistant, Food and Beverage Manager, Sheraton Centre Toronto

Daniela Alhanova grew to love the hotel industry after a trip to Turkey in 2003. After taking a Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management student-exchange program in Helinski, Finland in 2013, she graduated from Ryerson University, earning her Bachelor of Commerce degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management in 2014. Since then, Alhanova has worked her way up the ranks, starting as a front-desk agent at the Sheraton Centre Toronto in July 2014. She’s held positions as assistant Guest Relations manager and Guest Relations manager at the Kempinski Hotel Shenzhen in Shenzhen, China. Currently an assistant Food and Beverage Manager at the Sheraton Centre Toronto, she manages all aspect of the Club Lounge’s operations and actively supervises in-room-dining operations as well. Recently, she received a “Team Spirit” badge from Marriott International as part of the Breakthrough Leadership program.

ANDREW CRAIG
Outlet Manager, Fairmont Royal York

What began as a casual after-school job when he was 13 years old has evolved into a rewarding and successful career for Andrew Craig. Craig joined Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in 2014 as a server at the Fairmont Banff Springs in Alberta. After becoming a Food & Beverage supervisor in 2015, he moved to the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto as the assistant Food & Beverage manager. As the current Outlet manager for the Fairmont Royal York, he’s helped increase the Library Bar’s annual revenue by 12 per cent, as well as launch a new meal service. He was instrumental in creating the current menu at the Library Bar, including the design, cover, layout and overall presentation. He was also vital in creating key programming for the hotel’s Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea. In 2018, the event drew 670 guests — an increase of 20 per cent from 2017. He’s also received a number of certificates and awards from Accor, the hotel’s parent company.

KYLIE WALTERS
Assistant Director of Catering Sales, Fairmont Royal York

If you stayed at the Fairmont Royal York in 2009, you might have caught Kylie Walter’s bright smile on your way to your room. Working as a room attendant while still just a teenager, the Sutton, Ont. native has developed into one of the brightest young professionals in the industry. She rose through the ranks as a Royal Service operator to a Conference Services & Catering coordinator to an Executive Meeting manager. She now serves as the hotel’s assistant director of Catering Sales. Walters leads a team of five catering salespeople and is responsible for hiring and developing new talent, mentoring salespeople and creating revenue-optimization programs. She routinely exceeds her annual sales targets and has delivered record-breaking revenue for three consecutive years. Most recently, she was selected by the hotel executive committee for the role of Heartist Transformer, facilitating training sessions to all colleagues on the Accor internal cultural transformation.

HALEY MUMBY
Wedding & Special Events Sales Manager, Deerhurst Resort

Haley Mumby has been a natural event planner since high school. Always interested in planning and hosting events, she pursued a career in hospitality and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Guelph in 2012. After graduation, she moved to Huntsville, Ont. to work at Deerhurst Resort and, in the past seven years, has moved from being a room attendant to managing front-office teams. She now sells, manages and executes all weddings and special events at the resort. One of her greatest achievements was creating a business-travel program to boost group business opportunities in 2015. Within the first year, more than 100 companies signed up for the program, which drove profits and revenues to the resort.

TANIA FERLIN
Corporate Group Sales Manager, Hyatt Regency

Tania Ferlin has always been driven by a passion to help others. In 2010, she secured an internship at the Marriott San Jose, Costa Rica where she worked in food and beverage and the front office. Now, as a Corporate Group Sales manager at the Hyatt Regency Toronto, she’s booked more than $4 million in sales over the last two years. She’s personally mentored eight students and new hospitality professionals and sits on the board of the Hospitality – Event Management Program Advisory Council at Humber College. She’s also been a key advocate for human-trafficking prevention and has made more than 30 presentations to more than 475 industry professionals. In 2019, she won the Smart Meetings’ Smart Women in Meetings Award in the Industry Leader category.

ALLA SHAMASHKIN
Senior Sales Manager, Novotel Toronto North York

Alla Shamashkin has always had a passion for hospitality. In 2007, she followed her dream by enrolling in Humber College’s Hospitality Management program and has never looked back. Twice-nominated for the Greater Toronto Hotel Association Spirit Awards for her outstanding work within the Novotel Toronto North York hotel, she’s supported a wide range of causes, including Movember and CIBC Run for the Cure. Time and time again she’s achieved her sales goals and, in 2018, secured 116 per cent of her annual goal for a total of $1.1 million in sales, making her one of the hotel’s top achievers. Over the last few years, she’s taken a leadership position as one of the hotel’s top mentors, thanks to her willingness to reach out and work with people.

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