“Shaping every memory that our guests have of us is the way we made them feel.”
Krista Marvel first entered the hospitality industry as a food & beverage manager. In her first job, she managed a culinary operation at SeaWorld Parks and Resorts. She then moved on to direct the pastry department at Chateau on the Lake, the flagship resort of the John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts (at the time, the largest private independent owner and manager of upscale hotels in the U.S.). This work included collaboration with the Missouri Governor’s Mansion to help organize various state government functions and fundraising events. From there, she opened her own café and bakery, developing the first weekly rotating menu in order to offer her hometown community the joys of seasonal produce and other locally sourced ingredients through collaborations with local farms. This experience lead her to focus her graduate work on food supply networks and broadline foodservice distributors.
Embracing a lifelong love of coastal New England, she sold her café and moved to Maine in 2012, first working at Starwood Hotels (now Marriott International) and then the Makeready Hospitality Group. Through a variety of roles in guest services and event planning, she helped create customized guest experiences ranging from private corporate events to one-of-a-kind marriage proposals. She then went on to work with hotels to redesign and implement their employee training programs in adherence to the four and five-star Forbes Travel Guide Hotel Standards. Through these experiences, she has introduced thousands of out-of-state and international visitors to the natural beauty, local cuisine, impeccable service, and unique experiences that define New England luxury.
In parallel, she served as Associate Professor in hospitality, tourism, and the culinary arts at York County Community College, where she built and chaired the Hospitality & Tourism Management program between 2017 and 2020. She taught extensively at both York County Community College and the University of Southern Maine, writing and delivering courses in business management, event planning, guest services, culinary arts, wine and beverage management, and innovation in hospitality.
She is currently a Hotel and Hospitality Faculty Lecturer within the Peter T. Paul School of Business at the University of New Hampshire.
