Alumni

Sofia Neves
Hotel Management - H103,
Graduated 2005

When sifting through piles of resumes on behalf of the Marriott Hotel in downtown Toronto, Sofia Neves looks for one thing: passion. “That about sums up our ideal employee,” she says. The 24-year-old, who graduated from George Brown’s Hotel Management program in 2005, understands the importance of enthusiasm for achieving success in the hospitality industry.

Jocelyn Blandford

Special Events Planning – Destination Tourism – H111
Graduated 2006

While many recent college graduates were out pounding the pavement for employment in their field, Jocelyn Blandford was getting settled into her new job as an event co-ordinator at Bell Canada shortly after completing the Special Events Planning – Destination Tourism program.
Even before she attended convocation to collect her George Brown College diploma, she was already collecting a paycheque.
"George Brown gave me an advantage because I have the education and experience," says Blandford, who was just finishing a required internship with the Canadian Cancer Society when she applied to Bell. "The program was a good stepping stone into the real world."

Danielle Caputi

Special Events Planning for Destination Tourism – H111
Graduated 2004

Sometimes it takes a couple of tries to figure out what you really want to do and for Danielle Caputi, the third time was the charm.
After one year in a creative advertising program at another college, and then one stint as an administrative assistant, Caputi decided to find her true vocation.
"I quickly tired of the monotonous 9-to-5 office job and realized that I had to get back into school and find something I'd truly enjoy,"says the 23-year-old from North York. While perusing through post-secondary program calendars, she came across George Brown College's Special Events Planning for Destination Tourism program. It caught her attention immediately because it was unique and presented a career path that she had never thought to consider.

Christine Cushing

Food and Beverage Management
Graduated 1986

For Christine Cushing, her love of culinary arts wasn't just a passing fancy. To follow her lifetime passion for cooking, she pulled out of linguistic studies at the University of Toronto to take George Brown College's Food and Beverage Management course.

Excited about her new classes, Christine was always inquisitive and inventive. For one assignment where the goal was to prepare a pasta dish, she decided to add a touch of cinnamon to the meat sauce. It's a common practice in her home country Greece, meant to give just a hint of sweetness. The instructor detected the flavour immediately and though it wasn't what he asked for, he had to admit it tasted good.

Heather Dahmer

Special Events Planning - Destination Tourism – H111
Graduated 2004

After graduating from high school, Heather Dahmer studied makeup artistry and began working in the beauty industry. But she soon realized that she needed something more stable and secure.
"It was a very hit-and-miss industry,"Dahmer explains. "I'd have work one week and nothing the next."So she began searching for a new career. Her mentor, who she met through a family connection, was an event planner for an investors group.
"I'd always been interested in her career. So I sat down with her and asked her what she did. She guided me in this direction,"Dahmer recalls.
In her research of college programs, she came across Special Events Planning -Destination Tourism, offered by George Brown College. The January start-up fit her schedule perfectly so she enrolled.

Fred Lawlor

Hotel Front Office and Reception
Graduated 1975

More than 30 years ago, Fred Lawlor attended George Brown College for a certificate in Hotel Front Office and Reception.
Although he was a GBC student for only a brief time, the three-month co-op program opened the door to a long and successful career in the hotel industry for Lawlor.
"I had been working in the business since I was 17 years old and I was looking for ways to really get into it,"he recalls. "I only had food and beverage experience up until then and I thought the George Brown program was a good opportunity to get onto the front desk."It proved to be a smart move for Lawlor as he landed a co-op placement in the front office of the Four Seasons Hotel. Since then, Lawlor has garnered extensive experience working for major chains like Canadian Pacific Hotels and Fairmont Hotels (which were separate companies until 1999).

Julia Newlands

Hotel Management H103
Graduated 2003

When Julia Newlands looks back on her experience as a student at George Brown College, what really stands out in her mind is the hands-on experience she got from her work placement.
"I was really lucky to have the opportunity to do my placement at such a nice hotel as the Park Hyatt,"says Newlands. "It really showed me firsthand what it is like to work in a hotel."Since graduating in 2003, Newlands has been applying everything she learned from the two-year program to her work with Metropolitan Hotels, best known for their chic boutique-style franchises like Metropolitan Hotel Vancouver, Metropolitan Hotel Toronto and SoHo Metropolitan Hotel.

Julia Phelan

Chef Apprentice
Graduated 1987
Food and Nutrition Management – H402
Graduated in 1992

For Julia Phelan, there's more to work than punching the clock, getting the job done and going home at the end of the day.
"It's one thing to have a career and another thing to make the most of it,"says Phelan. "You have to take a deeper interest in what you do."After years of schooling and working in different industries, Phelan is now pursuing something she can really get into. Her mission as a food service professional in the healthcare field is to help solve the current obesity problem.
"It would be interesting to see obesity come away from private health care and become more of a medical problem than a personal problem,"she says.

Saige Sills

Special Events Planning for Destination Tourism – H111
Graduated 2004

Saige Sills is passionate about music, enjoys travelling and loves to be around people so what job could be more perfect than working for the Juno Awards, Canada's top musical honour?
It's the kind of job that keeps you on your toes but Sills, also a musician, has the determination and drive to survive in this business. And having a diploma in Special Events Planning doesn't hurt either.
"Graduating from George Brown College has allowed me to believe I am capable of reaching any and all of my goals,"says the 25-year-old. "My educational background has empowered me to accomplish many different jobs within my workplace."

Omar Smith

Hotel Management – H103
Graduated 1998

Growing up near Ocho Rios, a major tourist area in Jamaica, it only seemed natural for Omar Smith to work in the hospitality industry after graduating high school.
In a few short years, he had worked at some of the top-rated all-inclusive hotels in the Caribbean including Sandals and Couples resorts. While Smith had no trouble getting work experience (which included being the best man in over 200 weddings), a good education was what he was really looking for.
Smith was working as a guest services agent and night auditor at Sandals Grande Ocho Rios when he got his lucky break.
"My general manager and mentor was a George Brown College graduate and he sought the help of Brian Cooper (former Dean of Hospitality and Tourism) to assist me in furthering my education,"says Smith.

Tiffany Tunstead

Special Events Planning for Destination Tourism – H111
Graduated 2005

Event planning is not for the shy or the timid. That's why Tiffany Tunstead decided to pursue a career in this fast-paced, exciting industry.
"I think people who know me would describe me as outgoing and very personable,"says Tunstead, 21. "I will pretty much talk to anyone."Being a very social person, Tunstead was always involved in organizing activities and fundraisers at her high school, which led her to consider a career in event planning.
Initially, she was going to study English and history in university but just before post-secondary school applications were due, she changed her mind completely.
Instead, she applied to Humber, Seneca and Centennial for general hospitality and tourism programs and to George Brown College for Special Events Planning.

Sarah Vandermeer

Special Events Planning for Destination Tourism – H111
Graduated 2005

Sarah Vandermeer loves to make people happy.
As an event planner, her daily routine is full of opportunities to put smiles on people's faces, whether she is pitching creative ideas to make a client's event better or planning the logistics around a charitable benefit.
Vandermeer, who currently works at Jump! Creative, decided on event planning as a career only a few years ago after pursuing a degree in English. She says she liked the idea of interacting with others, channeling her creativity towards good causes and constantly being challenged and inspired to do better.

Enza Velocci

2008 Graduate - Applied Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Operations Management

In 2004 I received a $2.000 scholarship award from the OHI "college entrance award." Then in February 2005 I started working as a Front Desk Agent at the Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton Toronto Airport. I received a "wow award" from Hampton Inn and Suites Head Office (Hilton Hotels) for exceptional customer service/ customer satisfaction.
I then moved to Frosinone, Italy (about 1 hour away from Rome) shortly after I graduated (October 08) and opened an Event Planning Company