From Hospitality Intern to Assistant Director of Finance

For Carla José, hospitality wasn’t always the plan. In high school, she dreamed of becoming a nutritionist and enrolled in a prerequisite nutrition course. But when a teacher introduced her to a hospitality program, everything changed. Carla took a leap of faith and joined the program, landing an internship at the historic Driskill Hotel in Austin.

That experience opened her eyes to the dynamic world of hospitality. “I loved the energy, teamwork, and how every day was different,” Carla recalls. She shadowed multiple departments from front desk to engineering and quickly realized hospitality offered countless pathways for growth.

Carla began working at the front desk, where she thrived on guest interaction. But during the pandemic, her career took an unexpected turn. The hotel’s director of finance noticed her accuracy and attention to detail with financial postings and encouraged her to apply for a finance clerk position. “I didn’t realize how much I would love the black-and-white side of hospitality. Finance felt like solving a puzzle everything either fit or it didn’t.”

From there, Carla advanced rapidly: clerk, paymaster, accounting supervisor, and, most recently, Assistant Director of Finance at a boutique Austin hotel. She describes the opportunity as both humbling and motivating: “I feel lucky they took a chance on me. It’s a leadership role I never imagined for myself at this stage.”

The Sage Foundation Cohort Experience
Carla’s growth was also shaped by the Sage Foundation cohort, a course run by MSU Denver’s Day Leadership Academy. Initially, she questioned whether the program would apply to her back-of-house finance role. But the experience proved invaluable.

Through mentorship, including guidance from a mentor, Carla learned to reframe her perspective: “He told me to think of my coworkers as my guests. That shift reminded me that empathy and validation are just as important in finance as they are at the front desk.”

The cohort combined synchronous and asynchronous learning, bringing together participants from different hotel departments: front desk, sales, engineering, and finance. “Hearing everyone’s perspectives was eye-opening. We all worked under the same umbrella but had such different daily challenges. It reminded me we’re all moving toward the same goal, just from different angles.”

The program wasn’t easy; 15 participants began, but only two, including Carla, completed the course. That made the experience even more personal and impactful.

Lessons in Leadership and Growth
Carla credits the program and her mentors with shaping her leadership style. She learned to balance accuracy with empathy, to guide others through mistakes rather than judge, and to value the human connections that make hospitality unique.

Her advice to anyone considering the Sage Foundation cohort is clear: “If you’re doubting yourself, do it anyway. You won’t grow unless you put yourself in an uncomfortable situation. Those challenges are where you learn the most and where you discover what you’re truly capable of.”

Looking Ahead
Carla’s story is a testament to what’s possible when opportunity, mentorship, and courage align. From a timid high schooler unsure of her future to a finance leader in hospitality, she has embraced every challenge and grown stronger with each step.

She hopes to one day return to her high school to inspire the next generation of students: “At 15 or 16, you might not know what you want to do. But hospitality gives you space to explore, to grow, and to build a career you never imagined.”

Today, Carla stands as proof of that promise an alumna whose journey reflects the heart of hospitality and the power of investing in people.