Julianna Musgrove, the newly minted regional learning and development manager, Northern Caribbean for Sandals Resorts International (SRI) is on the receiving end of another meritorious win after copping the 2023 Rising Star Award Caribbean.
Musgrove accepted her accolade from Andrea Belfanti, Chief Executive Officer, International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) and Jonathon S. Zink, Chief Operating Officer, The Burba Hotel Network (BHN) Group at the Caribbean Hotel and Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS) held at the Loews, Coral Gables Hotel in Florida. Also in attendance was the Group Chief Executive Officer of SRI, Gebhard Rainer.
Co-sponsored by the ISHC and The BHN Group, the Rising Star Award Caribbean recognizes an emerging leader, age 35 and under, currently living and working in the Caribbean. Open to nominations, the candidates are screened based on achievement, impact and recommendation.
James McAnally, general manager for Beaches Turks and Caicos (BTC), spared no words in endorsing the 28-year-old Turks and Caicos Islander who started at his resort in 2013. “As a regional manager, Julianna coordinates the learning & development initiatives for BTC, Sandals Royal Bahamian, and Sandals Emerald Bay.
She works closely with various leaders from each resort to achieve their mandates, execute bespoke training, conduct audits and other special projects. We unreservedly support Julianna’s selection as the 2023 Rising Star Award Caribbean recipient. She epitomizes the ultimate team member and leader that any organization would desire to have on their team.
Her journey from an intern to regional manager is testament to her determination, humility, tenacity and passion. Her stellar record of growth and development is not only in her story, but within the stories of the thousands of people across the Caribbean she has inspired along their career paths. I believe that Julianna’s story is where destiny meets determination, she is the true embodiment of the term Rising Star,” he stated emphatically.
Right there celebrating the evolving hospitality trailblazer are the committed team members employed to the Sandals and Beaches brand. Offering congratulations to Musgrove on behalf of the over 18000-strong cohort of Sandals professionals was SRI’s Executive Chairman Adam Stewart, “it is such a wonderful recognition of your passion, dedication, hard work and focus as you live the Sandals purpose and values every day.
We are all extremely proud of you being recognized with this prestigious award. Keep up the good work,” expressed Stewart to Musgrove.
Musgrove’s win was both a humbling and symbolic experience for her, “as a young professional who didn’t know what career path to take, I chose hospitality because it was the leading industry in the Caribbean. My journey with Sandals allowed me to train in different areas until I found my passion. Following such an enriching experience, I knew I wanted to build a career helping to provide the same opportunities and growth I received to upcoming professionals.
I am committed to the continuous mentorship and development of future hospitality leaders and I will use this award as a testimony that there are meaningful and impactful careers within hospitality. When you love what you do and you do it with passion and purpose, everything else will fall into place. I am most grateful to everyone who has been invested in my development and that of the people of the Caribbean,” she shared.