Black Meetings & Tourism - HIDDEN FIGURES

Industry Briefs
HIDDEN FIGURES
Telesa Via, Vice President of Sales, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Heartfelt connections are at the core of Kimpton's ethos-and Telesa Via is a shining example of that ethos brought to life. Over nearly two decades, Telesa has built a successful career overseeing hospitality sales, marketing and public relations operations. But what makes her story truly impressive is the incredible amount that she's given back during that same amount of time. She continues to travel the path of a well-rounded leader for whom success is as much about moving forward as it is about giving back. Telesa oversees sales activities from coast to coast and beyond, within North America. While the scope of her role is straightforward, it's anything but simple. Tasked with helping Kimpton grow market share in more than thirty metropolitan areas in the continental U.S. and beyond, such as Grand Cayman, Telesa must synthesize and address the nuances of these widely varying markets to support broader, brand-wide objectives. Her latest endeavor is co-chairing Kimpton's newest internal committee, Black Lives Matter: Act to Action. Leading a diverse committee made of members throughout the Kimpton family, Telesa is taking action to create real change within Kimpton and promoting opportunities and advancement for Black People and People of Color. In the twelve years she's been part of the Kimpton family, Telesa has overseen sales and marketing activities for the Mid-Atlantic, a region that extends from Washington DC to Savannah, GA. Crossing geographic divides, she has consistently built strong bridges between the Mid-Atlantic ownership groups and Kimpton's corporate office in San Francisco. Back home with other Kimptonites, her leadership has been equally dynamic. Whether employing time-tested strategies to inspire her team and drive regional topline, or infusing new energy into training programs and the successful redeployment of sales pods, she remains a focused and dedicated team player with a singular vision of Kimpton's success. But in actuality, Kimpton is not the only cause that is close to Telesa's heart. Sharing that space is the MLC Cancer Foundation, an organization she co-founded with the mission of raising ovarian and breast cancer awareness. Continuing her focus on women's issues, Telesa also chairs the Board of Directors of the Cinderella Foundation, dedicated to empowering girls living in high-risk, low-income communities in the Washington DC metropolitan area. A passionate believer in higher education, Telesa is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Arlington Chapter of the Links, Incorporated. She also serves as a mentor with Capital Partners for Education. In recognition of her service and professional accomplishments, Telesa was honored with the Bill Kimpton Award in 2014. Telesa earned her BA in Communications from University of Virginia, and has had the chance to experience life in different parts of the US, such as Atlanta, Charlottesville, VA and Washington, DC. Her roots are strongest in the Washington DC metropolitan area, where she received the Top Minority Business Leaders Award from the Washington Business Journal and completed the Leadership Greater Washington program in 2015. She is a member of the American Society of Association Executives, Professional Conference Management Association and International Association of Exhibition Executives, among others.

Industry Briefs

HIDDEN FIGURES

Telesa Via, Vice President of Sales, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

Heartfelt connections are at the core of Kimpton's ethos-and Telesa Via is a shining example of that ethos brought to life. Over nearly two decades, Telesa has built a successful career overseeing hospitality sales, marketing and public relations operations. But what makes her story truly impressive is the incredible amount that she's given back during that same amount of time. She continues to travel the path of a well-rounded leader for whom success is as much about moving forward as it is about giving back.

Telesa oversees sales activities from coast to coast and beyond, within North America. While the scope of her role is straightforward, it's anything but simple. Tasked with helping Kimpton grow market share in more than thirty metropolitan areas in the continental U.S. and beyond, such as Grand Cayman, Telesa must synthesize and address the nuances of these widely varying markets to support broader, brand-wide objectives. Her latest endeavor is co-chairing Kimpton's newest internal committee, Black Lives Matter: Act to Action. Leading a diverse committee made of members throughout the Kimpton family, Telesa is taking action to create real change within Kimpton and promoting opportunities and advancement for Black People and People of Color.

In the twelve years she's been part of the Kimpton family, Telesa has overseen sales and marketing activities for the Mid-Atlantic, a region that extends from Washington DC to Savannah, GA. Crossing geographic divides, she has consistently built strong bridges between the Mid-Atlantic ownership groups and Kimpton's corporate office in San Francisco. Back home with other Kimptonites, her leadership has been equally dynamic. Whether employing time-tested strategies to inspire her team and drive regional topline, or infusing new energy into training programs and the successful redeployment of sales pods, she remains a focused and dedicated team player with a singular vision of Kimpton's success.

But in actuality, Kimpton is not the only cause that is close to Telesa's heart. Sharing that space is the MLC Cancer Foundation, an organization she co-founded with the mission of raising ovarian and breast cancer awareness. Continuing her focus on women's issues, Telesa also chairs the Board of Directors of the Cinderella Foundation, dedicated to empowering girls living in high-risk, low-income communities in the Washington DC metropolitan area. A passionate believer in higher education, Telesa is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Arlington Chapter of the Links, Incorporated. She also serves as a mentor with Capital Partners for Education. In recognition of her service and professional accomplishments, Telesa was honored with the Bill Kimpton Award in 2014.

Telesa earned her BA in Communications from University of Virginia, and has had the chance to experience life in different parts of the US, such as Atlanta, Charlottesville, VA and Washington, DC. Her roots are strongest in the Washington DC metropolitan area, where she received the Top Minority Business Leaders Award from the Washington Business Journal and completed the Leadership Greater Washington program in 2015. She is a member of the American Society of Association Executives, Professional Conference Management Association and International Association of Exhibition Executives, among others.