5 Questions with Victoria Odell

A big welcome to our new Business Development Manager! We are very excited to have Victoria in the office with us. She can be reached at VictoriaO@thegsba.org.

Welcome, Victoria! Tell us a bit about yourself. 

I originally hail from New York and made the move to Seattle in 2002. My heart belongs to NY so I visit my family, my old neighborhoods, and try to attend the US Open (tennis) every year. I love the game, be it playing or watching. I am so passionate about tennis I became a board member of the Seattle Tennis Alliance, the largest LGBT tennis organization in the Puget Sound. We need more woman members so please contact me if you’re interested in hearing more! Food, wine, travel, and biking are the pillars of my leisure time. Nothing beats a great meal, with a well-crafted Washington wine, after a great ride, with the occasional intercontinental adventure for good measure. 2016 Olympics, here I come!

                                                                                                                                   

What did you do before coming to GSBA?

Prior to GSBA I was primarily focused in sales and marketing roles within the hospitality industry.  In hospitality, I focused on business development and client services with such organizations as the Sorrento Hotel, Columbia Hospitality-Talaris Conference Center, as well as my own company Seattle Swirl. Any organization I have been professionally associated with has become a GSBA member, if they weren’t already.

What are you looking forward to most in this role?

I have been a GSBA member since 2008, a past board member, and I am excited to be an integral part in helping the organization grow and flourish. As the business development manager, I look forward to engaging with existing members and “to be” members. I am also looking forward to growing the travel and tourism initiative, as my previous experience lends itself to this program.

What are some of your favorite memories from the Board or as a member?

Getting to know fellow board members are some of my most cherished memories. It was an honor to be on a board with such an impressive group of people. The education and experience I gained from such a talented and dedicated group of people has been invaluable to me personally and professionally.  What had to be most thrilling memory, was being invited to raise the Pride flag on top of the Space Needle for the first time in 2010. 

What are you looking forward to this summer?

I am mostly looking forward to all the upcoming Summer events in the Seattle area and beyond. Fremont's Solstice Parade and Fair, Pride Festivities, Tamara Murphy's event Burning Beast, and of course the US Open.