Member Spotlight

Jessi O'Daniel

Guest Relations Senior Manager 
Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Harbor
Louisville, Kentucky - USA

Featured in "World Waterpark Magazine," October/Novemeber 2018

WHAT IS YOUR EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE? 

I have a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from the University of Louisville. From 2012- 2015, I worked as a Student Athletic Trainer for the University of Louisville’s football program. In 2013, I also worked as a lifeguard for Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation. I joined the team at Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Bay in 2014 as a Seasonal Supervisor, Guest Services. Since then, I have worked in several guest services roles and I am currently the Guest Relations Senior Manager.
 
WHAT CERTIFICATION OR LICENSING DO YOU HAVE? 
I am a Certified Tourism Ambassador of Louisville. I have been a Red Cross-certified lifeguard and am CPR certified. 

WHAT HONORS, AWARDS OR SPECIAL RECOGNITION HAVE YOU ACHIEVED? 

I graduated cum laude in 2016 from the University of Louisville. I was a finalist for WWA’s Chris Stuart Emerging Leaders Scholarship in 2015. 

WHAT MADE YOU GO IN TO THIS FIELD? 
I started working in this field because it seemed to me that it would be fun to work at an amusement and waterpark. From the first day I started, I loved it. I can’t imagine working in any other industry. 

WHAT ASPECT OF THE WATERPARK INDUSTRY DO YOU LIKE BEST? 
My favorite part of working in this industry is being able to ensure that our guests are having a blast. If something goes wrong while they’re visiting Kentucky Kingdom, I take great pride in turning their negative experience into a positive one. There is nothing like being the person who has the answer to their question or can do something to make their day great. 

WHO HAS MOST INSPIRED YOU IN YOUR CAREER? 
There are two people that have been major inspirations in my career. Julie Johnson, our Director of Sales and Marketing, has been extremely supportive and helpful in building my career and really helped me get my start in this industry. The other person who inspires me is Lesly Birkner, our Chief of Operations. Lesly has a great deal of experience in this industry and has inspired me to follow in her footsteps from the moment I began working at Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Bay. 

WHAT HAS BEEN THE GREATEST CHALLENGE IN YOUR WATERPARK CAREER? 
The greatest challenge I have faced in my career is changing the perception and reputation of certain aspects of the park. When we reopened Kentucky Kingdom in 2014, many people in our community still associated Kentucky Kingdom with some negative things that had happened under the previous operator, especially with regard to cleanliness and safety. I have worked very hard to change those perceptions. 

HOW DO YOU KEEP FOCUSED AND MOTIVATED? 
It is easy for me to stay focused and motivated when I read and respond to reviews, comments and emails. I love getting both positive and negative feedback form our guests. Some days it affirms my efforts; while on other days, it helps me pinpoint areas where we can make improvements.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN WORKING IN THE WATERPARK INDUSTRY? 
If you are at all interested in working in this industry, I say give it a shot. You’ll be surprised how much it gets in your blood! 

WHAT BOOKS OR PUBLICATIONS DO YOU RELY ON MOST FOR INSPIRATION OR MOTIVATION? 
I get a lot of inspiration reading through both World Waterpark Magazine and Funworld. I love to see what other parks are doing and get a sneak peak at new industry trends. 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB? 
The thing I enjoy most about my job is dealing with the unexpected. Our guests are very good at throwing us curveballs and I take great joy in finding a solution for even the weirdest issues. I often end up with a lot of last-minute “special projects” and I get a kick out of being able to make things happen on the fly. 

WHAT CAREER OR BUSINESS WOULD YOU CONSIDER IF YOU WERE STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN?
If I were to start all over again, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love this industry and I love work- ing at Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Bay. We have a very fun, experienced and supportive team that has helped me get where I am today. 

HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INVOLVED WITH THE WWA? 
I first got involved with WWA thanks to our General Counsel, Gaylee Gillim. I had the pleasure of attending the WWA Show in 2015 as I was a finalist for the Chris Stuart Emerging Leaders Scholarship program. Gaylee did a great job showing me the ropes. It was that experience that sealed the deal for me and I made the decision to transition my career into this industry. 

WHAT IS SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOU THAT FEW KNOW OR WOULD GUESS? 
I am obsessed with Taylor Swift. I have been to four of her concerts and know every single word to her songs.