A little about me...written by my employer...happy reading! Josefina Yamal-Santiago: From Puerto Rico to Niagara Falls Josefina Yamal-Santiago, Executive Housekeeper for Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, is one of the casino’s newest team members, but she already feels at home. She has nearly 20 years of experience in numerous hotels throughout her native Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C. and beyond, but believes her current position is one of the best jobs she has ever had – even after just six months.“There was a sense of working for a family from the very first interview,” Josefina said. “When challenges arise and I communicate ideas to tackle them, people around here seldom say ‘no’ in response – they believe in creating shared solutions. I think the support from management energizes team members to want to do their very best at work.”Josefina moved from Puerto Rico to Northern Virginia more than 20 years ago to live with her sister. While taking on her first job in housekeeping at a local hotel, she took English courses at a nearby college and quickly became fully bilingual in English and Spanish. She soon met her future husband and had two children.In 1999, Josefina traveled back home for nearly two years, where she got her first taste of both the casino world and a management role as a housekeeping supervisor for the Condado Plaza Hotel & Casino. Then, upon returning to the Washington, D.C. area, her career soared for the next 12 years. Josefina tackled director and executive roles in housekeeping for some of the area’s most popular hotels, including The Watergate Hotel, Topaz Hotel and Crowne Plaza Dulles.Josefina and her family came to Niagara Falls in 2012 by a “leap of faith” when a recruiter lured her to work for a nearby local hotel, and the experience paved the way to join Seneca Niagara the following year.“This is a fun place to work at,” she said. “I love the fact that there are so many unique people to be around, from our diverse team to our diverse guests. I had always thought of moving away from a large, busy city like Washington, and it’s a lot calmer here in Niagara Falls than other places I’ve been.”While she is still settling in to her new environment, fellow team members will soon experience one of her unique skills as part of the company’s robust ongoing wellness initiatives. Outside of work, Josefina operates a registered mobile practice of Reiki, an energy healing technique done through the laying of hands. She recently introduced it to a senior center in Lewiston, N.Y. and said it has been a hit.“I think this could be a great benefit at Seneca Niagara because the calming helps open up people’s intuitive sides,” Josefina said. “It’s the same with Reiki as it is with housekeeping – I love people, and I want to be part of their lives. Seneca Niagara definitely feels like a perfect fit.” Written by: Tony Astran, APR Publicity ManagerSeneca Gaming Corporation
Posted on: Tue, 08 Jul 2014 23:46:19 +0000
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