Her Story
About Amanda
Amanda Kittell is an executive assistant and VIP guest services professional with nearly 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry. She has spent her entire career with MGM Resorts International at Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada. Amanda started at the pool cabanas for one year before moving inside to the VIP lounge, where she worked as a relief supervisor and on-the-desk trainer for new hires. She was then approached to serve as personal assistant to a vice president from the Europe Middle East Marketing team for three years. Following the return from COVID, she expanded her responsibilities to support all Europe and Middle East marketing teams across the four core properties. In her role, Amanda handles a variety of tasks including reviewing casino play and comps, booking dinners, shows, and room reservations, scheduling executive meetings, meeting with guests, and running team reports. She recently earned an Associates of Arts degree in Hospitality Management from the College of Southern Nevada, graduating in May with high honors and straight As on the president's list. Amanda is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the National Society of Leadership and Success. Outside of work, she spends time with her family and enjoying the outdoors. She volunteers and participates in team events such as packing lunches for children, building beds, and assembling kits for the homeless.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Amanda
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a strong work ethic, being a good person, and always showing up. I really value being someone people can depend on. I take pride in being dependable, anticipating needs, paying attention to details and building relationships with employees and guests. It's important to me, that the people I support feel confident that things are taken care of.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Learn to take feedback with an open mind. Not every piece of feedback you receive is easy to hear, but every bit of constructive feedback is an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve. The more willing you are to learn from others, the more you'll grow both personally and professionally. Never assume that you are the smartest in the room.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Your reputation matters. Hospitality is a relationship driven industry. Be known as someone who is hard working, respectful, dependable, and easy to work with. Take pride in the relationships and trust you build. Be confident yet humble, be willing to learn, ask questions and speak up. Don't let people mistake your kindness for weakness. You can be kind and approachable while still having boundaries and advocating for yourself. Know your worth.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think one of the biggest challenges is the Executive Assistants can sometimes be undervalued. So much of what we do happens behind the scenes. Making sure Executives are prepared, priorities stay organized, communication stays flowing, and important details don't fall through the cracks. When everything runs smoothly, people may not realize how much coordination and anticipation went into making things happen. Being behind the scenes does not mean unimportant by any means. In hospitality some of the most valuable impacts happen quietly behind the scenes.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Working hard, treating people well, and being someone others can count on. I've always felt that showing up consistently, doing your best, and treating people with kindness and respect can take you a long way. Whether I am at work or in my personal life, I try to be dependable while staying true to who I am. I want to leave people feeling valued.
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