Holly Toquero

I have dedicated 21 years to the hospitality industry, building my career from the ground up through various roles that have shaped my leadership approach. I began as a front desk agent at Koya Lodge, where I discovered my passion for working with people. After being promoted to housekeeping manager, I moved to Pebble Beach where I was hired as a rooms division team leader. Following a layoff, I joined Portola Hotel and Spa in Monterey Bay as a night audit supervisor and have been with the organization for 15 years. During my time at Portola, I was promoted twice, first to assistant front office manager and then to my current role as front office manager. Today, I manage a team of 16 employees and oversee 379 guest rooms, and when there's no manager on duty, I take care of the entire hotel. I love communicating with people and working with my employees, handling everything from training and hiring to the more challenging aspects like disciplining. My greatest accomplishment is seeing the growth in the people I lead, knowing that I played a role, however small, in helping them become more confident, successful, and effective. Looking ahead, I see myself moving higher up to a director-level position, where I can oversee the entire rooms department, drawing on my experience in reservations, housekeeping, and front office operations.