Her Story
About Isabel
Isabel Keenan serves as the Assistant Manager of Guest Experience in the amusement industry, encompassing family entertainment venues such as trampoline parks, roller coasters, water parks, and bowling alleys. She began her career as a party host at a smaller trampoline park, where she developed a passion for creating memorable experiences for guests. Over five years on the front lines and three years in management at her current workplace, Keenan has earned four promotions and now focuses on leadership development by identifying team members' unique talents and providing targeted training and skills. She is currently studying psychology at UNLV, which aids her in understanding guest perspectives, and she engages with industry education through expos and conventions. As an IAPA member and participant in the Ames Young Professional Community's safety committee, Keenan attributes her professional success to her parents' inspiring drive and mentors who supported her as a young woman without doubt. She emphasizes accountability as a core value in leadership and encourages young women entering the field to be bold, always learning, and persistent in pursuing opportunities.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Isabel
01What do you attribute your success to?
First I'll say my parents. Because I've seen them build my life from the ground up, and kind of I always say that my stepdad's career kind of mirrors mine. He's in a completely different industry, but I can just see that the way that we've had that similar drive, that it's super inspiring me, but also, I would say, the mentors in my career. Seeing a young woman and not doubting me because of my age, or because I am a woman, and actually allowing me to prove it to them that I could be successful in the tasks that they've given me, and given me responsibilities and opportunities that one can only dream of, and didn't second-guess me at all.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Kind of just to put your best foot forward and jump in. My mentors that I've had in this current company I'm at, they've just developed me to fail, but learn from it. Like, as long as you take a test and you own it, and the next step you learn from it, then mistakes are allowed, and they'll still invest in you as long as you're investing in yourself, I guess, and not giving up when you don't succeed the first time.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be bold. Always learning, always willing. It's such a fun career, so if you get into the right position that you can thrive in, then it's a career that you can stay in for the lifetime. So, just dive in, and don't take no for an answer.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Being young and kind of being intimidated by the entire industry, I would say I was super challenged in knowing that I was capable, and sometimes, like I said, I did stumble, but it was always a learning opportunity. And also, being a young woman in the field, it's the attractions industry, so it's mostly a lot of older men that own these amusement parks and that you're in the room with when you're at these conferences, but just gaining the confidence to stand up for myself and kind of show these people that I'm capable as well.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I always say accountability. Being a leader that takes accountability, if your staff sees you fail, then they feel it's comfortable to let you know when they're messing up or they need more support. You have to be accountable of also being a young woman in the industry, accountable of the work that you do, so not letting other people take credit and standing in your own success, and just being accountable of your faults, but also your wins.
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