Cat Carter

| Mentor |
Cat Carter
Director of Group Sales, The Westin Alexandria

Alexandria, Virginia
Age: 31

After traveling the world with her family and experiencing some of the finest hotels in exotic locales, D.C. native Cat Carter knew she was headed for a career in hospitality. After pursuing an undergraduate degree and MBA in tourism at The George Washington University, Carter married her love for hotels and her commitment to sustainability with a career at Starwood Hotels. As director of group sales, she works to bring meetings to The Westin Alexandria, but she is also co-chair of the property’s Green Council, establishing sustainable initiatives for the property. “My father has worked in sustainable tourism for 30 years, so [sustainability] is near and dear to my heart,” she says. Carter’s career has progressed quickly, and she wants to help young talent in her company move up as well. “As a leader on the team, I think it’s really important to be focused on your own development but at the same time to take on that mentoring role for someone else,” she says. “That gives me a different level of satisfaction.” Carter’s active in her local AMP and MPI chapters, and last March, she was named the Supplier of the Month by SGMP. —Lisa Plummer

What’s your advice for someone just starting out in the industry?
“Share your goals, share your aspirations and network internally as well as externally. You always have to be promoting yourself.”