Hailey Post – Masters Student

Home Country/Town: Greensboro NC, USA
Bachelor Degree: Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality, UNC-G
Primary research interest: Tourism Management, (specifically in Food Tourism and Tourism Advocacy)
Advisor: Dr. Whitney Knollenberg
 
About Me
Hi! I am a master’s student working with Dr. Whitney Knollenberg. I am interested in improving advocacy efforts among leaders in the tourism industry and stakeholder engagement efforts.
My roots are in North Carolina as I am a 7th generation North Carolinian and am originally from Greensboro, NC. My love for tourism and the outdoors led me down many different roads including time working for Walt Disney World, a management position at a high ropes course, and eventually to NC State to pursue my master’s. I am passionate about cultural sustainability and intend to use knowledge and experience gained from my time in the Parks Recreation and Tourism Management department to drive positive change in the tourism industry.
Who has been most influential to you?
My mom is a strong woman with an endlessly large heart and she passed down values of kindness, humility, and ambition to me. I am ever thankful for the opportunities she has paved for me. I am also influenced by my personal hero Anthony Bourdain, who’s words and journalism inspired me to pursue a career in tourism, remain open minded, and appreciate the world around me daily.
Professional Goal
I plan to seek a leadership role in destination marketing and management. I hope to one day be in a position of change to ensure that tourism positively impacts and sustains local communities and their cultural resources.
Previous Degrees and Where I Received these Degrees
 B.A. in Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality from UNC-Greensboro
“Words of Wisdom” for Prospective Students
“Just keep swimming”- Dory from Finding Nemo.
My Leisure Interests
I am almost always daydreaming about traveling and absolutely love meeting new people, experiencing new places, and of course tasting new cuisines. An outdoorsy extrovert at heart, I love spending time with others whether I’m trying new restaurants, hiking, camping, caving, or rock climbing. I am also a lover of writing fantasy and science fiction, and enjoy little more than spending time writing a new story in the company of my cat and a strong cup of coffee.