Nevar Campbell, 34

Having a mom who worked as an on-air cooking demonstrator and cookbook author had its perks for Nevar Campbell. Her mom’s connections in the industry were great, and led to an internship shadowing the Academy Awards. Campbell’s biggest takeaway? Being able to find passion within a career.  

Early on, Campbell set her sights on event management and hospitality, which was the degree she earned from the University of Central Florida in 2010. 

“I knew I wanted to be in events,” she says. She picked up a job at Hyatt in Chicago, but it was more focused on hotel operations. “I was looking to get more into events, and less front desk.”