Meet Katie Haley | Director of HR & Marketing

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katie Haley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katie, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Work life balance is incredibly important. Making boundaries for yourself is crucial for longevity. I consider myself a very hard working individual. I have my hands in a number of different cookie jars, which keeps me extraordinarily busy but they all fill a particular cup that I find important in my life. I work for a local hospitality group as their Director of HR & Marketing. On the side, I do the bookkeeping for two other local restaurants. I am the Founder and Executive Director for a non profit I started and lastly I sit on a local organizations volunteer council.

Too keep all balls in the air it is incredibly important that I make time for myself. I horseback ride once a week, enjoy traveling, spending time with friends and family as well as staying active and working out! It is easy to get overwhelmed when you don’t listen to your body and mind and what it needs.

When I was in my 20’s I identified with work. I didn’t know how to balance work and life. If someone asked me about myself, I explained myself in terms of what I did for a living. When covid hit and I was laid off, I truly had a hard time identifying who I was and what made me happy. For the longest time work was my entire life. I found it was important to set boundaries for myself and start passion projects. I believe this has actually made me a stronger employee. So many things I do in my life relate back to work and I can take my new experiences and apply them.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I work for Backbar Hospitality Management as the Director of HR & Marketing. I started working for the company as a hostess at one of our concepts while in college. I have worked my way up through every rank of the company and have been an integral part of the company’s growth and expansion.

I started a non profit in 2020 called Chatting with Char Char (named after my chatty dog Charley)! I work with shelters and rescues to sponsor dogs leading up to and after adoption. We work with pet parents as well to help with transitions after they adopt. We cover emergency medical expenses, training as well as supply collection and donation.

In my spare time I also do bookkeeping for two local restaurants (Belle’s Nashville Kitchen & Rosati’s Pizza Pub). I am a member of the United States Bartenders Guild and am the Phx Chapter Treasurer!

My career in hospitality started as a hostess, I fell in love with the industry and quickly moved my way up! My career and life would not be what it is today without a number of mentors. I was very green to the industry and was fortunate enough to work for a company that took me under their wing and taught me everything I know today. I have worked incredibly hard over the past decade to apply my education to all aspects of my life and give back the community around me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Hiking: Camelback Mountain. Piestewa Peak

Restaurants & Shops:

Old Town Scottsdale – Belle’s Nashville Kitchen: start the weekend with Honky Tonk brunch or stop in for dinner and live music! Cien Agaves Tacos & Tequila has the best margaritas and tequila selection in town! Norde Scottsdale Western Boutique is a super cute locally owned western boutique, best part is all three spots are in walking distance of each other!

Arcadia – Platform 18 at Century Grand: one of a kind immersive cocktail bar! They won Best US Cocktail Bar 2023. JT Bar & Grill: Casual local spot that has some of the best wings in town!

Outdoor Activities: Scottsdale Pink Bike Tours is a local tour company that does e-bike tour around Scottsdale, Tempe Town Lake & Papago Park! Stellar Adventure is a local off road company for the adventure seekers! Hot Air Expeditions is another local company owned by two sisters! They offer incredible hot air balloon rides that are truly unmatched!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am thankful to husband for getting me out of my comfort zone and always being my biggest cheerleader. Bob Schulken for being an incredible boss and mentor throughout my entire career. Roque Jimenez for seeing my potential when I was serving tables and giving me the opportunity to grow in my career. My friends and family for their continuous support and encouragement to follow my dreams.

Instagram: @mrskayhay

Image Credits
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