Meet Alicia Miller, Director of Sales and Marketing at Courtyard & Residence Inn, Austin

Coming from a family of teachers, educators and family service providers, Alicia Miller saw her future
following a similar path as she entered college at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.

Miller, one of the new 2021 PCMA Gulf States Chapter directors on the board, appreciated what it
meant to give back as an educator and a supporter of families. The fact that she was a mother of two
while in college reinforced her belief that being a teacher would allow her to spend more time with her children and contribute to society in that way.

So, how does the one‐time English major in college, targeted toward a teaching profession, end up as
the Director of Sales and Marketing at Courtyard & Residence Inn in Austin? “I started working at the
Homewood Suites on the River Walk in San Antonio to get a real job type of thing. I did the front desk
and really loved it,” said Miller who laughingly explained that when she first started she was looking
toward being a general manager. “But I found out that GMs had to be at the hotel at 7 a.m. Yeah, that’s
not happening.”

“The director of sales had been after me to work in the sales office for an engagement standpoint as a
coordinator. I kept telling her no because of my school schedule. So, she finally agreed to work around
my school schedule,” explained Miller about her move to the sales team. “I ended up being there for
four years, changed my major to hospitality management and kind of went from there.”

Miller continued moving forward in the industry following her stint through college and continuing to
serve as Senior Sales Manager at the Hilton Americas in Houston and the Hilton Austin, Senior Sale
Executive and the Director of Group Sales at the Marriott Marquis in Houston and Market Director of
Sales for the JW Marriott Austin/Austin Marriott Downtown before landing in her current role.

The oldest of four girls in her family, Miller doesn’t regret her path and really takes pride in her
involvement in the event industry.

“I love the people and engagement,” Miller said about the hospitality and meeting business. “I love the
travel. That (traveling) was something that I always wanted to do with my life and to get paid for it is
awesome.”

It’s that engagement that prompted Miller to pursue a position on the Gulf States Chapter board. A
former director on the PCMA POWER Chapter, Miller felt her return to Austin in a leadership position
merited a return to more involvement with the people she enjoyed.

“I really wanted to get reengaged with PCMA,” she said. “Being involved with the chapter would allow
me to stay in touch with what was happening in the association world, what was happening (with them) and what was important to them. I’ve got something to offer and I can get something from it as well.” Miller also has been able to rectify the pull between her career in the event industry and her earlier passion to help others through traditional education avenues by finding a symbiotic connection between the two worlds.

“Very early on (in hotel sales) I landed with the association market as a focus,” explained Miller who was
able to find ways to be involved through these groups and others. “And to still be involved with that
world of academia and supporting communities in different ways by what I did was something that I was able to justify and to come to terms with.”

Notes: Miller is married with two children, Frank (26) and Raynne (21). Was born in Houston and spent
time between Houston and San Antonio growing up. Graduated from San Antonio Breckenridge High
School.

Hobbies: Reading; Traveling; Hiking

Favorite Movie: Say Anything