Jennifer Bracken
Our annual list of trailblazing women are creating lasting legacies for themselves and for the city of Nashville. Now they’re sharing their stories, their triumphs, their setbacks, and their advice with us. Prepare to be inspired.
Early Aspirations
Growing up, I wanted to be a journalist. However, I discovered my passion for hospitality and Human Resources during a part-time job at a hotel in college. That is where I fell in love with hospitality. No matter what role I was in, I worked hard and learned as much as I could. Early on in my career, I took every opportunity presented to work in food and beverage, front desk, housekeeping, and banquets. I was also flexible and open to various opportunities outside of my comfort zone. I then landed a Human Resources recruiting position, and I stayed in HR from that day forward. When I stepped into that role, I continued looking for ways to progress. I ended up working in recruiting, as an HR Manager, a Market Director of HR, an Area Regional Director of HR, and now I work as the Director of HR for the largest Marriott in America. The roles I took throughout my life and the willingness I had to be flexible, move around, and take chances made me well-rounded so that my career kept moving forward.
Challenges Faced
Finding my voice in spite of being a young, executive female leader was my greatest challenge early in my career. I am very thankful for the male leaders in my life who believed in me and helped mentor me along the way. My success is contributed to those who respected my seat at the table. My current challenge (besides managing through a pandemic and a staffing shortage) is figuring out how to balance work and life. Having a career in the hospitality industry while staying connected and involved in family life is hard, but my husband has been a great partner through it all and I am thankful that we are such a great team.
Work Perks
I love that every day is different. In the hospitality industry, you never know what kind of day you are going to walk into, and I love that challenge! I also love when my team and I can make a difference and impact our employees’ lives.
The Definition of Success
Success to me is defined by the small wins along the way; those simpler goals and achievements that you make and accomplish in your career journey. When I see an employee’s face light up because my team has helped them through an issue, or when I get to see our guest satisfaction scores rise because I know we hired right, that is when I feel successful. It is all about helping others to me.
Meet Jennifer Bracken and other women in the local community who are the best in their fields at our annual Women in Business event.
>>> PURCHASE TICKETS
The mix and mingle reception will be held on August 24 from 5-7:30 p.m., to network with our Women in Business honorees plus 200 other local business professionals. Throughout the evening, we will be doing live Q and A sessions with each woman!
Guests will enjoy hors d'oeuvres from Virgin Hotels Nashville along with wine from Biltmore Winery and cocktails from Tito's Handmade Vodka. Beverages from a full bar will also be available for purchase (credit cards only).