Joannie Zayas

Born and raised in a small town of Puerto Rico to two very young parents who worked tirelessly to raise me and my two brothers.  Mainly raised by my paternal grandmother, a school teacher, I understood that school and good grades were a duty not an option. So I studied my way up to two college degrees. One short one in Secretarial Sciences and a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management both from the University of Puerto Rico.  While finishing my BA I decided to join the first group of students from the UPR to do the Walt Disney World College Program Internship in 1996.

Although I always knew I would not stay in PR and will move to the states I didn’t know where until I came here.  I finished my internship, came back to do the Advanced Internship in 1998 and that’s when I made the decision to come and stay for good.  After going back home to finish my BA and graduate I finally made my move in 1999.  By myself, 5 suitcases and $500.00 was my start almost 16 years ago.  For most of those years I worked my way up the hospitality industry to become Assistant to Director of Rooms.  Then made a move to different fields in the business administration world to end up here, in real estate, where I belong.

All those years I believe have prepared me for this, the comfort when talking to different kinds of people from all different kind of backgrounds and the innate desire to serve and help.