TRECIA Kettle grew up in a community in Portland where job opportunities were often limited to banking, teaching or public service. But even as a child, she knew she wanted more.

The fact that her mother travelled outside the parish for employment fuelled Kettle’s determination to make her proud.

“I just knew I wanted something out of the box,” Kettle said.

That “something” turned out to be employment in the tourism industry.

In 2004, while pursuing her degree in hospitality management at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education in Portland, Kettle got her first hands-on experience in the industry as a trainee at Beaches Ocho Rios. She started in the dining room, training as a waitress, but after just one week she knew it wasn’t the right fit.

She approached the human resources manager, who recommended that she try the spa.

The advice would change the course of her life.

“The moment I walked in, I fell in love with the tranquil atmosphere,” Kettle recalled.

Eager to learn, she asked to stay on for an extra week after her internship, immersing herself in all aspects of the spa’s operations.

Impressed by Kettle’s commitment, the spa manager recommended her for a spa receptionist role at Sandals Montego Bay.

Over the next four years Kettle grew under the mentorship of Spa Director Sandra Thornton, who helped shape her into a budding professional. Eventually, she entered a spa supervisory training programme — a key turning point in her career.

In 2010 Kettle briefly stepped away from the hospitality industry to focus on family and explore other opportunities. However, she soon realised her true passion remained in the sector, particularly the spa operations.

In 2014 she returned as a spa supervisor at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort and began to blossom in the field. With the support of two of her greatest mentors, Human Resources Manager Karene Folkes and Arnold Nugent, former general manager of Sandals Royal Plantation, Kettle found the strength to overcome some of her most difficult professional moments.

“They were more than managers, they were like my parents,” she said.

In 2018 Kettle won the Supervisor of the Year Prestige Award — a milestone that validated years of quiet sacrifice and behind-the-scenes dedication. That same year, she joined the Sandals Foundation team, deepening her connection to community service and purpose.

“Every time I go out with the team I come back feeling fulfilled,” she said. “It reminds me of my why.”

With encouragement from Nugent and Folkes, Kettle expanded her knowledge of resort operations — learning the ropes of rooms, front desk, and guest services. That experience prepared her for her next move to assistant spa manager at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort.

There, she was mentored by Paulette Clarke-King, The Red Lane Spa corporate manager who played a critical role in sharpening her operational and leadership skills.

In 2021 Kettle was named spa manager at Sandals Royal Plantation, one of the most refined and intimate resorts in the Sandals chain. Two years later, she was named Manager of the Year at the resort’s annual Prestige Awards.

Looking back on her journey — from a hopeful college student in Portland to an award-winning spa manager — Kettle advises anyone striving for more in their career to, “Always believe in yourself, because you have a greater purpose.”

She also has high praise for tourism which has afforded her the opportunity to improve her life and provide for her family.

“It creates opportunities by fostering stronger family bonds and providing educational experiences, as with this I can share with my children my tourism experience,” Kettle said. “Furthermore, family travel can strengthen relationships, create lasting memories, and offer unique learning opportunities about different cultures and perspectives.”