Amy M. Harrelson

Bio

Amy Harrelson has spent her career in the tourism and hospitality industry. She has worked in multiple locations for Walt Disney World, an industry leader, in culinary and front-of-house management. During her tenure at Disney, Amy earned the Partners in Excellence award, the highest honor for a Disney cast member. Before Disney, Amy served as the food and beverage director for Wekiva Golf Club.

Additionally, her career includes working in independent and family-owned restaurants. Amy’s passion for the tourism and hospitality industry was cultivated in the restaurants that her family owned and managed. She has invested time learning and mastering various positions in the tourism and hospitality industry, including roles related to restaurants, hotels, events, menu creation, marketing, inventory and supply chain management, and leadership.

Throughout Amy's career, she has enjoyed training and mentoring others which led her to teaching. Her passion for teaching is evidenced in her experiential approach with a Christian worldview. Amy's learning-centered teaching enables students to prepare for their careers in the tourism and hospitality industry by actively participating in projects. Amy serves as the faculty sponsor for SEU’s Hospitality Club and a faculty advisor for SEU's Alpha Chi chapter, Florida Lambda.

Amy’s passion for helping others includes volunteering with the American Cancer Society and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Discovering new restaurants and revisiting favorite dining spots are favorite pastimes, along with playing golf, fishing, and reading mystery novels and biographies. She enjoys spending time with her family.