Katie Schneider has always been fascinated by different cultures. She has also always had a love of the outdoors.
When considering College of the Rockies after graduating from high school, the thought of attending a small college in a beautiful mountain town was extremely appealing.
The Tourism and Recreation Management program (now individual Tourism Management and Recreation Management programs) at the College was a perfect fit for her desire to learn about the outdoors, the business of travel and the concept of how tourism can benefit the world.
“Although I was accepted into three universities after graduation, I chose the Tourism and Recreation Management program at the College because of the attention to detail of the curriculum, the devotion of the instructors, the location, class sizes and the content of the program,” Katie says.
The choice has led to big things for Katie. After completing the Tourism and Recreation Management diploma, she transferred to Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo where she completed a Bachelor degree in Tourism Management in 2013. She was then accepted into a one-year intern position with the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust and Campi ya Kanzi in Kenya, Africa, followed by a year as the Trust’s Communications Coordinator.
“The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust (MWCT) is an organization that seeks to preserve wilderness, wildlife, and the cultural heritage for the benefit of the Maasai people in the Southern part of Kenya. Campi ya Kanzi is the tourism partner of MWCT and is a luxury, community-owned eco-lodge situated in Ernest Hemingway’s Green Hills of Africa,” she says.
While in Africa, Katie discovered a love for travelling and strengthened her interest in other cultures but was most inspired by learning about the benefits that tourism can bring to struggling third-world communities.
After returning from Africa, Katie honed her organizational and people-centered skills as a Recruitment Coordinator with Executrade and an Executive Search Researcher with Richardson Executive Search. Her interest in community well-being led her to take on the role of Community Relations Lead at Canterbury Foundation, followed by time as a freelance writer, where she explored stories that connected people and place.
That growing commitment to community engagement inspired her involvement with the Global Shapers Community in Edmonton, where she spent four years helping drive local initiatives for social impact. Those experiences paved the way for her transition into real estate development—first with EDGAR Development, where she advanced from Operations Coordinator to Operations Manager, and later with Autograph, where she now serves as Development Manager.