Training the Next Generation of Experience Makers: Inside Sodexo Live!’s Intern Program

In live events and hospitality, success depends on people who can thrive in high-pressure environments where no two days — or even two hours — are the same. For Sodexo Live!, the food and beverage partner behind some of the world’s most iconic venues, developing the next generation of leaders is more than a responsibility; it’s at the center of the company’s identity.

Through its internship and Manager-in-Training (MIT) programs, Sodexo Live! has built a pathway that not only introduces students to the industry but also invests in their growth. These programs don’t just prepare students for jobs; they create Experience Makers — passionate individuals who deliver hospitality with heart, precision, and purpose.

The proof lies in their stories. Austin, Tatiana, Maddy, Hannah, and Miia began their journeys as interns or MITs, and now help shape what’s next for Sodexo Live!.

Austin Li: Innovating from Coast to Coast

Austin’s story begins with a global perspective. Raised across Chicago, Beijing, Ireland, and Los Angeles, he saw firsthand how hospitality could connect people across cultures. “It always felt personal,” he recalled. “Every time you go somewhere new, hospitality is how you experience it.”

When he joined Sodexo Live! as a food and beverage intern at The Conference Center at Waltham Woods in Boston, his manager gave him unexpected advice: This is your internship. Do what you want. That freedom became a turning point. Though his internship was meant to focus on sales, Austin gravitated toward marketing and communications, teaching himself photography, animation, and design software to fill gaps he saw in his venue.

“If there was a need, I just figured it out. I rented a camera, learned After Effects, and created an animation because the team needed it.”

That initiative paid off. Today, Austin is a marketing coordinator in Los Angeles, where he has helped build new systems from the ground up for cultural venues like Descanso Gardens and the Music Center. But what he values most isn’t the projects — it’s the people.

“As the ‘new kid,’ a lot of times companies leave you swimming in the big ocean alone,” he said. “Here, I always have someone to lean on. Relationships don’t disappear when you move on; they loop back into your life. Years later, old managers still reach out. That kind of support is rare.”

Tatiana Barelli: Sharing Experiences

For Tatiana, a career in hospitality was always the plan. “As a kid, I wanted to be a chef,” she said. “But I realized I loved hosting more than cooking — creating experiences for people around food.”

With an international family from Brazil, food became her bridge to her grandparents, who spoke little English. “Food is a language,” she explained. “Even if you don’t speak the same words, you can still share an experience.”

After graduating from Cornell’s Nolan School of Hotel Administration, Tatiana joined Sodexo Live!’s MIT program. She rotated through sales and catering in Nashville before landing in operations — her natural fit. “I love problem-solving,” she said. “It’s like putting together a puzzle. I like figuring out how to make something happen that didn’t seem feasible.”

The program wasted no time in testing her. Just weeks in, she was tasked with overseeing a floor of suites at the Nashville Superspeedway. “I was fresh out of college, working directly with the owner of the racetrack. It was terrifying — and exhilarating. But they trusted me, and that gave me confidence.”

Now a banquet manager, Tatiana points to the mentorship that shaped her journey: her General Manager Richard Ginzel, who pushed her into opportunities she wasn’t sure she was ready for, and senior leaders who continue to guide her career.

She also credits Sodexo Live!’s culture for her decision to join. “With Sodexo Live!, it was clear they cared about growth and about culture — not just filling positions.”
 

Madison Ginsberg: Building Community at Hard Rock Stadium

At Ohio State, Maddy wasn’t sure where life would take her. But sports were always part of her life, and hospitality seemed like a way to merge that passion with her love of travel. A study abroad trip to Paris with Sodexo Live! sealed the deal. “Not every company takes students behind the scenes of one of the most prestigious restaurants in France, which just happens to be in the Eiffel Tower,” she said. “We weren’t just guests — we saw how it all worked.”

When she joined the MIT program, she expressed interest in catering at an NFL stadium. Leadership connected her to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, where she quickly found herself managing a staff of 150 — a big leap from the 10-suite attendants she oversaw during a previous minor league baseball internship.

She rose to the challenge, mastering the scheduling software and forming close relationships with her team. But she also saw opportunities. She launched monthly newsletters for catering staff, complete with jokes, photos, and resources, and created a new-hire guide with maps, app instructions, and first-day tips.
“Walking into a stadium this big can be overwhelming,” she explained. “I wanted new staff to feel comfortable from day one. For us, it makes the whole operation run smoother.”

Maddy is also helping design a hospitality development program to train staff in everything from greeting guests to fine dining service. “Some of our team members have never worked in hospitality before,” she said. “We want to give them the skills to elevate, no matter the event.”
 

Hannah Pierce: Discovering Strengths in Sales at Lucas Oil Stadium

For Hannah, Sodexo Live! first appeared on her radar through service. As an Ohio State student, she helped plan a hospitality event supported by Sodexo Live! for families with children on the autism spectrum. Later, she traveled with the company to Paris, her first time out of the country. “It showed me that hospitality may look different everywhere, but at the root the goal is the same.”

When she entered the MIT program, Hannah expected to focus on operations. Instead, mentors saw potential she hadn’t recognized. “I’d never thought of myself in sales,” she admitted. “But they saw I was strong in communication and organization. They encouraged me to try, and I realized I loved it.”

Today, she’s a sales coordinator at Lucas Oil Stadium, booking banquets and catering while leveraging her operations knowledge to anticipate challenges. She still spends time supporting events at other venues in Indianapolis, keeping one foot in operations as she builds her sales career.

She points to mentorship as the defining feature of her experience. Director Brittany Sula looped her into leadership meetings, while marketing field manager Haley Hitzing — herself a Sodexo Live! alumna — continues to meet with Hannah biweekly. “So many of my peers graduated college and were left figuring things out alone,” Hannah said. “I had people investing in me from day one. That makes all the difference.”

Her ambitions reflect her passion for sports: working the FIFA World Cup would be a dream. “I grew up playing soccer with my dad,” she said. “To combine that passion with my career would be incredible.”
 

Miia Anderson: Behind the Scenes

Miia’s path to Sodexo Live! began with a realization: she had been planning events her whole life without realizing it. “I always had a timeline for my birthday parties,” she laughed. “I didn’t know you could actually study that in college.”

At Ohio State, she joined committees that partnered with Sodexo Live! and traveled with the company to Paris. But her break came when she attended an NFL Colts shadow weekend. Sodexo Live! reposted her Instagram stories, and leaders encouraged her to consider marketing.

What followed was a unique blend of HR and marketing roles. She supported recruiting, helped design e-learning modules, built training playbooks, and even covered Taylor Swift weekend in Indianapolis and Mariners Media Day in Seattle for social media.

Now full-time with Sodexo Live!, Miia has both participated in and helped run the intern program. That gives her a rare perspective on why it works. “The difference is personalization,” she said. “Other internships just fill space. Here, leaders ask what you want, then find a way to make it happen. But the interns who thrive are the ones who take ownership — who show up, ask questions, and build relationships.”

What unites these stories is more than career success. It’s the reflection of Sodexo Live!’s core values: building trust through relationships, inspiring with hospitality, and investing in people for the long term.

Austin discovered his voice in marketing. Tatiana found her place in operations. Maddy built community in one of the largest stadiums in the country. Hannah uncovered strengths in sales she never knew she had. Miia helped shape the very program she once joined.

For Sodexo Live!, this isn’t just about internships. It’s about creating the next generation of Experience Makers — individuals who will carry forward the company’s legacy of hospitality with heart, precision, and purpose.