In West Virginia, Mary Tunstall once avoided the New River’s dangerous rapids at all costs. After all, if the raft flipped, she’d be responsible. But being a whitewater raft guide right out of high school taught her something more important: how to say, “I can do this” to overcome obstacles.
Like the river, Tunstall’s career journey roared with twists and turns. After graduating from the University of Virginia in 2009 with her bachelor’s in environmental science, she landed an internship with the U.S. Forest Service right outside of Vail, Colorado.
The draw of snowboarding in the cold and crisp Rocky Mountain snow kept her and her husband sticking around. Her journey snowballed when she found herself working the front desk at Manor Vail Lodge, a popular resort hotel with its own restaurant, outdoor pool, garden and luxury bar. Little did she know she would climb the ladder nine years later.
In 2018, Tunstall and her husband made the move to Toledo, Oregon to be closer to family. By working remotely for the same hotel as director of revenue and reservations, she had the flexibility to focus on her education.
When she discovered that Oregon State University offered a fully online master’s program in data analytics that could help her make a bigger impact in her career, she decided to take the plunge.