Sara Bader is currently the Director of Corporate Communications for Festiva Resorts, one of the largest privately-held hospitality management and vacation ownership companies in the country. Sara has been with Festiva Resorts for a year and eight months. She started in the Central Reservations department, became supervisor after nearly a year, and took over the Communications Department in January of this year.

Sara's strong background in both the hospitality and communications fields led to her promotion into her current position. She graduated from the College of Charleston in 2004 with a degree in Media Studies Communications. She graduated Cum Laude with a 3.6 GPA and was a member of Lamda Pi Eta, the communications honor society of the National Communications Association.

Sara's senior year internship was with Charleston BarFly Magazine, a free monthly publication that listed bars and restaurants in Charleston and also featured interviews with local artists, musicians, bartenders and restaurant owners. Sara was responsible for writing and updating the restaurant and bar listings, conducting interviews and participating in promotional events.

Throughout college, Sara worked part time for the Hayne House Bed & Breakfast in historic Charleston. She performed a variety of duties and after four years of providing exceptional service to guests and showing her loyalty and dedication to her job, Sara was promoted to Manager of the Hayne House for her fifth and final year in Charleston. Sara received the Charleston Bed & Breakfast Association Scholarship in 2002 and later served as a board member for the association when she managed the Hayne House.

Between the ages of 15 and 21, Sara spent her summers working at Camp Staunton Meadows near her hometown in Clover, Virginia. She began as a junior counselor and horseback riding instructor. She also worked in the barn exercising and caring for the camp's 18 horses in the off season while she was in high school. By age 19, Sara was the Assistant Director of camp and Director of Horseback Riding; and at age 21, Sara was the youngest camp Director that CSM has yet to see. Sara's experience at camp at a young age among college-age counselors from around the world awakened her desire to travel.

Inspired by her European and Australian friends, Sara decided as a Freshman in high school that she would take a year off before beginning college to travel and work. In June of 1999, Sara set off for six months in Europe before returning to the U.S. to work for the remainder of the year before college.

Sara has lived in Asheville, North Carolina for a year and eight months and resides with her boyfriend of three years, Matt, their dogs Wink (5-year-old black lab) and Maya (3-year-old lab/boxer/beagle mutt) and their cat Boo Radley (4 years old).



Matt is at AB Tech studying Digital Art. He works at the Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co. as a cook and at It's A Snap! printing and sublimation shop.



Sara enjoys jogging with Maya, going to yoga classes and working out at her local YMCA, hiking with Matt, taking the dogs to the park, cooking for friends, reading and watching movies. She loves traveling, going to see live music and spending time with her close friends, both in Asheville and elsewhere.