Each week, we shine a spotlight on a standout member of Women Leading Travel, celebrating their accomplishments, unique journeys and insights on leadership, innovation and personal growth. This week, we’re excited to feature Kimberly Wootteon, Vice President of Commercial Strategy at Kampgrounds of America, Inc.

What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
“Unreasonable Hospitality” by Will Guidara.

What do you love most about the industry?
Creating memorable experiences for guests.

What is something the community may be surprised to learn about you?
I travel about 50% of the time, even more when you include personal trips. As much as I travel, my home base is a beach community that isn’t close to a major airport.

What’s the toughest part of being in charge?
I find leading people to be the toughest, but also the most rewarding, part of my role. It’s about hiring the right people and finding the right balance of accountability and empowerment to ensure they thrive.

What are your nonnegotiables when it comes to work-life balance?
There is no balance; it’s more of an integration. It’s about managing all obligations while understanding that priorities will shift periodically based on need.

What woman inspires you right now and why?
Sara Blakely, CEO of Spanx. She does an amazing job of reframing failure and creating a culture where employees aren’t afraid to try and make mistakes.

What is one industry trend you’re closely tracking and why?
Personalization with AI. Like many of us, I respond to more personalized messaging. The question is: How do we get to know our guests better and tailor communication and offers to meet them where they are?

What is one thing you look for when interviewing a job candidate?
Problem-solving skills. Our team embraces a “Solve for Yes” approach to all our work. Strategic thinking, innovation and risk-taking are all essential for effective problem-solving.

What’s something that you learned about yourself in the past year?
Setting boundaries is okay. I’m managing my schedule differently during my “at-home” work weeks, which allows me to prioritize personal obligations and reduce stress.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Work smart, not hard.

What values are most important to you as a leader?
Family, independence, dependability, risk-taking and communication.

What’s the most important thing people should know about you?
In today’s fast-paced world — whether in business, leadership or personal growth, the difference between stagnation and innovation often hinges on one mindset shift: the ability to solve for yes. It means shifting our focus from why something can’t work to how we can make it work. While I rely on values like dependability, risk-taking and effective communication, I’m most driven by the passion to always solve for yes.

What’s a tip you have for productively leading a hybrid team?
It’s critical to build genuine connections with all members of your team. I value respectful candor and transparency. I prioritize 1:1s with my leadership team and skip-level meetings with their direct reports. We also prioritize time to meet in person as a collective team.

Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to, and why?
Iceland. The vastness of the landscape — glaciers, volcanic plateaus, mountains, fjords — inspires both adventure and tranquility. The people are welcoming and passionate about their culture.

What is the top item on your bucket list?
Cruise to Antarctica.

What do you do to recharge?
I enjoy spending time on the water, especially boating and fishing.

What is your biggest accomplishment?
Building out the Commercial Strategy team at KOA and introducing the disciplines of revenue management, sales, business intelligence and field operations to the organization. We’ve successfully supported a portfolio of owned assets as well as a franchise system, adapting technology, systems and processes to meet a diverse set of needs and aspirations.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Be fierce, and do not apologize for your actions, thoughts, opinions or ideas — unless warranted.

What gets you up in the morning?
The opportunity to do something better today than I did yesterday.

What do you like most about being a member of Women Leading Travel & Hospitality?
The opportunity to connect with leaders facing similar challenges and opportunities — and the space to be vulnerable and supported.

Want to learn more about Kimberly? Connect with her directly on LinkedIn.