By Tanner Adomaitis, Staff Writer
Born and raised in Hawaii on the smaller island of Kauai, Lee Intachai began her professional career by attending Brigham Young University Hawaii (BYU Hawaii). Intachai started in hospitality and worked for the Marriott, followed by the Hilton Chain. For Hilton, she worked in sales and marketing as well as catering.
Intachai remained in the hospitality industry until she moved to Pennsylvania after losing her job during the Covid-19 pandemic. Intachai then began her career at Saint Vincent College (SVC) as the Director of Catering before moving into her current Assistant Director of Community Relations and outreach position.
“It felt like I wanted to do more to help the school, to help the students, so I applied for a position with Dr. Mallory, and here I am!” Intachai said.
Intachai’s passion for community shines through each of the steps she's taken in her career, revealing her love for the community, which brought her to SVC in the first place.
“It feels like a community here. It feels to me what it felt like in Hawaii because the community is so important there,” Intachai said. “The island I grew up on was so small, so everyone knew everyone, and it was like everyone was family, and everyone was willing to help each other. It felt that way here at Saint Vincent College, which made me want to do more.”
In addition to her passion for community and togetherness, Intachai wants to help SVC in any way she can. Her goal is for people within and outside the community to see SVC as more than the 'castle on the hill.'
“I am working on helping Saint Vincent College be more visible in the community and the surrounding communities,” Intachai said. “Many people don’t know how wonderful it is out here and have no idea they can come to campus and go for a run or that they’re invited to every event that we have on campus, whether it be performing arts or a sports game. I’m really trying to make it visible and welcoming to the community.”
Intachai explained how the people and community of SVC have been her favorite part of SVC, describing the familiar nature that comes with the SVC community as having a large impact on her and being the biggest source of motivation to continue and do more.
“Everyone that I have met is so kind and so helpful. Dr. Mallory makes me want to do better and do more every day - he’s a great leader. Everyone here and everyone I have met has impacted me and just makes me want to do better for the college,” Intachai said.
Intachai’s impact on the SVC community can already be seen through the SVC Ambassadors program. Her passion for the college and its community continues to have a positive impact as she works towards making SVC a spotlight in the world.