A Worldwide Welcome

AJ Templeton Is Shaping Louisville’s Next Generation of Hospitality Leaders

Amanda "AJ" Templeton traded Florida’s white sands for the Alpine slopes, building a hospitality career on the power of the unexpected. Now an Associate Professor at the University of Louisville College of Business, Templeton brings a "say yes" philosophy directly into the classroom. For her, hospitality isn't just a word found in a syllabus. Instead, it is collection of experiences – from sun-drenched beaches to Wyoming ranches – that shapes how she prepares students for the real world. “My entry into hospitality wasn’t exactly planned,” she explains, but it is through that lack of a straight line that she now reaches her students in practical, high-impact ways. 

Having earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in International Business from Florida Atlantic University, Templeton was focused on helping young adults long before her professional career formally began. Coaching basketball and working at the YMCA in high school, and spending summers in the Cayman Islands working in customer service for a telecommunications company, she was actively developing the communication and leadership strengths that would later define her as an educator, long before she entered the classrooms of UofL. After her first professional role at a real estate law firm, Templeton felt the pull toward something different for her future. “That’s where my hospitality story began,” she explained. 

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TRADING SANDALS FOR SKI BOOTS 

Early in Templeton’s career she took a sharp detour, trading a future in real estate law for a life in the snow. “After leaving the law firm, I interviewed with Alpine Adventures, a ski tour operator in Fort Lauderdale, and was offered a position selling ski trips,” she said. “As a Floridian who had barely seen snow – and never even tried a snow sport – there was definitely a learning curve.” From Switzerland to the French and Italian Alps, Templeton’s opportunity to “stay in amazing hotels and see all the behind-the-scenes details showed me just how dynamic the hospitality world really is.” While those experiences were incredible in their own right, “it gave me my first taste of event planning and leadership, and I knew I wanted to build a career in this field.” Driven further into this new industry, she earned her MS in Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management. 

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FORK IN THE CATTLE TRAIL

Upon graduating with her master’s degree, Templeton continued working in the realm of luxury experiences for guests, taking a role at The Hideout Lodge & Guest Ranch in Shell, Wyoming. At the upscale resort, she “truly fell in love with hospitality. I got to do a bit of everything,” she noted. “Guest service, event planning, marketing, bookkeeping, culinary operations and even helping with the livestock.” However, after her third season at the lodge, Templeton decided to put her education to use and return to her roots. “I grew up around educators and coaches and spent time coaching basketball and running camps — but teaching as a career never crossed my mind,” she said. It was those early experiences, coupled with the wise words and encouragement of her father, Richard Templeton, and her mentor at UCF, H.G. Parsa, who “believed teaching would be a perfect fit for me,” even though, at the time, she could not see it. “As it turns out, they were onto something – it just took me a while to get there.” 

After years with the ranch, she became driven to find a full-time position, and Templeton eventually found herself at a crossroads: “work for a tourism bureau or become an instructor for a two-year program at the University of Northwestern Ohio,” she explained. “UNOH made a strong offer, and just like that, my career in hospitality education began.” 

FRONT-ROW HOSPITALITY 

After two years at UNOH, Templeton returned to UCF where she earned a PhD in hospitality management. Upon recieving her doctorate, she took on a role at Southern Utah University and then, after nearly seven years with the institution, Templeton saw a posting for a newly-developed hospitality minor at UofL – a program created with the support and funding from local hotels. Taking a chance and saying yes to another career experience, in the fall of 2025 she joined UofL faculty in leading the college’s hospitality minor. Transitioning into this new academic environment, Templeton found herself impressed by the curiosity of UofL business students. She was most drawn to “their eagerness to learn and their willingness to ask thoughtful, thought-provoking questions – not just in the classroom, but also when engaging with industry professionals.” Those early class sessions made it clear that her students weren’t just passively absorbing information; they were ready to challenge ideas, connect concepts to real-world scenarios and actively participate in shaping their own educational experience. 

Templeton’s approach in the classroom reflects that mindset. “I work hard to bring real-world experience straight into the classroom,” she said. “This is an industry where application matters. I encourage students to explore, take chances and find their place in hospitality—through guest speakers, site visits and hands-on opportunities.” That means designing assignments and learning experiences that mirror the pace and unpredictability of hospitality work, giving students space to experiment, make decisions and learn from direct interaction with professionals and organizations across the city. 

To keep those experiences relevant, she treats her own professional engagement as an extension of the classroom. “I stay engaged with the industry – sitting on boards, being involved in events, attending industry conferences – not only does it keep me up to speed with what is happening, but often I can find ways to get students involved – win-win.” By staying in constant conversation with leaders across Louisville’s hospitality and tourism landscape, she connects students with meaningful opportunities while ensuring the curriculum reflects what employers actually need. 

Chair of the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Zac Goldman, has seen firsthand how effectively Templeton not only builds rapport with students in her courses but also links the college to the booming hospitality field in the Louisville area. “It is truly impressive to see how quickly and authentically she has connected with the local community and leaders across the hospitality industry,” shared Goldman. “She has incredible subject matter expertise, but beyond that, she cares genuinely about the hospitality industry and all the people associated with it.” 

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GUEST-READY GRADUATES 

As Templeton looks ahead, her focus reaches beyond any single class or cohort. She sees the hospitality minor as a connector — a bridge between students eager to learn, an industry hungry for talent and a university positioned at the heart of Louisville’s visitor economy. “I want the program to connect students, the industry, the College of Business and the university in meaningful ways. I hope it helps build future industry leaders and industry advocates, creates strong professional networks and provides opportunities that are valuable for both students, UofL and the industry.” 

That vision is already taking shape, as evidenced by comments shared at the 2025 Recognition of Service Excellence, or ROSE Awards, held in Louisville. Surrounded by more than 700 hospitality professionals, several UofL students watched as David Greene, general manager of the Louisville Marriott and president of the Louisville Hotel Association, spoke about LHA and Louisville Hotel Partnership’s investment in the College of Business and the launch of the hospitality minor — and then pointed out that students from the very program were in the room. For Templeton, it was a clear signal that her students weren’t just studying the industry from afar; they were being welcomed into it. 

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“Engagement in industry events like the ROSE Awards gives our program real ‘street cred,'” Templeton shared. “It opens doors to conversations between the college and industry that may not have happened otherwise. It also keeps our program top of mind for employers as they think about talent acquisition. Now, they’re considering posting positions in Cardinal Careers, [the university’s career search platform], hosting site tours, serving as guest speakers, sponsoring students to attend events and more.” For Goldman, seeing students in that room underscored the impact of those opportunities. “It was truly incredible to see our students engage with hospitality leaders and professionals from across Louisville and for them to be publicly recognized and applauded by hundreds of people in the hospitality community,” he said. “The investment these students are making, and the community is making in them, is about the future.” 

For Templeton, that sense of momentum is matched by a deep gratitude for the partners, colleagues and students who are helping shape the program alongside her. “I’m incredibly humbled, honored, grateful and proud to be part of a team bringing this vision to life. Sharing in this recognition is truly meaningful; it makes you feel connected to something bigger.” 

ALL MAJORS, PLEASE CHECK IN

One of the most compelling parts of hospitality to Templeton is just how many different kinds of students can see themselves in the industry – an industry in need of analysts and storytellers, strategists and people-people. She’s quick to remind students that their major doesn’t limit their path. “The beauty of this industry is that there is a need for every major: finance, economics, accounting, marketing, communications, management, human resources and more,” shared Templeton. “Gathan Borden, an industry colleague, [once said that], ‘In hospitality, every skillset finds a home,’ and that really speaks to the opportunities for students.” 

Her advice for students who feel even a spark of interest is simple, but not passive. “Listen, learn and get involved,” she said. “Be part of an industry organization, go to networking events, go to industry conferences – listen to speakers, listen to the conversations that happen at networking events and then don’t be afraid to engage. Ask the questions, ask how you can be involved – this is an industry that loves providing opportunities to students, but students have to initiate and take advantage of the opportunities.” 

Templeton may have started as a Floridian who had never seen snow, but she has become an architect of opportunity for Louisville’s future leaders. By bridging the gap between classroom theory and industry reality, she is proving that in hospitality, there are no wrong turns – only new horizons. For Templeton and her students, the most exciting part of the business is that the best experiences are still waiting to be discovered. 

Ready to trade your desk for a destination? Whether you envision a career on the sand, in the snow or anything in between, our hospitality minor can help prepare you for a career without boundaries. Visit https://catalog.louisville.edu/undergraduate/minors/hospitality-minor/ to learn more.

About the UofL College of Business: 

Founded in 1953, the UofL College of Business fosters intellectual and economic vitality in our city, region and the global business landscape. Our academic programs, research, community outreach initiatives and commitment to student success inspire lives and businesses to flourish through entrepreneurship, innovation, critical thinking, diversity and the power of people. 

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