Jai Girard

Dr. Jai Girard

Director of Education & Workforce Development
Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association

Jai joined VRLTA from James Madison University where she served as a Visiting Lecturer. She has over 15 years of hospitality experience. At JMU, Jai taught classes in hospitality and tourism (entrepreneurship, marketing, ethics, etc.) while also serving as the JMU’s student Club Managers Association of America faculty advisor and an Entrepreneurship Faculty Fellow with the Gilliam Center for Entrepreneurship. Prior to joining JMU, Jai worked for hospitality organizations in Texas and founded a nonprofit in Texas while completing her graduate education at Texas A&M University. Jai is a triple Aggie with a Bachelors in Sociology, Masters in Youth Development, and will soon complete her PhD in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences. Her dissertation research focused on hospitality consumer’s food waste. In her free time, Jai enjoys spending time with her wife, their 4 dogs, and learning about Virginia.