Kayla Simmons - Student Representative

Kayla Simmons is a senior at the University of Houston pursuing a double degree in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in Marketing and a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Kayla is a strong believer that leadership is the key to enhancing and strengthening her community and she has plans to sit in the C-Suite for a major television network one day.

While a full-time student, Kayla has continued to stay heavily involved at the University of Houston and surrounding communities. She has served as the Vice President/Executive Advisor of the Black Pre-Law Student Association, Marketing Director of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH) Cougar Chapter, and Hospitality Leaders Today 2018 Fellow (HLT.100). She is also a very proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated where she has previously led her chapter in community engagement as the Connections Committee Chairman and was awarded New Member of the Year- Outstanding Initiate at the 2019 South Central Regional Conference.

Born and raised in Houston, Kayla enjoys spending time with her family and friends as well as attending events that promote professional development. Furthermore, she continues to be recognized for her leadership and commitment to service in the community by being featured in a variety of magazine publications. Houston Style Magazine recently named her, “A Millennial on the Move” and she was also featured in both Voyage Dallas Magazine and Voyage Houston Magazine which highlighted her brand, Souls with Goals, an organization she founded that assists women with tapping into their full potential. Kayla was most recently awarded by the Network of Executive Women in Hospitality as the 2019 Women’s Leader Scholar, where she was flown out and awarded in New York at the BDNY Conference Women Power Players event. 

Kayla is currently a Producer for CBS-TV KHOU Ch.11's Great Day Houston.