Sophie Curtis - June 2020

By Diana Balakirov

She may have been born halfway across the world, but Sophie Curtis, our chapter’s newest volunteer of the month, has called Texas her home for most of her life. And rightly so.

Even at the age of four, Sophie was quite a traveler, moving with her family from England to the States while her father pursued a post-doctorate at Temple University in Philadelphia. When he accepted his first teaching position as an assistant professor at Texas A&M University, seven-year-old Sophie found herself relocating south to College Station. By the time she began pursuing her own academic degree, Sophie was ready for a taste of big-city life; for over 23 years, she lived in Austin and Dallas, eventually returning home and uncovering a newfound appreciation for small-town amenities, friendly people and lighter traffic.

Sophie joined MPI THCC while working for Experience Bryan College Station in 2015 and again in 2018. An advocate of professional organizations that serve their communities, she began aligning her destination marketing organization activities with those of the chapter’s. Sophie’s support for the Texas Education Conference, several networking events and an annual sponsorship has been invaluable; as she gets ready to serve on the 2020-2021 board of directors, she is looking forward to accomplishing bigger and better things, witnessing the return of in-person meetings (and physical interactions) and tackling the growing popularity of virtual event platforms.

While professional life has slowed down for many in her industry, Sophie has plenty to keep her busy at home. When she’s not tending to her 55-acre farm -- complete with a team of chickens and a large vegetable garden -- she is hiking and running in preparation for a half-marathon; enjoying delicious food and wine; dreaming of owning a gourmet food store; and spending time with her husband (Andy), two grown children (Daniel and Caroline) and their beloved dogs (Riley and Lulu).