Karen E Silva-Sabitoni (she/her)

Karen.Silva@jwu.edu

Biography and Expertise

This is the bio created by PR at JWU for external constituents

Dr. Karen E. Silva is the former department chairperson of Graduate Business Programs in the College of Business at Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI. She also served as project director, External Affairs, creating a service management program for the University. Silva has also held the positions of director of advising and director of education, identifying goals related to the University’s retention and service missions.
Silva, a native of Cranston, R.I., has been at Johnson & Wales since 1983. She has expertise in strategic planning in all areas of hospitality management and is well known as a motivational speaker, lecturer, consultant and training seminar leader.
Silva came to Johnson & Wales from The Travel Institute (formerly the Institute of Certified Travel Agents), where she was a curriculum specialist. Prior to that, she was assistant director of group sales for Collette Vacations. She has conducted training programs for such hospitality leaders as Carnival Cruise Lines, the Miami Heat and the X-Games. Silva is the co-author of numerous publications, including the most recent “Tourism and Hospitality” (McGraw Hill).
Silva received a doctorate in Education from Boston University with a specialization in curriculum/teaching and a focus on instructional media and technology. She also holds a master’s degree in Educational Administration from Rhode Island College, and a bachelor’s degree in English-Education from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. Additionally, she is a Certified Hospitality Educator.
Silva serves as a long-standing board member for First Works, a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring Art to Audiences, as well as a board member for the Roger Williams Park Zoo and a Past-President at the First Unitarian Church in Providence. As one of five master teachers at the University, she has received numerous awards including Faculty of the Year, Service Professional of the Year, Research and Publishing Professional of the Year, and the coveted Innovation in Teaching Award from the Council of Hotel, Restaurant Institutional Educators. Most recently (2019) she was inducted into the PWCVB Hall of Fame for her numerous contributions to the RI community.

Education

EdD
Boston University

MA
Rhode Island College

MBA
Bryant College

BA
University of Massachusetts