Alum Kelly Lucis (HRTM ‘12) is putting her education to work on the global stage. As senior manager for team and referee hotels for the 2026 FIFA World Cup this past summer, she helped coordinate accommodations across 95 properties, drawing on the skills and industry knowledge she developed since her time in CEHS. In this Q&A, she shares how the HRTM program prepared her for a career managing the details behind some of the world’s largest sporting events.
Can you share a little about yourself, including your background, time in the College of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS), and what you have been up to since graduating?
My father was in the Air Force, so we moved around throughout my childhood. We eventually landed in Bellevue, Nebraska, and that contributed to my decision to go to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. I bounced around majors (journalism, teaching, athletic training) but always knew I wanted to work in sports. CEHS offered a unique take on my career goals that differed from the “norm” that people typically pursued. I was drawn to the organization of it all — putting events together, ensuring every little detail was addressed, creating experiences that stuck with people, etc. Since graduating, I’ve been in a variety of roles with sport organizations. I’ve had seven different jobs, all in different states. The variety has given me a well-rounded set of skills and a background.
You earned your Bachelor of Science in Hospitality, Restaurant, Tourism Management (HRTM). What drew you to this area of study, and how did your experiences in the program shape your career path?
In high school and college, I had worked as a server, so I was familiar with the hospitality and restaurant industries. I was also really interested in tourism and what affected people’s decisions to travel. When I learned about event planning and sport tourism, I was hooked. I’m a very organized person, so putting an event together was much like completing a puzzle for me. I like the strategy and logic of it. I always knew I wanted to work in the sport industry, but the HRTM program really helped me identify the best way I could use my skills and personality to make that a reality.
Were there any classes, faculty members, internships or experiences that were especially influential on your journey?
In the program, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Australia, which taught me how other cultures approach events and how to position myself best for global events. I also had an internship with the Lincoln Saltdogs, which was a huge benefit to my future career. I made some great connections there, and I also learned about a variety of different functional areas in the sport industry. At the time, interns rotated through various departments like ticketing, game operations, promotions, hospitality suites and more.
Some of my favorite classes actually had nothing to do with sports — Wines, Vines and You with Dr. Read was the most difficult course in my college career, but it was so interesting learning about the horticulture of wines and trellis systems. I think that class really shows the variety of opportunities in the HRTM program. I also took a class with Dr. Helen Abdali Soosan Fagan on leadership that was insightful and helped me understand my own working style, which I think even now makes me a better colleague.
You recently had the opportunity to work on the FIFA World Cup 2026. What was your role, and what did your work involve?
I served as the Senior Manager for Team & Referee Hotels for the tournament. I oversaw a team of staff, and together we sourced, negotiated, contracted, implemented and reconciled all the hotels needed for the teams and referees during the tournament (95 properties in total).
The World Cup is one of the largest sporting events in the world. What was it like to be part of an event of that scale? What did you learn from the experience? A favorite part?
It was eye-opening! I had worked at the Olympics and Paralympics with Team USA before, but to be part of the organizing committee, as opposed to working with a specific team competing, really showed me how many specialized people and departments it required. There are a lot of people who are exceptionally good at their niche, and when it all comes together, it’s amazing. There were also a lot of stakeholders involved at many levels, which is something I hadn’t experienced on that scale and proved to be a really good learning opportunity.
My favorite part was traveling onsite to all our team hotels and seeing what the teams selected and how they made the hotels their “own.” Each team has a different personality, and it was fun to see what their ideal “home away from home” looked like.
When people attend a major sporting event, they see the excitement of the day, but there’s an enormous amount of work happening behind the scenes. What are some things people might not realize go into creating a successful event experience?
I think the time and effort are lost on a lot of people. We began contracting hotels five years prior to the first kickoff, and plans were in place even earlier than that. At its height, we had 49 people working on team hotels alone (not including VIP hotels, staff hotels, broadcast hotels, etc.). There are so many complexities involved with movements throughout the tournament that affect many areas — the manpower and attention needed are striking. Beyond the FIFA staff, we also needed to rely heavily on our partners in the host cities to ensure standards were being met in their hotels, airports, stadiums and so on. Every little thing matters when calculating the success of an event of this scale, so there’s a lot of pressure to get it right.
What skills have been most important to your success in the hospitality and events industry, beyond the technical knowledge you learned in school?
Something I really pride myself on is staying calm in stressful situations. My whole job is dedicated to going over every detail and ensuring things are “perfect,” but it’s inevitable that something will go wrong, even if you do everything right. Realizing that isn’t necessarily a reflection of you or your level of work is crucial. Sometimes things just don’t work out how you planned, and being able to pivot in the moment and find the best solution possible is as much a part of the job as all the preplanning.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to current students hoping to pursue a career in hospitality?
Don’t compare your path to others. Everyone’s journey looks different! That’s why the industry is so fun: You can learn something from everyone because of the different backgrounds. If we all took the same route to success, we wouldn’t have any diversity or unique perspectives to learn from.
What does being a Husker alum mean to you?
I take a lot of pride in it. Working on international, large-scale events, not everyone has heard of Nebraska or the Huskers. But it’s fun to brag about where I came from and share something that is unique in the industry.
What’s next for you? Are there specific goals or initiatives you’re passionate about?
I’d love to help grow women’s sport and women’s soccer specifically in our country. I grew up in the ’90s with Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain plastered all over my wall. Witnessing that era was incredible, but I do feel like there’s a gap between what those women are achieving and what attention they’re receiving. I think the game is growing and about to take off in a really fun way, and I’d love to help contribute to that.
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