Mara Littman

Mara Littman is a recent and proud alumna of BU SHA’s MMH program and serves as the corporate partnership liaison for the school with a particular focus on the Master’s program. In her role as Director of Corporate and Public Relations, Mara manages branding, marketing, media relations, and content production for the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series, Boston Hospitality Review (the school’s journal), Hospitality Leadership Summit, P.O.C. Ph.D. Pathway Program in Hospitality and Tourism, and the school’s events and engagement with the Hospitality industry. Mara has also taught the Introduction to Hospitality course and developed the strategy and concepts for the 40+ events in celebration of SHA’s year-long 40th-anniversary celebration in 2021-2022.

Mara’s career has been in the business of creating memorable hospitality experiences in dining, arts, and entertainment. She has led marketing and public relations campaigns for award-winning chefs, citywide festivals, and mission-based arts nonprofit organizations such as the Cambridge Arts Council, Boston Lyric Opera, and the Boston Center for the Arts. As a writer, Mara’s articles on curated arts and dining experiences have appeared in several media outlets including WBUR, syndicated Wicked Local outlets, and the Boston Herald.

MARA’S MMH EXPERIENCE

Enrolling in the MMH program at SHA was one of the best decisions and educational opportunities of my adult life. Prior to the program, I had worked for several years as a marketing, communications, and p.r. professional in arts and entertainment. My personal “mission” has been and continues to be to connect artists and audiences. I believe deeply in the power of the arts as an essential part of our humanity. The desire to make creative experiences part of our everyday lives has been a driving force throughout my professional and personal life.

The idea that art can be found “on the plate” through culinary experiences inspired me to segue my career to dining, another passion of mine. I seized the moment when chefs were emerging from behind the scenes to front and center as artists and entrepreneurs, producing immersive, theatrical experiences through pop-up dining in unexpected venues. As a p.r. consultant for restaurants and chefs, I realized that in addition to marketing expertise, I needed to “speak” the language of hospitality and know how it worked from the inside out.

The one-year MMH program at BU’s School of Hospitality Administration fit all my needs. I was able to design a program with specific courses in data analytics, advanced strategic and digital marketing, revenue management, executive leadership, operations, and corporate restaurant management.

I found a home at BU SHA. The MMH program continues to open doors for me and ignite my passions. My enduring experience at SHA has been and continues to be exceptional.