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BUSINESS
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021
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Camila Frederico takes the reins at Civana BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ Foothills Focus Contributing Writer
O
n her second go-around in Arizona, Camila Frederico is taking it in. “As the new general manager of Civana Wellness Resort & Spa, doing so has been easy,” Frederico said. “It has certainly lived up to the hype from Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler and USA Today — and then some — so far.” Frederico’s oversees the resort’s 22 acres, 144 rooms and suites and its 20,000-square-foot spa and wellness center. Frederico has trained for this position since before she could read, but
she didn’t know it yet. Born and raised in São Paulo, Frederico competed in gymnastics at 4, going so far as to be named to the country’s national team at ages 13 and 15. During this time, Frederico earned local celebrity status when she became the first Brazilian female to do a triple rotation on the floor exercise. “I competed until age 17, when I finished high school and after about a dozen broken bones,” Frederico said. “I was ready for a new challenge, but I took the lessons learned about wellness and exercise with me the rest of my life.” Unlike the United States, after high school one must declare a major before
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Camila Frederico’s second stint in Arizona is made all the sweeter by office views like this. (Photo courtsey of Civana)
entering college. “My brother suggested I go into economics, and for some reason I did, but with a twist,” Frederico said. “In Brazil, one may work toward a master’s degree at the same time as a bachelor’s, so I did.” Admittedly, she said she was falling asleep working toward a B.A. in economics from the University Mackenzie in São Paulo, Frederico also worked toward an M.A. in journalism from the University Casper-Libero, also in São Paulo, with the goal of being a movie critic. “After graduating with both by 21, however, there were neither journalism nor economics jobs in my home country,” Frederico said. “As such, I accompanied my travel agent mother to a convention, where I learned about J-1 visas to work in the hospitality industry in the United States.” Intrigued by travel, Frederico booked a one-way ticket for Orlando, packing just one bag. “I laugh at that now,” Frederico said.
“The Camila of today would need 20 suitcases for shoes alone.” Armed with that one suitcase and work ethic instilled by her family and years of gymnastics training, Frederico earned a job as the front desk clerk at the then-largest Marriott in the country. She fell in love fast with the pace and people of the industry. Frederico worked her way up in the industry over the next few years before driving cross country to Phoenix to accept a role as a meeting and event coordinator at the then-Phoenix Ritz-Carlton in 2002. “That iconic hotel became my home for the next decade,” said Frederico, who left the property as assistant director of meetings and events in 2012 to take on an even bigger role, director of food and beverage, at The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay in California. At Half Moon Bay, she successfully led a $40 million culinary operation.
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