Grace Lucia McBride

Grace McBride has a diverse range of work experiences in various roles and industries. Grace is currently the Founder & CEO of Lucia, a position they have held since September 2021. Prior to this, Grace was the Co-Founder & CEO of TripKit, a company that was acquired in June 2022. In 2021, they also worked as a Fellow at the Startup Leadership Program.

Grace has a strong background in the travel industry, having worked at MilesAhead, a Virtuoso luxury travel agency. Grace started as the Director of Marketing in August 2017 and eventually became the Chief Operating Officer. Grace also worked as the Director of Business Strategy and Marketing from May 2019 to December 2019. Grace was able to balance their full-time role at MilesAhead while pursuing their studies at Cornell University.

In addition, Grace gained valuable marketing experience through internships. Grace worked as a Brand Management Marketing Intern at SC Johnson in 2018 and as a Marketing Intern at JetBlue Airways in 2017.

Grace McBride attended Cornell University from 2015 to 2019, where they earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Communication and Media Studies. In 2021, they pursued further education at the University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business, completing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree with a focus on Innovation & Entrepreneurship in 2022.

In addition to their formal education, Grace also obtained various certifications. In 2020, they received a Certificate in Hospitality & Tourism Management from Florida Atlantic University - College of Business. Grace continued to enhance their skillset and knowledge by participating in the Startup Leadership Program's New York Cohort in 2021. Grace's accomplishments in the entrepreneurial field were recognized through their winning the Virtuoso Startup Award in 2022. Additionally, they were awarded the Philip C. Wolf Memorial Scholarship by Phocuswright in the same year.