A Certified Hospitality Industry Analyst (CHIA) by STR, USA and a Certified Hospitality Instructor by American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute, Smitha has over 16 years of teaching experience and 3 years of industry experience in the field of hospitality, Sales and Customer Relations. Previously, she has been an entrepreneur successfully operating a food start-up venture, she has been a consultant trainer and content developer for hospitality training organizations having developed content and delivered training for front line hospitality employees and pre-opening training for hotels. She has moderated national level seminars and conducted Faculty Development training for educators. Having topped the Pondicherry University entrance exam for PhD in Management in 2018, she is currently pursuing her doctorate in Services Marketing from Pondicherry University.