Career Highlight – Nick DiSebastian

It’s hard to believe that an unexpected phone call would lead to such an influence in my life. I had been working as GIS analyst at a regional non-profit when my interest in working for a bigger organization led to a recruiter contacting me about a job at Carnival. I immediately called my mother in-law, who worked for Carnival from 1972 – 2000, to ask her thoughts. “Oh, you should do that. You’ll love it and have so much fun!” she told me, followed by a nostalgic and detailed recount of her Carnival tenure.

Just a few weeks after that call, I was making the transition to my new position as an Analyst with GCO. This was my first time working for a large private corporation, first time working completely remotely, first time in travel & leisure, first time in casino, and it was just three weeks after our second daughter was born. While I was excited, I was also a bit unsure of how this new endeavor would pan out. Much to my delight, I was welcomed with sincere enthusiasm and great support. I was learning so much every day from the diverse and knowledgeable GCO team. The pace of learning was fueled by the friendliness that everyone so naturally expresses here.

Following my first ever sailing with a few team members on Carnival Conquest, I returned home to Atlanta and was confident that being a part of GCO was exactly where I wanted to be. Since those early days, I’ve proudly developed my skills, learned so much about the business, and have found a career track that provides a deep sense of excitement.

Over the past year and a half, my role has evolved quite a bit. In the beginning, I was creating dashboards and models to measure marketing programs. By chance, Irene had also just joined GCO full-time and was starting the Insights & Analysis team. I was asked to begin supporting these new initiatives and am now delighted to see our work come to fruition. We are currently incorporating one of the most valuable perspectives of our business into how GCO operates: the Voice of the Player. The expansive influence that our work will have on the business truly adds value to how I perceive starting each workday. I look forward to continuing to grow with GCO and am immensely grateful for getting to work with such a kind, professional, and FUN team!