Katherine Quiba moved to Las Vegas from the Philippines when she was 9 years old, grew up in Sin City, studied sports medicine and related fields at a vocational high school and went on to major in pre-med biochemistry at UNLV. She never really thought she’d work in nightlife, but then she turned 21.
“I was definitely isolated from the industry and not really allowed on the Strip, obviously, when I was younger,” she says. “But as I grew older and came to understand what Vegas has to offer, I became more exposed. It’s like you meet one person in this industry and then the domino effect.”
She took a liking to the various industry-night parties on the Strip, and one of her favorites—Wild at Heart at Omnia on Tuesdays—helped lead her to Hakkasan Group, where she auditioned when she had just turned 21. Quiba snagged a server gig at the company’s newest venue, Jewel at Aria. “It’s unreal to come to work and get to celebrate every night,” she says. “It’s a beautiful venue. It’s hard to get used to the architecture and lighting and visuals. This is just a really cool workplace.”
Interacting with so many different people has also helped broaden her horizons. That’s not to say she won’t wrap up her degree in biochemistry soon, but she’s keeping her future options open. “My whole family is in the medical field, so that’s really what I’ve been exposed to, but working in this industry helps you see the different aspects of your interests. I’ve met people who work in real estate and interior design and other things I’ve been interested in but not yet passionate about, and you think, ‘I could see myself doing this.’”
