Career Twist: Alumna's Path from Kinesiology to Hospitality Success
By Bri Phillips
When Rachel Debber toured Cal State San Marcos as a high school student from Fresno, she wasn’t sure what her college experience would hold.
What she found was a close-knit campus community, opportunities to grow as a leader and the unexpected start of a career she hadn’t planned.
Debber graduated from CSUSM in 2016 with a degree in kinesiology. Today, she leads the team at Lilo, a 22-seat fine-dining restaurant known for its immersive tasting experience and coastal cuisine. Just 10 weeks after opening, the restaurant earned a prestigious Michelin star.
“I didn’t even know hospitality could be a real career when I started,” Debber said. “But I quickly fell in love with it. That passion and the people I’ve met through this industry have made all the difference.”
Debber planned to major in nursing at CSUSM, but after not being admitted into the highly competitive program, she shifted to kinesiology and fully embraced the opportunities the university offered.
She spent four years on CSUSM’s women’s club lacrosse team, a sport she’d never played before college, and served on the campus orientation team. She said those experiences shaped her into the leader she is today.
“I didn’t like not being good at something, so I worked hard at lacrosse,” Debber said. “That same hunger carried into management. I wanted to be better, and I was willing to put in the work.”
Orientation team training helped her connect with people from all walks of life, a skill that now serves her well in the hospitality industry.
“We spent a lot of time learning about different communities on campus and how to support them,” Debber said. “That still sticks with me. Now I manage a diverse team, and that kind of awareness is essential. I received good training from being on the orientation team. They would bring in a lot of different leaders on campus to teach you about their area, and that was beneficial.”
After graduation, Debber faced a decision: return home to Fresno to save up for grad school or stay in San Diego and work. She chose to stay and unknowingly launched a career in hospitality.
“My initial entry into hospitality was with the intention of going back to school for kinesiology or for health science,” Debber said. “But I decided that I really had a knack for hospitality. I didn't even know that that was a career option.”
Her first role was as a host at Campfire in Carlsbad, where she helped open the restaurant in 2016. She worked her way up through various roles, eventually helping to open Jeune et Jolie as a bartender and rising to general manager.
“I think a lot of people really struggled when I first started working in hospitality,” Debber said. “I had a lot of people telling me it's not really a sustainable career. I felt like I had a lot of societal pressure to move into a different direction.”
However, Debber found a sense of purpose and community working in the restaurant industry. Now as general manager of a Michelin-starred restaurant at Lilo, she’s focused less on accolades and more on people.
“I think the Michelin star is just a byproduct of all the hard work we put in,” Debber said. “What’s most important to me is that we’re providing a unique experience for people, that our books are full every night, and that our team is genuinely happy with what they do.
“As a company, we really believe in making sure everyone’s time is well spent. That’s something I care deeply about in my role. So, for me, it’s less about the Michelin star and more about creating something meaningful.”
Debber never could have predicted becoming the general manager of one of the most talked about restaurants in Southern California. But she credits every twist and turn along the way for helping her grow into the leader she is today.
“I think the best things in my life have come from saying yes to something that scared me a little,” Debber said. “You don’t always have to know exactly where you’re going. Just be open, work hard and trust that it’ll lead somewhere great.”
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