Kimberlee Benton has been the Lifestyle Director at Homecoming at Eastvale for nearly four years. What is a Lifestyle Director, you may ask? Well, picture a property manager meets event planner, mixed with a fire extinguisher that serves as a well-versed Jill of all trades. The day-to-day includes developing and implementing original programs and events while engaging with residents to amplify the living experience to something magical. On that note, Kimberlee’s role at Disney certainly prepared her to excel in creating meaningful, memorable experiences that sprinkle bits of magic into residents’ lives. Check out below to hear what Kimberlee has to say.
What do you do at Lewis and what does a typical day look like?
Kimberlee: I am the Lifestyle Director at Homecoming Eastvale. My day to day involves a lot of prepping for the next resident event, seeing what worked and what didn’t work, thinking of new exciting things to bring to the residents and helping out wherever I can with all other aspects of the property. Simply speaking, I am here to create good vibes and all the fun throughout the community.
What drew you to working at Lewis?
Kimberlee: What made me interested in Lewis, most specifically the Lifestyle Director role was the opportunity to act as curator of events and front-line resident interaction. I believe I had an interesting perspective to bring to the company that was new, creative, and fun.
What was your background before Lewis?
Kimberlee: Before I came to Lewis I had a background in customer service, working in hospitality and private aviation. My biggest field of experience however is in Entertainment. I have been a dancer most of my life and have worked for the Walt Disney Company for 10 years. I began my time with the mouse on Disney’s Cruise Line in 2010 and have since been an entertainment cast member at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim ever since. I still work for the mouse in a part-time capacity.
Favorite part of that experience?
Kimberlee: My favorite part of working for Disney has and always will be the magic of it all. As cheesy as it sounds (cheesy, mice, get it?), I have helped in creating lifelong memories, and I love being a small part of the magic that keeps people coming back to the Disney parks and brand all around the world. As a performer, I get to not only interact with guests from all walks of life, but I get to bring those classic characters, stories and shows alive. There really isn’t an adequate amount of words to describe the feeling of dancing down Main Street, USA. And now that our park is closed, I am even more appreciative of how lucky I have been to do so for a decade.
Similarities between the two different industries?
Kimberlee: Both Lewis and Disneyland have one major thing in common, and that is the focus on people. Be it our resident’s in our apartment communities or our guests at the resort, both industries essentially are there to provide people with great and memorable experiences. For my role at Lewis, I always aim to bring that extra bit of magic to our property through the events I throw, and my connection with the residents. We may not have actual pixie dust at Lewis, but we definitely are capable of creating memories and wonderful living experiences that last a lifetime.
Head over to Homecoming at Eastvale’s Instagram to see the magic Kimberlee has created and learn more about how to participate in future events. You’ll find gourmet cheese platters that even the mouse would find mice!
Rosie Lewis is the Corporate Marketing Manager at The Lewis Group of Companies. Rosie is a Claremont native who enjoys hiking, yoga, and developing her green thumb.