Diana Balakirov, April 2022

A Star is Born! Diana Balakirov has been a member of MPI THCC since 2018.  At first, Diana didn’t plan on being a part of MPI.  She attended an event and volunteered for the Newsletter Committee. But there was just one small problem. Diana was not a member. The director at that time went out of her way, Just This Once, to award her an MPI scholarship. She served on the Newsletter Committee for 1 ½ years, as chair, and eventually went on to serve as Director of Marketing on the board. Diana is still a Woman Wanted, continuing to volunteer as a floater when and where she’s needed. 

Diana makes an Impact as the Catering Events Coordinator at the Hilton Austin.  Her background is in communications and marketing. This comes in handy because she’s worn many hats in her seven years with the hotel.  She loves working in hospitality and hopes this isn’t a Brief Moment. Diana says she’s looking forward to new opportunities within the company. 

You may have noticed the fun movie titles that are a part of this article. I couldn’t resist! Diana’s dream job would be to work at Turner Classic Movies as a movie historian/writer.  She is a huge lover of classic Hollywood musicals and collects all kinds of memorabilia from great artists like Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire.  This Front Page Woman has even started her own blog, classicsinwonderland.com. It’s in the beginning stages but check it out and let her know what you think. Personally, I think it’s Too Hot to Handle. Sorry, I had to throw that one in.

Diana is single and her life in the Austin area is a Fiesta. … just our Party Girl Living in a Big Way.  During the pandemic, she stepped up her craft game by perfecting her cross-stitching and embroidery. This inspired some unique wool projects including a Judy Garland doll.  She also loves animals of all kinds, and recently got to meet a baby sloth and kangaroo.

This is a very special article for me. Diana formerly wrote these articles with me as her assistant – Lucky Partners. Now, I get to share her amazing story with everyone.  We’ve come full circle, Diana. Thanks for helping me realize my writing talents.  I hope this article is worthy of my fabulous mentor and you feel confident with me as The Keeper of the Flame.