Rikka McDonald is the founder of Guestsmiths, LLC. Rikka’s experience in the hospitality industry is extensive. She has worked for several hotels both in the Philippines and the US. She participated in the year-long “J-1 Program” for management training at the Hyatt Regency in Boston, Massachusetts. She has worked at the technical customer service call center (technical Internet issue troubleshooting) for US-based customers of Comcast. Before founding Guestsmiths, Rikka coordinated campus-wide events for Emporia State University (Kansas).

Rikka graduated from the University of St. La Salle (USLS) in the Philippines with a degree in Hospitality Management. USLS is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious and premier private higher education institutions in the Philippines. Known globally as "The Green & White" employer reputation, Graduates of USLS are highly sought after by multinational corporations. USLS graduates carry the distinct brand of Lasallian values, which emphasizes competence, social responsibility, and human-centered service. Rikka attended USLS on a full-ride academic scholarship.

Having grown-up in and spending her young-adulthood in the Philippines, Rikka has deep, extensive connections there. This gives her a strong avenue for attracting, retaining, and managing Guestsmiths’ virtual assistants. Rikka’s background all come into play to ensure that Guestsmiths’ customers have access to highly trained, skilled, and professional support.

Guestsmiths’ virtual assistants are carefully recruited, vetted and trained in the hospitality business. They are not mere “clerks” performing mundane tasks. They are skilled in customer communications including emails and phone calls. They are trained on many reservation platforms. The virtual assistants are highly skilled social media managers. They speak fluent English. Wonderfully, they are real human beings – not AI chat bots! Whatever your hospitality role may be, with Guestsmiths your business will benefit greatly from the “Green and White” touch.