Finding Purpose in the Unpredictable [Women in Leadership]

Karla Jansen van Rensburg’s leadership journey has never been defined by certainty. Instead, it has been shaped by curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to grow through the unexpected. Now Director of Housekeeping at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Karla’s path into hospitality began with a simple realization—that her passion lived not in the predictable, but in the dynamic world of people, service, and operations.

"Change is annoying, but certainty is absurd." It’s a quote I have carried with me for years, and one that continues to ground me. It reminds me to embrace uncertainty—not resist it—because uncertainty is what keeps us growing, learning, and human. Leadership, much like life, has never offered certainty. But it has offered purpose.

My name is Karla Jansen van Rensburg, and I am the Director of Housekeeping at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. I began my journey here in April 2023 as Front Office Manager, and in December 2025, I stepped into my current role. Hospitality was not my original plan. After high school, I studied law for a year, but I quickly realized my passion lived elsewhere. Hospitality offered something I couldn’t ignore—it combined business, people, operations, and the unpredictability that makes every day different.

I went on to pursue my B.Com in Hotel Management at Stenden University, where I requested—and was granted—the opportunity to complete my second and third years simultaneously so I could graduate earlier. I graduated Cum Laude, a milestone that reinforced my belief that discipline and determination can accelerate what seems impossible. Later, while working full time, I completed my MBA, which remains one of my proudest personal achievements. It was not easy, but it was a commitment I made to myself—to never stop growing.

Leadership has been ingrained in me from a young age. Growing up, I was always encouraged to lead by example. I served as captain of sports teams, held leadership prefect roles, and was named Head Girl in my final year of high school. Those early experiences shaped my sense of responsibility and taught me that leadership is not about authority, but about accountability, consistency, and care for others.

My biggest inspirations, both personally and professionally, have shaped the leader I am today. My father is the hardest-working person I know, with the biggest heart, and he taught me invaluable lessons about resilience and understanding people. My gran taught me compassion and courage—she always reminded me to go after what made me happy, even if it scared me, and to remain true to who I am regardless of whether it was the popular choice.

Throughout my career, I have also been shaped by extraordinary mentors and

moments. One of the most unexpected came from a pilot, Flippie Vermeulen, flying planes across Africa. He told me that every relationship begins with two buckets (his buckets were more related to experience and luck when flying) but I tweaked his advised to my own: a bucket of trust and a bucket of respect. Your actions determine whether you fill those buckets or empty them. That advice became a cornerstone of my leadership philosophy. Every interaction, every decision, every conversation—I remain conscious that trust and respect must be earned and protected.

Throughout my career, I’ve also been fortunate to learn from exceptional leaders. My lecturer, Leon van Achterbergh, constantly reminded me to lean into my intellect and work ethic, calling them my superpowers, and challenged me to think beyond the obvious. Belle R. Cornet took a chance on me early in my career and showed me what it truly means to love this industry and care deeply for your team while remaining firm and fair. Kemal Sirtikirmizi reinforced that no matter your title, the core of hospitality is people. He knew every colleague by name and led with humility and presence—something I strive to emulate daily. Sandra Bizzaro, along with her son Benedetto Calvani, taught me the true meaning of grit, excellence, and luxury service, and supported me in taking on challenges I never imagined possible at such a young age.

One of my most defining career experiences was my time in Malawi at Makokola

Retreat. That chapter pushed me beyond my comfort zone and presented some of my biggest challenges, but it also shaped my resilience, adaptability, and confidence. It remains one of the highlights of my career and a place that helped define the leader I would become.

Being a woman in leadership is something I carry with pride, but also with responsibility. I have always been driven to ensure that my work speaks for itself. At times, it has felt like I needed to work harder to prove I belong—and perhaps that has shaped me for the better. But while progress has been made, there is still more to do.

One of the most important changes I hope to see is women supporting women in

a meaningful way. True support is not performative or superficial. It is advocating for one another in rooms where the other is not present. It is sharing knowledge. It is creating opportunities. It is holding each other accountable while also lifting each other up. It is understanding that another woman’s success does not diminish your own. Real change happens when women choose courage over competition and legacy over ego.

On difficult days, I often turn to the words of Billie Jean King, whose speech I keep saved on my phone. Her message reminds me that pressure is a privilege—that pressure shapes you. Mistakes are not failures; they are feedback. Everything is feedback. Pay attention. Be curious. Be nimble. Don’t take things personally. Never lose sight of your dream. Her words remind me that struggle is not something to avoid, but something to learn from—and that growth is earned again and again in every generation.

Leadership has tested me. I have experienced doubt. I have faced uncertainty. But

those moments taught me the most important lessons: resilience, humility, and the importance of standing beside your team. My greatest achievement is not my title. It is the people. The students, colleagues, and leaders I have had the privilege to mentor and support. Being able to pass on even the smallest grain of knowledge, to help someone see potential in themselves they didn’t know existed, is the most meaningful part of what I do. Paying forward what was given to me continues to be my proudest accomplishment.

As female leaders, we have a responsibility—not just to lead, but to lead with courage, consistency, and belief. To live the change we hope to see. Because leadership is not what you say. It is what you do, every single day. I don’t know exactly what the future holds. But I hope I always continue embracing uncertainty. Because uncertainty reminds me that there is still more to learn, more to give, and more to become.

And that, to me, is what leadership truly means."

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Karla’s journey is a reminder that leadership is not built on certainty, but on courage, curiosity, and a willingness to keep learning. Through every challenge and opportunity, she remains committed to lifting others up, sharing the lessons she has gained, and leading in a way that inspires the next generation of leaders.

If you’re inspired to begin your own leadership journey, explore opportunities within our region, the perfect role could be waiting for you.

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