Christie Thompson began her Arthur Murray journey in 2006 as a teacher in the Hayward studio, and that was the beginning of her epic, winding road through the company.
Through her time as an instructor in Hayward, Christie won many awards for her teaching and service. The ultimate accomplishment was winning the Arthur Murray Murray All Star skills competition as the top overall professional. Unfortunately, her path hit some setbacks. A nagging shoulder injury nearly stopped her journey completely.
"Through my own personal journey of ups and downs, the Arthur Murray family has always supported me and helped me to grow. That is why our schools are so special."
Rather than leaving altogether, Christie became the Office Manager in Hayward. In that capacity, she was still able to follow up with her students, and stay connected to the studio where she started. As a high level instructor, disguised as an Office Manager, Christie's skill set, before long, would be called upon for a new challenge.
In 2013 Christie's journey took a new path as she became the New Student Director at Arthur Murray Livermore. She was able to reunite with Joey Sena who joined the staff in Hayward in the same year. Christie jumped into the role after some departures on the management team and, alongside Joey, helped stabilize a growing Arthur Murray Livermore team.
Christie's passion for teaching took on a new twist as she was called on to occupy a position that hadn't been created yet: Training Manager. Every new teacher hired goes through an extensive hiring and training process that both owners, Chris and Daisey Lynam, administer themselves. That is, until Christie joined the Training Team.
Christie now cycles throughout the Hayward, Livermore, Walnut Creek, Redwood City, and San Francisco studios. She works directly for Chris and Daisey to allow for multiple teams to receive training simultaneously. In this new role she's able to connect with both teachers and students to deliver her passion for teaching, and what Arthur Murray has done for her.
"There's a community who personally invests in you, and I hope everyone gets the chance to experience what I have. This career has been the most transforming in my life. Teaching people to dance and seeing them achieve their goals through learning this skill has been incredibly rewarding."
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