Arizona Tribune - From Tinsel Town to Yosemite; from Entertainer to Experiential Travel Expert-female Entrepreneur Lays Roots in Iconic National Park

Enjoy The Silence

Ruthy Mulligan left New York to pursue her dreams in the entertainment industry. Combining a love of travel and an inherent talent on the stage, the East Coast prodigy quickly found success in and around the show business capital of the world.

"My mother said my first performance was in the delivery room and I never looked back," Mulligan joked. "I actually met my husband through auditions, casting calls, and after parties. Coming from a Latino community, I loved to dance, but he was hesitant, yet enthusiastic. If you asked him, he'd say he looked like someone drowning (while trying to do salsa) but thought he had heart and that's something I've always been drawn to. Do your best, especially, if you're uncomfortable. We've been together ever since."

After years of success in entertainment, Ruthy was faced with a very different challenge. 'Our child was diagnosed with a severe illness. Our world was put on hold, but within that, our focus was almost singularly streamlined. When your child is on chemo, with towers, tubes, and trouble on the horizon, it has a way of centering your focus, and clarifying your priorities. I'd once loved the hustle bustle of New York, and later, the glamour and glitter of Hollywood. But when we were sitting bedside with our son, I wanted one thing: to enjoy the silence...just like the old Depeche Mode song.'

Following their child's successful recovery, Ruthy and her husband sought a calmer, more centered, purpose-driven life. While living in Los Angeles, they'd purchased, remodeled, and rented a series of homes. The proverbial lightbulb went off over their heads: what if we could do that same process, but in an environment where others seek the very peace, serenity, and silence we came to enjoy when facing life's most daunting challenge? The vision was clear, but the path wasn't necessarily straight.

"We realized we needed to relocate and rearrange our lifestyle; we knew we wanted to leave Los Angeles, but we didn't know exactly where we wanted to go. If you look at the '5 W's' we knew the What, Who, and most certainly, the Why; we didn't know the Where, or How,' added Mulligan. 'We knew we wanted to stay in California and after some research, we found SkyRun Vacation Rentals. Soon after, we decided on Yosemite. It was the perfect match for us, both personally and professionally.' Mulligan was right on both fronts-Yosemite and SkyRun.

Yosemite National Park comprises nearly 1,200 square miles in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, roughly 90 minutes outside of San Francisco. From the iconic granite cliffs, to the thousand-year-old sequoia trees, Yosemite is not only one of America's most beautiful parks, it's also one of the most rigorously protected, as nearly 95% of the park is precluded from commercial development. For Mulligan, the annual tourist numbers also validate the decision to get into the vacation rental market, as the park continues to experience record-breaking numbers of roughly 4.5 million visitors, per year. Additionally, in a period of economic uncertainty, Yosemite provides a cost-effective alternative to other, comparatively more expensive, destinations. Roughly 93% of visitors say they choose Yosemite 'specifically for the views' while the average cost in and out of the park, comes in under $500.

"We're so happy to welcome Ruthy and her family to the SkyRun team,' said SRVR President, Cord Thomas. 'She grew up as an avid traveler and paired that wanderlust with a sense of grit (family challenges) and glam (Hollywood success) that we rarely see. She might be a performer, but she's as real as it gets and that's exactly what travelers want in their host: local, logical, logistical, and real. I am excited to see Ruthy roll out the red carpet for years to come!'

Mulligan was right, not only about Yosemite, but about her decision to partner with SkyRun Vacation Rentals. From 2020 to 2025, SkyRun experienced 74% growth in franchise territories and that growth arc continues, year over year. In 2025, SkyRun added 149 homes to the management portfolio, which represented a 10% increase, year over year. In Calendar Year 2025, SkyRun added six new territories to the national portfolio, including: Chattanooga, Daytona, Jacksonville, Pigeon Forge, Whitefish, and Yosemite.

'In the entertainment industry, you depend on the cast and crew. In other words, it takes a team to raise the curtain on opening night. That is what we found with SkyRun: a true support team.' Ruthy partnered with SkyRun Vacation Rentals and secured the franchise rights for Yosemite region. SkyRun was founded in 2004 and now manages over 1,600 vacation rental properties across the United States. Mulligan will draw on her shared project management and hospitality experience-along with SkyRun's vast network of resources and best in class capabilities-to develop and manage a growing portfolio of properties.

'I enjoyed the bright lights and I came from the big city; now I want the natural lights, the lack of traffic, and the serenity that comes from a return to nature,' said Mulligan. 'I am so happy to be joining the Yosemite community and I look forward to sharing its splendor with everyone who follows. You can't pay it back, but you can always pay it forward.'

About SkyRun Vacation Rentals

SkyRun is a rapidly growing vacation rental property management franchise with over 1,600 homes under management, across 52 independently owned and operated destinations. The brand itself represents the best of both worlds when it comes to vacation rental management, by combining the advantages of local ownership and management with efficiency, technology, and the support of a national brand. The company has been recognized as one of the Fast-Growing Franchises in North America, by Entrepreneur Magazine, as well as one of the country's Top-Emerging Franchises. SkyRun has been featured across a variety of national media outlets and platforms, including: FOX Business, Travel + Leisure, Yahoo! Travel, Staycation, The Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune, and others. Whether you are a guest, a homeowner, or a franchisee-with SkyRun, your vacation dreams can become a reality sooner than you think. For more info, please visit: SkyRun.com

CONTACT
Doug Eldridge
+1 202 680 9375
[email protected]

SOURCE: SkyRun Vacation Rentals

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

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