Ashley Dawson Russo

About Ashley Dawson Russo

As a dynamic hospitality and event professional with 17+ years of experience, I specialize in bringing large-scale, high-impact events to life across the sports, entertainment, and convention sectors. From the Super Bowl to national conventions of attendees, I’ve led complex, cross-functional initiatives that drive revenue, elevate guest experiences, and strengthen brand positioning.I thrive at the intersection of creativity and strategy—crafting compelling sales stories, building lasting client relationships, and implementing integrated marketing campaigns that deliver measurable results. Whether it\'s negotiating multimillion-dollar partnerships, designing immersive event experiences, or training national sales teams, I bring a collaborative and results-driven mindset to every project.With a background rooted in culinary arts and a career shaped by innovation, I approach every challenge as an opportunity to reimagine what’s possible in hospitality. Let’s connect—I’m always open to collaborating with fellow changemakers who believe in the power of extraordinary experiences.

Experience

1. National Sales Director - Convention Centers

   Levy Restaurants

   Dec 2022 — Present

   Lead strategy and execution of national-level conventions, integrated brand activations, and mega-events attendees,$1 million + budgets), ensuring world-class delivery aligned to partner expectations- Direct conceptualization and rollout of immersive sponsorship activations and partner retail experiences, driving incremental revenue and long-term relationships- Lead, mentor, and coordinate cross-functional units (sales, marketing, culinary, operations, procurement) to create cohesive and scalable solutions across venue footprints- Develop “pitch to execution” frameworks, proposal decks, and storytelling assets to resonate with high-level stakeholders and C-suite decision makers- Initiated sustainability, local impact, and community integration components into event programming to align with corporate social responsibility goals.Key Achievements- Secured multimillion-dollar contracts with national brands by designing differentiated experiential platforms- Improved cross-venue consistency and profitability via standard operating playbooks and data dashboards.

Education

• Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts-Pasadena

  Associate of Arts (A.A.), Hotel, Motel, and Restaurant Management

  2007 — 2009

Skills

• Cooking
• Hospitality Industry
• Revenue Analysis
• Convention Services
• Food Safety
• Fine Dining
• Weddings
• Front Office
• Team Building
• Restaurant Management
• Chef
• Culinary Skills
• Sales
• Tourism
• Time Management
• Hospitality Management
• Training
• Banquets
• Hiring
• Forecasting
• Corporate Events
• Trade Shows
• Menu Development
• Sanitation
• Resorts
• P&L Management
• Event Management
• Meeting Planning
• Private Events
• Catering
• Pre-Opening
• Operations Management
• Guest Service Management
• Process Scheduler
• Hospitality
• Wine
• Food & Beverage
• Customer Service
• Hotels
• Budgets