Laura-Grace Brown
Richmond,VA
Summary
Personable, strategic, and detail-oriented Special Events professional bringing 7 years of expertise in event planning and leadership. Recognized for building genuine relationships with constituents, leading teams to successfully execute events, and organizing workflows for consistent high-quality results.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Event Producer
Trolley Hospitality Companies
Richmond, VA
02.2024 - Current
- Manages and executes catering logistics for up to 15 events per week including weddings, corporate meetings, and conferences ranging from 10 to 600 attendees each.
- Key participant in venue coordination and walk-throughs.
- Onsite supervision of events - liaising with client, planner, vendors, and catering team to ensure smooth and timely events.
- Developed production procedures, training manual, and role documentation for efficiency, cost-saving, and future company growth.
- Communicates and contracts with vendors, venues, and clients. Maintains and organizes invoices for 40+ events at a time.
Private Caregiver
Contractor
Williamsburg, VA
09.2023 - 02.2024
- Provided private caregiving, cooking, organization, and medical care for family member.
Health & Wellness Coach
Self-Employed
05.2019 - 02.2024
- Established private practice in yoga instruction and integrative health, accumulating 450+ hours hands-on experience including planning & execution of custom workshops.
- Utilized entrepreneurial skills and business acumen to create successful business.
Store Manager
lululemon athletica
Williamsburg, VA
01.2022 - 04.2023
- Led new store to growth of nearly $1 million per year through effective sales strategy, hiring, training, coaching, scheduling, community programs, incentives, and business planning.
- Responsible for store customer service and relationship management, leading to store earning #2 in the United States for Q4 guest satisfaction in 2021 and 2022.
- Planned & executed community events to support and empower Store Ambassadors, team events for employee engagement, and sales events to increase revenue.
- Successfully managed strategy and execution of store and community budgets totaling over $30,000 per year.
- Led regional manager meetings and hosted virtual onboarding weekend for 53 store ambassadors across the region.
- Hired, onboarded, and trained 100+ employees in a span of 2.5 years. Managed team through transparent communication, frequent professional development, and educational team meetings to support growth. Created individual development meeting agendas with leadership team, establishing goals, objectives, action steps, and deadlines.
- Delivered detailed reports on store performance for upper management review.
- Organized many competing and changing priorities with flexibility, strategy, and patience. Managed constantly overlapping complex projects and deadlines autonomously.
- Upheld company policies and procedures regarding ethics, inclusion, quality customer experience, and safety.
- Created strategic staff schedules, including staffing the store and events.
Internal Leadership Coach
lululemon athletica
11.2020 - 11.2022
- Coached clients internally at lululemon and served as a peer mentor to new managers, honing leadership and coaching skills.
- Passionately supported others to strengthen their unique aptitudes and build communication skills for career success.
Assistant Store Manager | November 2020 – January
Lululemon Athletica
11.2020 - 01.2022
Key Leader
lululemon athletica
02.2020 - 11.2020
Educator
lululemon athletica
08.2019 - 02.2020
Associate Director, Special Events & Programs
William & Mary Alumni Association
Williamsburg, VA
02.2018 - 07.2019
- Advised 35-person student organization, gaining experience in event planning, volunteer management, and community engagement.
- Hosted educational meetings with alumni guest speakers, attending to their needs proactively and building rapport.
- Planned and executed small weekly events on- and off-campus. Managed catering, venue coordination, supplies organization, and volunteer management (students, staff, and alumni).
- Primary planner and day-of lead for several large events per year for 100-3,000+ attendees including a student carnival, new student orientation, board meetings, and Homecoming Weekend.
- Created and oversaw digital and print invitations, landing pages, registrations, agendas, and event materials.
- Responsible for management of state-funded budget, per diems, and cost-saving strategies.
Day-Of Wedding Coordinator, Part-Time
Signature DJs
Williamsburg, VA
11.2016 - 11.2018
- Organized and coordinated wedding ceremonies, receptions, and rehearsal dinners.
- Developed detailed timelines for each wedding event to ensure tasks were completed on schedule.
- Drafted contracts with vendors to secure services and negotiate pricing.
- Planned menus, decorations, music, photography, videography, and other details.
- Performed day-of coordination duties such as checking in vendors and managing timeline.
- Resolved day-of issues with creative problem-solving to seamlessly execute events.
Events & Marketing Specialist, Development
Raymond A Mason School of Business, William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA
07.2016 - 02.2018
- Events included educational webinars, a student stock pitch, the first Women's Weekend for alumni, diversity and inclusion seminars, board meeting weekends, and alumni events.
- Orchestrated 3-day, 600-attendee luxury event for MBA program alumni, showcasing strong organizational and planning skills.
- Organized weekly Board, alumni, and student events across campus. Independently worked on catering, supplies, volunteer management, budget management, and more.
- Liaised with professors, students, alumni, and Development team to plan events and meetings which facilitated fundraising efforts for the University.
- Engaged with sponsorships, exhibitors, volunteer acquisition and leadership, technology, logistics, lodging, and catering for all applicable events.
- Managed alumni listservs, donor stewardship letters, and general communications for over 10,000 individuals.
- Developed and designed promotional event materials, both digital and print.
Education
BBA, Cum Laude - Marketing & Business Analytics
College of William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA05-2016
Post-Baccalaureate Fellow - Event, Programs, and Education Administration
Boehly Finance Center, William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA06-2016
Leadership Excellence -
Disney Institute
Orlando, FL01-2018
Certificate in Health & Wellness Coaching -
Duke University
Durham, NC01-2019
National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach -
NBHWC
01-2020
Skills
- Special Events Planning
- Process Design
- Project Management
- Catering Coordination
- Staff Management
- Expense Tracking
- Contract Negotiation
- Event Setup and Breakdown
- Vendor and Sponsor Management
- Sales and Marketing Strategy
- Business Administration
- Guest Relations
- Sales Expertise
- Conference Planning
- Strong Written and Verbal Communicator
- Conflict Resolution
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Event Producer
Trolley Hospitality Companies
02.2024 - Current
Private Caregiver
Contractor
09.2023 - 02.2024
Store Manager
lululemon athletica
01.2022 - 04.2023
Internal Leadership Coach
lululemon athletica
11.2020 - 11.2022
Assistant Store Manager | November 2020 – January
Lululemon Athletica
11.2020 - 01.2022
Key Leader
lululemon athletica
02.2020 - 11.2020
Educator
lululemon athletica
08.2019 - 02.2020
Health & Wellness Coach
Self-Employed
05.2019 - 02.2024
Associate Director, Special Events & Programs
William & Mary Alumni Association
02.2018 - 07.2019
Day-Of Wedding Coordinator, Part-Time
Signature DJs
11.2016 - 11.2018
Events & Marketing Specialist, Development
Raymond A Mason School of Business, William & Mary
07.2016 - 02.2018
BBA, Cum Laude - Marketing & Business Analytics
College of William & Mary
Post-Baccalaureate Fellow - Event, Programs, and Education Administration
Boehly Finance Center, William & Mary
Leadership Excellence -
Disney Institute
Certificate in Health & Wellness Coaching -
Duke University
National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach -
NBHWC
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