SARAH CASTILLO
New Jersey,NJ
Summary
Dynamic marketing executive with extensive experience in developing and executing strategic initiatives that drive brand visibility and consumer engagement within the beverage sector. Proven ability to translate supplier objectives into impactful go-to-market programs, ensuring alignment with commercial growth goals. Adept at leading multifunctional teams and cultivating strong partnerships to achieve measurable success.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Director, Commercial & Consumer Marketing
ALLIED BEVERAGE GROUP
04.2022 - Current
- Serve as a strategic partner to the Vice President of Commercial Strategy & Operations, shaping and executing integrated marketing solutions that support supplier objectives, strengthen customer relationships, build brand awareness, and drive profitable commercial growth.
- Lead, coach, and develop a multifunctional team of five direct reports spanning consumer marketing, social and digital campaigns, off-premise retail execution, and on-premise marketing solutions for the sales organization.
- Translate supplier brand strategies and KPIs into scalable go-to-market programs across on-premise, off-premise, experiential, digital, social, retail, community, sponsorship, and multicultural channels.
- Develop customized commercial marketing solutions and sales-enablement resources, including activation toolkits, POS, merchandising, retail programs, hospitality partnerships, account solutions, and strategic partnerships that support distribution and sales velocity.
- Developed and nurtured local and national supplier relationships, aligning investments with commercial objectives to secure support for activations, sponsorships, launches, and consumer engagement initiatives.
- Managed consumer experiences, festivals, sampling, brand activations, sponsorships, and community programs from planning and budgeting through execution, promotion, reporting, and optimization to enhance brand visibility and engagement.
- Partner with executive leadership, Sales, Portfolio Management, New Accounts, Digital/E-Commerce, Operations, Customer Service, suppliers, and key accounts to identify growth opportunities and improve adoption of Commercial & Consumer Marketing solutions.
- Advance marketing operations through centralized calendars, promotion and booking workflows, digital asset and supplier-resource repositories, standardized recaps, dashboards, ROI reporting, and business reviews that improve visibility, consistency, and decision-making.
- Established department workflows, set priorities, defined accountability standards, and allocated resources to foster a collaborative, innovative culture focused on measurable business outcomes.
- Led strategic planning initiatives to align company goals with market trends.
- Cultivated relationships with local and brand stakeholders to support business and secure investments in the market.
Senior Market Manager
MKTG / DIAGEO PORTFOLIO
01.2020 - 01.2022
- Managed on- and off-premise commercial operations averaging 2,400 activations annually, driving brand visibility, consumer engagement, and disciplined market execution.
- Cultivated relationships with clients, accounts, and vendors to enhance sales volume and boost consumer traffic in key markets.
- Produced and optimized Cost Per Execution reporting by program, tracked KPIs and market pacing, and translated results and industry trends into actionable client recommendations.
- Managed direct reports and oversaw scheduling, timecards, and budgets to ensure fiscal discipline and operational efficiency.
Event Manager
TEAM ENTERPRISES / MOLSON COORS PORTFOLIO
01.2015 - 01.2020
- Planned and staffed 800+ promotional events annually across on- and off-premise channels, providing in-field quality assurance, reporting, and performance oversight.
- Recruited, hired, and trained 180+ part-time brand ambassadors on execution standards and brand compliance, ensuring consistent event representation.
- Managed relationships with three major New Jersey distributors, collaborating in monthly GSM meetings to identify sales opportunities and activation strategies that enhanced product movement.
- Maintained budget trackers and state event registration requirements, aligning programming with financial plans and regulatory standards for effective event execution.
Event Coordinator
TEAM ENTERPRISES / BACARDI PORTFOLIO
01.2014 - 01.2015
- Managed and approved 400+ events per month across Metro New York, maintaining brand consistency, operational readiness, and high-volume execution standards.
- Managed program budgets, allocated funds to field sales teams, and produced multi-market reports to enhance activation pacing and ROI visibility.
- Trained sales representatives on internal booking and pacing systems, compiling client reports on KPIs, volume performance, bottle sales, attendance, and campaign reach.
Education
B.A. - Sports, Entertainment & Event Management
Johnson & Wales University
Providence, RI01-2012
Skills
- Consumer strategy
- Brand strategy
- Brand activation strategy
- Sales enablement
- Supplier and brand partnerships
- Digital and social media
- Marketing operations
- Performance analytics
- Retail activation
- Premise programming
- Team leadership
Core Expertise
- Commercial & Consumer Strategy
- Supplier / Brand Partnerships
- Sales Enablement
- Experiential & Sponsorships
- On- & Off-Premise Programming
- Digital & Social
- Retail Activation
- Marketing Operations
- KPI / ROI Reporting
- Team Leadership
Professional Development
- WSET Level II — Wine
- WSET Level I — Spirits
- Cicerone Certified Level 1
Timeline
Director, Commercial & Consumer Marketing
ALLIED BEVERAGE GROUP
04.2022 - Current
Senior Market Manager
MKTG / DIAGEO PORTFOLIO
01.2020 - 01.2022
Event Manager
TEAM ENTERPRISES / MOLSON COORS PORTFOLIO
01.2015 - 01.2020
Event Coordinator
TEAM ENTERPRISES / BACARDI PORTFOLIO
01.2014 - 01.2015
B.A. - Sports, Entertainment & Event Management
Johnson & Wales University