Shae Sterling
Atlanta,GA
Summary
Senior Events Professional with over a decade of success in high-stakes project management. I bring a unique blend of creative vision and rigorous fiscal discipline, with a proven track record of navigating large-scale budgets and leading diverse vendor teams to deliver world-class experiences. Known for solving complex logistical hurdles on the fly, I ensure every event— from national conferences to community activations— is executed with precision, transparency, and strategic impact.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Community Engagement Manager
Cousins Properties
Atlanta, GA
04.2024 - Current
Extensive Leadership Experience
- Successfully mentored team members in best practices for events and community engagement, directly managing more than six vendors, which exemplifies strong supervisory skills and the ability to lead teams effectively.
- Orchestrated over 55 high-profile events within the first 10 months, strategically boosting in-person occupancy each month, showcasing the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver exceptional results in fast-paced environments.
- Maintained an impressive 5-star rating by improving online presence and reputation through increased Google reviews for Promenade Central and Promenade Tower, demonstrating exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with stakeholders at all organizational levels.
- Worked closely with C-suite executives and other stakeholders to seamlessly integrate new technology platforms, enhancing logistic, infrastructural, and user needs, while maintaining a professional demeanor and balancing competing priorities.
- Led a technology project to completion ahead of schedule, positioning Cousins for increased year-over-year revenue through a rise in event space bookings, highlighting strong analytical and financial aptitude.
- Boosted active mobile app user engagement from 18% to 70% within six months by optimizing app features and conducting user feedback sessions, developing innovative solutions that drive continuous improvement and operational excellence.
- Ensured seamless integration of new technology platforms by collaborating with stakeholders and utilizing advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Outlook), demonstrating the ability to effectively adapt to changing circumstances and maintain high-quality deliverables across diverse projects and client requirements.
Main Street Manager
City of Douglasville
Douglasville, GA
12.2021 - 04.2024
- Streamlined event planning processes by implementing efficient project management strategies and launching Standard of Procedures for Downtown Event Planning.
- Implemented expert written and verbal communication skills to cultivate corporate partnerships with private equity funds and small business owners, enhancing community development initiatives within 12 months.
- Boosted Main Street Douglasville brand exposure significantly by increasing social media following by 87.5% and enhancing engagement by 1,098%, showcasing strong digital marketing capabilities.
- Oversaw downtown redevelopment initiatives, lead strategic planning, and fostered community partnerships.
- Lead Downtown Development Authority board meetings in Douglasville, developed and implemented strategies for business retention and expansion.
Community, Marketing and Communications Manager
Juno Medical
Atlanta, GA
03.2023 - 03.2024
- Led corporate events achieving 3-12% monthly patient growth by fostering relationships and leveraging customer testimonials and case studies.
- Corporate sponsorship management that enhanced brand visibility and engagement, leading to six-figure partnership deal within the first 60 days.
- Developed comprehensive marketing & PR strategies supporting organizational growth, securing positive media coverage for company events and achievements.
- Displayed attention to detail crafting public-facing event marketing collateral, event press release, and website content.
- Oversaw Net Promoter Score (NPS) data, created customer-focused content, and managed early-access programs to enhance patient engagement and transform customer insights into actionable strategies.
Senior Guest Engagement Coordinator
Atlanta Hawks/State Farm Arena
Atlanta, GA
12.2019 - 12.2021
- Collaborated with stakeholders to develop and present business cases for technology initiatives like IVR and chatbots. Worked with sales, delivery, and service teams to ensure seamless client experiences.
- Managed complex events across multiple departments, consistently serving as the primary contact for designing customized event viewing WOW experiences, consumer service escalations and interdepartmental inquiries.
- Maintained up-to-date documentation of user journeys, procedures, and process flows, managing tools like Zendesk CRM, AI live chat ), email, and radio for customer service.
- Created training materials and led sessions for the guest engagement team of 7-9 members, managing roughly 100 customer inquiries daily.
- Acted as the ADA Subject Matter Expert, coordinating guest services for approximately 90 events and ensuring successful deployment and resolution of issues.
- Collaborated with HR and the Learning and Development team to design and implement training content, communication materials, safety policies and procedures for transitioning to a fully remote workforce during the pandemic.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature
Claflin University
Orangeburg, SC2015
Skills
- Volunteer recruitment and stakeholder management
- Partnership relationship development
- Fundraising expertise
- Digital marketing communication
Certification
- Real Estate Practice Certificate, Accredited Real Estate Schools Inc., 2024
- Project Management, Coursera, 2022
- Event Planning Professional, National Georgia Main Street, 2022
- Grant Writing 101 Certificate, National Georgia Main Street 2022
- Legal Aspects of Real Estate Certificate, Real Estate Express 2022
- Real Estate Principles Certificate, Real Estate Express, 2021
Timeline
Community Engagement Manager
Cousins Properties
04.2024 - Current
Community, Marketing and Communications Manager
Juno Medical
03.2023 - 03.2024
Main Street Manager
City of Douglasville
12.2021 - 04.2024
Senior Guest Engagement Coordinator
Atlanta Hawks/State Farm Arena
12.2019 - 12.2021
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature
Claflin University
Awards And Accolades
- Faces of The City - Neighborhood Leadership Nominee, City of Atlanta, 2025
- The Outstanding Building of The Year Award Recipient, BOMA Georgia, 2025
- Advocacy and Leadership Award, Douglas County Chamber Young Professionals, 2023