Jessica Linder Gallo, Iom, Ace Email & Phone Number

Peoria, Il, Us

Peoria, Illinois, United States

Peoria, Illinois, United States

Aurora, Il

- Directs the strategic planning and vision setting of the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce in partnership with a 10 to 15-member Board of Directors - Leads the annual budget review of the organization’s nearly $500,000 budget as well as monthly and quarterly reviews, periodic forecast updates, and weekly metric tracking- Oversees the general operations of the organization and directs strategic program development to meet the annual budget and achieve program of work objectives- Hires, retains and manages 3 to 6 diverse, highly-qualified staff as well as and over 50 volunteers and provides ongoing training to maintain excellent customer service and keep the organization thriving- Creates and maintains partnerships with other nonprofits and development organizations (such as economic development, community foundation, other chambers, and other business associations) to reach goals in the strategic plan and achieve greater collective impact- Serves as the professional representative of the Chamber to both internal and external audiences including member businesses, prospective members, the media, partner organizations and the community - Conducts public speaking engagements to educate members of the business community and the public on the mission and activities of the organization - Provides advocacy on behalf of the nearly 600 member businesses of the chamber with local, state, and national elected officials

Chicago, Il

- Ran and managed the day-to-day operations of the business - Oversaw one other wedding planner and three to five contracted day-of event staff- Planned weddings with 9 clients from start to finish, including but not limited to budgeting, decorating, rsvp and invitation management, contracting vendors, and negotiating contracts

Galesburg, Illinois, United States

- Instructed students in person and online twice weekly as well as set up the online learning environment for students not attending live sessions- Developed, delivered, and reviewed course material and syllabi- Created a classroom environment where students felt comfortable participating and learning- Set up assessments based on departmental regulations and requirements- Reported students progress to the department throughout the semester- Maintained a grade book and records of students work and feedback

Galesburg, Il

- Oversaw the general operations, finances, and $500,000 budget of the organization- Managed 6 employees and over 60 volunteers making up 5 standing committees, and several ad hoc committees- Planed, developed, and implemented programs to address membership needs and advocate on behalf of the over 400 member businesses- Served as the professional representative of the Chamber to both internal and external audiences including member businesses, prospective members, the media, partner organizations and the community - Produced special projects and partnerships, business development programs, monthly activities and events, in addition to 8 annual events- Ensured compliance with all contractual and regulatory requirements as well as grant and funding requirements- Directed the strategic planning and vision setting of the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with a 12-member Board of Directors and the Galesburg Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, a division of the Chamber, in partnership with a 10-member Advisory Board- Oversaw general operations of the Galesburg Area Convention & Visitors Bureau- Worked one-on-one with businesses to connect them to local resources and capacity-building opportunities

Bloomington/Normal, Illinois Area

- Managed a 10-person team, and served as a point of contact for over 20 other team members- Handled all third party refunds and disputes to maximize revenue from booking companies- Responded to guest’s SALT Survey feedback on a weekly basis and engaged in service recovery when necessary- Trained team members weekly on topics identified by guest feedback to improve operations and guest service- Hired and coached new team members on Hilton and First Hospitality Group hotel standards and guidelines- Checked guests in and out of the 128-room property and responded to their concerns with hospitality

School Of Hospitality Leadership

- Welcomed visitors, provided customer service and managed the appearance of the front reception area- Supported the Office Manager on projects and daily tasks- Responded to inquiries about the School of Hospitality Leadership in a knowledgeable manner and directed telephone inquiries to the proper staff or faculty member- Created marketing materials and provide event assistance as needed

Greater Chicago Area

- Communicated with nearly 75 company recruiters and universities throughout the Midwest to generate interest - Led a team of three committee chairs and coordinated their efforts to ensure the completion of all tasks on time- Served as a liaison between the ICHRIE Central Federation and DePaul School of Hospitality Leadership to create an event for the benefit of both parties and provide a great value to the attendees- Analyzed event data and statistics to aid in future decision making and strategic planning of the event

Teleservices Center

- Monitored the calls being made to ensure quality and friendly service; Provided feedback on calls that were unsuccessful or did not meet quality standards- Contributed to employee morale and served as the immediate contact for questions from the callers- Assigned calls to 20 to 30 student employees, tracked the progress being made during the shift and managed the calling floor- Navigated specially designed computer software and correctly transcribed information during phone calls- Communicated with four other Floor Supervisors on the performance fo the callers and coordinated schedules and training

Chicago, Il

- Helped to plan events and programs for the students during Immersion Week- Created 10 weekly lesson plans to facilitate learning in a classroom environment and designed a grading scheme- Mentored a class of 20 college freshman to help facilitate a smooth transition from high school

Torti De Chepo, Panama Este, Panama

- Trained hotel and restaurant staff of 8 on topics related to service and hospitality weekly- Conducted research on tourism policy and visitors to Panamá - Led an effort to create a tourism co-op of business owners, guides, and stakeholders in the Eastern region of Panamá with the goal of coordinating both development and marketing efforts for tourism; communicated with local tourism stakeholders, government offices, and community members to make the project possible- Implemented operational changes for the improvement and efficiency of the property - Oversaw the daily activities of the 12-room hotel and the restaurant that was open breakfast through late evening

Hilton Chicago Hotel & Towers

- Efficiently and accurately checked guests in and out of the 1,544 room hotel- Listened intently to guest complaints and worked with other hotel staff to quickly resolve issues- Shadowed the overnight manager to learn the responsibilities and duties of the hotel auditor for several months- Maintained confidentiality of celebrity guests including artists, national politicians, and professional athletes

Peoria, Illinois Area

- Set-up and coordinated race day activities on site of Whitney’s Walk for Life, a fundraiser for Mental Heath America of Illinois Valley- Managed the data entry of over $100,000 in donations and race entry fees for Whitney’s Walk for Life- Creatively designed corporate events and fundraisers in three towns in Central Illinois

Master Of Science (M.S.), Political Science And Government

Activities and Societies: Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development Student AssociationThesis Title: "Destination.

Bachelor Of Science (Bs), Hospitality Leadership

Activities and Societies: Eta Sigma Delta International Hospitality Management Honors Society, DePaul Ambassadors, DePaul Hospitality.