Glen Carbon, Illinois, United States
As the Director of Strategic Partnerships at The Giving Grove, Aleah builds national partnerships that expand access to healthy, locally grown food through community-led orchard programs. She came to sustainability after more than 15 years in event operations, hospitality, and marketing, bringing a relationship-focused approach to mission-driven work and a focus on authentic partnerships that translate intention into meaningful community impact.
As Director of Strategic Partnerships at The Giving Grove, I lead national partnership strategy to grow the organization’s reach and impact. My role spans securing funding and resources, shaping partner engagement, and creating key moments of connection, including our Planting Promise luncheon and National Community Orcharding Leadership Summit. I work closely with companies, foundations, and mission-aligned organizations to build partnerships that are thoughtful, collaborative, and designed to support long-term impact.
We bring stories to life—whether it’s through community volunteer events, outdoor activations, greener meetings, or thoughtfully curated travel adventures. From team retreats to family getaways, we help center people, grow connections, and make a positive environmental impact. .: Launched as a sole small business owner to produce more sustainable events and experiences for organizations working toward a better world. .: Identified an unfilled need of organizations to operationalize and better communicate their CSR initiatives through a comprehensive event strategy. .: Collaborate with clients to develop event solutions to connect their stakeholders to their CSR & sustainability efforts through volunteer events, adventure activations, and greener meetings/conferences. .: Deliver end-to-end event support, including project and vendor sourcing, planning, registration, onsite management, and post-event impact analysis. .: Clients have included One Tree Planted, The Philadelphia Eagles, Colour Republic, and Hammermill, among others.
Hired to energize and unify event operations throughout the organization with a shared “Power of Moments” strategy. .: Developed an overall event strategy to support organizational mission, marketing, and fundraising, including conferences, exhibits, brand activations, engagement events, large-scale retreats, and internal communication events. .: Crafted a team of nine event and marketing professionals, delivering excellent event experiences globally, including 200+ tree planting and restoration events in 10 months. .: Partnered with fundraising and philanthropy teams to execute branded events for donor development, managing budgets up to $1.25 million. .: Organized the second annual Forest Fest, a 7-day retreat in Denver & Boulder, CO, gathering 300 employees and strategic partners for meetings, adventure, and reforestation education.
Recruited (twice!) to manage sales/marketing and operational aspects of Cardinals Special Events and grow department revenues. .: Oversaw all marketing, sales, and operational logistics for non-gameday events at Busch Stadium including concerts and non-baseball sporting events along with over 200 social and corporate client events annually. .: Successful record of business development with national and local event partners including AEG Presents, Messina Touring Group, Live Nation, Upper Deck Golf, Explore St. Louis, Destination St. Louis, and St. Louis Sports Commission. .: Rebuilt market demand for Special Events at Busch Stadium post-pandemic through targeted social media strategy, leveraging radio and in-game assets, and introduction of innovative event offerings. 2022 Special Event revenues tripled 2019 revenues. .: Led contract creation, negotiation, and monitored contract fulfillment for all events; managed multi-million-dollar budgets for concerts and other stadium-wide events; worked with vendors and departments throughout the organization to provide detailed financial accountability to event partners. .: Developed a team of five full-time event professionals, interns, and 25 part-time event hosts to successfully plan and activate a variety of special events; establish short- and long-term goals, and coach individual performance. .: Spearheaded organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts as Co-Chair of the Cardinal’s employee DEI Committee. Coordinated the area’s first sports cohort of Witnessing Whiteness, incorporating front office team members from the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues, and St. Louis CITY FC.
Established brand identity and communication standards for the University’s Academy for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, including guidelines for staff and faculty interactions across campuses. Created infrastructure and coordinated events, managing budgets, logistics, and program evaluation.