Planning

*Pursuing Certificate for Associate in Project Management (CAPM)®

• Key member of senior management, working directly with founders, CEOs, associates, general managers, industry partners, municipalities, and external organizations—identifying stakeholders and aligning cross-functional teams around organizational goals.

• Wore multiple hats, adapting to contexts quickly and haveing a naturally flexible mindset.

• Leadership on brand positioning and messaging frameworks, set KPIs, asset-management systems, and expanded workflows, documentation, and standard operating procedures.

• Work ranged from team coordination, meeting facilitation, internal consulting to procurement for resources (designers, agencies, printers), setting marketing budgets, and mitigating risk.

• Excelling at prioritizing competing deadlines, managing quality and timelines, and defining and meeting deliverables.

Bringing the Michelin Designation to a Rural Destination

Fulfilled a multi-stakeholder marketing and business development plan aimed at achieving national and international recognition for a farm-to-table fine-dining destination—with a clear project scope to elevate brand visibility, attract high-value clientele, and position the region for Michelin Guide consideration.

The Challenge

Overview: As Restaurant Pearl Morissette’s Marketing Manager, I was brought on to implement company-wide marketing—unifying the partner companies (restaurant, winery, farm, bakery), strengthening brand outreach, and establishing multi-channel storytelling.

Pain Point: Bringing desired clientele to a seasonal tourism location outside the big city during the low season.

Objective: Drive demand. The Michelin Guide entered Canada listing stars only in Toronto; the strategic goal was to elevate the region’s profile for future inclusion.

The Solution

Approach: As Project Lead, I identified the strategic opportunity to position the Niagara Benchlands as a tourism destination worthy of Michelin recognition.

Key Insight: Receiving Michelin attention also required a compelling regional narrative supported by tourism groups, local government, and demand indicators.

Research: 

• Understood the framework, process, budget, and key players involved

• Conducted competitor and industry landscape analysis, e.g., California wine country

• Led stakeholder interviews across tourism organizations and industry partners

• Established KPIs to guide internal alignment and external partnership opportunities

Strategy:

• Formed core pillar and a narrative positioning the Niagara Benchlands as a Michelin-calibre culinary destination

• Selected channels and partnerships based on audience insights and regional alignment

Execution: 

• Applied project management methodologies to lead a cross-functional initiative—mitigating risks and keeping the project on time and on budget

• Crafted presentation decks and business cases to secure buy-in from municipal and regional governments

• Negotiated with owners, chefs, the general manager, and external partners—leveraging their industry networks and influence

• Facilitated internal communications and cross-department meetings to support change management, team charter and communications plan

• Oversaw timelines, budgets (monitoring/controlling costs) and operational workflows to achieve objectives within scope

The Result

Impact: 

• Secured alignment across internal teams, tourism groups, and industry partners

• Elevated brand perception—generating global attention to the region through press, collaboration, outreach, and increased reservations

• Strengthened the strategic positioning of all affiliated businesses and the broader region

• Restaurant Pearl Morissette received its first Michelin star in 2024

Key Takeaways: 

• Upfront alignment with all parties ensures a unified objective and a clear strategic pathway for collaboration across internal teams, external partners, and industry stakeholders.

• Demonstrated the impact of cross-functional collaboration, narrative direction, and communications-led strategy.

• Every past experience contributes to future work—e.g., managing a $30,000 budget at age 20 for a Canada Day event (including presenting to Council and navigating vendors, bylaws, and city safety measures) laid the groundwork for effectively navigating local politics.