Customer Services professional, Event Planner, Funeral Home Support

PATRICIA RUSSELL

Guest Experience Hospitality Operations Customer Experience

856-***-**** • *****************@*****.***

EXECUTIVE PROFILE

Customer Experience and Hospitality Operations professional with 30+ years of leadership experience delivering exceptional guest service, directing large-scale events, and leading teams of up to 80 employees. Proven success managing $250K budgets, coordinating events serving 5,000+ attendees, and generating $100K+ in revenue. Recognized for operational excellence, relationship building, and creating memorable guest experiences across hospitality, nonprofit, education, and customer service organizations.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Guest Experience • Hospitality Operations • Customer Experience • Event Planning • Reservation Management • Call Center Operations • Team Leadership • Budget Management • Customer Relations • Event Operations • Five9 • Microsoft Teams • Microsoft Office

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

MEDIEVAL TIMES DINNER & TOURNAMENT

Customer Care Representative Lawrenceville, GA 2021–Present

Support one of North America's premier themed entertainment organizations by delivering exceptional guest experiences through reservation management, customer advocacy, and cross-functional collaboration across 10 castle locations throughout the United States and Canada.

Highlights

Delivered exceptional service to 60+ guests daily in a high-volume contact center while maintaining professionalism, accuracy, and efficiency.

Earned multiple customer service recognitions for consistently exceeding guest expectations and creating memorable guest experiences.

Coordinated reservations, exchanges, upgrades, cancellations, and special accommodations across 10 Medieval Times castle locations.

Resolved complex guest concerns through professionalism, empathy, and solution-focused communication while balancing customer satisfaction with company policies.

Utilized Five9, Microsoft Teams, and reservation management systems to streamline communication and improve service delivery.

Promoted premium dining packages and special experiences that enhanced guest satisfaction while supporting revenue objectives.

CHURCH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Assistant Director – Office of Protocol Senior Advisor – National Women's Department Human Resources Manager Philadelphia, PA 1994–2020

Progressively promoted into leadership roles supporting executive leadership, national conferences, human resources, and organizational operations for one of the organization's largest ministries.

Highlights

Directed planning and execution of five national conferences annually serving 5,000+ attendees.

Managed event budgets ranging from $200K–$250K while ensuring exceptional execution and financial accountability.

Led teams of 40–80 employees and volunteers, fostering collaboration, accountability, and operational excellence.

Generated $100K+ in event revenue through strategic planning, vendor management, and effective budget oversight.

Planned executive meetings, receptions, weddings, funerals, and VIP events requiring meticulous attention to detail.

Built trusted relationships with government officials, clergy, media representatives, and community leaders.

FRIENDS SCHOOL

Assistant Director – Extended Day Care Mullica Hill, NJ 1997–2018

Provided operational leadership for an extended-day enrichment program serving students from Pre-K through eighth grade while supporting staff development, parent engagement, and program administration.

Highlights

Directed daily operations supporting students, families, and faculty while maintaining a safe, engaging learning environment.

Supervised instructional staff through coaching, scheduling, and professional development.

Strengthened partnerships between parents and educators through proactive communication and collaborative problem-solving.

Managed departmental budgets while improving operational efficiency.

EDUCATION

St. Joseph's University – Philadelphia, PA

Major: Industrial Relations Minor: Human Development

Professional Development

Dale Carnegie Institute — Certificate in Effective Speaking & Human Relations Communications

Atlantic Aviation School — Certificate in Airline Reservations Training

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Five9 • Microsoft Teams • Microsoft Office Suite • Reservation Systems • CRM • Multi-line Telephone Systems

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