Alumni Spotlight #16: Ashley Campisi, '08

I’m so happy today to shine the light on 2008 Communication Studies graduate Ashley Campisi! Ashley works for the World Champion San Francisco Giants as a Group Sales and Client Relations Account Manager. In this position, Ashley works to maximize renewals of current Giants group customers and provides customer service to clients who purchase group tickets.  She keeps in contact with clients and helps create and participate in client events and develop and enhance Group Sales & Service programs. Working the Giants seems like a perfect job for Ashley, who I know spent many years traveling to watch the Giants Spring Training! Let’s catch up with her…

COMS alum Ashley, smiling because she works for the Giants!

I asked Ashley to tell us about her job and what she enjoys about it.  “I have always enjoyed working with people so I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be able to do so in such a fun and exciting environment! One of the things I enjoy most about my job is the amount of interaction I have with my group clients. Be it through phone and email correspondence or working face to face on the day of a game, the majority of my time is spent working directly with group clients to ensure successful group events at AT&T Park. I work with a wide rang of group clients, from small friends and family groups of 25 to large corporate events with 500+ guests, each group with their own set of challenges and demands. The variations in client types and event needs demand a high level of organization, clear and concise communication and adaptability on my end.”

I also asked Ashley to explain how her Communication Studies background has helped her.  “My communication studies experience has proven to be a tremendous asset in all aspects of my professional career. Having the strong interpersonal skills needed to effectively maintain a professional level of communication with potential employers through phone/email correspondence and interviews allowed me to feel confident in my abilities as a professional. The assurance I had in my abilities to communicate with potential employers directly translated to my employers’ confidence that I would be able to maintain the same high level of professionalism with colleagues and clients.  My experience thus far has shown me that the ability to effectively communicate within the workplace is one of the strongest skills you can possess. Being able to seamlessly communicate across departments within my organization has allowed me establish myself as a capable and self sufficient employee, skills that have proven invaluable throughout my professional career.”

So what advice does Ashley have for other students?  “The first and very best career move I made was picking an industry that interested me and accepting a very low position within the organization. I started with the Giants in 2009 as a part-time seasonal inside sales representative, a position I was not thrilled about. The sales job was extremely low paying and offered no guarantee of ever becoming full time but the experience I gained has been instrumental in progressing my career.

I went in thinking that I didn’t know if I would like the job or be one bit successful in the position but that I would work as hard as I could and that I will have learned and grown at the end of it so no matter what it would be a successful experience. It is difficult to accept a position that you’re unsure of or is not at the level of what you ultimately want to be doing but I have seen that having the determination to start at the bottom of an organization and work your way up is one of the most admirable professional attributes and is very often rewarded in some capacity. Being open to criticism and direction for the sake of growing as a professional has proven to be the most challenging and rewarding aspects of my professional career so I urge you adopt a similar philosophy as you begin your careers.”

What excellent advice from our alum Ashley! I know this is an industry Ashley really wanted to work in, and her dedication paid off and she worked her way up! Thanks Ashley for sharing your experience and advice! Congratulations!