HISTORY WILL BE KIND TO ME, FOR I INTEND TO WRITE IT.
-WINSTON CHURCHILL
Ilana Eve Avergun
Brand Strategy & Activation, New York Yankees
From top tech campuses to the fields of the MLB & NFL, I thrive in dynamic environments and love to be a part of building memorable experiences. I can bring any idea to life with my strong background in event production, business, client services and focusing on all the little details that make a big difference along the way.
PAST PROJECTS
Take a peek inside my portfolio.
A Trailblazing Activation
With a new Title Partner to impress and an unconventional product to showcase in a winter climate, I wanted to come up with a fun idea that might draw media attention to the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.
Following a month-long internal campaign to garner stakeholder support, the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl kicked off with a lawnmower rigged as a DJ booth on the sidelines, and the day ended with features on ESPN and ESPN College Football, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated and more - plus one very happy client.
Out of Home Advertising
During the 2023 season, I was asked to join a team managing over $10M in seasonal advertising assets, and was responsible for end to end vendor communication from contract negotiation to fulfillment for several key New York Yankees advertising accounts.
As part of the out of home advertising team, I wrote copy for Uber, Playbill, TV commercials, and more in my 2023 portfolio of work.
COVID-19 Response
In an uncertain time, when business plans, and all plans for that matter, were cast aside, I needed to pivot quickly on behalf of the organization to stay top of mind but in a sensitive and relevant way. I created a trio of Work From Home kits to send to top partners worldwide. Clients received an email with tips & tricks to be more productive, relaxed and still have some fun while navigating our new normal, then were directed to a custom order portal to pick their favorite package corresponding to one of those three themes. Though the parameters are drastically different, this initiative still allowed my team to lead with hospitality and promote a real & human narrative, in a meaningful business way.
Client Holiday Gifting
I curated and designed a bespoke gift kit for 700 global clients, focusing on utility & quality of items, as well as packaging with bold messaging & purpose, rather than just going through the motions of putting something in the mail during the holiday season. As a result, sales teams received unprecedented positive feedback & responses, plus our brand saw more social engagement and #unboxing posts than had previously been generated by any other gifts or mailings before.
International Convention
Annually, over 5,000 teens and community leaders come together for BBYO Inc.'s annual marquee event. This multi-million dollar program showcases innovative programming, dynamic speakers, and culminates in a full-scale concert event featuring A-list artists. As a consultant to the leadership team of the convention, I have been retained on an annual basis as the VIP talent liaison, handling everything from celebrity and speaker stewardship to rider execution and contract negotiation.
THE ONLY SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE IS EXPERIENCE.
-ALBERT EINSTEIN
WORK & EDUCATION
New York Yankees
Senior Manager, Brand Strategy & Activation
•Lead marketing strategy for Yankee Stadium Events, Tours, and Tourism
•Manage Major Programs team, selling, servicing and executing all public
events outside of 9 innings of baseball• Director of Marketing, Yankee Stadium Football
Twitter
Global Events Marketing Manager
•Lead global industry event presence in APAC, EMEA and The Americas for Twitter's
AdTech product team, MoPub
•Spearhead strategy, branding, budgeting and management of 50+ annual events, from intimate dinners to tradeshows and conferences to social gatherings
Magnetic Collaborative
Business Lead
•Embedded contractor on Facebook and Instagram event marketing team, creating bespoke B2B brand experiences
•Steward event execution from render to reality, managing 40+ events per year, overseeing budgets, strategy, design timelines & logistics
BBYO, Inc.
Director, VIP Hospitality &
Artist Relations
• Freelance consultant hired to coordinate VIP hospitality and speaker stewardship at annual, multi-million dollar convention
• Artist liaison for musical acts executing rider requests, ROS scheduling, security protocol and show production
Redskins Radio
Director, Client Services & Promotions
• Coordinated all promotional events and worked in conjunction with Redskins Marketing and Ops departments to implement partner programs
• Executed and created sponsorship packages to best affiliate brands with talent & hospitality
Washington Redskins
Corporate Hospitality Fellow
• Engaged suite owners, guests, and prospective clientele at all game day and networking functions
• Generated and develop new leads for ownership, partnerships, and relationships with major D.C. metro area companies
Washington Nationals
Nat Pack
• Selected as official Nationals Park entertainment crew in charge of interacting with guests throughout the game
• Represented Nationals at events in and around DC, affiliated with Marketing & PR Departments
U.S. House of Representatives
Intern for Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)
• Managed constituent correspondence with reception duties, Capitol tours, inquiries by phone and email
• Composed executive briefings, attended meetings, conducted research for legislative aids
University of Maryland, College Park
B.A. Communications
Minor, Leadership Studies•College Park Scholars Program Alumna, Media & Society
•President, Sigma Delta Tau Sorority
•Greek Legislator & Chair of Recruitment and Retention Committee, SGA
The George Washington University
Professional Certification, Event Management
•Certificate program in the GW School of Business
•Courses in risk & legal parameters, contract negotiation, event marketing, protocol & procedure
GOOD WORDS ARE WORTH MUCH AND COST LITTLE.
-GEORGE HERBERT
CONTACT ME.
