Ashley Akright

| Fresh Face |
Ashley Akright
Executive Meetings Manager,
Gaylord National Resort and
Convention Center

Washington, D.C.
Age: 24

Ashley Akright knew she belonged in hospitality from a very young age. By the time she arrived at Pennsylvania State University in State College as a freshman, she already had begun her path to meetings and events. Majoring in hotel, restaurant and institutional management, Akright became heavily involved with PCMA in college, helping to found the association’s Penn State student chapter and serving as its president, secretary and vice president, sitting on the PCMA Student Task Force and winning as many conference scholarships as possible. Akright landed an internship at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, and after graduating in 2009, she began working at Gaylord’s D.C. property as a conference coordinator. Two years later, Akright is already in a leadership role as executive meetings manager.

—L. Plummer