Ashley Judge

Work Experience

Executive Director, Destination Salem
2024-Present

Destination Salem drives the visitor economy in one of the most internationally recognized small cities in the U.S., influencing over $140 million in annual visitor spending and leading tourism growth across the North Shore. As Executive Director, I led the turnaround of a legacy organization, reversing years of financial instability, driving record revenue growth, modernizing operations, strengthening long-term regional impact, and reframing how tourism is measured and understood as an economic driver for local businesses and taxpayers.

• Improved net income by more than 320% in year one, delivering a six-figure surplus in year one, followed by a second consecutive six-figure surplus in year two, restoring reserves and stabilizing the organization’s financial position.

• Increased total revenue by nearly 40% over two years, with digital revenue up nearly 300% and retail revenue up more than 200% over the same period.

• Built the organization’s first finance team and established formal budgeting, forecasting, and reporting processes, strengthening financial oversight and accountability.

• Transformed a legacy, print-first marketing model into a full visitor-journey strategy, changing how audiences are reached, engaged, and converted.

• Rebuilt the digital ecosystem, including the website and app with a mobile-first, integrated architecture; improved advertiser visibility and user experience, reduced costs through automation, and introduced AI and AEO capabilities.

• Shifted focus from awareness to conversion, prioritizing measurable economic impact.

• Doubled the organization’s owned email audience while sustaining a 44%+ open rate.

• Leveraged earned media and influencer partnerships to expand reach, increase visibility for local businesses, and help convert visitor demand into revenue.

• Served as public spokesperson for Haunted Happenings, one of the world’s largest Halloween celebrations.

• Identified a gap in revenue strategy for city-owned tourism assets and championed new approaches to growth and revenue generation.

• Led development of a new citywide tourism revenue model, redefining how tourism’s financial impact is measured and understood.

• Challenged existing tourism measurement frameworks and introduced new data sources, including Placer.ai, to improve how visitation and economic impact are measured.

• Built and led cross-agency partnerships with city leadership, departments, and public safety officials.

• Oversaw operations and staffing at Visitor Center, serving over 100,000 guests annually.

Strategic Advisor, Ashley Judge, LLC
2023-Present

Partnered with leadership teams at high-growth consumer brands to unlock revenue growth and build scalable systems for long-term profitability.

• Expanded revenue through new B2B partnerships with major retailers and a redesigned BFCM strategy that delivered an immediate 25% increase.

• Optimized CRM campaigns, producing a 40% lift by leveraging underutilized owned channels to drive repeat sales.

• Revamped merchandising, pricing, and inventory models to improve margins, align supply with demand, and reduce waste.

• Enhanced customer loyalty and experience by eliminating friction points and revitalizing retention programs.

Chief Executive Officer, Always Fits
2010-2023

Built Always Fits from inception into a $10M/year direct-to-consumer (DTC) gift brand, ranked in the top 1% of Shopify stores worldwide, known for its nostalgic, irreverent voice and cult customer following. Led all aspects of the business, including brand, marketing, merchandising, operations, and financial management, creating a fully integrated system that scaled from startup to national e-commerce presence.

• Designed and built the company’s full business model, including pricing, merchandising, marketing, and fulfillment systems.

• Built a distinctive brand identity and voice, using storytelling and creative direction to differentiate in a crowded market.

• Led multi-channel growth across paid media, email, SMS, and social, driving acquisition, retention, and repeat purchase behavior.

• Curated a one-of-a-kind product mix with hundreds of makers and national publishers

• Launched a mobile app and scaled owned channels to nearly 1 million subscribers

• Orchestrated a joyful, user-centric website experience, blending design and functionality to enhance user engagement and boost conversion rates.

• Built and scaled logistics and fulfillment infrastructure, managing in-house operations and 3PL transitions to support seasonal volume and growth.

• Earned national media coverage, including The Today Show and over 1,000 placements, by building direct relationships with editors and prioritizing product authenticity.

External Affairs Manager, Ambassador Swanee Hunt
2006-2009

• Crafted political work plan for United States Ambassador Swanee Hunt, providing strategic recommendations and overseeing an annual political giving budget of $1.4 million.

• Managed 50+ events/year for the Ambassador, including “Unconventional Women”, a historic event uniting 3,000+ women at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

• Represented the ambassador's interests in high-stakes meetings and events, engaging with heads of states and government officials with tact and diplomacy.

• Wrote key messages, including talking points and op-eds.

• Created and oversaw department systems, operations, budgets, and work plans.

• Managed three direct reports and contracted employees.

Associate Director of Hotel Logistics, John Kerry for President
2004

Coordinated hotel accommodations and logistical arrangements for the Kerry-Edwards Presidential campaign, addressing the needs of Senators Kerry & Edwards, their families, traveling staff, VIP guests, and press pool. 

• Managed room blocks for approximately 150 individuals each evening in various cities across the country, often with only a few days' notice. Demonstrated flexibility and responsiveness by fielding inquiries into the night and swiftly adapting to changes on the campaign trail.

• Leveraged knowledge of the travel, tourism, & hospitality industry to negotiate contracts, secure favorable hotel rates, and arrange rentals and function spaces (essentially establishing a new HQ in a different city every night).

• Employed diplomacy in liaising with hotel sales managers, balancing the campaign's needs with respect for the hotel's existing business operations. Managed delicate situations with tact and diplomacy when hotel accommodations for the campaign necessitated adjustments.

• Prioritized confidentiality and attended to the personal preferences of the Senators, their traveling staff, VIP guests, and the press pool. 

• Worked closely with United States Secret Service to ensure compliance with security protocols and facilitate smooth operations during hotel stays.

Boards

• Vice Chair, Board of Directors • The Salem Pantry • 2022-Present                                                             

• Board of Trust Fund Commissioners • The City of Salem • 2022-Present                                   

• Economic Coordination Task Force • The City of Salem • 2024 - Present

Guest Lecturer

• Guest Lecturer, Salem State University

• Workshop Facilitator, Salem Enterprise Center

Education

2000-2004

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Psychology and Political Science