WOMEN OF LIVE

Katie Davis

Vice President, Operations,

Aramark

Katie Davis’ role as vice president of operations at Aramark has not only garnered her recognition as a 2022 VenuesNow Women of Live honoree but has been beneficial in planning her June 2022 wedding.

“I got engaged in 2018 and was due to be married in June 2020, and have rescheduled twice due to the pandemic,” she said. “I know the feeling you get when you have a live event, the joy you create by having people together, the experience you get to provide that cannot be recreated virtually — so for us, it was worth the wait to ensure we could be live and in person. So, my most exciting upcoming live event will be this one!”

Davis started with the food service mainstay as a student employee while a freshman in college at the University of Scranton, then worked her way up through the ranks of the company’s leisure and higher education lines of business. She oversees comprehensive operations at Georgetown University including Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center, custodial services and vending operations.

Davis said her biggest accomplishment this past year has been keeping Aramark’s core management and leadership team engaged and intact, while finding creative ways to support clients during the pandemic.

“It will be an adjustment ramping back up to the hustle and bustle of live events, and a high volume of live events,” Davis said. “I am fortunate to work with a highly passionate team of professionals who are excited to ‘get back to normal,’ and we are equally as fortunate to have great staffing partners who help us execute our events.”

As a member of the planning committee for the International Association of Conference Centers Americas Connect Conference, Davis also is looking forward to the live event in Las Vegas.

In addition to her contributions to IACC, Davis has been involved in Aramark initiatives, including the company’s growing network of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and community service through its annual Aramark Building Community day.

“These activities give voice to the diverse communities that make up our workforce and ultimately create a more inclusive workplace,” she said.

As a Women of Live honoree, Davis is both thrilled and humbled to be recognized among so many talented people in the industry.
“The hospitality industry has been hit hard on many fronts during the pandemic, and it’s harder to recruit people in these roles,” she said. “So, to be able to share how passionate I am about this business is more important than ever.” — Lisa White