Ashley Perala
Minneapolis,MN
Summary
I am passionate about building meaningful relationships and consistently going above and beyond to support the people I work with. With a proven track record of managing a multi-million-dollar corporate portfolio and cultivating high-impact stakeholder relationships, I bring a collaborative, strategic approach focused on anticipating needs, navigating complex challenges, and delivering solutions that are in the best interest of those I serve while creating lasting value and earning trust.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Social Investments Representative
Xcel Energy
12.2022 - Current
- Scale and execute a sustainable portfolio strategy, growing the network from 6 to 14 colleges and driving $3.2M in cumulative investments since 2022.
- Manage and prioritize a $650K weekly rolling sponsorship budget while maintaining high data accuracy and strategic regional resource allocation.
- Oversee the vetting and qualification process for 200+ annual pipeline entries to convert inquiries into high-value corporate brand partnerships.
- Partner with multi-disciplinary corporate business units to optimize market positioning, communication strategy, and brand visibility across digital channels.
- Orchestrate high-stakes corporate events for C-suite executives and key external stakeholders to strengthen professional presence and client retention.
- Maintain and deepen complex partnerships with regional community leaders and institutional partners to generate repeatable collaboration flow.
- Accelerated low-income program accessibility by pacing a 20% YoY increase in outreach events, expanding customer support footprint.
Customer Innovation Analyst
Xcel Energy
07.2021 - 12.2022
- Executed targeted engagement initiatives at university and professional career fairs to expand corporate footprint and talent pipelines.
- Planned and executed 70+ community initiatives involving over 1,000 employees, demonstrating strong organization and follow-through.
- Organized high-profile corporate summits and prominent speaker series for government figures to support executive relationship management.
- Conducted rigorous market research and competitive trend analysis to compile monthly market intelligence profiles for executive decision-making.
- Launched and managed a bi-weekly intelligence publication tracking macro utility trends to identify mid-term organizational growth opportunities.
Strategic Communications Intern
Xcel Energy
01.2020 - 07.2021
- Served as the platform business unit project manager to streamline cross-functional asset readiness for upcoming project proposals and RFPs.
- Delivered technical presentations and training sessions to 10+ diverse corporate audience groups to enhance internal alignment.
Human Resources Generalist Intern
Mortenson
05.2019 - 01.2020
- Managed the mobilization of 30+ international personnel onto active project sites while maintaining strict federal compliance standards.
- Analyzed Insights Discovery psychometric data to facilitate internal workshops and optimize cross-functional communication styles across field and corporate units.
- Audited end-to-end exit interviews for departing employees to transform qualitative feedback into actionable insights for leadership retention strategies.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Human Resources Management and Business Communications
University of St. Thomas
St. Paul, MinnesotaSkills
- Strategic business development and opportunity planning
- Client relationship management and professional presence
- Proposal and interview support capabilities
- Demonstrated teamwork and leadership skills
- Strong verbal, written, coaching, and presentation skills
- Cross-functional collaboration and influence
- Analytical thinking and sound business judgment
- Organization, prioritization, and follow-through
- Good interpersonal abilities and stakeholder engagement
Accomplishments
- SparkPath Board of Directors
- Dress for Success Twin Cities Development Committee
Timeline
Social Investments Representative
Xcel Energy
12.2022 - Current
Customer Innovation Analyst
Xcel Energy
07.2021 - 12.2022
Strategic Communications Intern
Xcel Energy
01.2020 - 07.2021
Human Resources Generalist Intern
Mortenson
05.2019 - 01.2020
Bachelor of Arts - Human Resources Management and Business Communications
University of St. Thomas