MGM National Harbor, the casino resort set to open later this year in Prince George’s County, Maryland, last week announced that it has appointed teams to lead its hotel operations, brand and retail marketing, as well as communications efforts. MGM National Harbor welcomes Patrick Fisher as executive director of hotel operations; Sarah Moore as executive director of brand marketing and retail; and Dasha Ross Smith as director of communications.
“We are proud of the team we’ve assembled to lead MGM National Harbor,” said Bill Boasberg, general manager of MGM National Harbor. “We were able to tap both into the local talent pool as well as across the industry to identify the best team to successfully guide our casino resort through the grand opening and beyond.”
Patrick Fisher is executive director of hotel operations for MGM National Harbor. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of hotel operations including guest services, call center, housekeeping, spa and salon, fitness center, pool, reservations and more. Prior to joining MGM National Harbor, Fisher served as director of rooms at the AAA Five Diamond Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. He has also served as director of housekeeping at Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans where we was named “Leader of the Year” in 2013. During his tenure as front office manager at Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta-Buckhead, Fisher was part of a team that won two Ritz-Carlton Cobalt Awards for Best Practices within the brand, as recognized by the corporate office. Fisher also has been recognized in Hotel Management magazine’s Class of 2014 as a “Top 30 Under 30 Worldwide”.
Sarah Moore is executive director of brand marketing and retail. In this role, she is responsible for the development and execution of strategic marketing plans and overall brand management, as well as oversight of the resort’s retail program. She leads the integration of traditional and digital advertising mediums, email, direct mail and brand marketing events to drive occupancy. Prior to joining MGM National Harbor, Moore served as director of brand management for MGM Resorts International, providing strategic direction and support to ARIA, Vdara, Luxor, Excalibur, MGM National Harbor, and MGM Springfield. She previously served as director of sustainable operations, where she helped to advance the company’s Green Advantage brand, a program dedicated to educating employees about sustainable practices both in the workplace and at home.
Dasha Ross Smith is director of communications for MGM National Harbor. She is responsible for leading the resort’s communications and social media efforts. She joins MGM National Harbor from Wells Fargo, where she served as communications lead for the corporate responsibility group. In this role, she managed a team that was responsible for internal and external communications support for environmental affairs, community development and community relations. Prior to Wells Fargo, Ross Smith held several communications roles in hospitality with Hilton Worldwide and Marriott International.
