Alison Umbanhowar

Alison Umbanhowar joined HelmsBriscoe as Manager, Global Accounts in 2026. Based out of Bloomington, Illinois, she partners with a wide range of clients to create strong relationships and provides strategic sales strategies to ensure success with their unique meeting and event needs. She is a Certified Hospitality Sales Professional through the American Hotel and Lodging Educational institute, and she has a true passion for hospitality, hotel operations, and hotel sales.

With more than eight years of industry experience, Alison has worked in multiple sales leadership roles, including Director of Sales, Catering Sales Manager, and Executive Meeting Manager with both full-service and select-service hotel properties. In these roles, she gained a deep understanding of the hospitality sales process, including sales negotiations and creating strong contracts. Using market trends and hotel research, she assists clients with revenue management and helps to identify the best venues for their meetings and events. She also has a background in catering and event management and has worked directly with clients on menu planning, room setup, and event timelines. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management from Eastern Illinois University. She is committed to providing exceptional service by taking an organized approach to every client and guest request to make sure all details are executed correctly.