LEESBURG, Va.
The National Conference Center and West Belmont Place announced the appointment of Paula Lynn Safran, CMP, CPCE, LES, CWP, as director of catering sales.
Safran brings more than 25 years of experience in the food & beverage and event planning industry which includes leading catering teams at a number of coveted resorts in California, Illinois, Florida, Virginia and Maryland. Most recently, she served as the chief operating officer at Queen Anne Marina and Silver Swan Bayside, an exclusive boutique marina and private event venue located on the Chesapeake Bay.
“We are delighted to have Paula in the key leadership role of our sales team,” stated Geoff Lawson, vice president and general manager of The National Conference Center and West Belmont Place. “Her decades of leadership experience will be a treasured asset to our catering platform as we craft personalized and creative experiences through our culinary.”
Safran joins Executive Chef Chris Ferrier, Food & Beverage Director John Walsh, Chief Wine Officer Mary Watson and other members of the food & beverage team, that are committed to delivering a memorable catering experience or event. The team has collaborated on a number of recent and upcoming projects, including The National’s recently expanded wine and culinary programs.
Safran has a degree in hotel restaurant management with a focus on culinary and has a passion for Italian cuisine and lived in Italy where she studied the fine art of Italian cuisine. She is dedicated to her field and has earned the professional designations of certified meeting planner, learning environment specialist, certified professional catering executive, certified wedding planner, and certified ACE trainer.
Located in Northern Virginia 12 miles from Dulles International Airport and 35 miles from Washington, D.C., The National Conference Center offers 917 guest rooms. The over 260,000 square feet of meeting and group function space includes the West Belmont Place catering complex with its 16,500-square-foot ballroom.
