Sheli Hinds Armstrong has over 30 years of experience in hospitality sales, marketing, tourism and special event management.

 

At the age of 22, Sheli began her career at the legendary Marriott Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, Arizona, while completing her education at Arizona State University. Her career ramped into high gear, taking her to several of the country’s finest destination cities and world-class resorts with Marriott International, including Desert Springs Resort in Palm Desert. She then spent over a decade with Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Resort Company, where she was trusted with business for some of their top California luxury properties, including Laguna Niguel, San Francisco and Half Moon Bay. While with the Ritz-Carlton, she also was a trainer for the organization and taught leadership and management to incoming industry professionals.

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Her career path then took her to Restaurant Associates Inc. in Los Angeles, where she managed extravagant events for the Los Angeles Music Center, whose venues included the LA Philharmonic, LA Opera and Center Theatre Group. Sheli’s notable galas include the Academy Awards’ Governors Ball, Screen Actors Guild Awards and Entertainment Industry Foundation’s A Tribute to Style on Rodeo Drive. Sheli has worked closely with celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck and Piero Selvaggio, often designing and creating custom event menus.

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Sheli returned to her native New Mexico to continue her expertise is hospitality Sales & Marketing for several high-end hotels including Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort, Eldorado Hotel & Spa, and Inn and Spa at Loretto. She was also the Director of Operations for the acclaimed Geronimo Restaurant in Santa Fe. There, she worked with the late and well loved, Chef Eric DiStefano, who was also owner and chef of Coyote Café. Soon after, Sheli joined Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm in Rancho de Albuquerque and was instrumental in developing their property which has been on the Foder’s 100 List of best international hotels.

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In 2010, Sheli founded SoireeQ, LLC which specialized in event design, hospitality development and consulting. She continued to work with boutique hotel properties in Santa Fe, Amelia Island and Northern Ireland. She then took her talents to Visit Albuquerque, DMO, in National Sales and Marketing.

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Proudly, Sheli is the owner and CEO of Destination Southwest doing what she loves most and with an amazing team of professionals.

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Sheli sits on the board of directors for New Mexico Ballet Company. She was also National President of Project Cuddle, a nationwide California-based non-profit organization, board member with Vintage Albuquerque and Maxwell Museum of Anthropology. She is also a member of Skal International, the New Mexico Hospitality Association, Santa Fe Lodgers Association, NTA, ABA, SYTA, and Virtuoso. 

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