Event industry sustainability body isla has promoted Ellie Ashton-Melia to the role of community director.

In her new position, she will lead the strategy across isla’s Membership and TRACE communities, elevating the overall community experience and ensuring meaningful interactions among its members.

Since joining isla, her focus has been on establishing community as a central strategic pillar within the organisation. Ashton-Melia’s promotion to community director and into the senior leadership team reflects her valuable contribution to isla’s growth and development to date.

“I am excited to lead isla’s communities’ efforts and contribute to the growth and success of our Membership and TRACE communities, continuing to inspire the UK event industry transformation through its work,” she said.

“Our goal is to create an environment where event professionals will learn, connect, and collaborate, making them more confident to deliver sustainable events and stay on top of the latest developments and regulations.”

Anna Abdelnoor, isla founder and CEO, added: “Ellie joined isla in its infancy, and since, her strategic vision and commitment to creating a vibrant and engaged community has supported our client base to treble year on year,  Ellie is the ideal appointment into the role of Community Director. We are confident that under her leadership, isla’s communities will continue to flourish and support the industry on its path to a green, clean, fair future.”

The news follows the recent appointment of Alex Softley as director of marketing & communications. Softley joined isla from Northstar Travel Group, where he was portfolio marketing director for The Meetings Show.