Elissa (Teal) Watson
About Elissa (Teal) Watson
Elissa (Teal) Watson is a Strategic Planning Analyst at Ally and an Executive Board Member at Toastmasters Toast It Right Club, with extensive experience in various roles related to membership engagement, public relations, and education.
Company
Elissa Watson currently works at Ally as a Strategic Planning Analyst in the Greater Detroit Area. She has held this position since 2018. She also held the role of Executive Assistant at Ally from 2016 to 2018. Her tenure at Ally includes mentoring interns on the Insurance Product Development team as part of Ally's early talent program. Additionally, she played a crucial role in launching and managing the first Toastmasters club at Ally in Detroit, which started in January 2020 with nearly 30 charter members.
Title
Elissa Watson holds the title of Strategic Planning Analyst at Ally. She is also an Executive Board Member, serving as the VP of Public Relations for the Toastmasters Toast It Right Club, since 2021. Previously, she served as the VP of Membership for the same club in 2020.
Education and Expertise
Elissa Watson holds a Master's degree in Rhetoric and Composition from The University of Toledo, achieved between 2002 and 2005. She also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in History Education from Bowling Green State University, completed between 1993 and 1996. She has been identified as having CliftonStrengths in Maximizer, Intellection, Connectedness, Input, and Arranger. Her StandOut assessment results highlight her strengths as a Connector and Teacher.
Professional Background
Elissa Watson has a diverse professional background. She worked as a Community Class Instructor independently for 9 years in the Greater Detroit Area. She was a Composition Instructor at Monroe County Community College from 2005 to 2010 and served as an Academic Advisor for the Master of Business Administration Program at The University of Toledo from 2002 to 2006. Additionally, she contributed to the Impact100 Metro Detroit as Co-Chair Membership Engagement on the Board of Directors from 2019 to 2020.
Achievements in Toastmasters
Elissa Watson has actively contributed to Toastmasters Toast It Right Club in various capacities. She served as VP of Membership in 2020 before transitioning to VP of Public Relations in 2021. She played a key role in the successful transition of the club to virtual meetings in May 2020, which led to consistent membership growth. At Ally, she was instrumental in launching the first Toastmasters club in Detroit in January 2020, attracting nearly 30 charter members.
Community Involvement
Elissa Watson has been deeply involved in community activities and professional development initiatives. At Ally, she is an active participant in the Detroit Women ALLYs development pillar, where she organizes monthly lunch and learn sessions to support women's professional development. Her leadership and organizational skills have been central to these initiatives, which aim to foster growth and empowerment among female professionals.