When Gabriella Polsinelli began giving tours at Sagamore Spirit Distillery eight years ago, she didn’t imagine she’d one day oversee the entire hospitality and events operation. But through hard work, strong mentorship, and a commitment to growing as a leader, she rose through the ranks — first as a floor manager, then event manager, and now, as the hospitality and events manager overseeing a 12-person department for the popular waterfront distillery that sources Maryland-grown rye to produce award-winning whiskey. 

“I started right after graduating from Towson [University],” she recalls. “I was a tour guide, just welcoming people to Baltimore and showing them what we do here. Since then, I’ve had the chance to grow within the company in several ways—but always with hospitality at the heart of it.” 

Today, Polsinelli leads a dynamic team dedicated to creating memorable guest experiences at one of Baltimore’s most celebrated distilleries. From waterfront concerts to whiskey-and-chocolate pairing classes, she’s helped turn Sagamore Spirit into more than just a whiskey destination — it’s become a community hub. 

But as her responsibilities grew, Polsinelli knew she needed to invest in her own leadership development. At the suggestion of her director — herself a graduate of a women’s leadership program at the Dr. Nancy Grasmick Leadership Institute at Towson University — Polsinelli enrolled in two programs offered by the Institute this spring: Critical Conversations and Cultivating a Vibrant and Winning Workplace Culture. 

“I really wanted to invest in myself this year,” she says. “The Grasmick Institute stood out because it wasn’t just theory—it was practical, personal, and rooted in real-life situations.” 

The Critical Conversations course, a two-day intensive, focused on one of Polsinelli’s self-identified growth areas: navigating difficult conversations with team members. “In our department, we’re all relatively young, between 22 and 40, and we work really well together,” she explains. “But when a tough conversation does need to happen, I wanted to learn how to approach it in a way that shows I care and want to support them—not shut them down.” 

That people-first leadership philosophy runs deep at Sagamore, where Polsinelli emphasizes long-term investment in her team. “The longevity of our team is important to me,” she says. “I want people to feel invested in. That’s something the Institute really reinforced for me, you’re leading before someone even joins your team.” 

She found the Workplace Culture session especially powerful. “That program was everything I was looking for,” Polsinelli says. “It taught me how to encourage, recognize, and recruit with intention. Erin [Moran, the facilitator and Executive Director of the Institute], made it clear that workplace culture doesn’t start on someone’s first day, it starts before they’re even hired.” 

Now, Polsinelli is bringing those lessons back to her team. New hires are welcomed with signed cards, personalized gift bags, and a thoughtful onboarding process that introduces them to every aspect of the company. “It’s about making people feel comfortable and valued from day one,” she says. 

She’s also paying it forward by sending two of her team leads to the Institute’s Individual Contributor to Leader program. “They’re new to managing but doing a great job, and I want them to feel as supported as I have,” she says. “There’s something about being in a room, in person, with other people who get what you’re going through. You can’t replicate that online.” 

The connection between Sagamore and the Dr. Nancy Grasmick Leadership Institute runs deep — not only through Polsinelli’s own background as a Towson alumna, but through a shared mission. Sagamore, founded by Under Armour’s Kevin Plank, is deeply rooted in Baltimore and driven by community. “We partner with local vendors, use local bands and food trucks, and do everything we can to uplift the region,” she says. 

That spirit of civic-minded leadership echoes the Grasmick Institute’s founding mission: “Leadership for the Public Good.” As Dr. Nancy Grasmick has said, “The best way to support Baltimore is to develop strong leaders who can strengthen organizations and uplift communities.” 

For Polsinelli, those values are more than slogans — they’re embedded in her daily work. “It really struck me, walking into the Institute’s classroom and seeing so many people from local organizations. There’s so much connection here — so much possibility.”