SENIOR
LEADERSHIP
Led by president Chris Sinclair, Anthem prides itself on employing the best of the best. Each team member blends formal expertise with intuition to deliver unparalleled service. When clients choose Anthem, a member of our leadership team will be there each step of the way. Learn more about our senior team!
Managing partner, Ashley Mercurio and CEO & Founder, Chris Sinclair
Shelby Elwell
VP of Operations, National Director of Programming, The Anthem Group
Shelby Elwell
VP of Operations, National Director of Programming, The Anthem Group
Shelby Elwell is the National Programming Director for The Anthem Group. With expansive knowledge in both hospitality and event production, Shelby’s talent has enabled her to acquire extensive experience. She spearheads a wide spectrum of responsibilities within Anthem Production, Anthem Marketing, and Anthem Placemaking. Additionally, Shelby currently manages The Anthem Group’s newest waterfront venue – The Anchor, Boston’s only multi-story public gathering space, performing and visual arts venue and open-air wine and beer garden.
In her role as a National Program Director, Shelby managed “The Big Cheese” Holiday Tour, which launched this new and dynamic product into the market. She supervised operations in Boston, NYC, Philadelphia and Washington D.C., which included orchestrating the transport of product, infrastructure and personnel. Shelby has coordinated other marquee brand activations across the country, including Uptime Energy’s 50+ market campaign, the brand’s signature NYE partnership in Detroit and special ski-themed winter projects. She has also worked with dozens of other clients and brands throughout the course of her Anthem career.
Furthermore, Shelby was one of Anthem’s key team members to work with “Stockton Scholars” for its inaugural media launch in California, with the primary purpose of the event being to reveal a $20 million-dollar donation used to initiate a college scholarship program available to all Stockton Unified graduates. Shelby and team travelled to Stockton, CA to produce all aspects of the event which featured international media outlets, highly influential California elected officials, VIPS and nearly 600 high school scholarship participants.
In her capacity with Anthem Placemaking, Shelby has been a leading force behind over 1600 free public events, programs, public art and seasonal installations in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Shelby is the lead manager for an expansive team that includes assistant managers, team leaders, security personnel, operational employees, and service staff. In 2022 and 2023, Shelby spearheaded field operations for the town of Lexington, MA placemaking campaign which turned a vacant post-COVID town center into a vibrant all-ages space in collaboration with local businesses and vendors. Additionally, she oversaw the first annual Salem Frozen Fire Festival which included a beer and wine garden, live music, aerial and acrobatic acts which welcomed thousands of guests during its weeklong campaign. Most recently, Shelby spearheaded the launch of Anthem’s new property – Harborwalk Garden in Salem, MA – sister property to The Anchor.
Working closely with members of Anthem Marketing, Shelby lead in contributing to business-to-business campaigns including mixed media and digital, throughout several online platforms weekly. She plays a key role in establishing and cultivating new and existing relationships with vendors, suppliers, talent and other elements. Moreover, Shelby is instrumental in operational management and execution for both client-driven and internal programming.
She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Endicott College with a major in Hospitality and Event Management. She was a prized member of the Women’s Soccer Team, where she was recognized for being the “All-Conference” Female Student-Athlete of the Year.
Shelby has a passion for traveling, exploring new cultures and has frequented several countries across the globe. She enjoys spending time on her family’s farm in Connecticut, watching Notre Dame football, staying active with fitness and soccer and supporting all Boston sports teams.
Ashley Murcurio
Managing Partner, The Anthem Group
Ashley Murcurio
Managing Partner, The Anthem Group
Ashley Mercurio is the National Events Director and Managing Partner for The Anthem Group – a collection of highly acclaimed and award-winning entities. Since starting with Anthem, Ashley has become widely recognized as one of the most respected and gifted events coordinators in the country. With extraordinary talent to produce private events while keeping an equally strong focus on public programs, Ashley is responsible for overseeing internal and external event operations for all Anthem properties. Additionally, she manages Anthem’s highly renowned global internship and fellowship programs which collaborates with some of the world’s most prestigious institutions.
As an expert in venue and site selection, creative and décor design, event cataloging, pedestrian traffic flow and large-scale project management, Ashley plays an integral role in Anthem’s everyday success. She is the client liaison for Anthem’s high-profile galas, media launches and similar projects – and has coordinated hundreds of all-encompassing events from pre-event planning to post-event analysis. Ashley’s brilliant gift with complex production and efficient organization has made her Anthem’s leader on many internal procedures and operations. She straddles a hybrid of internal and external responsibilities. Ashley spearheads a mixture of wide-reaching operational, administrative and personnel duties while also leading creation, innovation and execution of both Anthem initiated and client-driven programs and projects. This rare skillset to be both creative and operationally proficient is a hallmark of Ashley’s abilities.
Ashley has composed the production and execution of all fashion-based events, directed the personnel and operations for Anthem’s 80-market International Music Festival and oversaw vendor operations for Boston’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular for over ten years. She oversees more than 100 suppliers, contractors and partners annually. One of Ashley’s most beloved contributions to The Anthem Group is the conception and execution of the renowned New England Dessert Showcase – the country’s original and leading boutique dessert experience.
Externally, she also spearheads most of Anthem’s community and philanthropic partners, which now includes over 150 different organizations. Additionally, she manages an entire team that orchestrates nearly 500 public programs and events annually. On a weekly basis she directs more than a dozen client driven events, projects or campaigns.
As a leader of Anthem’s core values and philosophies, Ashley energetically serves as Chairwoman of Anthem’s own Placemaking and Public Art Advisory Board. She leads the majority of Anthem’s initiatives, such as the annual youth trick or treat Halloween celebration, Anthem committees on community programs and previously was a member for the Easter Seals Regional Board. Ashley showcases much of her philanthropic endeavors through her work at Anthem with non-profit partners, but notably enjoys collaborating with charitable organizations such as Cradles to Crayons and dozens of others.
Ashley graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Sociology with Honors and was most recently named as one of LASSO’s Top Women in Events in 2020.
When she isn’t creating, managing and coordinating with The Anthem Group, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband, daughters and two dogs. She enjoys family-time and activities such as baking, watching movies, sports and vacationing anywhere warm!
Chris Sinclair
CEO & Founder, The Anthem Group
Chris Sinclair
Founder & CEO, The Anthem Group
Chris Sinclair is the Founder and President of The Anthem Group – a collection of highly acclaimed and award-winning entities and the parent organization of all Anthem-related properties. Among the marquee companies are Anthem Production, Anthem Strategy, Anthem Innovation, and Anthem Hospitality.
Since founding Anthem with his entire personal savings of $500 while still a teenager, Chris has become an inspiring, accomplished, and renowned business leader throughout various industries. He has developed the companies into internationally recognized entities, growing Anthem exponentially from its humble beginnings as a boutique Boston-based events agency to a multi-industry enterprise with activity in over 70 markets across five continents. Chris’ and The Anthem Group’s inventiveness is routinely showcased throughout numerous local, national, and international publications and media outlets.
Chris has obtained an array of academic degrees, certificates, and honors. He has studied at La Salle University, Ohio University, Harvard University, University of Massachusetts’ Center for Collaborative Leadership, the FBI Citizens Academy, and his Alma Mater: The University of Notre Dame. Despite his numerous achievements, Chris attributes Anthem’s success to four chief characteristics instilled in the company’s core values: ingenuity, determination, focus, and leadership.
Chris has actively or previously served as chair, board, or committee member for 20+ NGO, philanthropic, academic, or community-based organizations. Recent examples include UMass Sports Leadership (bachelors) Degree Advisory Board, Dana Faber UnMask Cancer Campaign Steering Committee, Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business Board, Boston’s Somali Community and Cultural Association Advisor, and Chair of Hoop Dreams, a fundraiser co-hosted by former Los Angeles Clippers’ coach Doc Rivers and former Boston Celtics’ coach Brad Stevens.
With great pride, Chris dedicates his time to mentoring and teaching entrepreneurial and business fundamentals to students, aspiring innovators, and emerging companies. He has contributed to various colleges’ entrepreneurship programs, career development offices and orchestrated Anthem’s career initiatives. In collaboration with external partners, Chris continues to provide guidance, mentorship and facilitate high-level collisions between countless students looking to develop new ventures. Chris is a popular guest lecturer and speaker at numerous colleges, conferences, and professional panels, primarily focusing on innovation, entertainment, business strategy, corporate citizenship, philanthropy, and, of course, entrepreneurship.
Using his contagious spirit, Chris continues to leverage Anthem’s scope to pilot new opportunities, enabling disadvantaged individuals to learn new tools, education, and life skills. He encourages any student, child, or adult to reach their fullest potential in life – regardless of their goals. Chris devotes time and resources to engage with underprivileged youth and adults by focusing on furthering education, athletic and extracurricular opportunities that facilitate social growth and development.
In South Bend, Indiana, Chris developed an entrepreneurship curriculum to empower underprivileged youth and create professional and entrepreneurial opportunities for local high school students. Chris moved to Cape Town, South Africa, to facilitate the overhaul of a state-funded entrepreneurship program that provided training to underserved township residents. Additionally, Chris directed research showcasing regional housing challenges in the Western Cape to be submitted to the South African Parliament. Chris considers his ability to help and empower the less fortunate as one of his most significant efforts.
Chris has been honored with numerous awards and accolades for his various achievements, as well as his social initiatives. He has recently received five prestigious national awards that highlight his efforts in philanthropy, public service, and drive to create a positive social impact. Bestowed with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, the OM Foundation Award at the National Sports Forum, the Ask More of Business Award from The University of Notre Dame, and the Center for Collaborative Leadership’s Leading the Way Award. He was also the recipient of the FBI Director’s Leadership Award for his efforts to combat violence, crime, terrorism, and drug use through prevention education. Chris is among the youngest individuals to receive these esteemed honors.
In the past year, Chris has added two additional companies to The Anthem Group collection and an industry standard-setting new venue. Anthem Innovation focuses on providing resources to assist, mentor and empower entrepreneurs to create large and scalable ventures. The second initiative is Anthem Incubator that concentrates on providing strategic and organizational guidance to spur entrepreneurial growth and kick-start small and Micro Ventures. More recently, as the leading force behind the creation of Anthem’s newest project, The Anchor, Chris put his skills to the test as he reimagined how to utilize open space – both as an entertainment hub and community-centric public gathering space. His vision to create a multifaceted mix of venue, programming and community structure demonstrates Anthem’s core value of simultaneously doing good and doing well. The Anchor is Boston’s only multi-story public gathering space, performing and visual arts venue, open-air wine and beer garden and special event setting – and one of the largest placemaking programs in the United States.
Chris continues to focus on creating large-scale properties that also directly dial into communities, making it a priority to leverage Anthem’s resources, scope, and influence to support worthwhile initiatives whenever possible. Under Chris’ direction, Anthem has established an internal three-tier jobs program that provides opportunity and development to inner-city youth, individuals in recovery, and adults transitioning from homelessness back into the workforce. The Anthem team also collaborates with multiple CBOs to coordinate youth outings that offer education and opportunity to at-risk pre-teens and teenagers. The primary objective is to introduce the youth to new experiences, people, places and expose them to the world outside of their immediate and daily surroundings.
Anthem’s diverse portfolio provides Chris a powerful platform to fuel his passion for philanthropy. Internally, Anthem spearheads its own philanthropic and civic initiatives that serve Anthem’s local communities and the global community. The Anthem Group institutionally supports and helps provide entrepreneurial solutions to over 100 different charitable causes and organizations. All of Anthem’s team share the philosophy that the decision to do good in addition to doing well is not a decision at all – it is an obligation.
As a loyal Notre Dame alumnus, Chris attributes much of his success and growth to his University. He never misses Fighting Irish football and supports the University whenever he can. A former college athlete, Chris remains very active and enjoys traditional sports and extreme activities such as rappelling, bungee jumping and mountain climbing. He is also passionate about the arts, music, animal welfare, health/fitness, and education, which inspire many of Anthem’s programs and initiatives.
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