Lindsey Pesch

Social Media Manager at Darden Restaurants

Led in-house social media strategy for 9 full-service restaurant brands within Darden, cascading strategy to 9 brands and 1,500+ owned handles. Managed a cross-functional team of ~12 (22 pre-Covid) including social strategy, community management, content, influencers, and analytics; built authentic communities and relationships; launched and executed campaigns across platforms, fueling engagement and growth from thousands to millions of interactions; established real-time listening and content optimization processes; contributed to brand value and cross-brand coordination across Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, The Capital Grille, Eddie V's, Seasons 52, Yard House, Bahama Breeze, and other Darden brands.

Social Media Lead at Push (Full-Service Advertising Agency)

Built the company's first-ever social media department from the ground up, growing from $0 to approximately $500k annual billing within 2 years. Recruited and mentored a diverse team, and led the planning, creation, and execution of digital and social media campaigns for 20+ clients across food & beverage, sports, retail, higher education, health care, and more; implemented content creation, community management, reputation management, and integrated campaigns; supported local-store marketing and brand activation; developed agency-wide social media playbooks and client-ready deliverables.

Social Media Manager at Olive Garden (Darden Restaurants)

Led the development of an in-house social media center of excellence, cascading strategy across 9 full-service restaurant brands, establishing cross-functional governance, data-driven KPIs, and analytics. Drove content creation, community management, and influencer partnerships to strengthen fan engagement.

Social Media Manager at Olive Garden (Darden Restaurants)

Launched Olive Garden's TikTok presence and expanded cross-brand social campaigns; built unified social strategies, led a cross-functional team for content production and campaign execution, and established measurement frameworks to optimize performance.

Owner at Lindsey Pesch Experience

Founder of a strategic digital and social leadership practice offering social strategy, content creation, and cross-channel activation for brands; builds authentic communities and drives measurable growth.

Director, Social Media Center of Excellence at Darden Restaurants

Led the in-house Social Media Center of Excellence across 9 brands, cascading strategy to 1,500+ owned handles, building authentic communities, driving loyalty, and turning fans into brand champions.

Social Media Manager at Olive Garden (Darden Restaurants)

Managed social media for Olive Garden, developed content calendars and campaigns, coordinated influencer partnerships, and drove real-time engagement across platforms.

Social Media Lead at Push (Advertising Agency)

Built the company’s first dedicated social team; created holistic, channel-specific content strategies; led influencer programs and paid/earned media to drive brand relevance.

Director, Social Media Center of Excellence at Darden Restaurants

Led the development and cascading of a unified social media strategy across nine full-service restaurant brands, expanding to 1,500+ owned handles. Built and guided cross-functional teams and activated distinct but unified social strategies across a large portfolio.

Social Media Manager (Olive Garden) at Olive Garden (Darden Restaurants)

Built and managed Olive Garden's social media program, establishing a team and executing digital and social campaigns across paid and organic channels. Focused on content creation, community management, influencer partnerships, and analytics to expand reach and deepen loyalty.

Social Media Manager (Olive Garden) at Darden Restaurants

Led the in-house social media center of excellence across 9 restaurant brands with 1,500+ owned handles; directed content, influencer partnerships, community management, and analytics; launched cross-brand campaigns, built authentic communities, and implemented a KPI-driven measurement framework.