Kelley Gillespie
-- President
GEM Events
703-629-9111 email me
Kelley is an experienced strategic special
events planner, having designed and orchestrated
events in the US and abroad for more than
20 years. She has planned Inaugural events,
parties for as many as 12,000 guests and
major fundraisers. She joined ISES in 1997
and also serves on the International Membership
Committee. She is the principal of GEM Events
based in Washington, DC.
Renee Stake -- President-Elect
/ Treasurer
Troutman Sanders LLP
202-274-2928 email me
An ISES board member since 2003, Renee is
excited to begin her position as the President-Elect/Treasurer.
Last year, she served as the co-chair of
the 2007 Northeast REC, hosted by the Greater
Washington DC Chapter and she previously
served on the board as Secretary and Vice
President of Programs. Renee is the Event
Manager for Troutman Sanders LLP and is
responsible for all national events for
the firm. She holds a BA degree in Advertising
from the University of Maryland at College
Park and is currently working towards her
Masters of Science in Marketing at Johns
Hopkins University.
Alysha DiGiorgio
-- Immediate Past President
Digital Lightning
301-987-0511 email me
Alysha became a member of ISES in 2000 and
has served as Director of Committees and
Job Bank, Secretary, President-Elect, President
and now, Immediate Past President. She is
the Director of Sales & Marketing for
Digital Lightning, a special events lighting
and fireworks company. The company has received
an Event Solutions Spotlight Award, 7 ISES
Capitol Awards and has been nominated for
the Special Events Magazine Gala Award and
the ISES Esprit Award. Prior to Digital
Lightning, Alysha held several positions
in the special event industry including
Director of PR and Special Events for a
National Non-Profit Organization. Alysha
is also a volunteer EMT.
Sara Muchnick --
Vice President of Education & Programming
Engaging Affairs
202-448-9444 email me
Sara has been an ISES member since August
of 2004 and has been an active volunteer
in her first year serving on the Expo. and
Holiday Auction Committees. This is her
first year on the Board and she is excited
to plan events, something her current position
doesn't fully allow her to do. She currently
works for Sugarplum Tent Company in Event
Sales and Marketing and works on the side
for event planner Gina Sole of "The
Wedding Planner" in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The two were most recently featured on the
Style network's "Whose Wedding is it
Anyway".
Pat Richitt -- Vice President of Marketing
& Communications
Entertainment Exchange
301-986-4640 email me
Pat Richitt is an owner at Entertainment Exchange, LLC, a music entertainment agency and artist development company which serves the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia markets. As a 20+ year veteran of the special events industry, he also owned a retail florist for nine years, worked for IBM as a marketing rep for nine years and has owned the Entertainment Exchange for fourteen years. A native of Washington, DC, Pat received his MBA from the University of Maryland in 1984 and has also been a professional singer and performer since 1976.
June Ring -- Vice
President of Membership
Classic Design Events
703-349-1230 email me
June has been a member and on the Board
of ISES since 2003. She served as Front
Desk Director and Co-Chair of the 2007 Northeast
Regional Education Conference. June is President
of Classic Design Events, Inc. As an Event
Planner, she has created, developed and
executed successful events with corporate,
government, non-profit and social organizations
in the Washington Metropolitan area over
the past 24 years. June enjoys spending
time with her family, reading and running.
Carla Freed -- Director
of Archives
Freed Photography & Videography
301-652-5452 email me
An active member in ISES since 1996, Carla
joined the Board of ISES as Director of
Archives in 2006. Carla Freed is a partner
at Freed Photography, the region’s
leading wedding and event photography studio.
She has won the ISES Capitol award for Best
Wedding Photography 2002, Best Social Photography
2004, Most Creative Solution 2004, and the
Best Social Photography 2007. Carla received
her BA in art & art history from Tulane
University. She spent a year in Europe studying
art history. Soon after, her creativity
and artistic attention to detail segued
into her being behind the camera and establishing
her own individual style. When not in the
studio, Carla can be found at home with
her husband Neal, also a partner in Freed
photography Neal and Carla have been married
for 25 years and have two children. Neal,
Carla and Bryan Blanken opened their Bethesda
studio in 1996, and Freed Photography has
since grown to become one of Washington's
premier, award-winning studios.
Monica Vidal -- Director
of Education
Washington Talent Photo & Video
301-762-6912 email me
Dave Fritz -- Director
of Membership
CORT Event Furnishings
301-776-7690 email me
An active ISES Member since 2006, Dave joins
our DC ISES Board as Director of Membership.
As a Cort Event Furnishings Account Executive,
he helps clients create memorable events
with event furnishings designed to accentuate
and enhance the event experience. Cort Event
Furnishings is proud winner of the current
“ Rental Company of the Year”
Events Solutions Spotlight Award. Dave has
over 10 years of experience in the event
industry, and holds a History Degree from
the University of Delaware, and a graduate
TESOL Certificate from William Carey University.
Dave lives in Ellicott City, MD. with his
wife, Allison, and two children.
Amy Hibbits -- Director of Newsletter
Atlantic Services Group
202-466-5050 email me
An active ISES member since 2006, Amy
joins our DC ISES Board as Director of
Newsletter. At Atlantic Services Group,
Inc., a valet parking, transportation,
and garage management company in Washington,
she wears many different hats as Executive
Assistant to the President. She is a member
of the ‘Partners For Kids’
advisory group to the DC Child and Family
Services Agency. She graduated from Marymount
University with a degree in Business,
and is a Food Network junkie, avid reader,
and beach bum to the core.
Lesley
Grabias -- Director of Programs
National Republican Senatorial Committee
202.478.4448 email me
Lesley Grabias, a Washington-area native,
is a graduate of James Madison University.
After graduation, she pursued a political
fundraising career at the National Republican
Senatorial Committee. During her years
with the NRSC, Lesley has assisted in
the successful execution of several events
ranging from small dinners featuring Members
of Congress, Inaugural balls, activities
surrounding the Republican National Convention
to The Annual President’s Dinner.
In addition to fundraising events, Lesley
helped implement several grassroots marketing
campaigns, resulting in millions raised
for U.S. Senators. In 2005 Lesley joined
Carte Blanche Events where plans both
social and corporate events and specializes
in weddings.
Dave
Markowitz -- Director of Sponsorship &
Strategic Alliances
Advantage Marketing
301-424-3781 email me
Dave Edwards, CSEP
-- Director of Students
Dave Edwards Events, Inc.
703-812-0525 email me
Dave has been active in ISES since 1999
and was named the 2001 Volunteer of the
Year. He has served as Director of Strategic
Alliances, Membership VP, Job Bank Coordinator,
Volunteer Coordinator and Front Desk Chair.
He also produced the chapter’s first
picnic, ISES Island Adventure in 2001. Dave
received the 2004 ISES Spirit of Excellence
Award. Dave Edwards Events Inc. is a full-service
event production company, specializing in
corporate and non-profit events. Dave has
12 years of event experience. He is a graduate
of the Event Management Certificate Program
at George Washington University and obtained
his CSEP in 2001.
Greater Washington, DC Chapter International Special Events Society
c/o Mariner Management - PO Box 1046 - Laurel, MD 20725 - 202.898.1152 - info@dcises.org
