International Special Events Society - Greater Washington, D.C. Chapter

Board of Directors (2006-2007)

	Alysha DiGiorgio—President Alysha became a member of ISES in 2000 and has served as Director of Committees and Job Bank, Secretary, President-Elect and now 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.

	Kelley Gillespie—President-Elect/Treasurer 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.

	Raegan Smythe—Immediate Past President Raegan has been an active member of the Greater Washington DC Chapter of ISES since 2000. She started on the Front Desk and Newsletter committees, then subsequently served as the Newsletter Director, Newsletter VP, President Elect and 2005-2006 President. She is the President and owner of Chase Your Tail Productions, Inc. Raegan dedicates herself to providing production and general session consultation services for event and meeting planners with professionalism, dependability and a smile. She is a proud Gator alumna, loves Tigger and, when not traveling all over the country, relaxes by going camping with her husband and 3 dogs.

	Bob Blanken—Co-Vice President of Programming & Education Bob is a certified Professional Photographer by the Professional Photographers of America and has received their esteemed Photographic Craftsman degree. He served on their National Council for nine years. He has been a member of the International Special Events Society (ISES) for twelve years and the Meeting Professionals International (MPI) for six years. Bob is also a board member and past president of The Professional Photographers Society of Greater Washington and the Maryland Professional Photographers Association. Bob has been the Official Chapter Photographer for the Potomac Chapter of the Meeting Professionals International for the last five years. His photographs and albums have won numerous awards.

	Sara Muchnick—Co- Vice President of Programming & Education 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".

	Candice Bennett—Vice President of Marketing Communications After spending 5 years in Corporate America, Candice started her company, Candice Bennett & Associates, LLC. The company specializes in developing communication strategies for companies. Candice Bennett has been developing and implementing communication strategies for corporations, political candidates and not-for-profit organizations since 1998. She specializes in using quantitative research at all levels of strategic planning, from brand development to continuous monitoring of the customer experience. Candice currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia where she is constantly entertained by the antics of her feisty chihuahua and tabby cat.

	Kathy Taylor—Vice President of Membership Kathy Taylor is founder of Personal Parties, Plus an event management business performing a range of event planning services for corporate, personal, and community clients. She has organized large-scale community festivals as well as planned corporate open houses, private receptions, and association events. Some of Ms. Taylor’s large events have included serving as the 2005 Event Director for the Town of Kensington’s annual Labor Day Event, assisting the Wheaton Urban District in several event management projects including the Taste of Wheaton, as well as serving as the Gala Chair for the 11th Annual ISES Capital Awards Gala.

	Carla Freed —Director of Archives

	Ashleigh Dorfman—Director of Education With over 10 years of event management & marketing experience, Ashleigh is professional party planner and president of posh parties, LLC, a social event planning firm. Previously, she was the manager of event marketing at VeriSign (formerly Network Solutions). In ISES DC, Ashleigh has served on the Board as Director of Communications, VP of Marketing Communications and Director of Education. Ashleigh earned her BA in International Relations at George Mason University and an MTA in Event Management & Marketing at George Washington University.

	Dave Edwards—Director of Students 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.

	Ray Bialek—Director of Membership I, Ray Bialek joined the ISES board in 1992 and have been treasurer, vice president, president, and am currently serving my second term as membership director. I am a two-time winner of the Chapter President’s Award. I have been the CEO of Bialek’s Music for 28 years, and a retired drummer since 1996. I have been to most of our organization’s conferences for the past 15 years. I have a wife, two daughters, and four of the cutest grandchildren ever. I play lots of golf and give seminars on networking to corporate clients. I’ll be in Hawaii for Event World.

	Norma McAuley—Director of Committees/Job Bank Norma has been an ISES member since 2005, where she has served in numerous volunteer and committee positions. She was recently elected to serve a two-year term on DC ISES Board of Directors. Norma has over ten years experience in the events industry. She is currently an events coordinator with Lockheed Martin. Norma is currently enrolled in the Masters of Tourism program at GWU, where she has also earned a Professional Certificate in Event Management. Norma holds an undergraduate degree in Art and Art History from the University of Maryland.

	Amy Hibbits —Director of Newsletter 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.

	Pat Richitt—Director of Strategic Alliances Patrick J. Richitt is the owner of Entertainment Exchange, Inc., 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 event 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 eleven years. Mr. Richitt received his MBA from the University of Maryland in 1984. He has also been a professional singer and performer since 1976. Mr. Richitt is a native of Washington, DC.

	Jeffrey Fox—Director of Programs (Expo) Jeffrey is an event planner at Finishing Touches Events, LLC. His past board positions include Director of Job Bank and Director of Students. He was the Co-Chair of the ISES DC Gala 2005. He has served as a Director of Catering at the Park Hyatt, and at the Ritz-Carlton Washington. He was awarded Manager of the Year for Award, ANA Hotels 1996. He has spent over 20 years in the special events and hospitality industry managing Washington's most unforgettable events for local, national and international clients.

	Lesley Grabias—Director of Programs 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.

	Heather Lee Westrom—Director of Front Desk Heather Westrom became a member of ISES three years ago with the Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter, and quickly got involved with the board, becoming Director of Communications. She is currently an Operations Manager with GEP Washington, DC’s premiere destination management company. Her background includes sport event management, facility rental, and catering. A 2005 Esprit awards nominee, she is currently working towards her CSEP, which she hopes to attain in 2007.

	Denise Thorne—Director of Front Desk Denise Thorne is Co- Owner of InStyle Caterers. Denise has more than sixteen years of catering experience. She has served on the DC ISES chapter board as director of Volunteers and Job Bank in the past and is now Co Director of Front Desk. When Denise is not overseeing catering at events, she enjoys the theater, watching old comedy shows, entertaining and traveling. She resides in Upper Marlboro with her husband and two daughters.

	Jenna Lordo—Director of Breakers Jenna Lordo, President of Eventology LLC, has served on the ISES DC Board since 2004. Eventology blends the art and science of event management to provide customized service for events that require a high-level of professionalism, organizational expertise, creativity, and an awareness of cultural nuances and protocol. She is a graduate of The George Washington University School of Business and Public Management’s Event Management program and has a degree from the University of Minnesota Theater Department with a major in design.

	Patti Weiner—Director of Gala Patti Weiner has more than 30 years of experience inthe special events industry. As the Owner of Plan-it Parties, she plans more than 60 events a year and has won several ISES Capital Awards and has been nominated for the Events Solutions Spotlight Award and the ISES Esprit Award. Patti joined ISES 4 years ago ad has served on several committees including the Silent Auction.

	Jaime Greenwald—Director of Gala Jaime Greenwald is the Vice President of Gala Events, Inc. and the conceptual designer for Gala Design and Production. She joined the family owned and operated business full time 12 years ago, but worked part time for three years prior to that. Jaime specializes in both corporate and social events, and prides herself on always exceeding her clients’ expectations. Her motto is, “You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.” Jaime lives in Bethesda, Maryland with her husband, four children, and three dogs.

	Renee Stake—Director of REC An ISES member since 2003, Renee is excited to return to the board as co-chair of the 2007 Northeast REC, hosted by the Greater Washington DC Chapter. 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 began her career in the events industry in 2001 at The TCI Companies.

	June Ring—Director of REC