Your Team

Carvie Gillikin

President & CEO

Carvie brings 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry to MGME. He began his career as a sales manager in southeastern North Carolina for an oceanfront resort. He then worked for properties such as Sheraton, Westin and W Hotels. In 2005 Carvie left the hotel world to join the event industry. It was during that time that he worked in Washington, DC for an audiovisual and production company where he gained invaluable experience in the industry. In 2007, Carvie joined MGME as the Director of Sales and Marketing and later became a Vice President/ Partner overseeing the company’s sales, marketing and operations. Currently, Carvie is the President & CEO of for MGME.

Carvie remains active in the industry with MPI and enjoys speaking on a variety of panels at industry wide conferences.

Renee Jacobs, HMCC

Chief Operating Officer

Renee Jacobs has been actively involved in the meeting and event industry for 30+ years. Previously COO & Partner of WorldTEK Events she managed multiple associations accounts including the International Air Transportation Association which includes the annual World Cargo Symposium, Slots Conference and the World Financial Symposium. She has produced events all over the globe including Singapore, Doha, Shanghai, Dubai & Cape Town.

Prior to WorldTEK, Renee was Conference Director for The Journal of Commerce for nine years. As Conference Director of the JoC, Renee was responsible for producing a number of maritime conferences and exhibitions. She assisted greatly in the expansion of the division into the European and Asian conference market. In 2008, the Trans-Pacific Maritime Conference won Bronze Medal from Folio Magazine for Best Conference. Renee was nominated as a 2008 finalist in the 5th Annual Stevie Awards for Best Executive Women in Business Category: Service Businesses up to 2,500 Employees.

Prior to 2000, Renee was a meeting planner at The Compass Group, a meeting planning company specializing in the Life Sciences industry.

Catherine Anta

Chief Accounting Officer

Rachel Bandarenko

EVP of Creative & Strategic Growth

Rachel Bandarenko is a seasoned expert in event design, production, project management, and creative services, with over two decades of experience in the meeting and event industry. A dedicated student of Design Theory, she skillfully incorporates its principles into her work to craft experiences that resonate deeply with audiences. Known for her empathetic approach, Rachel prioritizes the needs of attendees and clients, understanding that great experience design is built on human connection.

Renowned for her work with high-profile clients such as Mastercard, Pfizer, HBO, and the New York Yankees, Rachel is also celebrated as a fearless visionary. She thrives on solving complex challenges, leveraging her unique ability to uncover rare solutions that transform businesses in unexpected directions. Her personal tagline, “I create goosebumps,” perfectly encapsulates her ability to deliver memorable and meaningful experiences.

In addition to her expertise in event design, Rachel is a passionate advocate for neurodiversity in live events, serving as a speaker and trainer on the topic. She is also the host of You Turned Out OK, a witty, insightful podcast exploring the generational shifts in parenting and grandparenting.

Jim Grove

EVP, Internal Operations

Joanne Iannacone

Director of Human Resources

Joanne joins MGME with over 25 years of Corporate Business and Human Resources experience. She has worked in a variety of industries, encompassing every aspect of HR. Throughout her career, Joanne has always been passionate about helping businesses and people reach their goals. Listening and understanding needs, solving problems, and developing strategic action plans are her top priorities.

Joanne holds a BS degree in Business Management from St. John’s University and is a SPHR – Senior Professional Human Resources.

Ashley Fox

Project Manager

Ashley started her journey in the events industry as the Catering Manager at Niagara University. She then moved into a Project Manager role with MGME. Ashley loves building relationships with clients and always pays attention to detail ensuring success for each event. She is excited to grow with MGME and see where it takes her!

Ashley holds an Associates Degree in Travel and Events Management from Herkimer College along with a Bachelor’s Degree in Meeting and Convention Planning with a minor in Marketing from Niagara University.

Becky Cavanaugh, HMCC

Director of Operations

Becky Cavanaugh, HMCC is considered a medical meetings leader and industry expert with more than 20 years of medical meetings industry experience across numerous therapeutic areas in both clinical and commercial programs. She spent almost 18 years at Syneos Health, most recently in the role of Program Director, Global Medical Meetings and Events. While she was responsible for Global Meetings and Events execution and strategy, a passion of hers was and continues to be helping mentor and train team members to become seasoned and respected meeting professionals. Becky participates as an Advisory Board Member for both Global DMC Partners and Pharma Forum. Becky has also served in various roles as Chair, Facilitator and Speaker at industry meetings such as Pharma Forum, GDP Connection, Pharmaceutical Medical Meeting Planner Summit and Teneo Summit.

As Director, Operations at MGME, Becky is responsible for overseeing the strategic planning, management, and execution of all meeting and event-related activities. Becky’s background and experience is pivotal as she will have a strategic focus on client engagement, satisfaction, and agency-level horizontal account growth. Becky leads an experienced team and ensures that all meetings are aligned with MGME’s client’s business goals, delivering consistent quality, and she’ll actively contribute to the expansion and growth of client accounts.

Brian Dahl

Senior Account Manager

Possessing over 20 years in the meeting industry, long term clients have become to trust and value what Brian brings to the table to better their business operations. Demonstrative of this reliance, partnership and trust, Brian has been appointed to the Global Organization chart of one of his clients and has been completely onboarded through HR and Compliance as one of their regular employees.

Brian, a communications and events professional with 25+ years in government (GOC as a Communications Officer, and for Transport Canada as a Senior Information Officer) and travel and tourism industries, is highly skilled at program management – often managing multi-day programs with event budgets ranging from $50,000 to >$2MM. Brian has planned and executed major international meetings and events ranging from 50 to >1,000 attendees. He excels in logistical planning, budget management, speaker management, contract negotiations, registration, food and beverage supervision, theme event production and on-site operations.

His first passion of food and beverage culminated in Red Seal Chef’s papers which led to hotel operations in many varied departments over the years. He brings that creative talent onsite to the client to ensure that attendees experience a unique, highly engaging and positive on-site program, with all elements expertly woven together and executed into an exceptional and memorable event.

Brittany Phee

Associate Project Manager

Brittany grew up in a suburb of Chicago called Schaumburg, IL. She went to Eastern Illinois University where she received a Bachelors in Adult and Community Education. Brittany moved to Nashville, TN in 2017. She taught Preschool for a few years and transitioned into events and planning.

Cheyenne Nelson, HMCC, MMP

Account Manager

Cheyenne Nelson has a passion for creating unique experiences and engaging activations. She is a current Advisory Board member of MPI MD and for the Pharma Forum Conferences and a Co-Chair for Pharma Forum US 2024.

Cheyenne is also an Instructor through the MPI Academy for the Medical Meeting Professional Certificate course (MMP). She loves nothing more than sharing her knowledge and lessons learned through speaking and teaching opportunities, both internal to MGME and at many conferences and events. A few places you may see her this year: Pharma Forum (US & EMEA), IMEX (Smart Monday), SITE Classic and MPI WEC.

With a vast background in the entertainment industry, Cheyenne gravitated towards events. Her goal is to engage and wow clients and attendees alike.

Desiree Grenay

Account Manager

With over 20 years of live production experience, Desiree has a diverse background in managing and producing for television (MTV, ESPN, TNT), theater (Public Theater, NY Shakespeare Festival, Playwrights Horizons, Roundabout Theatre, Atlantic Theater Company), product launches (Cadillac, PlayStation, Facebook), corporate meetings (Verizon, Shopify, WGSN) and incentive travel (Verizon, HBO, Showtime, Starz). ​

Desiree holds a Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude, in Theater Design & Technology from Arizona State University.

Eboni West

Project Manager

Meet Eboni West, Associate Project Manager at MGME. She has 6 years of experience within the events industry, with a background in PR and Marketing. She recently earned her Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership in 2022.

With a background in event management and a knack for multitasking, Eboni brings a unique blend of creativity and organization to every project she tackles. She thrives in dynamic environments and love collaborating with teams to turn visions into unforgettable experiences.

Emily Friedrich

Senior Project Manager

Coming soon.

Erica Moore

Senior Project Manager

Erica is Senior Project Manager for McVeigh Global and Arcview Events and Experiences. Erica is responsible for management of various projects, including live events, webinars, design projects, marketing campaigns, and more. She has previous experience working in the mortgage and hospitality industries.

Erica is a graduate of Arizona State University where she earned a B.A. in Anthropology and a B.S. in Justice Studies. She is a native of Oakland, CA and loves living in the Bay Area.

Giovanna Iriogoyen, CMP, CIS

Senior Project Manager

Giovanna brings 14 years of hotel & convention center event experience to MGME. She built her career up from Group Reservations Coordinator to Conference Manager to Associate Director of Catering and Conference Management.  Giovanna also worked as a Travel Director for three years. To her – event planning is not a job, it is a career. She loves what she does, and it shows in her work. Giovanna’s motto is “reducing the number of uh-oh moments one detail at a time.”

Giovanna holds a Meeting and Events Certificate from the International School of Hospitality Las Vegas & a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.

Janine Barikian

Senior Travel Specialist

Janine has over 30 years of experience in corporate travel for law firms, famous fashion houses, film production, financial, and pharmaceutical companies. My responsibilities include accounting, air, hotel, and ground reservations for individuals and groups. My goal is to provide excellent customer service and maintain long-term relationships with them.

Jeanine Phelan

Project Manager

Event Planner & Project Manager. Passionate about transforming visions into reality, I specialize in orchestrating memorable events and managing projects with precision. With over 33 years of experience in the industry from corporate conferences to weddings, I handle every detail to ensure a flawless execution. I have a proven track record of delivering seamless events that exceed client expectations. Skilled in leading cross-functional teams, managing budgets, and meeting deadlines without compromising quality. Able to adapt quickly and find innovative solutions in high-pressure environments.

Joanne Guerron

Corporate Accounting Supervisor

Coming soon.

Josi Carlson

Account Manager

Coming soon.

Katie Mulligan

Project Manager

Katie began her career just over 9 years ago in social event planning working on Indian destination weddings, New York socialites multi-million dollar weddings, and New York Galas. Six years ago, she decided to transition to corporate event planning at McVeigh Global Meetings and Events. Katie has since been a driving force in truly understanding, connecting, and executing on the needs of McVeigh Global Meetings and Events clients and their guests for brands including Macy’s, Delta Airlines, HBO, Verizon, Humanscale, McKinsey & Company, and Estee Lauder Companies. Her expertise includes but is not limited to: venue sourcing, contract negotiations, vendor and client relations, web registration management, event planning logistics and budget management.

Katie holds a Bachelor in Fine Arts from St. Lawrence University.

Lora Huang

Project Manager

Lora obtained her Bachelor of Business Degree from Simon Fraser University before joining MGME. In the past year, she has pivoted to managing Virtual Events seamlessly – building from her experience on numerous large projects including meetings and conventions. She has worked with the First Nations Health Authority and Shaw as well as on the LifeScan Leaders Meeting, Risk Management Conference, #BCTECH, Aerospace, Defense and Security Expo, Johnson & Johnson and Walmart conferences. For each program Lora ensures every stakeholder/exhibitor receives a concierge-style service. From the initial communication to an engaging and user-friendly website, Lora guarantees ease of process. She is a dedicated manager ready to assist with any questions or concerns in a friendly, timely manner.

Lydia Mack

Associate Project Manager

Lydia joins MGME with a background in Event Management & Hotel Sales. She holds a Bachelor’s in Tourism Destination Management from Niagara University.

Maria Mezquita

Project Manager

Coming soon.

Megan Scott

Project Coordinator

Coming soon.

Melissa Patron

Account Manager

Melissa Patron joins McVeigh Global Meetings and Events with over 15 years of experience in the Hospitality and MICE industry. Ms. Patron has managed the complete operations of complex meetings, fund raisers and social events from idea creation and implementation through final reconciliation. She is responsible for all aspects of logistics including travel, lodging, food and beverage and participant registration. She has worked on various meeting types across the country, such as advisory boards, speaker trainings, etc.

Prior to joining McVeigh, Melissa was a Director of Catering for Hyatt and Marriott where she oversaw the operations of the catering business and meeting the expectations of clients. She provided on-site direction of meeting and catering logistics to managers, departments and team members responsible for event execution.

Currently as a Project Manager for McVeigh, Ms. Patron manages high-level programs for an established Fortune 500 client and is responsible for providing superior customer service throughout the planning process.

Meredith Garcy, HMCC

Account Manager

Meredith Garcy joins McVeigh Global Meetings and Events with over 15 years of experience in the MICE industry. Ms. Garcy has managed the complete operations of complex meeting types from idea creation through final reconciliation. She is responsible for all aspects of logistics including site inspection, budgeting, vendor selection, event registration, staffing and post-event reporting. She has worked on various meeting types across the globe, such as Advisory Boards, Speaker Trainings, Internal Meetings, Symposiums and Investigator Meetings.

Prior to joining McVeigh, Meredith was an Event Marketing and Operations Specialist at Madison Square Garden where she executed Sponsorship agreements. With this role, Meredith facilitated pre/in/post game National Anthem, Color Guard and Halftime entertainment performances as well as on court contests and special ceremonies.

Meredith graduated with a BS, Sports and Recreation Management from the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Temple University.

Olga Gracey

Senior Travel Specialist

Olga Gracey joins McVeigh Global Meetings and Events with over 40 years of experience in the travel industry. Her responsibilities include air, hotel and ground reservations for high-level established Fortune 500 clients and is responsible for providing superior customer service. She has been the lead on various meetings , corporate and incentive group travel across the globe, including areas in Asia and Africa. Olga also supports our meeting planning department with arrival/departure manifests, cost savings reports as well as state and data reporting for major pharmaceutical companies.

Prior to joining McVeigh, Olga was a travel consultant for a large retail agency where she handled large corporate accounts in publishing , fashion and technology, as well as group and charter travel for a major tour operator.

Rachel Billetter

General Ledger Staff Accountant

Coming Soon.

Oscar Nobre, CMP

Account Manager

Coming Soon.

Samantha Cheung

Project Manager

Samantha began planning meetings & events right after college in 2017. In addition to working for her family’s restaurant for over 10 years, Samantha also worked as a librarian, career ambassador, social media marketing manager and so much more but nothing felt more like 2nd nature than planning events. Her vision in details and organization help her enjoy her everyday tasks in the industry. She has been well versed to handle all sorts of meetings like Advisory Boards, Speaker Trainings, National Sales Meetings, Conferences and Exhibitions.

Sandro Francini

Director, Sponsorship and Exhibition Sales

Sandro joins McVeigh Global Meetings and Events with more than 30 years of experience in international business and a well-established network of long-term clients from industry associations, government agencies, international banks, investment firms, private investors, airlines, law firms and more.

As Director of Sponsorships & Exhibitions for multiple annual global events, Sandro has cultivated lasting connections with hundreds of clients. He has boundless energy and derives great satisfaction in welcoming clients to successful events where promises have been kept, expectations met and relationships built.

Sandro has worked extensively in multicultural, multilingual business environments and this has afforded him the opportunity to live and work in many locations including: South America, Europe and Africa. He is fluent in English, Spanish.

Prior to joining WorldTEK Events, Sandro was COO at AvMan; a Miami, Florida-based company that provided a proprietary web-based application to recover Interline revenue over-billings for IATA airline members.

Born in Lima, Peru, this most interesting man is an avid racquetball player, passionate football (soccer) fan, enjoys cooking, reading, and traveling. He resides in West Palm Beach, FL with his wife Ana and has four children; Alessandra, Daniela, Giuliana, and, Kenyan-born, Claudia.

Stefanie Thaw, MMP, HMCC

Compliance and Reconciliation Manager

Stefanie began her career with McVeigh Global in 2018 as the Reconciliation Specialist for the Novartis group. She quickly applied her past experiences and education to support a more streamlined and efficient model for support and management to this focus area for McVeigh. Her combination of personal and professional strong suits has allowed her to be a driving force for change at McVeigh Global in her areas of management as well as contributed to the ever changing culture of our team.

Prior to joining the McVeigh team, Stefanie had a successful career in the hospitality industry for almost 10 years and held management positions at two international hospitality firms.

She has a M.B.A from Molloy College with a concentration in finance.

Susan Belsky, CMP, CIS

Senior Project Manager

Susan brings over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, beginning her career at a resort property in Florida. Upon returning to New York, she worked with NYC & Company and transitioned to destination management.  After eight years with the DMC, Susan joined Deloitte as a meeting planner and in 2010 shifted to the agency side. At Deloitte, she organized events for clients in various industries, to include financial, insurance, design, media/technology.

Currently as a Senior Project Manager at MGME, Susan is a creative client partner. She handles logistics, hotel, F&B and accommodation management, décor, transportation, off-site events and sourcing.  This includes contracting DMCs, entertainment, staff and other event aspects.  Having had the opportunities to work as a client, agency and vendor, Susan has the unique ability to experience programs from multiple perspectives.  This enables her to produce successful events, maintain positive partnerships, and be a trusted advocate for her clients, attendees and vendors.

Tyler Tippit

Project Coordinator

Coming soon.

Zuzana Krejcova Scandariato

Account Manager

Zuzana is an accomplished project manager with a successful track record leading and executing projects with multi-million-dollar budgets. Her decision-making across simultaneous projects, ability to manage complex workflow on multiple objectives and passion for service focused solutions is what her clients love most.

Prior to joining the MGME team, Zuzana spent 5 years working as a project manager for another agency where she handled various types of meetings across the globe. Medical Congresses, Advisory Board Meetings, Speaker Trainings, Product Launches, Incentive Programs, Investigator Meetings and Internal Pharmaceutical meetings are all Zuzana’s forte.

In her current role at MGME, Zuzana is responsible for all aspects of the logistical planning including, but not limited to the budget management, overseeing all vendor responsibilities, food and beverage selections, audio visual requirements, décor, on-site management, and final reconciliation. Zuzana is well versed in programs of all sizes and complexity, and prides herself in her working relationships.

Alexandra Soltis

Marketing Specialist

Alexandra brings a strong background in corporate marketing and sales to MGME. In her role, she oversees public relations, social media strategy, external communications, and key marketing initiatives that enhance MGME’s brand presence. Known for her creativity and forward-thinking approach, Alexandra thrives in fast-paced environments and is dedicated to driving impactful marketing efforts.

She holds a double degree in English (Journalism) and Communications from Fairfield University

Hannah Granger, GIS

Sourcing Manager

Jessica Diehl

Sourcing Manager

Jessica joins MGME as an experienced sourcing manager.

She is responsible for leading the hotel and venue sourcing process company wide and oversees and trains a team of sourcing specialists within shared services.

Prior to joining MGME, Jessica worked in the hospitality industry for over 10 years, managing social and corporate event planning.

Kelly Murphy

Client Development Director

MaryBeth Reeves, HMCC, SEPC, IES

Director of Event Design & Sustainability

MaryBeth enjoyed a 20+ year career in the hotel industry, with her last role as Corporate Director of Revenue Management Training with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide before becoming an entrepreneur. She founded a custom photobook company that garnered the attention of local and national press and was featured in the Wall Street Journal

Education

BA in Psychology from Georgia State University

Ryan DiBuono

Sales & Marketing Manager

Ryan DiBuono, armed with a Bachelor’s in Marketing from Kean University, embarked on a career journey that commenced in sales and new business development. Throughout his professional evolution, Ryan took on diverse responsibilities in client engagement, digital marketing, and event design management. Currently serving as the Sales and Marketing Manager, he brings a wealth of experience from varied roles, showcasing his ability to expertly blend strategic marketing and sales expertise.

In his current position, Ryan takes the lead in marketing efforts, with a specific focus on campaign and content building. Collaborating closely with the sales team, he propels strategic growth through innovative initiatives, consistently exceeding targets. As the custodian of the online presence, Ryan manages the website and curates compelling content to engage audiences and enhance traffic. His journey reflects a steadfast commitment to excellence and a fervor for achieving success through integrated marketing and sales strategies.

Shelley Milne

Client Development Director

Shelley is a highly motivated and proven strategic meetings & events specialist with extensive experience supporting all levels of end-to-end event management. Having sold, designed and executed thousands of live, virtual and hybrid events including innovative product launches, national/global sales conferences, tradeshows, luxury incentive travel programs, training programs and all degrees of face to face or blended virtual events, Shelley is uniquely qualified to support organizations need to promote, manage and evaluate their events, drive engagement and apply innovative technology solutions as needed.

Education: Georgian College, School of Applied Arts & Technology – Tourisms Management 3 Year Diploma