Board meetings are open to all ISES New England members. Active committee involvement is strongly encouraged as a way to strengthen the Chapter through personal leadership and, in doing so, raising you and your company's visibility within the organization. The annual installation of new Board members occurs at the June monthly Chapter meeting.

2009-2010 ISES New England Board of Directors

President
Jessica Zirpolo
Owner
Just Your Style Events
Phone: (781) 449-1661
Fax: (781) 453-1229

Email: jysevents@verizon.net
Web: www.jysevents.com

Jessica Zirpolo began her career in the special event industry in catering as a server while in college. She went full-time in 2004 with Crazy Chefs Catering where she learned the nuts and bolts of the profession. In May of 2005, Jessica joined Gourmet Caterers where she found new ways to apply her skills in order to better serve her clients. In 2007, Jessica started her event planning company called Just Your Style Events.

Jessica joined ISES New England in December, 2004. She quickly became involved with the Membership and Programming Committees as well as worked on Special Projects. In the past, she has won the Merit Scholarship, Rising Star Award, Spirit of ISES Award, Chapter Leader Award, and President's Award. In 2008, Jessica was co-chair of the 2008 Northeast REC planning committee. Jessica looks forward to serving ISES New England as President and empowers you, as a member of this organization, to utilize it as a tool expand your network, gain the education about your profession and to reach your personal & professional goals. She looks forward to hearing from all members with suggestions and comments this year.

After hours, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going to new restaurants, shopping, and having fun!

President-Elect
Larry Green
Owner
Rentals Unlimited & International Event Products
31-45 Tosca Drive
Stoughton, MA 02072
Phone: (781) 341-1600
Fax: (781) 341-8840

Email: larry@rentals-unlimited.net
Web: www.rentals-unlimited.net
Web: www.iepllc.com

Larry Green has been involved in the special events industry for over 40 years. From 1966-1999 he ran the extremely successful catering company, Green Manor. Even though his catering business has been closed for a decade, he still gets calls for Passover dinner! In 1997, Larry began International Event Products, a direct importer for porcelain, china, and serving pieces. As he closed the doors to his catering company in 1999, he focused his attention on his new business venture, Rentals Unlimited, a company that started on a limited basis in 1988.

Even with the demands of running two successful companies, Green still manages to devote enormous amounts of time and resources to his community. Right out of college, Larry Green was the youngest trustee of his alma mater, Bentley College. Since that time, he has contributed tirelessly to many philanthropic organizations. In 2006, he was the Event Solutions Spotlight Award Recipient for the Samaritan Service Award. Present affiliations include ISES New England (President Elect), ISES Rhode Island (Director of Finance), Search Foundation (Chairman), Sharon Credit Union (Treasurer), Spring Valley Country Club (Immediate Past President), Catersource Magazine, (advisory Board), MPI, MRA, NACE, BWG, RIWG, Pan Mass Challenge; the list goes on and on.

Larry has, and continues to be, a vibrant influence on his colleagues, clients and the community. He helps to foster this same level of involvement from his peers.

Immediate Past President
Steven Way
President
ALPS/Advanced Lighting & Production Services
65 Teed Drive
Randolph, MA 02368
Phone: (781) 961-3066
Fax: (781) 961-3256

Email: sway@alpsweb.com
Web: www.alpsweb.com

Steven Way is the President of ALPS/Advanced Lighting & Production Services, a theatrical and entertainment lighting company that he started at age 17 back in 1981. What began as a local lighting company supporting bands and theatre has grown, along with the special events industry, to be a national Lighting Design and Event Production organization. This growth in events has afforded Steven the opportunity to do what he enjoys most - creating and enhancing environments with lighting.

Steven decided to join ISES in 2002 in order to connect and network with others in the industry he has enjoyed so much. Joining the Board of Directors in June 2006 was his next step in gaining more knowledge about and contributing to the success of ISES New England and the special events industry as a whole. Steven served as President of the ISES New England chapter for the 2008-2009 and looks forward to supporting the chapter as Immediate Past President on the board this year.

Steven is a past recipient of the Spirit of ISES and Merit Scholarship Awards from ISES New England. He also has been recognized for outstanding performance and contributions by Citizens Bank and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. In addition to ISES, Steven is a member and serves on the Board of Directors of ESTA (Entertainment Services & Technology Association).

Steven lives in Norwood with his wife Kelly, sons Nicholas and Christopher, and goofy yellow lab named Sandy. He enjoys playing racquetball, and just relaxing and building sandcastles on a beach… any beach!

V.P. Programs & Education
Sara Underhill, CSEP
Program Manager
Faith Moore & Associates Events
121 Mount Vernon Street
Boston, MA 02108-1104
Phone: (617) 248-1600
Fax: (617) 248-1616

Email: saraunderhill@yahoo.com
Web: www.fmaevents.com

Sara is new to the ISES New England Board of Directors after being a member of the Rhode Island Board for the past two years. She has been involved with ISES since 2005 and recently obtained her CSEP designation. Sara relocated back to the Boston area from Newport, Rhode Island in 2008 and is currently a Program Manager for FM&A Events (Faith Moore & Associates), a Destination Management Company in Boston.

Sara graduated from Bentley College with a degree in Business Management. Her background includes restaurant management, conference planning for an IT company and many years working in the Destination Management field in both Boston and Newport, RI. Sara served for two years as the Director of Communications for the Rhode Island Chapter before accepting her current role as VP of Programs & Education for ISES New England.

V.P. Membership
Katie Gold
Account Executive
Rentals Unlimited
31-45 Tosca Drive
Stoughton, MA 02072
Phone: (781) 818-4554
Fax: (781) 341-8840

Email: kate@rentals-unlimited.net
Web: www.rentals-unlimited.net

While attending the University of New Hampshire, Katie Gold majored in Tourism Planning and Development and gained a passion for event planning. Katie went on to work as an Event Manager at Echelon Events where she was responsible for event development, management, and logistics for corporate clients. Katie then went to work at LTI Worldwide, a chauffeured Limousine Company as the head of Sales and the Meetings and Events Manager. Currently, she has the honor of working for Rentals Unlimited as their account executive responsible for sales and account management.

She joined ISES New England in January, 2007 and this will be Katie's third year on the New England Board. Katie served as Membership Director from 2007-2008, VP of Membership from 2008-2009, and this year she has been selected to be part of the 2009-2010 International Membership Committee.

Katie is a proud recipient of the 2007 ISES New England Merit Scholarship Award and the 2009 Spirit of ISES Heart and Soul Award.

She has lived in Boston for three years and during her free time she enjoys being with her family and friends, Boston sports teams, traveling, and shopping .

V.P. Communications
Angela Giovine

Phone: (617) 504-3661

Email: Arangela@aol.com

A true Boston import, Angela moved to the area from New Jersey in the mid 90's to study Environmental Engineering at Wentworth Institute of Technology. During her first years here in Boston, she fell in love with the local music scene and quickly realized that a degree in engineering wasn't going to help her succeed in the music business. A change in majors brought her to Simmons College where she focused on public relations and marketing. Through 2002, Angela worked many music-related positions; event coordination for such bands as the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, radio production at WBCN, managed nights at the historic Middle East night club in Cambridge, production assistance for Mass Concerts, and event marketing for Catapult Records, a local indie-rock label.

Angela made the transition from bands to brides when she began working for Rentals Unlimited in 2003. During her time there, Angela held a wide array of responsibilities, always focusing on customer satisfaction and exemplary marketing of the company's products and services. After almost five years with Rentals Unlimited, she left to further her career in the special events industry and joined the team at BBJ Linen. She is a recent recipient of the ISES New England Chapter Leadership Award. Angela is excited to begin a new path in the industry as she sources new professional opportunities.

Angela has lived in Randolph for the past four years. In her free time she enjoys traveling, visiting family and friends across the country / world, and taking trips to parks and beaches with her dog Obi.

Director of Meeting Logistics
Sheralyn Caballero
Sales Account Manager
Projection
415 Summer Street
Boston, MA 02210

Phone: (617) 954-2215

Email: sheralync@gmail.com
Web: http://www.projection.com

Without trying to sound cliché, Sheralyn's passion for event planning began after seeing the 2001 hit movie, The Wedding Planner. Mesmerized by the glamour and believing that somehow being a veteran flower girl gave her an edge, she decided to take steps towards her dream career as an Event Planner. Her first experiences were by serving as President of the Latino Organization and Christian Fellowship at Brandeis University. She worked closely with her boards to organize dinners, forums, and of course dances. Next, Sheralyn was invited to intern for the Boston powerhouse, Conventures. Working on fundraising walks, corporate conference and the DNC opened her eyes to the diversity and vastness of the industry, and her passion only grew.

Through a series of informational interviews while looking for her first job, Sheralyn learned about ISES. She went to NEMICE and an ISES meeting as a student in 2004 and has been a committed member and cheerleader ever since. It was thanks to her attendance at those events that Sheralyn received her first job offer and began her professional career as a corporate event producer for SP Events/Siagel Productions. For five years, Sheralyn worked on events ranging from 50 person awards luncheons to 2,000 persons holiday extravaganzas, and everything in between. At Siagel, she was exposed to the glamorous, stressful world of not only corporate events, but finally those social events that she knew she was made for. The hard work and long days were always worth it when she got those grateful calls on Monday mornings.

In 2007, Sheralyn was honored with the ISES New England Chapter's Future Leader Award. The recognition of her peers and the close relationships she was fostering inspired her to become more involved on the Programming Committee. In 2009, Sheralyn was asked to serve on the board and it is with modesty and great excitement that she accepted this position.

Sheralyn was raised in West Palm Beach, Florida and was lured up to Boston by a generous scholarship from her now Alma Matter, Brandeis University. She holds a double major in Sociology and American Studies and a minor in International Business. Sheralyn lives in Newton with her husband Eric and their stuffed dog Andrew (the landlord won't let them get a real dog). In her free time, Sheralyn enjoys shopping, yoga, and watching HGTV.

Director of Education
Elise Bechard
Vice President of Operations & Client Relations
JCALPRO, Inc.
One Design Center Place
Suite 718
Boston, MA 02210

Phone: (617) 954-2345
Fax: (617) 954-2346

Email: ebechard@jcalpro.com
Web: www.jcalpro.com

Elise Bechard is the Vice President of Operations and Client Relations for Boston-based JCALPRO, Inc. JCALPRO is a full-service Event Production company specializing in rigging and lighting with exclusive contracts in both the Hynes Convention Center and Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, as well as with Gillette Stadium. JCALPRO also provides labor, rentals, and production support to various hotels, arenas, and other venues primarily in the Boston area and around New England. Elise is a graduate of Emerson College with a professional background in sales, marketing, and event planning. In addition to her role as the Director of Education for ISES New England, Elise is also a member of PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association), MPI (Meeting Planners International), ESTA (Entertainment Services and Technology Association), the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and the GBCVB (Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau).

Elise first became a member of ISES in 2007, and joined the Programming Committee after attending her first meeting . . . a Volunteer Orientation in early 2008. It was through that committee that Elise began building her ISES relationships and started reaping the benefits of membership by networking and partnering with other members on events. Wanting to be more involved and see what else ISES had to offer, Elise accepted a position mid-term to join the board as the Director of Education. This year is her first full year on the board.

Director of Membership
Susan DiDonato
Sales Account Executive
VDA Productions
63 Inner Belt Road
Somerville, MA 02143
Phone: (617) 628-1200 x 22
Fax: (617) 628-1424

E-mail: Susan@vdaproductions.com
Web: www.vdaproductions.com

Susie is thrilled to continue as part of the ISES New England Board of Directors for 2009-2010! After attending Eventworld in Montreal in 2007, Susie immediately jumpstarted her chapter involvement and signed up for the Membership and Special Projects committees. Her commitment and enthusiasm for the chapter has led her to become the recipient of the Future Leaders Award, Spirit of ISES Award, and the 2008 Merit Scholarship. Susie looks forward to continuing the growth and success of the New England Chapter.

As the Hospitality Account Executive for VDA Productions, Susie combines her theatrical background and event planning expertise to create themed environments for meetings, trade shows and events for clientele around the globe. Her previous experience in the hospitality industry includes conceptualizing and executing all meetings, events, summits, and conferences both domestically and abroad, for international online-gaming company, Gaming VC. She has also worked on large-scale events and productions for the musical stage and celebrity concert series at the North Shore Music Theatre.

Susie hails from sunny Florida where she holds a degree in Business Administration with a focus on Global Business and minor in Theatre from the University of Florida in Gainesville. She is extremely grateful to VDA Productions for their continuous support in her involvement within the ISES-NE chapter and thanks her Mom and Dad for their unconditional love and support.

Director of Volunteers & Students
Meredith Roser
Director of Special Events
Brandeis University
415 South Street
MS 122
Waltham, MA 02454
Phone: (781) 736-4143
Fax: (781) 736-8699

Email: mroser@brandeis.edu
Web: www.brandeis.edu

Meredith Roser is excited to serve the ISES New England Chapter for her fifth year on the Board. After attending The Special Event conference in 2002, Meredith found that the most valuable part of the conference was networking with ISES members. Upon moving to Boston in early 2005, the first thing she did was join ISES New England and immediately volunteered to work with the Programming and Special Projects Committees.

Meredith's work in the events industry began in 1998 when her alma mater, Union College, hired her to fly around the country to plan alumni events. After a whirlwind two years, she decided that traveling almost every week wasn't all it was cracked up to be. This led her to transition to planning fundraising events for a variety of local hospitals in Albany, NY. With a resume of planning some of upstate New York's grandest special events, Meredith made the decision to return to her roots to work in higher education and move to Boston.

In her position as the Director of Special Events at Brandeis University, Meredith is responsible for planning both on- and off-campus events for donors, alumni, and staff. Her passion for her position and her involvement with ISES make a perfect fit, and each provides her with a new experience every day.

Director of Communications
Marie Caci, CMP, CPCE

Phone: (617) 688-2759

Email: mariecaci@yahoo.com
Web:www.mariecaci.com

Marie Caci began her career more than 18 years ago in the Entertainment Industry. She has had many different roles in promotions, guest relations, event security, and as an on-air personality in the New England region. She has worked for numerous radio stations, record companies, concert promoters, and the region's notable music venues. Marie claims the highlight was being able to work as Event Staff for SuperBowl XXXIII and XXXIV.

Most recently, Marie produced Marketing-based events for The Boston Globe for almost 11 years. Her role included creating, strategizing, marketing, and executing business-to-business and consumer-facing events for internal clients and advertisers to build brand-awareness and revenue. As described by a former colleague as being "organized, collaborative, talented and fast", Marie is a five-time recipient of The Boston Globe Impact Award for excellence in performance.

Her skill-set includes fiscal management, training and staff mentoring, business development, marketing/publicity, trade show and festival management, contract negotiations, client and vendor management, and operations management.

Marie has appeared in several industry publications including the 2009 BizBash National Venue Guide. Having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with a concentration in Marketing and Promotions from Regis College in 1994, Marie is currently studying for the CMP exam in January, 2010. A member of ISES New England since 2007, she is very excited about joining the Board.

Marie is an avid traveler who has been in all 50 states. She enjoys hiking, biking, running, spending time with her friends, and cheering on New England sports teams!

Director of Special Projects
Alison Rose
Catering Sales Manager
Omni Parker House
60 School Street
Boston, MA 02108

Phone: (617) 725-1634

Email: arose0922@verizon.net
Web: http://www.omnihotels.com

Born and raised in upstate New York, Alison Rose began her professional career in the hotel industry after graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York in 1998.

Working within the hotel industry, Alison was able to make connections and create opportunities to new experiences. With a couple of moves around New England under her belt, she moved to Boston in 2005 to continue and expand her career as well as live closer to the ocean.

Being new to the city and wanting to make new business connections, Alison joined ISES in 2005 and got involved with the "Tiny Tasks" committee within the chapter. This proved to be a perfect way for Alison to meet others and still be able to fully commit her time to her career. Getting involved with ISES has helped her connect with vendors as well as make new friends.

Now in her third year on the Board of Directors, Alison continues to look for more ways to get members involved in the chapter and the community.

Alison lives in Rockland, Massachusetts with her boyfriend and two cats. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, camping, gardening, shopping, and traveling.