Matt "The Boss" Robbins, CMP
President

Arrested for:
Hiring an "Out of this World" Staff!

Hometown:
Los Angeles, CA

Alma Mater / Degree:
San Diego State University / B.A. Communications,
Minor Theatre

What Was Your Career Path to the Glamorous DMC World?
Started out as a a sweeping success at Universal Studios.
(Business was picking up).
Became a tour guide at Universal for many years.
(My brush with fame and fortune).
After San Diego State, I worked for 4 DMC's in San Diego.
(I didn't want a real job).
Went full-time with Safaris Inc., a nationwide DMC in Los Angeles, Bermuda and San Diego.
(Working for the Man).
A Video Cameraman and Editor for a Video Production Company.
(Lugged a 40 pound camera all over the country).
Started The Event Team in December of 1992 and never looked back.
(Who knew accounting could be so much fun?)

What skills do you bring to The Event Team?
The ability to hire good people and get out of their way!

If you could be any animal what would you be?
Really? That's what you want to ask me? You have just a few questions to get to know me and you want to know what animal I want to be? I am pretty happy being human.

Have you always been a happy person?
Yes but lately I have reached levels I never thought were possible (I blame my wife).

What do you want on your Tombstone?
Sorry I took forever to die.

Do you have any advice for the younger generation?
1. Enjoy life! Don't forget to stop and look around. Life is too short to rush through without having fun.
2. Fall in love with someone or have extreme passion about something!
3. Please keep paying into Social Security.

Quote to live by:
"In retrospect it becomes clear that hindsight is definitely overrated!" -Alfred E. Neuman

mrobbins@eventteam.com

Bill "The Thrill" Yahres, CMP
Vice President of Sales & Marketing

Arrested for:
Having WAY too much fun on the job!

Hometown:
Long Island, NY (Yes, I grew up in Long "Giland" and talked funny too...)

Favorite Southern California Venue:
Petco Park - Go Padres!!

Favorite thing about working for The Event Team:
I work with my friends, and you can't beat that!

Something you might not know about me:
I once held a "Top Secret" security clearance in the United States Navy as an Electronics Technician.

Favorite Movie:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail - ("Would it help to confuse it if we run away more?")

Places I'd like to travel:
Russia, Greek Islands, a tropical rain forest, Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval!

Quote to live by:
"Keep on truckin' baby."

byahres@eventteam.com

Paige "Queen Bee" Weeber, CMP
Vice President of Operations

Arrested for:
Rigging her toddler's beauty pagaent!

Hometown:
Pasadena, CA

Alma Mater / Degree:
University of San Diego / B.A. Business Administration, Marketing

Favorite thing about working for The Event Team:
The family atmosphere - everyone has their unique way of making The Event Team a great place to come to work everyday.

Favorite Food:
Macaroni & Cheese with Blue cheese and bacon. YUM-O!

Favorite Movie:
Breakfast at Tiffany's

Places I'd like to travel:
New Orleans for Jazz Fest, Italy, Spain & Greece

Quote to live by:
"Everything happens for a reason. When one door closes, another one opens."

pweeber@eventteam.com

"Mustang" Sally Davis, CMP
Operations Manager & Director of
Program Development

Arrested for:
Grand Theft Auto of a Cherry Red 1972 Mustang GT. Last seen drag racing down Mission Blvd!

Hometown:
Des Moines, Iowa

Alma Mater / Degree:
University of Northern Iowa / B.A. Speech & Drama

Favorite thing about working for The Event Team:
The close family feel of our office and of course the fun we have at our great teambuilding events (especially when they are out of town in places like Point Magu, Boca Ratan and Aruba).

Hobbies / Special Talents:
Bike riding, hiking, kayaking, rollerblading, running, sailing, skiing, dancing, exploring and adventuring

Something you might not know about me:
I used to camp in a tipi, wear buckskins and throw tomahawks for fun.

Places I'd like to travel:
Ski the Alps, bike tour through Northern Italy, kayak around the Greek Isles, scuba Caymen, sail the Caribbean - anywhere in the world where there is adventure waiting.

Quote to live by:
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

sdavis@eventteam.com

Dick "The Poacher" Burson, CMP, DMCP
National Sales Manager

Arrested for:
Killing 'em with kindess!

Alma Mater/Degree:
Cal State Dominguez / B.A. English
Johnson & Wales College / A.A. Culinary Arts

Favorite thing about working for The Event Team:
I enjoy helping our clients plan programs- small and large!

Hobbies / Special Talents:
Saltwater Fishing & Tackle - making, cooking and gardening.

Best day of my life:
The day I married my wife

Something you might not know about me:
I joined the Naval Reserve in 1966 and served until 1995. I love dogs.

Favorite Movie:
Lonesome Dove, Michael

Places I'd like to travel:
Montreal and Quebec City, and the Maritime Provinces; the South Seas, Scandinavia and Ireland

Quotes to live by:
"You always know the right thing to do." - General Norman Schwatzkopf

"Our character is what we do when we think no one else is looking." - Jackson Browne

dburson@eventteam.com

"Runway" Romy Linde
Senior Sales Manager

Arrested for:
Killer Fashion Sense

Hometown:
La Jolla, CA

Alma Mater / Degree:
University of Arizona / B.A. Communications

Favorite thing about working for The Event Team:
One weird, happy family. I have been working here for nine years and counting!

Something you might not know about me:
My family is from South Africa, I know 2 other languages (Spanish and Hebrew), and I have been skydiving over the Swiss Alps.

Hobbies:
Even outside of work I love to plan everyone's social life. Shopping is a close second, followed by working out. I definitely love to travel and explore what I haven't yet already!

Best days of my life:
My wedding- if I had to do it over again, I would do it exactly the same way.

Places I'd like to travel:
Costa Rica, New Zealand, Croatia, Russia and everywhere I haven't been.

Quote to live by:
"It is not length of life, but depth of life" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

rlinde@eventteam.com

Lindsay "The Frenzy" White
Director of Sales & Marketing

Arrested for:
Being in 20 places at once (It's a wonder they caught her)!

Hometown:
Corcoran, CA

Alma Mater / Degree:
Occidental College / B.A. American Studies & Played on the Basketball Team all 4 years.

What I Love About My Job:
It was made for me. Literally. Over the past 4 years I've slowly but surely been empowered to create a position around my skills and strengths. It's a win-win for the company and for my happiness! Also, how many people can say they are good friends with their boss? I am one blessed lady.

Favorite Southern California Venue:
My house on the couch in my jammies and cowboy slippers watching The Wonder Years on Netflix. But we don't offer that one to our clients, so I'll pick Anthology instead.

Hobbies / Talents / Achievements:
When I'm not working at The Event Team, I'm in about a million bands. (http://www.lindsaywhitemusic.com). I self-published a 33-page narrative essay on mental illness from the caretaker's perspective, and I'm currently working on my memoirs (if you can call them that before you turn 30). I also side hustle as a writer for musicians and businesses looking for web bios and promo materials. In 2011 I was a finalist in SD Business Journal's Women Who Mean Business Awards (after I strong-armed my work bestie Ciera Davis into nominating me).

Something you might not know about me:
I win cool things about every other year. So far, I've won $1000 cash, a 2-night stay at Hotel Indigo, a Baby Taylor guitar and a trip to New York to meet Natasha Bedingfield. I can say the alphabet backwards faster than you and can hula hoop like nobody's business. In other news, you can also create your own Lindsay White Pandora station.

Quote to live by:
"He not busy being born is busy dying" - Bob Dylan

lwhite@eventteam.com

Ciera "Dirt Devil" Davis
Sales Manager

Arrested for:
Operating an underground Swiffer smuggling ring!

Hometown:
Fallbrook, CA

Alma Mater / Degree:
Lake Forest College/ B.A. Communications

Places I'd like to travel:
Amalfi Coast, Greece, Tahiti, and Australia

Something you might not know about me:
I'm a vegetarian, but I DO, on occasion, enjoy sushi (how can anyone give up sushi??!)

Hobbies/Special Talents:
Anything having to do with fitness and health, particularly yoga (I hope to get my certification this summer!)

Quote to live by:
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams

cdavis@eventteam.com

Rachelle "Rocky" Kirchner
Operations Manager

Arrested for:
Unauthorized Dancing!

Hometown:
Sauk Rapids, MN

Alma Mater / Degree:
College of Saint Benedict, St. John's University/
B.A. in Management

Hobbies/Special Talents:
Dancing, running, baking, spending time with friends, catching up with old friends, watching movies and football, snowboarding, wakeboarding, surfing, bike-riding and hiking.

Favorite Movie:
Blue Crush

Favorite Food:
Ice Cream or California Burritos

Something you might not know about me:
I did masonry work for a summer and have helped my dad wire traffic signal lights.

Places I'd like to travel:
Santorini, Figi, Australia, Jamaica, Africa, Italy (again) and Alaska.

Favorite thing about working for The Event Team:
The pride we each take in our individual jobs and how we all make a conscious effort to contribute to the "greater good" of the team. We're also fortunate to be led by Matt, who empowers us to speak up and be a part of the decision-making process on a daily basis.

Quotes to live by:
“Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it.”

"Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can't change. Kiss slowly, forgive quickly, play hard, take chances, give everything and have no regrets. Life is too short to be anything but happy."

rkirchner@eventteam.com

"Jersey" Jenny Donadio
Executive Assistant

Arrested for:
Rocking out to killer tunes from Jersey's finest rock band!

Hometown:
New York City via Matawan, New Jersey via Westerville, Ohio via Carlsbad, CA (I can’t choose one! I left a piece of my heart in each!)

Alma Mater / Degree:
Loyola Marymount University – B.A. Communication Studies & University of San Diego – Event Management Certificate Program

Favorite thing about working for The Event Team:
The ability to voice my opinions and feel as if I am contributing to the company.

Favorite Food:
Stuffed Shells and Baked Ziti (I can make both from scratch!)

Favorite Movie:
Dirty Dancing – Honestly, what girl did not want to be Baby at some point in her life?

Places I'd like to travel to:
New Orleans for Mardi Gras, Brazil for World Cup and Carnival, Boston, Miami, Seattle, Alaska, Greece, Austria (for the “Sound of Music” tour), Egypt, Russia, Bali, Bora Bora, Hearst Castle (and many, many more places!)

Quotes to live by:
"There is fate, but it only takes you so far...because once you're there, it's up to you to make it happen." - Can't Hardly Wait

jdonadio@eventteam.com

The Event Team Intern Program

The Event Team offers a very successful internship program in both the Sales and Operations Departments. Several of our interns have been groomed into full time employees, while many others achieved immediate job placement within the hospitality or events industry. Some interns even wind up as our clients! Our internship program provides a day-to-day glance at the fast-paced environment of a Destination Management Company. It also allows for a wide range of connections and access to organizations like MPI and HMA, among others.

Current Sales Interns:
Katie Bowen
Cara Usher

Current Operations Interns:
Dane Etten