KEVIN BIRKA

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

There is nothing Kevin can’t do. He is our in-house accountant, mechanic, carpenter, computer technician, and provider of corny dad jokes on the regular. Holly calls him the “camp counselor” of Occasions, because he’s able to solve any problem that comes his way, and we all turn to him for work and life advice. Plus, he’s the guy with the checks. Every day since he joined up in 2012, we are grateful to have Kevin oversee the whole business picture – office staff, service staff, and kitchen staff.

JEREMY BRONSON

PRESIDENT/OWNER

After two decades working for elected officials and technology companies, Jeremy pursued his lifelong passion for food in 2008 — with a nudge from his wife to take the entrepreneurial plunge. A natural people person, Jeremy loves planning events, developing business partnerships, and managing a growing company. Jeremy remains active in the community, serving as board president for We Don’t Waste, chair of the Colorado Catering Association, and a frequent guest lecturer in business and hospitality courses. Any free time is spent with his wife and daughters cooking at home or exploring the Denver restaurant scene.

LYNN HUBERT

EVENT DESIGNER

Our Texas artist. Originally from Dallas, Lynn moved to Colorado in 2000 and has been redesigning it ever since. With her BFA in painting and a powerhouse eye for interior design, she looks at every event as an opportunity to bring that artistic flair and “wow” factor to her clients and their guests. Just give her a date and time for your event, and she’ll put her imagination to work for you with countless elegant touches. Lynn’s signature event design style has won her accolades from some of our biggest wedding, corporate and non-profit clients, not to mention her loyal following of social party hosts.

DANA JONES

DIRECTOR OF SALES

A self-proclaimed event planning nerd, Dana knew she wanted to be in this business since middle school. It all started with a job in a Westin Hotel Starbucks, where she swiftly moved into hotel catering and sales. Dana joined Occasions Catering in 2011, having learned that her favorite part of the industry was seeing guests enjoy themselves at a party she put countless hours into planning. That is the thrill she chases day after day. In 2015, Dana earned the role of Sales Director at Occasions, where she continues to plan elaborate parties while overseeing the whole event design team.

KENDRA KASSELL

EVENT SERVICE MANAGER

There’s a term we use called “The Kendra Effect” – a noun describing the countless kind words and positive reviews from our clients and industry partners who have been lucky enough to work with Kendra over her 14-year career at Occasions. She’s earned her reputation as one of the best service industry leaders Denver has to offer and enthusiastically coaches our staff to follow suit. Denver born and raised, if she’s not pulling a 12-hour shift, chances are she’s screaming at a Broncos game. To put it simply, she knows how to run an event through and through, with a smile on her face.

CHRIS MEIER

EXECUTIVE CHEF

The heart of the house and master of the kitchen, Chris knows how to keep calm in any situation. It’s no wonder why, having 25 years of restaurant and chef experience, alongside a culinary degree from the Art Institute of Colorado. His culinary education complements his double BA from CU Boulder. As executive chef at high volume Denver restaurants, he featured cuisine from all over the world and cooked alongside renowned chefs like Wolfgang Puck. Chris also mentors developing chefs, imparting his love for using local foods and international flavors to create tantalizing menus.

WALTER MICHEL

PASTRY CHEF

Born and raised in Glarus, Switzerland, Walter has been baking since the age of 15 and has never really slept since. Catch him early, because he’s usually completed a full day of baking around the time we break for lunch. We feel fortunate to have his talents in house, along with his sense of humor. Walter applies traditional Swiss methods to produce timeless, authentic desserts – while also creating contemporary, trending sweets. Oh, and be sure to ask about his breads. They’re nothing short of homemade, melt-in-your-mouth bliss… to say the least.

LEANNE NICHOLS

SALES/OFFICE ADMIN.

The friendly face and voice of Occasions, Leanne handles our On The Go clients, daily visitors, and busy phones while also managing many accounting tasks. Leanne’s got your back when it’s time to refer you to one of our event designers or get you quick answers to your event questions. She is originally from Maine and decided it was time to trade the ocean for the mountains back in 2004, and we’re so glad she did. Outside Occasions, she and her husband are raising two young children.

HOLLY PAGE

SENIOR EVENT DESIGNER

A New Yorker through and through, Holly has the hustle and skill to produce many of our largest events, year after year. She spent many years working in the fast-paced restaurant industry and Manhattan event scene before settling as a newlywed in Colorado in 2011. She soon after joined the Occasions team, where she quickly became one of our go-to Event Designers, and was promoted to Senior Event Designer in 2016. She loves that each day at her job is different – just like every event – and clients rave about her ability to guide them to unique, successful occasions.

KRISTA PASS

MARKETING MANAGER

A transplant from Detroit, Krista is a true artistic force who never met a medium she couldn’t master – graphic design, woodworking, illustration, and food photography are among her many talents. She grew to love hospitality while designing for a restaurant group in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Armed with her BFA in graphic design and advertising, she quickly found that she felt most comfortable working alongside creative chefs, planners, and entrepreneurs, and she never turned back. Don’t be surprised if you see her at events with a camera in one hand and a chalk marker in the other – she loves anything creative and the chance to meet new people at every event.

SHEILA SACKETT

SOUS CHEF

Born and raised in New England, Sheila specializes in natural foods and fluidly leads her team with her upbeat energy. She has over 30 years of training and experience creating healthy dishes for guests with specific dietary needs, and she’s also an expert in client favorites like bacon, butter, and artisan cheese. A true professional who can’t imagine doing anything else, Sheila thrives off of the rush and magic that happens behind the scenes in the kitchen – it takes her back to her musical theater roots and gives her that adrenaline rush she loves. Come into Occasions for a tasting, and you’re likely to meet Sheila while you sample her delicious food.

ERIC SPAULDING

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

In an unpredictable industry, it’s best to have a strong mind and steady hand on deck to solve problems quickly – Eric has both. He started working part time as service staff in 2008 while attending the University of Denver, and his “side gig” soon turned into a full-time career. Now Eric is one of our senior managers, overseeing all event staff and operations after earning an MBA from DU with emphasis in Business Management and Human Resources. Fun tidbit: he met his wife while working at Occasions – guess who catered the wedding?

VICTORIA SPIZZIRRI

EVENT DESIGNER

“Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it” is one of Victoria’s favorite sayings, from Julia Child. Victoria found her passion in the service industry when she was 15 years old, working her way through culinary school with a degree in Food Service Management and Event and Meeting Management. A few months later, she joined the service staff at Occasions Catering and quickly earned promotions. Now an essential part of the sales team, Victoria plans killer events knowing every angle of the process. All while also being a die-hard Blackhawks fan… no easy task.

ANDREA TENENBAUM

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

The socialite and laugh factory’s most valuable team player – clients and coworkers all love Andrea’s fun take on anything life throws at her. A third generation “Denverite,” she loves everything about this city and helps plan its memorable events by speaking with clients and learning about their tastes. Being married to David and front-and-center in the industry for years, she is still always so excited to see events “in full swing,” knowing the ins and outs that went behind every detail.

DAVID TENENBAUM

OWNER

David truly grew up with a front-row seat in catering watching his mom and dad, Sandy and Barry
Tenenbaum, run Occasions by Sandy for 38 years. Then in 2008 over a drink and a golf game, longtime friends Jeremy and David decided they’d be great business partners and bought the company, eventually changing the name to Occasions Catering. Coming from a strong background in public accounting, David handles a lot of the finances and business end of the company, while he also oversees his other venture – Rocky Mountain Spice Company. He loves Colorado, skiing, concerts, his two daughters, and his wife, Andrea… to name a few.

KATIE QUINN

EVENT DESIGNER

When Katie’s in your corner, you know you have a partner who’s going to make you laugh the whole way toward making your event a huge success. Her celebrated humor complements a strong work ethic and attention to detail – the winning combination for this industry. Even though she’s relatively new to Occasions, Katie is no event rookie: she’s been in event planning for over a decade and has a network of fans to prove it. We’re lucky to have her as part of the Occasions family, as both a work colleague and as an expert on the local live music scene.

LET’S BEGIN

We can’t wait to get started planning your event.
Just tell us a little or a lot about your occasion, and we’ll take it from there.

START PLANNING

Occasions Catering 1789 West Warren Ave, Englewood, CO 80110 303.789.1867 info@occasionsdenver.com