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 team. Jeremy dedicates a big portion of his time to supporting our community, serving on nonprofit boards, volunteering for industry associations, and lecturing in business and hospitality courses. A father of two grown daughters, he cooks for friends and family and explores the Denver restaurant scene in his spare time.

CASSY CADWALLADER

SUSTAINABLILTY MANAGER

Need to know whether that cup is compostable, recyclable, or trash? Cassy’s got your answer, and she keeps Occasions on track with our ambitious sustainability program. She’s also an accomplished Occasions event supervisor, balancing her studies in human geography and sustainability with her demanding catering job. Always eager to keep her busy life in balance, Cassy likes rock climbing, snowboarding and traveling the globe. And just to be sure her docket is full, she recently learned American Sign Language.

NATE COUTURE

MARKETING MANAGER

Equal parts creative and hospitable with a touch of sarcasm, Nate has worked his way through various roles in the event industry, never failing to unleash his artistic side. After joining the Occasions team in 2016 as an Event Supervisor, he found his natural fit as Marketing Manager. With a degree in graphic design and a deep understanding of the catering world, he thrives while working in the fast-paced environment. If he’s not at an event displaying a custom menu or geeking out on the computer, you’ll likely find him summitting a mountain, snapping photos along the way.

KAM DAGLI

GUEST EXPERIENCE DIRECTOR

Kam the man. This professional through and through, Kam has earned his reputation as one of the best service industry leaders Denver has to offer with his 15+ year career. Having worked the ins and outs at several Denver hot spots, his extensive experience and multi-tasking skills are obvious at every event. If he’s not working out the logistics for our most events, he can be found skiing, woodworking, reading, or wise cracking. To cut to the chase – Kam truly always knows what to do, and does it while making others smile along the way, too. Plus, he’s a certified sommelier… so that means even more smiles!

LYNN HUBERT

SENIOR 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.

BECKY JENSEN

EVENT MANAGER

Oh how we love our Becky, and she has that special touch that makes her feel like your best friend the first time you meet her! Occasions was lucky to have Becky join us in 2016 as an event captain. She kept busy while successfully juggling another full-time retail position, before joining the O. Team full time in 2019 as an event manager. If she’s not rooting for the Chicago Cubs or attending a concert, she’s off somewhere making memories with her friends.

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.

HEATHER NEWMAN

EVENT COORDINATOR

A true Colorado native – three generations to be exact, Heather is no stranger to the hustle of the catering world. Hard at work since the age of fifteen, Heather serendipitously found her way to Occasions and the rest is history! A self-proclaimed hippy, she can be found in her flip-flops at a concert, if she’s not planning an elegant wedding. As an added bonus: Heather studied photo journalism, so not only can she create a beautiful event, she can capture the moment with some stunning shots to prove it!

ELRI NIEWENHUIZEN

SALES DIRECTOR

“Elri” isn’t pronounced “energy,” but don’t tell [EL-ree] that. The South African native, Coloradan by way of Australia and New York City, is always honing her craft and leading our event design team by her excellent example. Elri spent a decade producing signature events in the unique Manhattan market before joining Occasions. She is a marathon runner and dedicated food adventurer with a penchant for craft coffee (perhaps the source of her boundless energy).

LEANNE NICHOLS

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

The friendly face and voice of Occasions, Leanne handles our 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.

SHEILA SACKETT

EXECUTIVE 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.

JANIVE SANTINI

STAFFING COORDINATOR

Janive loves the hospitality industry because “there is never a dull moment,” and that is exactly how we would describe her as well. Always quick to provide a witty response, Janive handles our fast-paced staffing system. With her Master’s Degree in Hospitality Business Management, Janive has experience from every facet of the industry. She made her way to the Rocky Mountains after leaving her mark on Florida and New York. On her days off, you can find her learning to ski and traveling the world with her wife and fur babies.

IYESHA SAYEED

WAREHOUSE MANAGER

Entertaining is in Iyesha’s blood. When she isn’t traversing the Occasions warehouse aisles picking just the right equipment and decor for our custom events, she’s carrying on the tradition she learned from her dad – cooking and eating with friends and loved ones. “Food has that special way of bringing people together,” Iyesha says; she spells family f-o-o-d! Iyesha has a degree in graphic design, but fell in love with events and is a true industry pro. If you can’t find her at work or in her home kitchen, she’s probably out conquering the Colorado wilderness with her chihuahua, Mila.

SHELLEY SIMS

FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGER

In his effort to perfect his craft as a self-proclaimed “food knowledge whiz,” Shelley’s love for the culinary world is what keeps him going. This Denver native is no stranger to the fast-paced catering atmosphere. In addition to graduating from the Colorado Culinary Academy, Shelley has extensive experience in both catering and full service restaurants. Shelley’s passion for food doesn’t limit itself to his time at Occasions; he enjoys browsing culinary magazines for fresh recipes to try at home or showing off his skills on the grill, cooking Teppan style.

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.

LORA STORKE

EVENT MANAGER

Originating from the Golden State, Lora is all about staying active and spreading joy along the way. She enhanced her naturally sweet persona while studying pastry making in France. Lora perfected her craft over the past decade, running her own dessert catering and food truck business for a number of years. She also embraces her inner Coloradan – she loves to hike and snowshoe, especially when she is joined by her four legged partner, Badger.

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.

LETTY ZUNIGA

EVENT MANAGER

You can take the girl out of Los Angeles, but you don’t have to excuse Letty for being a Dodgers fan. You won’t hold it against her, though; Letty makes a natural connection with everyone she meets. She’s spent nearly half her life as a manager in catering and restaurants, always seeking free time to travel the world or cook and craft with good friends. She keeps her clients and colleagues smiling with her non-stop positivity and love for people.

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