Erin Rayner
Meet Erin! ED’s Founder, President, Strategist, Big Idea Person, Connector, Bubble Popper, Dreamer, Cynic, and Black Hat Wearer!
Erin’s favourite part of her work with ED is tackling big ideas, strategically and creatively, using her wide range of unique experiences to support her team and solve problems for clients. You will find Erin often unmutes her mic on a Zoom meeting to say “I have an idea..” or “I’ve been thinking about your business/customer’s/problem/solution…” Erin easily makes nonlinear connections, whether that be with people or ideas. She provides a 30,000 ft view and connects the dots where not everyone sees dots. Working with Erin you will find that she is direct, articulate and thoughtful; Erin is thinking about your project when you are thinking about other things.
Working with ED for over 15 years, Erin has received her Masters of Hard Knocks Business School, Marketing Diploma from NAIT with Honours, awarded Top 40 Under 40, and the Rising Star Event Planner Award from MPI.
Outside of work, Erin loves to surf. She finds that riding waves are a lot like life and entrepreneurship. Non-Surfers think surfing is all about riding waves….and it is, BUT what people on land don’t realize is that for that 10-second awesome wave, there could’ve been HOURS of arm-exhausting paddling, washing-machine wipeouts and sitting in the water paddling to miss the previous 100 waves….
During a global pandemic or when not working on her paddle, Erin can be found exploring Edmonton’s river valley with her young son and energetic standard poodle, Charlie.
Kelsey Williams
Meet Kelsey! ED’s Lead Planner, Visionary, Marketing & Design Guru, Project Manager, and Storytelling Ninja!
Kelsey works with you to move ideas to a vision, to design concepts, to implementation and execution. She creates memorable experiences and ensures that you share authentic and meaningful messages with your event attendees. Kelsey’s specialty is telling impactful stories and taking attendees through a range of experiences and ways to connect with your brand.
Kelsey has been with ED since 2014 and has honed her talents for many years prior. Her experience includes marketing, fundraising, sponsorship, communications, board management and event production in various industries. Kelsey has organized in-person and virtual events locally and nationally from small gatherings to over 1500 attendees.
Kelsey’s favourite things about her job include taking a creative vision through the many steps of making it happen and then making it seem seamless and easy for the client and attendees. She continuously is thinking about things before they are a concern or issue, bringing thoughtful suggestions to clients that best tell their story, and looking at the whole picture and focusing on the attendee experience. Event day is always a rewarding experience to see all of the hard work and planning come to life and see the impact it had on the attendees.
When working with Kelsey, she is thoughtful, driven, and organized. Kelsey can be relied upon to get shit done, consider your attendee’s experience, bring a marketing perspective to the table, have strong vendor relations and make the connection to the right suppliers. She’ll keep the project moving on time and within budget, and most importantly – make the process fun and not too overwhelming!
After work, Kelsey can be found spending time outside with her family camping, hiking, sledding, backyard fires and taking care of her chickens. Yes, she’s the token crazy cat lady but with chickens. She also enjoys running and exercising and travelling (when we can). Kelsey is married to an incredibly supportive husband who helps her brainstorm concepts and puts up with her detailed at-home to-do lists. She has three young kids – twin boys and a daughter.
Jennifer McMillan
Meet Jen! ED’s Event Assistant, Sourcing Specialist, Tech Wiz, Taskmaster and Entertainment Guru.
Jen has a plethora of experience working as an entertainer at events. Jen feels very connected to the entertainment and artist side of events from her experience as a professional musician, and over the years has grown a fond appreciation for both sides of the planning and entertainment process.
A few of Jen’s favourite things about her job include meeting incredible and inspiring clients and using her creative mind to come up with interesting themes, centrepieces, decorations, gift ideas, etc. She’s become a sourcing whiz in finding just the right items for clients’ events and at the right cost. Bringing in items from around the world to create unique experiences is always a thrill, especially when things get held up at customs! Now with virtual events, there are no limits in finding the right entertainer for your event. With global connections in the music industry, Jen can find exactly what you need and wow your guests with the experience they have.
When working with Jen, you will find she brings boundless creativity to the ED team and a hands-on knowledge of the entertainment and music industry. You can rely on Jen to be punctual, get the best price while maintaining the best quality, and make your event planning experience fun! She is incredibly detailed, keeps the rest of the ED team on track, and always enjoys a great pun!
In her free time, Jen can be found writing or arranging music for choirs, performing at the Citadel and Mayfield Dinner Theatre, singing and playing piano, and spending time with her family!
Dana Zadler
Meet Dana! ED’s Event Assistant, Multitask Extraordinaire, Voice of Reason, Curator of Local Host Spots and Sourcing Specialist.
Prior to ED, Dana was a chef, chauffeur, housekeeper, referee, activity planner, and you guessed it…a stay-at-home mom. This came after her 10-year career in the banking industry where she excelled in developing relationships with her clients to help them work towards financial freedom and achieve their goals. She brings a range of skills to the table including a level-headed approach to problem-solving and her tendency to be over-prepared for every situation. Dana is a quick learner and strongly believes in doing things right the first time!
Dana enjoys making new connections both with vendors and clients. She is personable, organized, and always willing to help!! Dana’s your gal if you need something done quickly but with thoughtful consideration. Dana brings her own unique perspective to the team, and although she may not speak up much during meetings, know that the wheels are in motion. She is a voice of reason, analytical and brings an outstanding balance to the ED team’s wild and creative ideas. She is committed to working closely with clients and creating memorable experiences for all!
In her spare time, Dana can be found on outdoor adventures with her husband and 3 young boys. They love hiking, paddleboarding, and glamping in the summer. In the winter you can find them skiing, skating and exploring the mountains. There is plenty of energy in her household, which leads Dana to stay up late reading, working, or planning more family adventures!