Team Introductions: Meet Event Producer Jen

Jun 15

Jen is a California native, a graduate of the University of California at Davis, and has been planning events in the Bay Area for over ten years. She got her start in events at the Four Seasons in Maui, Hawaii. After 15 years of fine dining, outside catering, and event planning, she began to develop and fine-tune private dining programs as an event consultant in the Bay Area. She comes to the Kennedy Events team with experience in events of all sizes and styles along with innovative ways to create experiences to savor.

Kennedy Events: How did you get started in the events industry?

Jen Dorland: In my early twenties, I took a leap and moved to Hawaii. I started working as a bartender at Spago, Wolfgang Puck's glam eatery at the Four Seasons. It was an incredibly posh atmosphere and it was there that I met an event planner who would frequently build out the space for events. We became fast friends and she would just talk and talk about her job fulfillment and her satisfaction with her quality of life. I immediately knew I wanted to pursue a career in the event industry.

Shortly thereafter, I moved back to the Bay Area and weaseled my way onto a restaurant’s event team. From there, I started planning events for a catering company and the rest is history!

What’s your favorite aspect of the event planning process?

Seeing an event come together. The moment everything falls into place and you start to see an event come to life. There’s no better reward for all of your hard work and planning!

What is your favorite event moment?

Hands down the circus-themed event I planned for EventBrite a few years ago. For entertainment, we had simultaneous performances including a fire dancer who blew fire—my personal favorite—and other circus performers including acrobats, contortionists, magicians, and clowns. The crescendos of entertainment were a huge success with our attendees!

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Channeling my creativity into design decks, problem-solving, and checking things off the list. With so many details and moving parts, solution-seeking is a key component of event planning. It takes creativity to solve difficult problems. Sometimes the solution is money and sometimes it's just thinking about the problem differently.

What are the five tools you can’t live without?

Lists. There’s no greater satisfaction than checking off a task. Unless it makes my task list, it will not get my attention.
Calendars. A must-have for any busy person. Calendar reminders are key.
Yoga. During the pandemic, I made a commitment to do yoga every day for a year and it has become a beloved practice. Seeing that commitment through has helped me tear down the barriers within myself that say I’m too busy to try new things.
Internet. I would be lost without it. I don't think I could find my way anywhere.
A great team. Teamwork truly does make the dream work. Great colleagues and collaboration are irreplaceable.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration can come from anywhere. My greatest inspiration comes when I cultivate a pause. By taking time and space to re-center and reach a place of calm within the hectic swirl of everything going on around me, I allow different solutions and creative ideas to reach me.

What’s the top destination on your must-visit list?

Gosh, so many. What I have more than a top destination is…I really want to see the Northern lights. So that opens up a few destinations. I've already gone to Iceland to try and see them, but the conditions weren’t in our favor.

If you could choose a superpower what would it be?

Controlling time. It’s our most precious resource.

What’s your comfort food?

Cheese pizza is my go-to; classic, simple, and oh-so comforting!

What’s your favorite after-hours activity?

Watching re-runs and bad TV. I recently learned that re-watching something you’ve already seen gives you a sense of comfort because you don’t need to make an emotional investment when you already know what’s going to happen. “Gilmore Girls” and “NCIS” crime dramas are my favorites to unwind.

Ready to Learn More About What Our Team Can Bring to Your Event?

The team at Kennedy Events excels at incorporating opportunities to delight at every stage of the event planning process. With a clear roadmap to event success, we champion our knowledge, resources, and connections to ensure your event goes off without a hitch. Whether you’re planning a live, in-person event, something in the virtual realm, or a hybrid with virtual components, our event experts are here to guide you. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with us today.

PAIGE BUCK

Paige Buck is the co-owner of Kennedy Events, a large-scale event management company based in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City. Our team creates stress-free conferences and events with a positive impact, which allows our clients to resonate with their audience. Kennedy Events specializes in producing flawless product launches, award ceremonies, fundraisers, and multi-day conferences while keeping our eye on retention and engagement goals.

About Kennedy Events

Kennedy Events began with one goal in mind—to produce high-level corporate events with just as much strategy as style. Maggie founded the company in 2000, found her match in Paige, and in 2011 the two became official partners. Since then, these two resourceful and brilliant creatives have pooled their strengths to build one one of the most the most sought after corporate event companies in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles.