Team Introductions: Meet Partner and Chief Strategy Officer Paige

May 4

Paige Buck is the quick-witted, detailed, and incredibly savvy co-owner of Kennedy Events. She made her mark in the Bay Area nonprofit and tech scene with her mad logistical and fundraising skills before teaming up with Maggie as Partner and Chief Strategy Officer to create the Kennedy Events you see today. Maggie will be the first to tell you that this company would not be what it is today without her partner.

Paige’s calm demeanor, humor, and integrity have made being in this unpredictable and chaotic world of events well worth the ride. She’s all about finding a smarter way to do something, automating the tasks we tend to have on repeat, and creating a path for anyone to bring more smart ideas to the table. We’re constantly amazed at her capacity for outside-the-box thinking—and entertained by her sense of humor. She now leaves the event planning to the talented team she helped build while she focuses on the bigger picture operations that keep Kennedy Events running.

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

Paige Buck: I was a theater major in college. When I graduated and moved to Chicago, I got a part-time job in a scenic studio assisting a bunch of different departments in everything from sewing fabric set pieces to running errands.

On one of these errands, I was sent to REI to buy a thousand dollars worth of rock climbing and kayaking gear to outfit two mannequins that were going to be staged on either side of a mountain for Gatorade to launch their newest flavor, Gatorade Ice, at a tradeshow. The final scene was a three-story glacial mountain with “Gatorade Ice” carved into it. One side was forested, a mountain with a backpacker and a kayaker positioned in a waterfall flowing down the mountain into a spring. It was an incredible project to be a part of and it got me thinking “who comes up with these ideas? Who hires these people? What is that job?” The answer: an event planner.

The CEO of the scenic design company introduced me to his Rolodex of event planners, and only weeks later, I was working for one. The very first big event that I planned was the Chicago Bulls 1997 Championship Celebration. One of my most prized possessions is the caricature picture that was drawn of me at that event.

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

The most appealing thing to me about events, and the reason that I’ve stayed with the industry for so long in any of a number of capacities, is the opportunity to be a part of something from inception to completion. Then, if I’m lucky, getting the opportunity to improve on it by taking everything that you’ve learned and applying it to the next round of that same event.

What’s your favorite event moment?

Events that move me emotionally take the cake. You can get so wrapped up in the logistics of bringing it all together that you forget the real purpose of the event and its impact; like raising money for a major cause. On the day of the event, when the first speaker steps on stage or a video that I’ve had a hand in producing is the kickoff moment, I’m brought back into the moment, and the music sort of moves through me and energizes me in a way that can bring tears to my eyes.

A specific event that comes to mind is Spark! by Scout. The team planned a beautiful and smooth running event for Scout that was, for both Maggie and me, a real solid, visual representation of where we are now as a company and in our roles. Maggie and I are now out of the day-to-day; relying on the incredible team we’ve put together. The Scout conference took three or four people planning for months and 15 to 20 people around the clock for five days to make the event happen. Maggie and I were so impressed. It was really, really rewarding to see it all come to life before our eyes.

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

A notebook and pen. Leuchtturm is my favorite. It’s bigger than a Moleskin and comes in both a dot-grid and lined option with a whole host of different colors to choose from. I’ve tried everything under the sun from typing on my laptop to using my iPad and apps like Notability, but I always find myself falling back on putting pen to paper.
Kettle and tea. I'm a total tea addict. You won’t catch me on Zoom without a cup of it in hand or nearby.
Podcasts. I prefer Overcast over more common podcast platforms like Stitcher.
Travel. More specifically, my Alaska Airlines frequent flier miles.
Pets. I think there might come a time in my life when I want to travel enough that I have to make some choices around that, but I can't picture not having a dog or cat in my house every day. When I travel to other places, I am either constantly thinking about my pets at home or I’m the person who's greeting every street dog. I have that in common with my dad.

Where do you find inspiration?

I do not think of myself as a creative, even though I'm in a creative field. In the broad sense of “inspiration for the next thing I need to do,” I like ideating, which is a silly word, but it comes whenever I step away from the day-to-day. It doesn't really matter where I am. I don't need to be in nature or meditating on a hillside. I just need to get out of my everyday life. It often comes flooding in as soon as I'm on an airplane and unable to be on a device for five minutes, then I'm like, “Oh, I need to…”, and all of a sudden I’m writing away in my notebook.

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

The first would be Mexico. Two years before COVID, my husband and I started having a dream to live on a sailboat part of the year. It’s only a short flight back up to the Bay Area from the location we’re considering, so working remotely would be fully feasible. More broadly, outside of my comfort zone, I’d really like to sail in the Adriatic. Not at a time of year when it’s crowded with oligarchs and mega yachts.

If you could choose a superpower what would it be?

I'm almost certain it would be flight. I don't picture myself being up above the clouds. I usually picture myself using it at the speed of a hovercraft. Almost like rollerblading down the street. I used to have dreams like that when I was a kid.

What’s your comfort food?

If you leave me to my own devices, I will just eat potatoes, bread, and cheese. They’re clearly both my comfort foods and my lowest common denominators, but one food comes to mind: Raclette. It’s a form of fondue from the Alsace-Lorraine region between France and Germany. It's made from a Swiss cheese that you melt on a small tray. You use a special type of spatula to peel the melted cheese off onto roasted potatoes, and then you serve it with salumi and other pickled vegetables to brighten the plate.

Ready to Learn More About What the Kennedy Events Team Can Bring to Your Event?

The KE team 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.

MAGGIE KENNEDY

Maggie Kennedy is the co-owner of Kennedy Events is 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.