ISES RI Leadership and Board of Directors

Bryan Sawyer
President
WE Events & Productions – President
401-569-1248

A graduate from the School of Hospitality Management at Johnson & Wales University, Bryan is the Director of Special Events for WaterFire Providence. At WaterFire, Bryan is tasked with building the special events programs, including the Sovereign Plaza Ballroom, Verizon Jazz Stage and special functions. Bryan also is a member of the Fusionworks Dance Company board of directors and has lectured about special events for the Volunteer Center of Rhode Island. Bryan has been an ISES member since 2005 and is currently in his second term as an ISES Rhode Island board member. Bryan can be reached at bsawyer1@gmail.com.

Filomena Felix
President-Elect
Rentals Unlimited – Regional Sales Director
508-397-8993

After a 23 year career in textiles, Filomena entered the Special Events Industry. She worked part time with one of the area’s top planners and shortly after joined a specialty linen company full time for 3 years. She is now the Regional Sales Director for Rentals-Unlimited based out of Newport, Rhode Island. Having been a member of ISES New England, it was a natural transition to get involved with ISES Rhode Island. She serves as VP of Programs and Education for Rhode Island. Her passion for the industry has brought her to several of The Special Event Conferences, and Event Solutions Shows. Her dedication has been recognized by the chapter and she became a recipient of the “Rising Star” award. Filomena is also a member of Rhode Island Hospitality, Newport Chamber of Commerce, and attends NACE and MPI meetings. Filomena can be reached at filomena@rentals-unlimited.net.

Alexis Gorriarán, CSEP
Immediate Past President
(add)ventures - Director, marketing/multicultural
401-465-5177

Alex is the director, marketing/multicultural at (add)ventures and works out of the Providence and Miami office. Alex has been very active in ISES. He has served as the the ISES RI Vice President of Communications for three years, the Marketing and Communications Chair for the 2008 & 2009 ISES Northeast Regional Education Conference, President-elect and the President of the chapter. He has also volunteered his time as Volunteer Editor of the ISES Pages in the Special Event Magazine as part of the MarCom Committee and now on the ISES CSEP Certification Committee. Alex has worked in the special events and marketing industry for more than 15 years. Alex graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a bachelor of science in business administration and marketing with a minor in Spanish. He is of Cuban descent and speaks fluent Spanish, offering a multi-cultural perspective to marketing and special event initiatives. In 2002 he worked as the liaison to the GLBT Community for the Mayor’s Office of City of Providence and in 2006 was a Democratic candidate for State Senate in Providence. He is also a 2004 graduate of Leadership Rhode Island and is involved in several community organizations, including Rhode Island Pride, Equity Action, Council of La Raza, ProviDance Productions and has worked very closely in the regional and national marketing of Providence and the State of Rhode Island as a destination of choice. Alex can be reached at alexgorriaran@gmail.com or agorriaran@addventures.com.

Mike Henriques
VP of Communications
Artistic Wedding Video Group - President
508-863-2541

Mike is president and executive producer at Artistic Wedding Video Group and Montage Media Productions.  He has 18 years of video production experience in producing Television Commercials, Corporate Training and Communications pieces, Marketing Videos and Event Videos.  After graduating from New Bedford High School in 1993, he followed his passion in music and acquired a position as an assistant engineer at a local recording studio in pursuit of a career in music engineering and production.  Shortly after he was offered an opportunity in video production and the rest is history.  Artistic Wedding Video Group is now a successful events company producing over 70 videos annually with a support staff of 5 video professionals.  Mike has been a member of ISES since 2009 and this is his second year as a board member of ISES RI.  

Allison Boyd
VP of Membership
J.R. Bay, Inc. - Executive Assistant

Allison is Executive Assistant at J.R. Bay, Inc.  Allison’s involvement with ISES-RI began as a student member in 2005. After receiving her Bachelors in Sport, Entertainment, and Event Management from Johnson & Wales University, she continued serving on the Programs & Education, and Halloween Bash committees. She has visited Johnson & Wales University as guest speaker for the college’s Special Events Society, as professional guest judge of student class competitions, and as participant in her degree’s alumni review. In 2009, she was selected as the chapter’s Merit Scholarship recipient, allowing her the experience of attending ISES EventWorld in San Francisco. Inspired by the innovation and creativity of professionals around the world, and especially her experience with our own fabulous local event designers, Allison has recently enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design’s continuing education program for Interior Design certification. This is Allison’s first term on the board of directors.

Lisa Bettancourt
VP of Programs & Education
Marriott International - Senior Catering Sales Executive
401-848-6927

Lisa began her career with Marriott International at the Orlando World Center in 1993.  Through the years with Marriott, Lisa has worked the Front Desk, Banquets, Event Planning and Sales.
Lisa is hard working, ethical and takes her clients best interest to heart. She is great at building relationships and is able to broker any situation into a winning one for both client and hotel. She is always looking at ways to improve herself.   In 2010, Lisa achieved Marriott’s Eastern Region Catering Sales Awards Market Leader of the Year as well as Total Banquet Sales Award.
Lisa joined ISES in 2010 and immediately wanted to become more involved in the organization.   By the end of 2010 she joined the Board of Directors as Director of Programs & Education and now as VP of Programs & Education.  She credits many of the ISES members for providing her with inspiration and support as she had recently made a career change from Event Planning to Sales.  Lisa is an extremely motivated sales professional with a work ethic second to none. With Lisa's background in events she has the full picture when speaking to a client as she is speaking with them she is detailing the event into her ballroom.

Lisa can be rached at LisaSBettencourt@gmail.com

Jennifer Fustino
Director of Communications
Johnson & Wales University - University Events Manager
401-598-4676

Jenny is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University with a Bachelors in Sports, Entertainment & Event Management and a concentration in Sales & Meeting Management and a Masters of Business Administration in Global Business Leadership Marketing.  She has been volunteering and working in the event industry since 2002.  The majority of her professional career has been with Johnson & Wales University in event related positions.  First starting off as the Event & Marketing Coordinator for the Career Development Office, planning and executing career fairs for the Providence Campus.  Currently she is in the University Events Office as the University Events Manager.  A variety of events supported through this office include, regional alumni receptions, fundraising events and golf tournaments, board meetings and other special functions.  Additionally, Jenny serves as Co-Advisor for the National Student Organizations Leadership Academy on the Providence Campus.  Jenny contributes much of her experience in the event industry to her volunteer work with several Rhode Island based event production companies and non-profit organizations.  Jenny was recently elected to the ISES-RI board of directors and serves as Director of Communications.

Bill Murray
Director of Finance
ATR/Treehouse - General Manager
(401) 751-3121

Since 1984, Bill has been working in the sound and lighting industry, working for and eventually managing the student technical department at the University of Rhode Island.  There he coordinated the production of events including his own graduation day where he was presented a degree in Industrial Engineering.  Along with a small team of fellow URI alum, Bill spent the next 22 years building ATR/Treehouse from a small garage in south Providence to a full service technical support company providing audio-visual, lighting, draperies, and staging, as well as design and installation services.  Never bored, Bill spends his time anywhere from company operations to designing corporate theater sets, and has managed the technical production of thousands of meetings, performances, and special events, here in New England, across the country, and around the globe.  Beyond the office, Bill spends time with his two great kids and enjoys volunteering in his community for scouts, church, sports, schools, and various fundraisers.  For the past two years Bill has been a member of ISES RI, where he has helped support many of the monthly meetings including the annual Gala and Halloween Bash. He has recently been elected as Director of Finance.

Kristin Love
Director of Programs
Details with Love - Owner
401-855-0373

Kristin began her hospitality career in historic Newport, Rhode Island. Her creativity is coupled with a diverse wealth of experience gained over 10 years in the hospitality industry; from customer service, event management and catering sales, specializing in full service event planning and design. She has maintained a strong affiliation with the industry association market and has been an active member with ISES RI since 2006.
Kristin has planned and serviced over 500 weddings and receptions and coordinates every detail in each of her events to match your personality and style with the area's most talented industry professionals to create an event truly as unique as you are. Her passion and enthusiasm for her work have earned her a reputation for impeccable service and precise attention to detail. With the opening of Details with Love in 2008, she continually strives to inspire and create those memorable experiences you and your guests will cherish forever.

Donna Wing
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Twin River - Director of Sales & Catering
401-475-8438

A true hospitality professional with decades of experience in management for corporate and luxury properties, Donna was recently named the Director of Sales for Twin River Casino, Rhode Island's top tourist attraction, a 500,000 square-foot gaming, dining and entertainment facility located in Lincoln, RI.  Donna first joined Twin River Casino in 2007 as the Sales Manager following 14 years at Foxwoods Resorts Casino (Mashantucket, CT), where she held a variety of management positions within the Food & Beverage Department.  In addition, Donna owned and operated The Eatery at The Days Inn (Mystic, CT) and has held management positions at the AAA four-diamond Saybrook Point Inn & Spa (Old Saybrook, CT), Radisson Hotel (New London, CT), The Mystic Hilton (Mystic, CT), The Flood Tide Restaurant (Mystic, CT) and City Lights (Providence, RI).  An active member of ISES since 2007, Donna was recognized as the 2009-2010 Outstanding Member for her service to the ISES Rhode Island Chapter.  She is currently the Director of Strategic Partnerships and has served on the Committee for the ISES Rhode Island 2007-2008 Year End Gala (Host Property and Committee Member) as well as the 2009-2010 Halloween Bash.  A graduate of Johnson & Wales University (where she also received a post graduate Certificate of Appreciation for the curriculum process, known as DACUM), Donna is affiliated with a number of distinguished industry groups and associations.  Donna can be reached at dwing@twinriver.com.