Your Partners
With some of the most seasoned and unflappable event professionals around, it is truly the people of Sound Planning who make us shine. No matter how large or small your project is, we tailor your assigned team to best align with your event’s format and objectives, and we are confident that you will thoroughly enjoy working with each and every one of us.
Jessica Ludders, CMP
Jessica is Sound Planning’s Owner and Manager focused on the company’s culture and growth. Since 2003, when Jessica began with the company, her focused, efficient work style and thoughtful, easy-going attitude have earned her an excellent reputation and deep knowledge across all lines of our business — event technology, event project management (logistics and content & speaker management), and audience management. In her role today, she leverages these years of hands-on experience and deep relationships in her care for our team and clients, alike. Jessica has a Bachelor of Arts in American History from Bates College in Maine as well as an MBA from Bainbridge Graduate Institute, now Presidio. She unwinds either with running shoes on, earbuds in or with her Kitchen Aid mixer, butter, and flour. But more often, she’s rink side watching a hockey practice or game, or in the audience at a jazz concert, as she supports the growth and development of her two teenaged sons.
- jessica@sound-planning.com
- (206) 851-6730
Kristofer Armstrong
Kris has a keen eye for operational improvement and an excessive love of spreadsheets. He graduated from UCLA with an MA in Political Science, majoring in political theory and quantitative research methods. He enjoys reading, eccentric music and films, snapping photos, learning to make jewelry, and spending time with his wife and their two dogs and cat.Lou Barrett
Lou Barrett has over seven years of experience in project management, with a background in tech, publishing, and education non-profits. She joined Sound Planning in 2024. Lou is a spreadsheet queen. She has worn many hats over the years—project manager, editor, educator, and writer—which gives her the perfect mix of technical and creative thinking. She loves helping clients achieve their vision by thinking outside of the box. Lou started her own publishing company, Purple Palm Press, in 2018 and brings her scrappy resourcefulness and commitment to excellence to her role at Sound Planning. When she’s not helping clients bring their ideas to life, Lou serves as a board member for North Atlantic Books, stays active as part of the Chicago Spirit Brigade, a non-profit cheer team, and reads many books.Tracey Bornemeier
She booked, managed, and enjoyed collaborating with creative teams and helped to facilitate both small, private meetings and large gala events in the spotlight of political or media attention. From the Westin, Tracey joined Compass Group supporting Microsoft’s diverse on-campus meeting needs. It was with Compass Group that she had the pleasure of partnering with several Sound Planning teams as a fellow vendor. She is delighted to now be a part of that stellar team. Tracey brings creativity and great attention to detail to her work. During her downtime, she enjoys spending time with her three kiddos and husband, traveling when time allows, and hiking and trail running when weather permits.Suzanne Brickman
Suzanne brings a thoughtful, detail-driven approach to every project, ensuring memorable, seamless events for both clients and attendees. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, two young sons, and family dog.Kari Brown
Kari uses her full-service approach to manage events ranging from high tech conferences for 13,000+ attendees to smaller executive briefings for 20 attendees. Kari has high standards, a great communication style and executes events with aplomb. She attended the University of Idaho and graduated from Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism. She spends her free time traveling, winetasting and volunteering for various foundations.Kelly Burhop
In this position, she learned the importance of event operations and found her passion for event technology, quickly becoming the go-to resource for digital solutions. She built apps, led strategic platform selection, and enjoyed collaborating with diverse stakeholders ranging from Procurement and IT to Brand and Legal to facilitate technology for key internal events. Kelly then joined Intel’s Digital Experience group, where her scope expanded to managing the strategy and infrastructure for the full marketing software stack. Following this, she launched her own consulting business. It was as a contractor that she had the pleasure of working with Sound Planning for several months and fell in love with the team’s culture. She is delighted to now be a permanent part of that stellar team. Kelly brings strategy, process, and systems thinking to her work. During her downtime, she stays engaged with the industry by writing on Substack, enjoys playing with her son, and hosts family gatherings with her husband. They are avid readers who are currently trying their hand at new hobbies like crochet.Ramona Canan
Before joining the events industry, where she has spent the past 12 years, Ramona began her career as an engineer at Microsoft. Her technical background and collaborative approach help bridge the gap between technology, operations, and people—enabling teams to deliver high-quality results. Ramona holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Cornell University. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and keeping up with the adventures of her son and daughter.Abby Crossen
With degrees in Architecture and Interior Design from the University of Cincinnati and a Master of Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Abby applies a broad creative toolkit to every challenge. Away from the office, Abby enjoys walking, cooking, fabric arts, and spending time with her husband and kids.Cindy Dabbs, CPA
As a Certified Public Accountant who’s held every position from staff accountant to chief financial officer, she is able to advise, consult and perform all functions of accounting. In addition to understanding the financial picture of the company, Cindy has the ability to communicate and work well together with management, clients and vendors to get a positive result. Cindy has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Washington State University. She enjoys her family and friends, long walks, and good wine.Kelsey Davis
She has experience managing digital tools for events ranging from large tradeshows with 180,000+ attendees to smaller networking events, specializing in the management of event websites, mobile apps, technology integrations and CMS setup and administration. Kelsey has been a senior lead of digital events with Sound Planning since 2020. Kelsey graduated from American University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She currently lives in Charlottesville, VA and enjoys spending time cooking and exploring the outdoors with her husband, two children and rescue pup.Maggie Douglas
Maggie specializes in providing support to Sound Planning event leads by handling specific tasks related to onsite event logistics as well as speaker and event management. Maggie adds that special flair to each and every event she works on. She graduated from the American University in International Relations with a concentration in Russian Studies. She enjoys traveling, photography and cooking.Jenny Goupil
She spent 5 years at Amazon, where she planned event programs for Amazon Web Services, including portions of their annual user conference, hosting over 30,000 attendees, and intimate C-Suite events. Jenny also held an integral role in launching some of Amazon’s first live events, managing logistics for concerts and college campus programs for Amazon Student Prime. Jenny excels in high touch, high energy environments with a penchant for detail and a can-do attitude. She graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Psychology. In her spare time, Jenny enjoys traveling, baking, and adventures with her husband, two young sons, and two dogs.Raymond Gutierrez
Raymond started off his events career in sales and quickly learned that his love for high stress and complex problem solving was best suited for event strategy and production. When the pandemic hit, Raymond made a huge pivot and went into Emergency Management for the Migrant Border Shelters. He is glad to have experienced Emergency Management but is happy to be back to event strategy. Raymond enjoys theatre, cooking, personal training, and traveling.Stacie Hart
She has worked in non-profit development and education and brings a sharp focus to managing processes and communication. Stacie executes complex tasks with precision while maintaining flexibility to adapt to the needs of colleagues and clients. She graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Stacie enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, attending and performing live theater, and exploring the Pacific Northwest in her MINI Cooper.Sydney Healey, PMP
She specializes in all phases of project and program management from conceptual development through close-out with particular focus in venue and supplier sourcing, space planning, exhibit hall planning and booth sales, attendance strategy and management, housing management, onsite registration and overall logistical execution.. She is experienced in events both large and small and for both internal corporate or third-party or association conferences, corporate meeting rhythms, and smaller C-Suite offsites. Sydney has a passion for tackling each project with enthusiasm, consensus building attitude, critical thinking, and a razor-sharp sense of humor while wearing her heart for hospitality on her sleeve. She is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and graduated from Central Washington University with a Bachelor of Science in Leisure Services/Hospitality Management and Business Administration. Her favorite pastimes include goofing off with her family and friends, horsing around with their two beloved rescue dogs, flying over the beautiful Puget Sound skies with her favorite pilot (husband), and subpar cooking antics.Addison Horn
She was a Senior Technical Project Manager at eventcore, specifically focused on event registration technology and worked on many of the same Tier 1 Microsoft events she does now with Sound Planning. Addie brings a love of organization and process improvement and thrives in the fast-paced, collaborative world of the event industry. Her calm and level-headed approach to challenges makes her an asset to the team. A Seattle native, Addie enjoys everything the city and surrounding mountains have to offer including hiking, backpacking, rowing on Lake Union and exploring the city on foot with her French Bulldog pup, Gryffin.Cat Koehn
She holds a Management Information Systems degree from the University of Texas McCombs School of Business, and her experience spans both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Cat has worked with Microsoft’s Tier 1 events, was a consultant with Arthur Andersen, Enform Consulting, and Cascadia Consulting Group, and was a Program Manager overseeing a diverse slate of project portfolios in both global health (Cambodia and Cote d'Ivoire) and community and economic development (Alaska and Washington).Renee Lake
With over two decades of experience in the events industry and more than 15 years specializing in project management, Renee brings a blend of strategic insight, technical expertise, and people-first leadership to every initiative she leads. A certified PMP since 2012, Renee is known for streamlining operations, designing impactful programs, and cultivating high-performing teams that consistently deliver results. She’s excited to bring her expertise and energy to Sound Planning. Renee began her career in event registration technology, but her scope quickly expanded to include logistics, technical solutioning, and data analysis—making her a trusted expert in process improvement and stakeholder engagement. Her leadership style is grounded in pragmatic optimism, a quality that inspires her teams to grow, innovate, and exceed expectations. A proud Maryland native, Renee finds joy in life’s simple pleasures: watching a Chesapeake Bay sunset, listening to live music with her husband, sipping a good margarita on a patio, or cheering from the sidelines at her kids’ sporting events. Whether she’s mentoring a team or managing a complex event portfolio, Renee leads with clarity, creativity, and a deep commitment to excellence.Marie Lazzaro
She believes a strong story is essential to event success and dedication to the details is the only way to ensure a flawless execution. Marie’s professional career comprises corporate, non-profit and government events, including live performance, conferences, product and program launches, screenings, festivals, and fundraisers. Her varied experience has left her a wizard of logistics and her unflappable sense of humor can rescue any challenge. She graduated from the University of Houston with dual degrees in history and theatre and followed with a master’s degree in directing from NYU. Outside of planning events, she is writing scripts, designing a passive house, and travelling abroad with her beloved husband.Angela Marini
Her extensive background in managing projects that involve both logistics and technology combined with her diverse skillset and leadership experience make her an asset to any team. Angela is happiest when she is working with a team towards a shared goal and prides herself on being an advocate for all stakeholders involved in a project. Angela was born and educated in Europe, starting her events industry career at the International Congress Centre in Davos, Switzerland. In her free time, you can find her outside amongst the trees or spending time with family and friends, enjoying a good glass of wine.Emily Matthews
Her experience includes a wide variety of projects for both non-profit and corporate clients, including high-level executive conferences. Emily faces organizational and logistical tasks with determination and a creative perspective. She graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Visual Arts and enjoys spending time with her two young children and playing on a local hockey team.Chase McMahon
She started her career in Bozeman, Montana where she assisted in the planning and execution of over 30 annual non-profit events and coordinated online marketing for hundreds of local events each year. She then spent 2 ½ years on the Sound Planning team learning just how much technology can enhance and change an event experience while navigating a pandemic and the new world of digital events. Now Chase is exploring another side of the industry as an events florist and is continuing to follow her passion for community and connection. Chase graduated from Carroll College with a degree in Business Administration, concentrating in management and marketing. In her spare time, she loves getting out to hike, paddle board, and mountain bike with her family, friends, and dog.Nate Miller, PMP
His main work focus is ensuring each client’s project is delivered exactly as they envisioned. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his two dogs, lovely wife, and a good book.Libby Mines
Whether it is pre-event and onsite registration, space acquisition, budget management, food/beverage facilitating, trade show booth production or event logistics, she can handle it! Libby is also an active producer of virtual meetings. She works well with others to produce flawless events for some of our largest clients. She graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Business. She loves movies, her son Matthew and food (not in that order!).Ivy Muir
She is passionate about creating people-centered, purpose-driven work environments where teams can do their best work.Ann Plana
A hands-on and collaborative partner, Ann’s breadth of experience and attention to detail is an asset to any team. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a Minor in Leadership Studies and is a life-long learner, ever curious to expand her repertoire. Ann loves spending time with her husband and three sons in the PNW outdoors, rooting for Seattle’s underdog sports teams or enjoying a good movie.Brian Reagan
Known for bringing calm to complex environments, he partners with clients, internal teams, and vendors to deliver seamless, high-touch event experiences from planning through execution. Originally from Boston (a loyal Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics fan), Brian now calls Las Vegas home, where he enjoys life with his wife, their energetic son, and their Frenchie, Fenway. Outside of work, he’s passionate about travel, exploring new technology, and taking his Jeep on off-road adventures. For Brian, life is one big event—plan it well, make it exceptional, and enjoy the show.Krista Ritums
She brings 15+ years of experience in consultation and project management of registration websites, attendee tools and platforms for complex conferences and high-touch programs, both digital and in-person. With a focus on the attendee end-to-end experience, Krista is able to see both the big picture of a program and also ensure the finer details of attendee experience are always in the forefront. In her free time, she enjoys working in her garden, DIY projects and exploring the great PNW.Stacey Roberts
Stacey thrives on creating an environment where we can grow beyond what is expected. She enjoys working with different clients and partners and finding creative solutions to problems. In addition to her many years of logistics management, Stacey also works in the digital events and tools space. Stacey loves spending time with her two sons, exploring the world around us, and soaking up music and creativity.Elizabeth Rolf Beattie
She excels at translating complex needs into clear strategies, fostering strong partnerships across teams, and ensuring a smooth attendee experience from first click to check in. Known for her quick learning ability and adaptability, she thrives in dynamic environments while maintaining a positive attitude and a good sense of humor. When she’s not supporting events, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her family, honing her needlepoint skills, and working her way through an endless queue of audiobooks.Grace Rooney
She loves integrating an event’s overall goal and purpose into every aspect of the gathering, from F&B to agenda and attendee experience. She previously built events departments at Foreign Policy magazine and Group Health Foundation and spent several years in various roles in government and on political campaigns. She graduated from Boston University with a degree in history and journalism and enjoys travel, ice skating, and time with her husband, children, and dog.Jen Santos
She uses her process background to focus on the end-to-end digital experience, believes that teams succeed or fail together, and that to the attendee any failure along the way is a failure of that experience as a whole. Jen graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a BBA in Finance, plus certifications in International Business and German as well as an MBA in Marketing and Management from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Now living in Salvador, Brazil, she spends her time soaking up as much of the local culture as she can — learning the language, the foods, the music and rich Afro-Brazilian culture.Morganne Spence
She specializes in planning and executing events of varying scale, from intimate programs of a few hundred attendees to large-scale corporate events hosting up to 20,000 participants. Her background includes managing events across in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats, with a strong focus on logistics, strategic planning, and seamless execution. Morganne is known for her ability to adapt quickly, collaborate effectively with stakeholders and vendors, and deliver polished, high-impact experiences that align with business objectives. She brings a thoughtful, detail-driven approach to every event. Originally from Northern California, Morganne holds a degree in Communications from Sonoma State University, 2016. She has since relocated to North Carolina. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and all her animals - horses, dogs, and chickens.Lita Spratt
She provides content and speaker management as well as end-to-end project and logistics management on many large, high-touch events. Lita is no nonsense and very trustworthy. Clients simply adore working with her and know that she always has their best interests at heart. She attended Cornish Institute of the Arts and graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts. Lita loves spending time with family and friends, exploring Seattle on foot, cooking, gardening, traveling to warm and sunny climates and supporting animal welfare.Daniel Stokes
He's a fervent proponent of collaboration and seamless communication which sets him apart in his ability to cultivate connections with clients and team members alike. Beyond relationship-building, he harnesses data and technology to provide clients with a personalized and seamless experience that elevates the entire team's dedication to creating events that exceed expectations. Outside of work, Daniel enjoys cooking, hanging out with his fiancé and two cats, and playing what some may consider to be too many videogames.Lilly Sutherland
Lilly thrives in collaborative environments where communication and thoughtful planning are key. She enjoys helping clients and colleagues alike navigate challenges with clarity and purpose, and she approaches her work with both curiosity and creativity. Originally from New England, Lilly has called Seattle home for over a decade. When she’s not working on events, you can find her traveling, cooking up something delicious in the kitchen (she’ll happily share her best recipes), making pottery in her studio, or relaxing at home with her cats, Oliver and Riley.Amy Taylor
She has a passion for the events industry and project management with an ability to create long lasting relationships with vendors and clients. Amy has a Bachelor of Science in Hotel/Restaurant Management, her Master of Business Administration and is Project Management Professional certified. She works with her local Woman to Woman Mentoring program acting as a mentor for women within the local college STEM programs. Her free time is spent with friends and family, working in her extensive gardens and listening to a good podcast.Jason Widrig
After many years spent away from the event technology realm, he is excited to be back in the thick of it with many familiar faces and lots of new ones! Having been anchored in his beloved Ballard neighborhood of Seattle for decades, he can't imagine being anywhere else.
