Tia’s industry experience spans two decades from food and beverage to event planning. She’s the owner of Complete weddings + events in North and South Carolina as well as Blo Blow Dry Bar in Greenville, SC. She’s served on three NACE national committees and is currently serving on the national CLC committee. She has served as Secretary and VP locally and is this year’s Appalachian President of NACE.
Shannon Hutchings
Chapter Vice President
Chief Operating Officer
rsvp wedding coordination
Events have the ability to mold our lives and the lives of those around us. Having the opportunity to be a part of a company’s business growth, a family celebration, or an organization's movement for change is profound. It is humbling to experience the impact a well-planned and executed event can have on our lives and futures.
I enthusiastically bring more than 20 years of hospitality experience to the NACE leadership board. My mission is to become a community connector, encouraging collaboration efforts, to enable our members to become innovators and trendsetters in our industry.
Katie DiPietro
Treasurer
Owner
DiPietor Weddings: Photography & Films LLC
&
Duncan Estate
Katie and her husband, Brandon own DiPietro Weddings where they are award winning wedding photographers and videographers. They also own and operate the Duncan Estate, a historic colonial mansion built in 1897 that now serves as a gorgeous garden wedding venue. With their years of experience in the industry, they now offer full all-inclusive packages at their estate as well as continuing to capture weddings all around the world.
Haley Farmer
Secretary
Photographer
Complete Weddings + Events
Haley Farmer is a local photographer from Greenville, SC. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Fine Arts-Photography. She currently works for Complete Weddings + Events as well as her own business, Haley Farmer Photography. Haley has been capturing joy since 2010, but really focused in on weddings in 2018. She LOVES being there for brides and grooms on their big day to help in any way she can while photographing authentic moments.
Luci Prosapio
Fundraising Co-Director
Owner & Director
Sempre Events + Sempre Weddings
Being in the events world is to be part of an incredible community of people who come together to celebrate, grow, and create unforgettable memories. What I love most about events is the opportunity to create unique experiences and be a source of inspiration and solutions to make the planning process stress-free and enjoyable!
I love working with incredible clients from all walks of life and being part of an amazing vendor community. Additionally, it is a passion of mine to use events to give back to the community and strive to use the power of events to improve the world around us.
I am so excited to be part of NACE! I look forward to connecting with NACE Members and developing relationships that continue to build and support our vendor community. This is an incredible industry with some of the most talented people I have met and I cannot wait to continue to learn and grow from them and with them!
Kate Hicks
Programs Director
Director of Marketing
Whitefords Inc.
Kate comes to the team with over 10 years of experience in the hospitality and event industry. She began her career in Southern California wine country and worked her way across the United States most recently curating events for South Carolina's Riverbanks Zoo.
Kate’s expertise encompasses many facets of the hospitality and event industry including South-East Asian weddings, large and small scale corporate events, non-profit and charity events, wedding and receptions, and private events of all kinds. Her many years of travel, love for design, and sophisticated eye, lead her to understand each client's need for attention to detail. On her off time, Kate enjoys coordinating the chaos of her two daughters Ella and Bee, traveling, and collecting wine
Megan Johnson-Barnes
Communications Director
Owner & Lead Cellist
Carolina Music Planner
Kimberly Adams
Membership Director
Director of Sales
CHEF360 Catering
Everything about the hospitality industry, especially ours here in the Upstate, keeps me on my toes and definitely prevents life from getting dull. I love working with clients on creating their vision through food. When we meet with clients, host their tastings, or have the dreaded Zoom meetings, we always delve into more than just their menus. We talk about their ideas, give suggestions based on our cumulative experience, and we make sure they know we are here for anything they need, food related or not. I love working with them from start to finish and bringing more to the "table" (see what I did there?) then they ever expected. COVID-19 has pushed us to think outside of the proverbial box, and our amazing clients have responded in such a positive, grateful way. My team and I believe hospitality, in any way, is our passion."
Megan began performing cello for/managing the music for weddings & special events over 14 years ago, and is now managing live music for an average of 250+ events annually. Through Carolina Music Planner LLC, Megan helps clients across the southeast achieve their wedding soundtrack vision.
She attended the University of North Carolina in Greensboro as a Cello Performance Major, then finished her studies with Natalia Khoma at the College of Charleston completing her Bachelor’s degree in Cello Performance.
Megan has been honored to share the stage with Yo-Yo Ma, Andres Cardenes, Bela Fleck, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Michael Bublé, William Preucil, and many other world-renowned musicians. She attended the advanced division of Brevard Music Festival.
Aside from her music career, she has experience in human resources/staffing and banking.
Currently living in the Greenville, SC area, she enjoys spending time with her daughter and husband, Tate. Hiking, calendars, fun-colored pens, traveling to new places, & meeting new friendly faces are some of Megan’s favorite activities.
Paige Gillespie
Gala Co-Chair
Owner
The Poinsett Bride
Raised in South Carolina, Paige Gillespie recently purchased The Poinsett Bride after a long, successful career in business and finance. After graduating from the University of South Carolina and then joining a local public accounting firm in 2009, Paige took her expertise in small business matters and entrepreneurial drive and decided to apply them practically to The Poinsett Bride. A lover of all things retail and fashion, her goal is to make brides’ dreams come true—every single time.
"I look forward to connecting with local event industry leaders and giving back to the community through my work on the NACE board."
Cody Childers
Fundraising Co-Chair
Owner
Synergy Coffee
The beautiful thing about the event industry is that it is constantly evolving. In early 2019, while managing a cafe, I was presented with a unique opportunity to cater a private event with a specialty coffee bar. Unfortunately, at the time, we were not able to accommodate that request, and I was heartbroken. However, this was the point that the idea of Synergy Coffee was born!
I
Tim Fletcher
Hospitality & Scholarship Director
Owner & DJ
Kestrel Productions
Tim’s Music Journey Began in 1982 as a School musician and later as a church Musician before entering the US NAVY. Upon returning home in 1992, Tim’s Music Journey Continued as a Church Sound Engineer, which continues today along with being a 20 yr. Upstate first responder.
In 2013, He began DJing events for Nonprofit organizations and friends/family, which begat Kestrel Productions in 2018.
Tim resides in Ft. Inn with his wife, Nicki. Combined, they have 3 children, 1 grand and 1 fur baby.
“To me, there is no better high than to watch someone lose themselves on a dance floor or be caught away within a song.” “I joined NACE to network with like-minded individuals, where together, we can work to make the event industry the best that it can be for all people of all budgets and all ideas.”
Christie Gander
Awards & Audit Director
Owner
Sapphire Creek
I truly enjoy watching events come together, and the satisfaction of being a part of making other people's dreams come true. I'm looking forward to being a part of Nace and having the opportunity to learn and grow, as well as building new relationships with a variety of others in the community.
As Immediate Past President, it has been an honor serving this board and community. I am excited for this new year for the Appalachian Chapter. Tia and her 2022 board are going to do incredible things for the Wedding and Events community and I am thrilled for the future of this Chapter.
