Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in September 2025. Thank you for being a part of the association! Also, let us get to know you better by participating in the I Am Venue Management series. Please visit here to share your story and photo.

Brian Adkins, Alpha Event Medicine, Lexington, KY
Evan Albaugh, Moody Center – OVG, Austin, TX
Sean Aldrete, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio, TX
Lauren Allen, The Royal National Agricultural & Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA), Albion, QLD, Australia
Edward Alvarado, Palm Springs Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, CA
John Armstrong, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
David Balderaz, Amarillo Civic Center Complex, Amarillo, TX
George Batayias, Marcus Performing Arts Center, Milwaukee, WI
Elana Belton, State Farm Arena – Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta, GA
Carigan Bennett, Cox Business/Hospitality Network, Las Vegas, NV
Sydney Bradley, McKnight Center for the Performing Arts, Stillwater, OK
Sharon Brawner, Belmont University, Strategic Venues and Event Services, Nashville, TN
Megan Brown, Belmont University, Strategic Venues and Event Services, Nashville, TN
Matthew Bryant, Mobile Convention Center, Mobile, AL
Kimberly Carson, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ
Brendan Cary, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ
Jolyssa Cass, Stranahan Theater and Great Hall, Toledo, OH
James Cherry, Marcus Performing Arts Center, Milwaukee, WI
Paul Cicero, The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, Hartford, CT
Joe Clark, American Airlines Center/Center Operating Company, Dallas, TX
Steve Clark, Cox Business/Hospitality Network, Macon, GA
Jennifer Clarke, Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown, NJ
Jolynn Cota, Mesa Convention Center, Mesa, AZ
An Dang, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Shantell Daniel, State Farm Arena – Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta, GA
Alyssa Dezell, City of Stockton, Stockton, CA
Katie Dillow, Marcus Performing Arts Center, Milwaukee, WI
Kylie Donahue, OKC Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City, OK
Dylan Dotson, Lower.com Field, Columbus, OH
Lisaann Dupont, Palm Springs Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, CA
Clint Eastman, Alameda County Fair & Event Center, Pleasanton, CA
Raul Escobedo, Alameda County Fair & Event Center, Pleasanton, CA
Amy Frost, Lup Events, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Jayden Garner, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Thomas Geale, MyState Bank Arena, Glenorchy, TAS, Australia
Jacinta Gee, Bendigo Stadium Ltd, Bendigo, VIC, Australia
Sarah Gerschwitz, Northern Territory Major Events Company, Darwin, NTe, Australia
Savanna Gifford, Renasant Convention Center, Memphis, TN
Kevin Giglinto, Marcus Performing Arts Center, Milwaukee, WI
Alan Grady, AGP Consulting Services, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Liv Graham, Waka Pacific Trust, Manukau, New Zealand
Thomas Graham, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Torrie Hardcastle, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Sophia Harris, Netball Queensland/Nissan Arena, Upper Mount Gravat, QLD, Australia
Ben Harvey, Bendigo Stadium Ltd, Bendigo, VIC, Australia
Shelby Heath, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Tres Hefter, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio, TX
Hailey Hice, Lower.com Field, Columbus, OH
Michael Hodgson, Carsingha Investments Pty Ltd, Moore Park, NSW, Australia
Dan Howlett, Spark Event Group, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Anthony Huerta, Palm Springs Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, CA
David Hutchison, Legends Global, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Kristi Isbell, Colleyville Center, Colleyville, TX
Chloe Johnson, Football Victoria, La Trobe University, VIC, Australia
Chris Johnson, RIEDEL Communications Australia Pty Ltd, Rosebery, NSW, Australia
Derrick Johnson, Growth Tech Marketing, LLC, Columbus, GA
Kramer Kales, Angel of the Winds Arena – OVG, Everett, WA
Allan Keefe, Palm Springs Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, CA
Joshua Kennedy, Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, FL
Natalie Keon, Australian Museum, Sydney, Australia
Suketu Khabaria, Event Health Management, Singapore
Michael Kraft, At Your Service, LLC, Chicago, IL
Peter Kubow, MadisonAV, Silverwater, NSW
Kristin LaPorte, Alameda County Fair & Event Center, Pleasanton, CA
Lauren LaPorto, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio, TX
Lewis Lemoine, Cox Business/Hospitality Network, Las Vegas, NV
Freda Lester, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA), Charlotte, NC
Ebony Linnell, MyState Bank Arena, Glenorchy, TAS, Australia
Kayla Lueck, Alameda County Fair & Event Center, Pleasanton, CA
Martha Dorothy Maafu, Drivers4Australia Pty Ltd, Rosebud, VIC, Australia
Patricia Madsen, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Chris Mahoney, Sebel, Minto, NSW, Australia
Jesse Manoussakis, SKG Services, Miranda, NSW, Australia
Bruce Martin, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
David Martin, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
Jillian May, The Royal National Agricultural & Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA), Albion, QLD, Australia
Ella McNeilly, Belmont University, Strategic Venues and Event Services, Nashville, TN
Jonathan Medina, Marcus Performing Arts Center, Milwaukee, WI
Chincie Mouton, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA
Lori Muench, Marcus Performing Arts Center, Milwaukee, WI
Devon Murray, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Jillian Negen, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio, TX
Nadia Olker, Marcus Performing Arts Center, Milwaukee, WI
Victoria Ortega, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Sarah Pease, Alameda County Fair & Event Center, Pleasanton, CA
Alexis Pinon, Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Abed Pompa, Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, FL
Mariah Pryor, Palm Springs Plaza Theatre, Palm Springs, CA
Will Reeves, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA), Charlotte, NC
Rodney Richardson, State Farm Arena – Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta, GA
Jordan Richbourg, Great Park Live, Irvine, CA
Morgan Robinson, State Farm Arena – Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta, GA
Samantha Santana, Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
Katrina Saumell, Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
Te’Wana Smiley, Belmont University, Strategic Venues and Event Services, Nashville, TN
Alli Srygley, Harding University, Searcy, AR
Michelle Synan, Georgia-Pacific, Middleboro, MA
Ale Tamez, Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio, TX
Angelique Temple, JustPark, Dallas, TX
Lisa Truitt, State Farm Arena – Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta, GA
Therese VanderPutten, CPKC Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Lisa Vignola, Amarillo Civic Center Complex, Amarillo, TX
Marco Villareal, American Airlines Center/Center Operating Company, Dallas, TX
Kelly Walden, Kellogg Arena, Battle Creek, MI
Josey Warnick, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Martheshia White, Vicksburg Convention Center, Vicksburg, MS
Lily Worden, Rogers Arena | Canucks Sports & Entertainment, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Ellen Young, Renasant Convention Center, Memphis, TN

AI can help you save time, work smarter, and boost ROI. But choosing the right tool and incorporating them effectively can be a daunting process. In a joint webinar, hosted by Advantage Training and Venue Solutions Group, AI industry expert, Jim Spellos and Venue Solutions Group, Russ Simons, will do a deep dive into different AI strategies, tools, and tactics that can transform your venue operations. 

Date: Wednesday, October 22
Time: 12 pm ET | 11 am CT 10 am MT | 9 am PT

Key takeaways include: 

• How to identify 20+ low-cost AI tools designed for venue management
• How to apply expert-level prompting techniques for higher-quality outputs
• How to implement at least 3 tools immediately to impact operations and bottom line
• How other venues and event spaces are leveraging AI

Don’t miss the chance to learn first hand about the tools and techniques that are already changing how venues operate!

REGISTER NOW!

MSE celebrates the first milestone in arena’s $1B transformation with opening of world-class space designed to meet the needs of today’s elite athletes

As the Washington Capitals gear up for their 2025-26 season opener on Wednesday night against the Boston Bruins, Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) is debuting the team’s fully reimagined locker room and in-arena game preparation facilities—offering a first look at the massive upgrades taking place inside Capital One Arena. The opening of these world-class player spaces mark a major milestone in Phase One of MSE’s $1 billion arena transformation project, focused on elevating the athlete experience and redefining the future of fan engagement in downtown Washington, D.C.

“Our goal at Monumental is to build championship-caliber teams, and that starts with providing the elite resources athletes need to perform at their best,” said Jordan Silberman, President, Venues at MSE. “This project is a full-scale reinvention of what a modern professional sports facility should be. We are creating an environment that prioritizes performance, recovery, and well-being for our athletes and coaching staff, while also delivering an unparalleled experience for fans, media, and visiting teams.”

The Capitals’ new team compound—more than double the size of their previous footprint at Capital One Arena—features a holistic redesign tailored to every facet of a professional hockey player’s game day rhythm:

• Custom Ergonomic Lockers with integrated drying systems, personalized gear storage, and upgraded dressing areas.
• Recovery and Performance Facilities, including specialized hot and cold tubs, compression therapy zones, and functional strength and conditioning spaces.
• Integrated Video & Analytics Hub for immersive film study and game planning, with cutting-edge media and data infrastructure.
• On-Site Equipment Optimization, including state-of-the-art skate sharpening and repair stations for best-in-class gear tuning.
• Dedicated “Hype Zone” creating a dynamic, energy-inducing arrival sequence for players as they enter the arena bowl for gameplay.

The upgraded compound also includes a reimagined family lounge, enhanced media facilities, and improved visiting team locker rooms, creating an infrastructure that mirrors MSE’s pursuit of excellence at the highest level.

The Washington Wizards’ locker room and athlete areas are undergoing a similarly transformative upgrade, and details will be shared ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season.

Today’s announcement comes as Phase One of the Capital One Arena transformation – focused on the arena’s event level – is nearing completion as fans return for the 2025–26 season. Additional upgrades include new escalators and initial modifications to fan seating areas. New premium fan experiences including the United Globe Club and Lounge and the Lexus Vaults are also being completed in this phase and will be available to fans early in the 2025-26 season.

The result of a groundbreaking partnership between MSE and the city of Washington, D.C., the arena transformation will deliver a high-tech, high-touch, and community-focused arena designed to serve millions of visitors annually for decades to come. The fully modernized arena will be delivered in time for the 2027-28 NBA and NHL seasons.

Hugh Gallagher, 74, a major figure in the evolution of upscale food service at arenas and stadiums, passed away unexpectedly Sept. 23 in Los Angeles. He spent a major part of his career working for Aramark and was more recently in charge of food service at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, his role from 2016-2021.

Since 2021, he consulted on food service at minor league ballparks and stadiums and for special events.

“He liked to say he sold beer and hot dogs for a living,” said Beth Gallagher, his wife of nearly 30 years. “But in truth, he was so into the evolution of the industry.” For him, it really started with Camden Yards in Baltimore, the first stadium where they oversaw the shifting dynamics to suites, club level seats, and premium restaurants at ballparks. That buildout was special to Hugh Gallagher, and he took a lot of that experience with him to Dodger Stadium when he began working for the new owners of Major League Baseball’s Dodgers.

“He just wanted to create venues that had lives beyond whatever sporting event was there,” Beth Gallagher said. “He wanted to push how everyone looked at food service.”

His career began with Aramark Corp. in Philadelphia in 1973. He became president of sports and entertainment for the giant concessions company.  He oversaw the opening of Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore in 1992. That’s where he dove into the shift to premium food service versus belly-up concessions stands, all serving the same thing.

Their daughter Caoilinn, Gaelic for Keelin, which she also uses, was born in Atlanta. Caoilinn, like her parents, is “in the business,” though not on the food side. She works for the Augusta GreenJackets, a Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, in North Augusta, S.C. Beth is currently in the hospitality industry as well, working for Marriott Hotels at Fairplex in Pomona, Calif.

On her Facebook page, Caoilinn posted, in part:

“I’ve always been a daddy’s girl, but that was inevitable when your dad was Hugh Gallagher. My dad was my best friend, my partner in crime, and truly my favorite person in the universe. He was the embodiment of put your head down and work to get to where and what you want. The best storyteller with the most insane stories, spanning his entire life, from running around Lewes Beach and South Florida and Philadelphia, growing up to an incredible career in the sports and entertainment industry. He shook hands with presidents, golfed with legends, and never met a person he couldn’t make smile. He taught me to love life, no matter what it throws at you … He tried (and succeeded) to raise the most Philly kid possible in Southern California, so of course I’ll end this how he would want with a very heartfelt, Go Birds. <3“

Many veteran venue managers will remember “Uncle Hughie’s” golf games during IAVM. Beth remembers how he created the golf tournament for clients and vendors, finding plenty of partners to help defray costs. “Everyone had a blast. It was and wasn’t competitive golf. There would be prizes for all sorts of different things,” she recalled.

Chris Bigelow, retired, The Bigelow Companies, still remembers the first day he met Hugh Gallagher, “when ARA transferred me to the Spectrum in the fall of 1975. I was his commissary manager, and he asked if I could help him move into his new house. To thank me, he took me out to his favorite watering hole for shots of Irish whiskey. That would not be the last drink we shared together.”

Bigelow lauded the work ethic among all Aramark employees, first and foremost Gallagher. “The Spectrum was the busiest arena in the U.S., because unlike larger cities like New York or L.A., there were no competing venues in Philadelphia. We had events seven days a week with doubleheaders (76ers and Flyers) every weekend. Joe Frazier was at his height, sponsoring weekly boxing matches and, of course, all the concerts and family shows, just to make sure we never had a day off,” Bigelow recalled in an email.

He noted that Gallagher was “a hell of an operator, but also the consummate entertainer. Every party he hosted or attended was legendary. When a poker game would break out, we could always count on Hugh and his team to populate the tables. At one IAAM District meeting (now Regionals) in Philadelphia, he was adamant I couldn’t leave before my flight the next morning, because I kept winning and he wanted to share the wealth.”

Beth remembers how he turned things around. “You know, when it came to food service, you always made everything in the back of the stand, and he insisted they do it on the front side so people could see it. At Camden Yards, that’s where it changed. He said, ‘People need to see and smell the food.’ He was instrumental in helping that change in design.”

Bigelow also lauded the golf tournament, The Uncle Hughie Open, at every IAVM conference, always at a first-class course. Beth remembered the times Gallagher’s friend and partner, MLB player Boog Powell, would be on the golf cart at the golf course, mixing Bloody Marys for the players.

Powell was also a big part of the remake of Camden Yards, establishing his own Boog’s BBQ concession. “He was quite a loved player, tall, statuesque, and loving barbecue,” Beth said of Hugh’s partner and friend. That was one of Hugh Gallagher’s gifts: creating teams and finding partnerships.

He was also among the first to champion volunteer concession workers, lining up groups that could use the work as a fundraiser, benefiting both the stadium and the community.

The Gallaghers moved to Los Angeles more than 20 years ago. In 2006, he began working at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Sports Arena and Hollywood Park Racetrack as general manager of Food Service. In 2016, he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as Director of Food and Beverage. He also spent a couple of years consulting on in-seat ordering systems and working on food and merchandise delivery systems to people’s homes when the pandemic shut down stadiums.

Hugh Gallagher attended Brandywine College in Wilmington, Delaware, and studied Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Management.

He is survived by his wife and daughter.

Oak View Group (OVG), the global leader in venue development and solutions, hospitality, and direct investment for the sports and live entertainment industries, today announced the appointment of Amy Latimer as Chief Business Officer of Oak View Group. Latimer will oversee the full suite of offerings that OVG employs at its own venues and offers to partners at iconic venues throughout the world, including management, hospitality, security, parking, sustainability consulting, and premium experiences.

“I am thrilled to welcome Amy to the OVG Family. She is a longtime friend of OVG and uniquely shares our values, our entrepreneurial spirit, and our global ambitions. She is an incredibly well-respected leader, and her work spanning venues, teams, hospitality, development, and premium experiences make her perfectly qualified to join our diverse, deeply talented team. Oak View Group continues to grow exponentially on a global basis, and Amy’s partner-first perspective and deep understanding of how to create and deliver world-class venue experiences will provide additional support and innovation to our team, our partners, and the communities in which we operate,” said Chris Granger, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Oak View Group.

“After a tremendous and deeply rewarding 30 years with Delaware North, I am excited for this next chapter of my career. OVG’s growth trajectory is beyond compelling, they have an extremely accomplished leadership team, and their vision for the future of our industry is exciting, to say the least.  I look forward to partnering with Chris, the leadership team, and the ownership group to support and further accelerate OVG’s relentless focus on partnership, innovation, and community impact,” said Latimer.

Latimer is a highly regarded venue executive, most recently acting as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Delaware North. There, she led the company’s diverse portfolio of over 200 global locations, from iconic sports and entertainment venues to national and state parks to destination resorts and gaming properties. Her career has been defined by a commitment to transformative leadership, including spearheading major renovations and expansions at TD Garden in Boston, where she previously served as president.

Latimer, who will be based in Boston, will join OVG on October 24, 2025. She will report to Chris Granger.