Design Stories: The Top 50 Event Designers

Our 2019 list is our biggest one yet—50 event designers currently at the top of their games. It includes industry stalwarts who year after year reimagine institutional galas and conferences, along with new additions whose work extends to everything from pop-up spaces to art installations. What unites them is how they are experimenting with event design from a fresh perspective.

Accompanied by their most outstanding work from the past year, the designers share what resonated with them, why they loved the project, and how they wowed the client. From high-end benefits to weddings and birthday parties and more, the work from this remarkable roster illustrates how event design can be the ultimate mode of storytelling.

Melissa Andre, Melissa Andre Events
Raúl Àvila, Raúl Àvila Inc.
Nicky Balestrieri & Luigi Tadini, The Gathery
Kristin Banta, Kristin Banta Events
Preston Bailey, Preston Bailey
David Beahm, David Beahm Experiences
Jack Bedwani, The Projects
Billy Butchkavitz, Billy Butchkavitz Design
Liz Castelli, Tinsel Experiential Design
Candice Chan & Alison Slight, Candice & Alison
Emily Clarke, Emily Clarke Events
Colin Cowie, Colin Cowie Lifestyle
Karla Dascal, Karla Conceptual Event Experiences
Lynn Easton, Easton Events
Todd Fiscus, Todd Events
Stanlee Gatti, Stanlee R. Gatti Designs
Jes Gordon, Jes Gordon/Proper Fun
Marc Hall, Marc Hall Design
Matthew David Hopkins, 360 Design Events and Matthew David Celebrations
Tom Kehoe, Kehoe Designs
Jordan Kinne, Advoc8
Cara Kleinhaut, Agenc
Ty Kuppig, Tyger Productions
Lorne Levitt, Total Events
Ed Libby, Ed Libby & Co. Events
Debi Lilly, A Perfect Event
Mircea Manea, Blueprint Studios
Bree McAlister & Alex Kushner, Blue Revolver
David Monn, David Monn L.L.C.
Yifat Oren, Oren Co
Rishi Patel, HMR Designs
Ana Pelucarte, Pop Up Mob
Bryan Rafanelli, Rafanelli Events
Matthew Robbins and Luis Otoya, Matthew Robbins Design and RobbinsOtoya 
Jeffry Roick, McNabb Roick Events
Tony Schubert, Event Eleven
Annie Senatore, Design Foundry
Josh Spiegel, Birch Event Design
David Stark, David Stark Design and Production
DeJuan Stroud, DeJuan Stroud Inc. 
Shai Tertner, Shiraz Creative
Antony Todd, Antony Todd Inc. 
Bronson van Wyck, Workshop and Van Wyck & Van Wyck
Javier Velarde, Triton Productions
Lisa Vorce, Lisa Vorce CO (LVCO)
Mindy Weiss, Mindy Weiss Party Consultants
André Wells, Events by André Wells
Ron Wendt, Ron Wendt Design
Mark Yumkas, Angel City Designs
Edgardo Zamora, Revelry Event Designers

How We Chose the List
BizBash editors compiled this list after reviewing work from candidates across North America, taking into consideration the quality and volume of their work, as well as the designers’ clients and reputations. The list favors those who work on corporate and nonprofit events, although we did include some social event specialists. Most importantly, we sought innovation, ingenuity, and imagination, along with design ideas that inspired us and the industry at large.

Check out the rest of BizBash's 2019 Design Issue