LEADERSHIP

Jennifer Miller, DMCP

Jennifer launched her career in the meetings industry with a global banking institution, travelling extensively to launch a variety of products and services.  Jennifer began her expansive and successful career with ACCESS, after she was recruited to the company in 1998.  She spent several years exceeding goals and expectations, resulting in a continuous string of promotions to various leadership roles, eventually earning her the titles of CEO and Partner.  Under Jennifer’s leadership, vision and influence, the company has attained tremendous growth and success.  Today she serves on the board of Directors for ACCESS Companies Holdings.  Jennifer is excited about the next chapter of ACCESS and is honored to lead such a prestigious brand, that is filled with incredible talent. 

Jennifer is known as an innovative leader who strives for excellence in all aspects of the business, as evidenced by the recognition awarded to the company including Fastest Growing Companies, Best Places to Work and Top 25 DMC’s.  She is active in her community, serving on the Board of Directors for both the San Diego Tourism Authority and High Tech High Media Arts.  Jennifer attended San Diego State University as one of the pioneers in the school of Hospitality and Tourism Management.  Today, she continues to work closely with the University to promote growth and career opportunities for new graduates.  

Michelle Crespo

Michelle Crespo, Chief Operating Officer, first joined the ACCESS team in the beginning of 2015 as the Regional Vice President of Operations and was then promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2016. Michelle came to ACCESS with 8 years of Operations Management experience.  In this time, she successfully crafted requisite strategy to help reach company and industry goals and recognition.  She was instrumental in creating and sustaining the culture in a company that was recognized for multiple years as a finalist in the top 10 San Diego Business Journal’s Best Places to Work and winning the coveted number one spot for the San Diego Union Tribune’s Top Workplaces. In her role as COO for ACCESS, Michelle enjoys mentoring and providing her team with the support they need to exceed client expectations.

Michelle’s career at ACCESS was preceded by careers in both the financial services industry and  as a High School Educator.  Michelle spent most of her life in San Diego and received her Bachelor’s Degree from San Diego State University.  She has one son and one daughter who are her pride and joy. 

Kristin Netinho, CPA, CGA

Kristin, who is originally from Canada, boasts over 10 years of experience in Corporate Finance, performing financial analysis, budgeting, planning and forecasting. She graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce (Major Accounting) degree, and is a certified CPA. Kristin started her accounting career working for two of the largest telecommunications companies in Canada. She was then hired by John Deere Water as a Senior Financial Analyst, bringing her to San Diego.  In 2016, Kristin was approached by a recruiter about an opportunity at a local DMC. After learning more about DMC’s, she immediately knew it was an industry she would really enjoy.  She accepted the position as Director of Finance, managing the day to day operations of the accounting/finance department and assisting with several acquisitions and the sale of the business. Ready to make a change, with her dual expertise in the industry and finance, Kristin was a perfect fit for the ACCESS team.  As the VP of Finance and Accounting, she is happy to bring her perspective and expertise to ACCESS and looks forward to being an integral part in the future growth of the company.

In her free time, Kristin enjoys spending time with her husband (Michael), daughter (Annelise) and two golden retrievers (Chester & Daisy).

Erik Berg

Erik is an industry veteran with more than 20 years destination management experience.  He got his start as Field Staff for PGI in 1998 and has quite literally worked his way through multiple departments having held roles in Operations, Sales, and Marketing.  In 2004 he joined ACCESS San Diego as a Sales Coordinator, but his abilities in marketing and graphic design soon found him taking on the role of Creative Director. From 2010 to 2017, Erik held the title of Creative Director for the entire ACCESS brand and worked with CEO Chris Lee to grow the organization from 5 offices to 17.  After a brief 18-month stint in the non-profit world, Erik returned to ACCESS in 2018 as Vice President of Marketing.

Erik is known as a bit of a jack-of-all-trades with experience and talents in all-things creative; including graphic design, video production, songwriting and music production, photography, and creative writing.  He enjoys bringing all of these talents into his role at ACCESS.  Erik enjoys playing music, fishing, astronomy, and spending time with his wife and three children.

Christopher H. Lee, DMCP

Chris Lee has been a leader in destination management and corporate events since 1987. Chris is a co-founder and Past President of the Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI) and was one of the first to earn the Destination Management Certified Professional (DMCP) designation. Chris has been honored as “Destination Management Professional of the Year” by ADMEI and named one of the most influential people in the meetings industry by Meeting News Magazine. He is a contributing author to The Guide to Successful Destination Management, as well as Best Practices in Destination Management.

Jim Cavanagh

Jim brings more than 15 years of meeting and event experience to ACCESS as a professional sales leader and marketer who understands what motivates corporations, sales professionals, and third party meeting and incentive organizations to drive change and increase engagement through meetings and incentives.

Based in Chicago, Jim was most recently Vice President of Strategic Development with Motivation Excellence where he was responsible for sales training, strategic planning, and client management for Fortune 100 accounts.  Prior to that he was Senior Business Development Management for ITA Group, Inc. for eleven years.  Jim has been recognized for achievements with several awards, including 14-time President’s Club Winner, Sales Professional of the Year, and Alumni of the Year.

In his role as Senior Vice President of Sales, Jim will lead and direct the ACCESS National Sales team.  This experienced and dedicated group will continue to take a broad, hands-on approach to building and enhancing key client relationships.

Sterena Strickland

Sterena’s career began when she discovered that she could combine her Psychology and Business degrees to create impactful and memorable experiences for corporations and their guests, through meetings and events. It all started at Paramount Pictures where she gained tremendous insight to true creativity. She took that experience and began designing high profile events with a special events design firm. From there she found the perfect niche in the destination management industry, where she thrived on designing unique and intricate programs from start to finish.  Her operations and program management experience provided her with a strong understanding of program logistics, while her creativity, enthusiasm, and desire to excel contribute to the dedication that she provides to all her clients.  This DMC veteran has, over the past 21 years with ACCESS, managed to create an impressive list of repeat clients and has continuously raised the bar of the hospitality industry’s expectations.

Stacey Crivello

Stacy has been in the event planning industry since 1999. After joining the ACCESS team in 2009 as a Program Manager, Stacey was quickly promoted to Director of Operations. Her attention to detail and extreme likability made her a favorite clients, so a shift into sales made perfect sense. Her success in managing key accounts and hotel partnerships led to her role as Regional Account Director for the entire Southwest region where she broke sales records for several consecutive years. Stacey’s focus has always been on building and strengthening client relationships.  She sees herself as an extension of her clients’ team – which has led to her being recognized with several awards including Supplier of the Year by Bank of America, and 5-five Preferred Partner of the Year by HPN Global.  In her role as Director, National Accounts, Stacey’s role is to be a consistent voice for her partner accounts in all markets and ACCESS destinations.

Joe Ostertag

Joe has been in the DMC industry for over seventeen years. He spent the first seven years working in operations as Program and Account Manager.  A favorite among clients, Joe transitioned into sales in 2010 and quickly became one of the top Sales Managers in our Orlando office.  Joe’s commitment to customer service combined with his operational background made Joe one of the most successful sales leaders in the entire ACCESS brand.  That success is what drives Joe in his role as Director, National Accounts to be a single, consistent point of contact for clients across the country in multiple destinations.  

Colleen Brzozowski, CIS

Colleen has over 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. She was most recently with KSL Resorts as the Director of Sales – Midwest Region. During her 5+ year tenure, she worked with the Monarch Beach Resort, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, The Cameron House (Scotland), Hotel del Coronado, Miraval Resort and others.  Before joining KSL, Colleen was the Director of Sales with Krisam Group, a rep firm for 250 independent hotels/resorts and GEP (Global Event Partners) a collection of independent DMCs around the world.   She spent 12 years with Grand Traverse Resort & Spa – holding roles including Executive Meeting Manager, National Sales Manager and Director of Sales.  Colleen is extremely active in industry associations including SITE, FICP, PCMA, MPI and IRF.  She serves on the Board of SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) Chicago Chapter and is currently serving as Director of Sponsorship and President-Elect after completing 2 years as Director of Events.   

Maria DiBenedetto

Maria DiBenedetto has been producing signature events in Philadelphia for over twenty years. With a unique resume that includes staging and production, marketing and branding, business development and promotions and a touch of flair, Maria and her team offers the most comprehensive, personalized and strategic event support. Maria is steadfast in her commitment to remain a DMC expert in Philadelphia and recognizes that her and her team’s greatest strengths remain in the robust knowledge of and key relationships within their city.

Jill DiMarco

An industry veteran, Jill has been in the meetings and events industry since 1989. A native of New Orleans, DiMarco received her BS in Business Administration from Louisiana State University. She holds the designation of Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) and Destination Management Certified Professional (DMCP). She is a member of the Association of Destination Management Executives (ADME), and Past Chair of the ADME/Accreditations and Certification Board. Jill is also the co-author of Best Practices in Destination Management. Jill is married with two children. Jill is serving on the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, and is currently enrolled as a Scholar in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program.

Jennifer Miller, DMCP

Jennifer launched her career in the meetings industry with a global banking institution, travelling extensively to launch a variety of products and services.  Jennifer began her expansive and successful career with ACCESS, after she was recruited to the company in 1998.  She spent several years exceeding goals and expectations, resulting in a continuous string of promotions to various leadership roles, eventually earning her the titles of CEO and Partner.  Under Jennifer’s leadership, vision and influence, the company has attained tremendous growth and success.  Today she serves on the board of Directors for ACCESS Companies Holdings.  Jennifer is excited about the next chapter of ACCESS and is honored to lead such a prestigious brand, that is filled with incredible talent. 

Jennifer is known as an innovative leader who strives for excellence in all aspects of the business, as evidenced by the recognition awarded to the company including Fastest Growing Companies, Best Places to Work and Top 25 DMC’s.  She is active in her community, serving on the Board of Directors for both the San Diego Tourism Authority and High Tech High Media Arts.  Jennifer attended San Diego State University as one of the pioneers in the school of Hospitality and Tourism Management.  Today, she continues to work closely with the University to promote growth and career opportunities for new graduates.  

Patty Phelps

Patty practically grew up in the Destination Management Industry first having worked for her mother who established the second DMC in the country. She played a critical role in ACCESS Texas becoming the in-house DMC for the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, a position it has held proudly since 2004. Patty came to ACCESS Texas, the Destination Management Company, in 2001. Patty is a member of MPI, PCMA, SITE and ADME. In Dallas Patty was the Logistics chair for MPI PEC in Dallas in 2006, SITE Inspection Chair for PCMA in 2010 and was the Special Event Chair for ASAE in 2012. Patty is a devoted mother of three girls. She and her husband, Steve, are active in their daughters’ education and extracurricular activities which is why you will often find her on the soccer field.

Jeff Nelke

Jeff began his Meetings and Events career with Maritz Travel in 1993 and has been using his extensive travel experiences to better serve the South Florida Destination market since 1996. Jeff’s career has been focused on premium meetings and events such as: The Honda Classic, Superbowls, Product Launches, Reward Incentives, Financial Seminars, Pharmaceutical Sales Training and Executive Board of Director Meetings. Jeff has always derived great pleasure using his creative solution solving processes to add value to the Meetings World. In his personal life, Jeff enjoys spending time with his wife and two children along with playing softball and camping with the Indian Guides of South Florida.