Event Specialist – Dawn Meitz
Dawn Meitz is an event specialist at A Spice of Life, specializing in weddings as well as corporate and social event planning and coordination. She began her career with Spice in August of 1998, after a 13-year career in event planning at the Boulder Country Club. Dawn is a master-planner and really knows how to make her clients feel at ease. When asked what she loves most about her job, she replied, “I love the people, the locations, and to see the completion of the fantastic events.” Dawn holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Western Michigan University, and is a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants, as well as the premier industry group “The Wedding Specialists”. When she is not working, Dawn enjoys skiing, wake boarding, camping, and being outdoors. She is married and has two children, Nicole and Keenan.
Event Specialist – Kathy Vaughan
Kathy Vaughan has been part of the wedding planning industry for over a decade. When she started her very own business in 1994, she began exclusively planning weddings for many brides. Kathy is a well renowned bridal consultant who creates unforgettable weddings. Some of Kathy’s weddings have featured performances by the famous, Kenny Loggins and Tony Bennett. Although Kathy continues to expand her personal company, she is excited to contribute her talents to A Spice of Life.
Kathy was predisposed to understand the love and romance that goes into a wonderful wedding because she found it at an early age. In her freshmen year of college at the University of Colorado, Kathy met her husband of 41 years, B. Wray. The two have established their lives in Boulder and have four biological children, one adopted child with special needs, and six grandchildren. Kathy is excited to bring her level of expertise and creativity into Spice and learn from the experienced event specialists.
Event Specialist – Preeya Bilanow
Preeya Bilanow started at A Spice of Life on July 5, 2005, as a Sales Assistant and shortly after was promoted to Event Specialist. Her unique name derives from her mother’s Indian heritage and culture, although the true Indian spelling is Priya. Preeya grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan – Cereal City of America, and played volleyball and basketball for a small Division 1 college in Michigan. She finished her schooling at Indiana University of South Bend where she worked in a fine dining restaurant on the Notre Dame campus. It was there that Preeya found a love for food and service that would bring her to A Spice of Life. After traveling in India for a couple months, she returned home and headed west. She stopped in Boulder and never left. She enjoys vacationing to warm beaches, snowboarding, reading, and going out to dinner with friends.
Controller – Todd Havnes Active
Todd Havnes started at A Spice of Life in April of 2008 and is an extremely valuable asset to the company. Todd traveled from Tucson, Arizona to seek better opportunities. He is a 1987 graduate from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a BA in Classics, an MS in Accounting, and a PHD in Econimics. Todd’s impressive skills help Spice with everyday necessities. His dry humor and practical jokes keep the sales office smiling.
On the weekends Todd spends time with his cat Macy, cooking, and golfing. Although Todd works primarily with numbers, his knowledge of fine wine and cuisine assist the company when necessary.
Event Specialist – Taryn Center
A University of Michigan grad, Taryn Center joined the Spice team fresh out of college in 2007; eager to showcase her creative talents and drive for success. After a summer internship with Finesse Cuisine, an off-premise fine dining company in Chicago, she cultivated her event planning skills and learned from her on-site experiences. She also put her innovation to good use when she founded her own dance company, Cadence, during her four years at U of M. Built from the ground up, Taryn created Cadence using her passion for modern and lyrical dance. Born and raised outside of Chicago, Taryn felt the pull to experience a new part of the country, and knew that she would fall in love with Boulder instantly. Since starting with A Spice of Life, Taryn has demonstrated her gift for visual design in various marketing projects, and also helped to spearhead the lobby process for amendment 2D in the November 2008 election. Furthermore, her strong organizational skills and true sales talent provided her the perfect opportunity to become an Event Specialists. Taryn continually expresses her excitement to grow with A Spice of Life, and helps to contribute to its everyday successes.
Executive Assistant & Human Resources – Torey Gannon
Torey Gannon joined the Spice team in 2007 while attending the University of Colorado. She moved to gorgeous Boulder in 2003, from Tempe, Arizona. As a member of the Spice team, Torey is known to take on many different projects. During the week, Torey is helping out in the office with scheduling, HR, all departments needing assistance. If she is not working events on the weekend, she enjoys time with her close friends, working out, and drinking Starbucks. Torey falls in the middle of four sisters, with whom she adores. She found her passion in traveling and has explored numerous countries around the World. As Executive Assistant for A Spice of Life, Torey is known to work long hours and loves taking on new challenges presented to her. She is motivated, confident, and eager to continually help A Spice of Life expand.
Event Specialist – Jessie Kahn
