(And a great network.)
Talent. Passion.
Hard work.
We believe the best kind of work brings you to life and comes from the heart.
Our work engages mind, body and heart, while bringing out genuine human connection.
Our undisputed commitment to Crushing It is grounded in a culture that is genuine, playful and infused with passion.
From The Heart
Make it shine
You can sit with us
Always be prepared
Dirty hands & Determination
From the heart
We’re not afraid of putting in a little elbow grease or a little hustle to make dreams come true.
We are poised to tackle challenges as they come and know that when we work together we can make magic happen.
We love pooling our collective creativity, experience, energy and resources for our clients, colleagues and crushes.
We are in this for the LTR. And LTRs are about putting in the hard work
Dirty Hands & Determination
Make it shine
You can sit with us
Always be prepared
Dirty hands & Determination
From the heart
Our team owns every part of the project we possibly can! We are here to make our clients' lives easier, and make them look good.
From our digital docs to our tangible tool kits, we prioritize organization across every level of our work.
We know that in the events industry, a wild card is in the works around every corner.
By committing relentlessly to our processes - we gain efficiency, allow space for creativity and strategic problem-solving.
And packing a mean toolkit - never hurts.
Always Be Prepared
Make it shine
You can sit with us
Always be prepared
Dirty hands & Determination
From the heart
We create an inclusive environment where everyone’s got a seat at the table.
Crushers lead with humility and celebrate vulnerability - we’re the team you can eat lunch in front of when you have a meeting-packed day.
Our love extends from the Crush crew - to our clients, vendors, partners, neighbors, community and planet.
You Can Sit With Us
Make it shine
You can sit with us
Always be prepared
Dirty hands & Determination
From the heart
While happiness does come from steamed curtains, trimmed zip ties, perfectly managed cables and quickly bussed tables - we know that true joy comes from infusing our projects with clever details, meaningful moments and a little surprise and delight.
Make It Shine
Make it shine
You can sit with us
Always be prepared
Dirty hands & Determination
From the heart
Our Values
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR | ACCOUNTS
(she/her)
Virginia Sternad
Director of Project Operations
(SHE/HER)
Burdock Rose
Director of Project Development
(she/her)
Alie Bergen
Creative Director
& FOUNDER
(she/her)
Lacey Hoff
Lacey fell in love with the idea of transporting guests into other worlds during her first job as a production assistant in museum and theme park design - and she's tried to avoid creating anything normal ever since.
After gaining international marketing and branding experience through stints with both Universal Studios’ Creative and Warner Bros., this boss-lady soon found a way to combine her skillsets in Experiential Design. She spent five years as the Design Director for an event agency in LA and NYC, executing events for brands such as Harry Potter, Zappos, DC Comics, New Balance and Chapstick. With a passion to be back in the studio, she started Crush Studio in 2016 so that she could build a team focused on the design & production process.
When she isn’t rearranging the office, you can find her working on a home renovation project, camping in the wilderness or practicing Spanish, south of the border.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR | ACCOUNTS
(she/her)
Virginia Sternad
Director of Project Operations
(they/them)
Burdock Rose
Director | STRATEGY
& PARTNERSHIPS
(she/her)
Alie Bergen
Creative Director
& FOUNDER
(she/her)
Lacey Hoff
Alie’s creative interests drew her to pursue a Fine arts degree, but her natural curiosity and interest in design, fashion and connecting with humans led her to an eclectic path.
From her first post-college job as a social worker to seven years of freelancing, Alie brings a background in commercial photography, graphic and typography design, people ops, client retention and internet sleuthing. Her love of iridescent items, client communication and a well-designed budget made her a perfect fit for the Crush team.
When she isn't trying to figure out the team's Enneagram numbers, Alie’s time is filled by caring for her two young boys, hiking and trying new restaurants with her husband.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR | ACCOUNTS
(she/her)
Virginia Sternad
Director | FINANCE & ADMIN
(SHE/HER)
Erin Dodson
Director | STRATEGY
& PARTNERSHIPS
(she/her)
Alie Bergen
Creative Director
& Owner
(she/her)
Lacey Hoff
Whether it was fate or lucky timing, Crush was in need of a left-brainer just as Erin was looking to leave the structure of the corporate world and public accounting. She loves telling stories with numbers and nerds out helping the team make the best possible decisions with cold hard data. A sucker for organization and processes, Erin loves creating order out of chaos.
When she isn’t on her TI-83, you can find her exploring Northern Michigan with her husband and two kiddos, running up and down the sand dunes, swimming in Lake Michigan or dreaming up design schemes for her next house project.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR | ACCOUNTS
(she/her)
Virginia Sternad
Director | FINANCE & ADMIN
(SHE/HER)
Erin Dodson
Director | STRATEGY
& PARTNERSHIPS
(she/her)
Alie Bergen
Creative Director
& FOUNDER
(she/her)
Lacey Hoff
Starting her career journey in the Guest Services department of an art museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Virginia earned a reputation for being unflappable while managing chaos.
After following her sister to Colorado, she devoted nearly a decade to managing operations and special projects for a Boulder ad agency before working on an experiential design project that struck a chord. This spark led her to find Crush, where she is able to combine her love of the arts along with client communications and project wrangling.
When not in worker-bee mode, you’ll find her recharging in her garden with her husband, doodling comics, and reading every book she can get her hands on - preferably with a cat on her lap.
Our Crushers
Senior Designer
(she/her)
Kora Monigle
Art Director
(she/her)
Gabi King-Lydy
Project Manager
(she/her)
Joanna Jayakaran
SENIOR MANAGER | PROJECT OPERATIONS
(she/her)
Hollyann Bucci
Hollyann, a natural communicator and list-maker, started her career in theater production, applying her organizational prowess and her bubbly personality to tackle productions of all sizes with meticulous planning and unwavering determination. Not to be outdone, she started strong out the gate as a Production Assistant at the Kennedy Center in DC.
With the halt of live production during Covid, Hollyann switched gears from live theater to project management in the tech industry, satisfying her left-brain tendencies but lacking in creativity. She found a blend of both worlds in her role at Crush, combining her management skills and event experience into the wild world of events!
When she isn't assigning task lists, you can find Hollyann reading on her Kindle by the pool, playing with her cat Athena, discovering the weirdest art installations in Denver or checking out a live show.
SENIOR DESIGNER
(she/her)
Kora Monigle
Senior Producer
(she/her)
Felicia Carmany
SENIOR PRODUCTION DESIGNER
(SHE/HER)
Joanna Jayakaran
SENIOR MANAGER | PROJECT OPERATIONS
(she/her)
Hollyann Bucci
After earning a degree in visual communication and working as a graphic designer for several years, Jo ventured into pop-up art shows and murals. This journey led her into the world of production, where she merged her love for painting with set design and the occasional creation of life-sized dinosaur exhibits.
Her work at Crush combines her passion for design and production. In her role, she develops projects from concept sketches and mock-ups, and transforms them into full rooms and installations, always adding that distinctive Crush touch.
When Jo isn't redesigning our deck templates, you'll find her cooking and obsessing over food, indulging in true crime stories and probably reheating and reinventing a to-go box.
Senior Designer
(she/her)
Kora Monigle
Art Director
(she/her)
Gabi King-Lydy
SENIOR PRODUCTION DESIGNER
(SHE/HER)
Joanna Jayakaran
SENIOR MANAGER | PROJECT OPERATIONS
(she/her)
Hollyann Bucci
Gabi has always had a deep connection to making and creating, even breaking the record for eliciting the most tears from family members with her handmade gifts. She was delighted to learn that she could turn her crafting talent into a career.
A detour from her Journalism degree led her to the visual world of design. Her experience in branding and the dynamic field of experiential marketing allowed her to see how impactful design could be in the real world. As Art Director, Gabi loves developing programs from the initial concept phase and thinking through the full guest experience and finding clever ways to infuse thoughtful details.
When she isn't doodling in her notes, you can find Gabi swimming in Lake Michigan or exploring the great outdoors with her family and dog. She appreciates good bourbon, crafting and campfires – essentially embodying a very wholesome lumberjack.
OPERATIONS MANAGER
(she/her)
Maia Hanlon
PRODUCTION MANAGER
(she/her)
Olivia Hamblin
Senior Designer
(she/her)
Joanna Jayakaran
LEAD STYLIST
(she/her)
Olivia Titus
Olivia has always honed in on the details of new spaces she encountered - but despite her magnetic attraction to interior spaces, initially pursued a degree in Marketing. Her left-brained career in media was followed by operational roles, but she never abandoned her quest for work that called upon both her meticulous and creative spirit.
Olivia's role at Crush allows her to combine her two worlds as the go-to "sourcer-ess" for any project. She can style a mean bookshelf in minutes, but also loves developing larger art installations and putting all the furniture and decor into a story-driven narrative to set the stage for the full immersive guest experience.
When she's not immersed in mood boards and spreadsheets, you can find her in the garden, scaling mountains or hunting for vintage treasures.
Operations MANAGER
(she/her)
Maia Hanlon
Styling Associate
(she/her)
Olivia Hamblin
ASSOCIATE Designer
(she/her)
Grace Masur
LEAD STYLIST
(she/her)
Olivia Titus
Grace grew up with art woven into every aspect of her learning. Not surprisingly, her passion for the arts persisted throughout her schooling, eventually leading to an internship with Crush during the infamous Winter of 2020, which came to a screeching halt.
As the world resumed, Grace completed four additional design internships before earning her degree in Industrial Design. After graduation, both the mountains and Crush beckoned, and Grace immersed herself once again in the world of experiential design.
When Grace isn't infusing the studio with her positive energy, you can find her exploring creative pursuits off-screen through traditional painting, drawing, knitting and cooking.
OPERATIONS MANAGER
(she/her)
Maia Hanlon
ASSOCIATE Designer
(she/her)
Grace Masur
LEAD STYLIST
(she/her)
Olivia Titus
Raised by a single mom, Maia developed a can-do, "anything is possible" attitude early on, and she applies these lessons to everything thrown her way.
After spending a few years immersed in data as a mathematician, Maia was eager to strike a balance between logic and creativity. She then found Crush, where she could explore both, drawing from her analytics background and passion for collaboration and visual storytelling.
When she isn't playing with spreadsheets, you can find her wandering the backcountry, sleeping under the stars, or chasing the golden hour, all with her pups by her side.
Fabrication Specialist
(she/her)
Audra Zaba
Project Coordinator
(she/her)
Maia Hanlon
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
(SHE/HER)
Audra Zaba
PRODUCER
(HE/HIM)
Javier Rojas
Audra knew she wanted to pursue food photography after numerous hours in the Barnes & Noble magazine aisle and obsessing over the movie ‘Stepmom’ with Julia Roberts as a feisty commercial photographer. She left her southern accent behind to attend RIT’s Advertising Photography program and spent several years working her way up to studio manager and right hand gal (or left hand in Audra’s case) on photography sets in Chicago, with the food and product greats!
Through her on-set work she fell in love with set building and production and found a knack for rigging any kind of obscure item! Audra puts her handiwork to use for Crush and is on most of our installs or is back in our Workshop creating paint and materials samples or chasing down fire codes.
If she isn’t buried in a photo projects at home, she can be found practicing Krav Maga, catching up on Bravo or out with her new pup, Winnie.
Fabrication Specialist
(HE/HIM)
Carlos Navarro
PRODUCER | SPECIAL PROJECTS
(SHE/HER)
Lara Thomas
Associate PRODUCER
(SHE/HER)
Audra Zaba
PRODUCER
(HE/HIM)
Javier Rojas
Perhaps it’s her Midwest values or just an inner motor that doesn’t know when to quit, Lara makes it her business to tackle each project with no muss or fuss. As a Jill of all trades, she’s worked in LA, NY, KC, and now Denver as a film producer, commercial assistant director, creative copywriter, project researcher, website builder, and even dogwalker.
She’s managed crews of two and teams of 50 – all while being a card-carrying member of SAG. This lady loves creating a crazy, detailed list and crossing each item off one by one. When Crush needs an extra boost on the team - Lara is our first call to help wrangle the details of complex projects.
When she isn’t organizing her email inbox, you can find Lara rooting for her fav sports teams (Rock Chalk Jayhawk!), watching documentaries, telling fart jokes, working with her hands or getting outdoors with her main squeeze and their baby daughter.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
(she/her)
Devon Klug
A natural-born people person and storyteller with over twelve years of marketing, public relations, communications, and project management experience, Devon Klug has held marketing and PR director roles for hospitality, food and beverage, and lifestyle companies, including Mythology Distillery, Fetch Markets (formerly Denver Flea), and Wagstaff Marketing, a top national public relations and marketing firm.
When not bopping around town for meetings, photo shoots, or coffee shop work sessions, Devon can be found eating French fries and drinking martinis with friends, spending time outside or planning her next adventure.
Curbing Travel
Material Girls
Transparency
We choose clients and projects that are aligned with our values. We love service-based companies and sustainably produced packaging and products.
Choose Carefully
Water Bottle Free
Curbing Travel
Material Girls
We actively engage clients in conversations about the impacts of events and regularly share sustainability suggestions in order to improve footprints.
Projects include a sustainability page so clients are aware of what items are being reused and recycled, as well as minimize how many items end up in the landfill. Whenever items are not re-used we love donating to Habitat for Humanity's Restore!
Transparency
Choose Carefully
Water Bottle Free
Curbing Travel
Crush works with fabricators and vendors to implement more sustainable practices and choose renewable resources for our builds. We reuse or reskin set walls whenever possible and love scouring the consignment stores and repurposing furniture whenever possible. Thankfully, our favorite decor styling element is green, all natural and just needs a little water and TLC.
Material Girls
Transparency
Choose Carefully
Water Bottle Free
We work with local fabricators to avoid shipping sets across the country as well working with trusted local stylist in partners to help minimize our team’s travel.
Curbing Travel
Material Girls
Transparency
Choose Carefully
Water Bottle Free
Crush provides our team with reusable water bottles and encourages our clients and partners to ditch the plastic whenever possible.
Water Bottle Free
Curbing Travel
Material Girls
Transparency
Choose Carefully
We acknowledge that special events result in a lot of single-use items. Instead of changing industries, we’d rather help bring change to our industry. This will be a work in progress, but this is where we are starting.
Let’s create
a circular economy
Part of the reason we love this business is the surprises, the hands-on moments, the nitty-gritty, the improvisations, the inside jokes, and well, sometimes a few pivots (which are sometimes our best work). A few pics from the road, so that we don’t keep all the fun to ourselves.
