HI Y'ALL
Katie Day
President
“One of the reasons we’ve been so successful in the corporate events world is that we understand our clients’ needs—that focus on ROI and growth is our mindset as well.”
As our fearless founder, Katie manages the business side of things to ensure Meritage runs as smoothly as our clients’ events. Financials and business development are squarely in her wheelhouse, and she uses her smarts and savvy to guarantee we’re operating efficiently and growing in all the right directions.
Before launching Meritage Events in 2005, Katie entered the world of event production working in sales for a high-end rental company. She earned her DMC chops as the director of Destination Management for a large Dallas planning house, and then further honed her event production skills with years of managing media, corporate and charity events at a luxury publication.
In addition to membership in the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) and the Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI), Katie gives back to her community by volunteering at her children’s school. She loves travel adventures and fancy tea service, and she’s currently training for her first Iron Man race in 2018.
Contact Katie at katie.day@meritageevents.com
Tacy Infante
Vice President
“Our industry is about relationships – both clients and partners. My goal is to have all parties involved walk away feeling like they were a part of something great, and that we all gave the attendee an experience like they have never seen.”
As Vice President + Co-Owner of Meritage Events, Tacy has been in the events industry for over twenty years with clients flocking to her for her fresh perspective and bold vision. She has the innate ability to see both physical and virtual spaces as creative playgrounds and lives to craft memorable moments for both clients and attendees.
Now, more than ever, Tacy’s role with Meritage Events is vital. She leads the team’s strategic sales and marketing initiatives along with continuing education. Never intimidated, she is constantly on the lookout for the cutting edge and “trending”; embracing the shift to digital + hybrid meetings and quickly becoming a though-leader and political advocate for the industry.
Tacy has earned several awards over her career, such as Rising Star to Best Planner, and has been inducted into Texas Meetings + Events Magazine Hall of Fame. Currently, Tacy serves on the board of the Texas Live Events Coalition and is a member of the Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI), Austin DMC Roundtable, Live Events Coalition and is involved in many local volunteer efforts.
Contact Tacy at tacy.infante@meritageevents.com
Mendie Triguero, CIS
General Manager
“I love taking all of the ideas that are in a client’s head and translating them into an amazing, complete experience.”
As General Manager, Mendie has been in both the sales and operation roles on our team and has had the experience selling, designing and executing events from the ground up. She uses this experience in leading our teams throughout the entire process. Mendie also has an amazing ability to understand both our client’s goals and our team’s gifts to ensure that each event not only hits the mark but also gets everyone excited. Mendie immerses herself in team strategy when methodically planning out how to achieve the best for both our clients and our team members.
Since joining Meritage in 2005, Mendie has served as an Account Executive, Producer and additional roles. Her deep industry knowledge and sweet-but-determined demeanor are the perfect mix for overseeing all of the programs and events that Meritage Events is planning, and making sure that all of our partners and clients have received the best service in the industry.
Mendie is proud to be a member of Meeting Planners International (MPI) and the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE). She earned her Certified Incentive Specialist (CIS) certification in 2016.
While out of office, Mendie is likely to be enjoying the outdoors, supporting her son’s lacrosse team or daughter’s FFA ambitions. She is passionate about volunteer work and somehow always baking something to give away.
Contact Mendie at mendie.triguero@meritageevents.com
Nicole Bane
Director of Business Development
“One of the best compliments we’ve ever gotten is that we had an amazing business meeting setup. To some people, it might seem boring, but that’s where the actual content of the meeting happens. It shows we really do think of everything.”
As an account executive in our Austin office, Nicole puts her skills to work for her clients every day helping them plan and execute stellar events. When she joined Meritage in 2012, Nicole knew she had found her people. Nicole is the perfect mix of creative and detail oriented—there’s nothing she likes more than dreaming up an event strategy and then overseeing every detail. A true social butterfly, Nicole also manages the Meritage social media sites and content.
Nicole gained her corporate event planning experience with a national real estate training company where her primary focus was on national seminars, conferences and training sessions. During Nicole’s tenure, the organization gained an 8007% growth (that’s right—8007%!), putting them at number 21 on the Inc 500 list.
Nicole is a member of Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI), Meeting Planners International (MPI) and the Austin DMC Roundtable. She enjoys meeting new people in the tight-knit Austin event community.
Though she wouldn’t call it “spare time,” Nicole spends much of her time these days hanging out with her young family, daughters Kayla & Emma and husband Jonathan. She also enjoys country music and is a compendium of information on the Austin and Dallas food scenes!
Contact Nicole at nicole.bane@meritageevevents.com
Nichole Stratton, CTP
Producer
“I love when clients are open to new ideas. There’s nothing more rewarding than breaking the mold with the design of a program, whether it’s decor or content delivery, and seeing it pay off.”
Nichole Stratton, “Stratton” as we call her, works out of our Austin office. She is a seasoned event producer who manages our on-site teams and makes sure all of our events go off without a hitch! Originally from Illinois, She joined Meritage in 2019 and brings fourteen years of experience and creativity to the team. Stratton is happiest when she’s designing breathtaking spaces and seeing plans come together flawlessly.
Stratton got her start in events in the world of live music, moving to the social event planning world and managing her own company from 2013 to 2016. She then transitioned to managing events at a major entertainment district in St. Louis; gaining additional experience planning and producing everything from live concerts to art galas, giant corporate meetings to Opening Day festivities. Stratton moved to the event agency world with her move to Austin.
Stratton has her designation as a Certified Tour Planner and is a member of the Austin DMC Roundtable. She remains involved with her Alma Mater, Illinois State University, and their CreativeConference.
When she’s not working, Stratton is usually working on a “project” in her new home, making noise on one of the many instruments she has around the house or singing modified jingles her tiny toy Yorkie, Beau.
Contact Stratton at nichole.stratton@meritageevents.com
Maanami Matthews
Producer
“Getting to see ‘the look’ on clients’ faces when they walk into a room and see their vision come to life is priceless. It’s why I continue to do what I do each day.”
Maanami, a Dallas native, joined our team in 2021 as part of our talented team of Event Producers. After attending college in New York, she returned to Texas and spent 13 years learning from some of the best of the best in the luxury hotel industry.
She found leaderships roles in multiple aspects of hotel operations from Catering to Event Technology. She arranged and oversaw many multi-day conferences and lavish weddings ranging from 10 to 400 guests, creating lasting relationships with clients and vendors along the way.
Joining the Meritage Team, she brought with her a vast wealth of knowledge of hotel operations, making our partnerships with properties and seamless execution stronger than ever. Maanami is a true professional at navigating the process that is being a program to life.
Ever the constant learner, you can often find her toying around with new technology, testing a new event system, or (in her spare time) trying to figure out how to train her dog Lady Olenna.
Contact Maanami at maanami.matthews@meritageevents.com
Samara Bezner
Account Executive
“What I enjoy most about working in events is witnessing concepts become amazing experiences. I want to push the boundaries of what is possible in our industry and create something exceptional- something that leaves a lasting impression.”
Samara started with Meritage Events as a contractor in 2018 and shortly transitioned to fill the team’s Project Manager role. She now enjoys her role of Account Manager and prioritizes establishing and maintaining partnerships with hotels and other individuals in the industry.
Samara enjoys the creative and unique process that Meritage Events takes to make an event come together. When she has the opportunity, she enjoys designing and has a unique role which allows her to explore; searching for the best hotels, venues, restaurants and activities for her clients.
From the spark of an initial vision to the event’s final execution, she dedicates herself to the level of service Meritage Events prides itself on. She is willing to go the extra mile to assist her clients and partners in the visionary portion of planning and is always excited to share the hottest event trends. She is passionate about making her work feel special- she strives to bring a sense of enthusiasm and positivity to every step of the planning process by finding ways to elevate attendee experience.
In her free time, you can find Samara in the kitchen whipping up something (likely Tex-Mex) from scratch!
Contact Samara at samara.bezner@meritageevents.com
Jessica Kirby, CSEP
Producer
“I love seeing a space transform. The hours, sometimes days, everyone puts in to bringing the client’s vision to life is an incredible process to be involved in. What’s even more fascinating is how meticulous the set-up can be, but in the blink of an eye, the teardown is complete. It really shows how detail orientated the hospitality industry is!”
Jessica joined our team at the start of 2024 with 12+ years of experience in the hospitality industry. Born and raised in Houston, Jessica moved to Austin for college and immediately fell in love with the eclectic hustle and bustle of the city! After graduating, she dove right into working full time as a producer, gaining insight into different types of events throughout her career.
Her drive to learn about all facets of events has allowed her to take her career to new and exciting heights. She has produced and managed 1,200-person galas, multi-day conferences and 14-day luxury international experiences, allowing her to truly tailor her knowledge around the ever-changing industry. She thrives on creativity and has never met a theme or design aesthetic she couldn’t tackle.
Jessica earned her CSEP (Certified Special Event Professional) designation in 2016, becoming one of the youngest to earn the title. She was involved in the International Live Events Association – Austin Chapter for almost a decade, serving on the board for six years and as President for one.
She has a knack for remaining calm under pressure, is a color-coding fiend, and runs off coffee! In her downtime, you may find her trying out a new brunch spot, soaking up snuggles from her pup, Punkin, or dreaming up her next travel adventure.
Contact Jessica Kirby at jessica.kirby@meritageevents.com