About Us

Paul Neaville

Partner

Paul Neaville is a founding partner of Markham and one of the leading event architects in the nation. He works with national and international clients to build comprehensive, strategically focused events that maximize client branding, generate paid and earned media while accomplishing organizational objectives.

Neaville’s premier event management experience ranges from building one of the largest veteran focused employment programs in the world to developing national climate change advocacy efforts. He has lead advance trips for international non-profits and government organizations around the globe. Neaville is an expert in trip management and logistics, from facilitating high-level conferences and fly-ins to leading delegations throughout Africa and implementing large scale organizational roll outs around the country.

In a past life, Paul Neaville worked on the campaign trail managing gubernatorial campaigns and serving as national political desk for a presidential campaign effort. Paul got his start in politics working for Clinton-Gore ‘96. Neaville holds a MPA from Syracuse University and B.A. from the University of Arkansas. He is a proud native of Rogers, Ark. and knows more about the Hogs than humanly possible. As you read this, he is potentially scouting middle school offensive line prospects. He lives in northwest Washington D.C. with his wife Marisa and children Evie and Cal.

Greg Hale

Partner

“I told … Greg Hale, an Arkansas farm and event-production- and-visual wizard, whom I’ve known since he was four years old, that I imagined a sea of people waving small American flags as the backdrop, and they teased me about doing my own advance work.” - Hillary Clinton, “What Happened,” Simon & Schuster, 2017

“Mr. Hale’s campaign apex, though, arrived on Monday … Mr. Hale carried off Mrs. Clinton’s largest campaign event to date: a more-than-10,000-person evening rally in Columbus, Ohio, that surrounded her with well-lit college students across a sprawling university lawn.” - The New York Times profile, October 2016

Whether it is well-lit college students or the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (you know, Will and Kate), Greg Hale creates world-class events for private sector, political and non-profit clients at the local, state, national and international levels. Hale’s expertise brings even the simplest of events to life - communicates messages, inspires action and reaches audiences onsite and online.

Greg Hale is a 20-year veteran of communications, scheduling and advance, where he worked on behalf of the Obama and Clinton Administrations and on five presidential campaigns, beginning with Clinton-Gore ‘96.

At the end of the day, Hale aims to leverage his work in the private sector, on the campaign trail and with non-profit organizations for good. He was the Executive Producer of the Walton Family Foundation’s first-ever Heartland Summit in 2018, where thought leaders, economic development officials and the private sector convened in Bentonville, Arkansas to “Meet in the Middle” and map out ways to strengthen the Heartland of America. Hale’s experience has a long runway, including producing the Fashion Tech Forum 2019, which brought together leaders in fashion and technology in New York City that will create the sustainable brands of the future. He also produced the largest inaugural celebration concert as the people of California feted their new chief executive, Governor Gavin Newsom.

The DeQueen, Arkansas native has strong roots in South Arkansas, where he’s a third-generation cattle farmer, which The New York Times profiled in an October 2016 article about Greg’s life on the farm and the campaign trail. In 2009, Governor Mike Beebe appointed Hale to the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission. He attended the University of Arkansas.

Hale is an avid marathon runner and mountain biker. When he is not working, he enjoys spending time on his farm and with his wife, Mica, and son, Eli. He resides in Little Rock.

David Cusack

Chief Executive Officer

David Cusack is the Chief Executive Officer for Markham, serving clients since 2018.

For over 19 years, David Cusack has overseen the production, logistical, and operational work for some of the most historic political events in U.S. history; including Elections Nights in 2008 and 2012 in Chicago, IL and all events for both the 2009 and 2013 inaugurations. He has worked on three presidential campaigns (Gore, Kerry, Obama), three Democratic National Conventions (2004, 2008, 2012), and the aforementioned two presidential inaugurations (2009 and 2013).

Before joining Markham, Cusack served as the Director of Operations for the White House. There, David Cusack was responsible for the daily operations and finances of the White House and the Executive Office of the President, which included a $55 million annual budget. He chaired the White House Short-Term Campus Projects Committee and approved all facility projects (200+) between U.S. Secret Service, National Park Service, General Services Administration, White House Military Office and the Office of Administration. Cusack was responsible for emergency communications to staff and the Continuity of Operations Plan for the White House in order to ensure the continuity of government in the event of a natural, man-made, technological, or national security emergency. Additionally, he oversaw all contracts between the White House and its vendors, 194,000 square feet of office space in 6 buildings (including all media work space), 900 parking spaces, 24 event spaces, a fleet of 24 vehicles, the mail and printing services for the president and White House staff, 7,000 monthly visitors to the West Wing, and 1,000 daily visitors to the White House campus.

Cusack also worked at the U.S. Department of State for both the Our Ocean Conference and the U.S. - Africa Leaders Summit. During which he oversaw the logistics for President Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry, 59 foreign ministers, speakers, and attendees from 90 nations, various government officials and celebrities. He advised and counseled the White House and various Federal agencies on the U.S. – Africa Leaders Summit, particularly on operational security and official credentials for this National Special Security Event. Cusack coordinated multiple offices and departments within the U.S. Department of State, along with a myriad of foreign and domestic governments and media outlets, to strive for common goals in a condensed time frame.

As Executive Director of the second inauguration of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, Cusack managed a staff of 700, a volunteer corps of 15,000, and solicited public and corporate donations of $41.5 million. He coordinated the building and logistics for a crowd of 800,000 on the National Mall and 200,000 on Pennsylvania Avenue. Additionally, he oversaw the National Day of Service, which comprised over 4,000 events in all 50 states, 50,000 participants on the National Mall, and over 1 million service hours pledged.

David Cusack served as a Commissioned Officer to the President of the United States when he was Director of Advance for President Barack Obama. He was responsible for the production and logistics of every public event in which the President participated in outside the White House grounds both domestically (215 trips), internationally (35 trips) and U.S.-hosted summits (4). Cusack represented the United States government overseas in negotiating presidential visits while leading delegations of 35 government personnel from 10 different government entities.

Prior to his service with the Obama family, David Cusack was a transportation policy analyst for the D.C. Department of Transportation and later, Board of Clark County Commissioners in Vancouver, WA.

David Cusack hails from Cape Cod and is known to be an ardent Red Sox fan (but not an obnoxious one). He earned an MPA from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and received his bachelors in classics at Colby College.

He is based out of the Washington, D.C. office.

Molly Buford

Executive Vice President

Molly Buford has more than two decades of management experience in the public sector, issue advocacy and political campaigns and has been serving clients with Markham since 2018.

A two-term veteran of the Obama Administration, Buford led the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of the White House Liaison and served as a Senior Advisor in the Office of Public Affairs. While at Treasury, Buford, in close collaboration with the Treasury Secretary and the White House, led efforts to recruit, hire and retain more than 200 political appointees at all levels of the department.

Prior to her service at the Treasury Department, Buford served in the offices of then-Senators Barack Obama and Joseph Biden. She also worked on four U.S. presidential campaigns. On Capitol Hill and on the campaign trail, Molly Buford led a range of efforts, including creating partnerships, staff and budget management, communications strategy, high-level principal management and event planning. She also helped lead the highly discreet work to select a Vice Presidential candidate twice.

Molly Buford’s professional career is marked by her track record of delivering results and creative solutions in high-pressure environments. She has been trusted by the highest levels of the U.S. government and local non-profits alike to exercise superior judgment, build and manage high-functioning teams and maintain strong working relationships. She has a strong reputation for managing in all different directions while also working independently and discretely.

She is a senior advisor to the B.A. Randolph Foundation, which works to empower women and girls from underserved areas. She is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas and an alumna of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. She resides in Washington, D.C. where she remains a loyal Hogs fan, enjoys handmade cocktails in the sunshine, and still believes in handwritten thank you notes.

Molly Buford is based out of the Washington, D.C. office.

Matt Giobbi

Senior Vice President

As Senior Vice President for Events at Markham, Matt Giobbi plays an integral role inside the firm, managing the events and operations teams. He is a 15-year veteran of managing projects big and small, from concept to execution, for corporations, non-profits, associations, and political campaigns alike. Prior to joining Markham, Giobbi spent nearly 10 years working political campaigns at the national and state level, including five presidential campaigns that took him all around the country.

Matt handles a wide-ranging portfolio of clients and projects, including conferences, campaigns, and made for media events. Since 2014, Matt has been the lead planner and coordinator for over 25 Hiring Our Heroes events on active U.S. military installations and 100 HOH events overall, including international summits in Germany, Italy, Japan and Okinawa. Giobbi is also Markham’s resident bus tour expert, honing his craft on many years of Operation Free and Nuns on the Bus tours; if there’s a branded coach rolling around the country, there’s a good chance he’s involved!

An active traveler, runner and wanna-be yogi, Matt Giobbi lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife Alicia and their dog Molly. He has his B.S. in Political Science and Business Administration from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA.

Matt Giobbi is based in the Washington, D.C. office.

Patricia Park

Vice President of Events

Patty Park brings over 15 years of experience in creating and managing impactful events in the public and private sectors. Park’s event portfolio ranges from small intimate events to large-scale live-stage events. Whether it’s managing the production, operations, security, and everything in between, she has managed each event with the utmost attention to the event’s mission and vision.

Park’s event planning career started at Los Angeles Mayor’s Communications Office in 2005 and spanned through three presidential campaigns, the Obama White House, and most recently to the entertainment and eSports industries. Having worked on events both domestically and abroad, she feels comfortable in any time zone and location and leads the event end-to-end, from strategizing to executing.

Patty Park was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Korean-born parents and has been a proud Californian since migrating there in high school. She holds a double B.A. degree in Fine Arts and Spanish Language and is trilingual in English, Spanish, and Korean.

She is based out of the Los Angeles office.

Maria Franzoi

Vice President of Corporate Events

A veteran of Markham, Maria is based in our LA office specializing in events, operations, and strategic communications. Maria’s passion is taking complicated, high-touch projects and streamlining them into manageable, transparent and effective end results. Combining a focus on visual branding, guest experience and creative management, Maria’s “bread and butter” is creating events that create a lasting impact on attendees, clients and media alike.

Maria’s portfolio encompasses non-profit, political and entertainment industry clients. Her range of experience on international event strategy and execution includes veteran’s employment initiatives, corporate branding activations, association gatherings, progressive conferences, and Hillary Clinton’s Get Out the Vote 2016 concert series. Maria success is her clients’ successes and she works tirelessly to help them reach their goals.

Before moving to Los Angeles, Maria lived in Washington, D.C. for 5 years. She holds a degree in International Business from the University of Missouri.

Essam Abozid

Director of Operations

Essam Abozid has been in the event planning industry serving non-profit, corporate, political, and government organizations around the country (and the world) for over a decade. He is a senior manager with extensive experience and expertise in event planning and execution. Abozid has worked on over 2,000 events in various roles and duties including venue sales, creative and program design, operations, and production.

Abozid’s diverse and extensive experience includes: domestic and international advance for the White House, live-event activations, association conferences, press conferences, professional development conferences, black tie galas, university commencement ceremonies, rallies, and many more. While his events have taken him to the Ukraine, Uruguay, Germany, Turkey and Japan, he finds that each event brings its own unique adventure and experience.

He can handle any aspect of any size event. From creating online registration systems, to keeping event teams on time and within budget, or handling communications with attendees. This versatility is what helps managing all details on-site for a flawless execution.

Abozid is a New Jersey native, but has lived in Chicago, Charlotte, and Washington D.C. He attended Seton Hall University where he earned his B.A. in Communication with a focus in Public Relations and a minor in International Relations and Diplomacy.

He works out of the Washington, D.C. office.-

Lauren Barry

Art Director

Lauren has worked with the Markham Group since 2014 and joined the team full time in 2017. With a background in media arts and graphic design, she is passionate about visual communication and developing integrated campaigns. She provides design guidance for clients worldwide and brings the creative insight necessary to ensure every project is a success from concept to execution.

Prior to joining the Markham team, Lauren built a design portfolio working with clients in industries ranging from eCommerce and tech to education and healthcare. Her areas of focus include advertising, layout and print design, brand identity, presentation design, video/audio editing, and AutoCad rendering.

Lauren graduated from James Madison University in 2007 with a double major in Media Arts & Design and Theatre. When she’s not working you can find her enjoying the outdoors at home in Richmond, VA with her husband, two daughters, and rescue dog.

Sam Moergen

Director of Production

Sam is a seasoned production and AVL expert who excels at designing systems and executing events that bring the vision of his clients to life. After working for the past decade on countless corporate, political, and non-profit events, Sam is confident there’s nothing quite like the energy of a live event.

Having grown up a musician, and after earning a degree in music business from Belmont University, Sam officially began his career in event production. Prior to joining Markham, he worked as a production director, production manager, and operations manager—serving clients on their most important days of the year by ensuring the details, logistics, and technical components were carried out flawlessly. While Sam has the knowledge-base and experience of a technician, engineer, and director, he appreciates the importance of translating technical jargon into everyday language. His passion is to serve his clients through executing a well-planned event where everything that is heard and seen amplifies the event’s ultimate purpose.

When he’s not collaborating with clients or coworkers, you can find him and his wife cycling or kayaking throughout Northwest Arkansas.

Marcus Montano

Director of Finance

Marcus Montano joined Markham in June 2016. He got his foot in political consulting as Markham Production's finance desk for the Hillary for America campaign. He now oversees the financial transactions for the D.C. office.

Prior to joining Markham, Montano held a variety of positions, which ranged from hauling jumping castles to working for a Democratic Member of Congress.

Marcus Montano graduated from Duke University with a B.A. in History and a concentration in Economics and Finance. At Duke, he was a member of the KO chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and had a stint as a decathlete for the Duke Track and Field team. Montano is a proud native of Tucson, Arizona and when he's not crunching numbers, he spends his free time making moves.

He is based out of the Washington, D.C. office.

Alex Harrison

Director of Experiential Events

Alex Harrison began working with Markham in 2015 and joined the team full time in the winter of 2018. From domestic to international, she specializes in high touch, experiential events with an aptitude for conceiving the big picture and making the smallest details come to life.

Prior to joining Markham, Harrison freelanced in events, marketing and docu-reality television producing top television shows from House Hunters to Chopped and creating immersive marketing activations. A seasoned storyteller and proactive production manager, Alex is adept at anticipating needs and creating strategy to execute mid to large scale events. She is well versed in developing the creative and planning the logistics for events and television shoots from concerts to weddings to 3,000+ attendee conferences.

Alex Harrison was born and raised in Columbia, Missouri. She attended the University of Missouri and graduated with a Broadcast Journalism degree. As a recent transplant from Denver to Los Angeles, she enjoys anything outdoors from hiking to skiing to camping and is learning to adapt to the LA ‘winters’.

She works out of the Los Angeles office.

Abigail Grenda

Senior Manager of Corporate Events

Abigail started working with Markham in the Spring of 2019 and went full-time in July of 2021. With a background in TV and commercial production, Abigail has worked in large and small productions across the country, learning to be quickly adaptable in any situation. Passionate about bringing ideas to life through collaboration, innovation, and artistry, she excels at paying attention to the tiniest of details while still seeing the big picture.

With a background in the hospitality industry in addition to production, she has considerable experience in coordinating high-profile talent and using creative and efficient problem-solving. Although Abigail was born and raised in the Midwest, she lived in NYC for almost a decade before making her way across the country to be based in the LA office. Abigail loves exploring new locations and cities, being outdoors, and seeing any live theater or sporting event.

Andrew Nielson

Senior Manager of Corporate Events

Originally hailing from Boston and Kansas City, Andrew has called New York City home for the past decade. Andrew’s passion is collaborating with others to create compelling, memorable, and meaningful experiences in many different mediums. With a background in creative production, administration, and hospitality, his best work is accomplished by seamlessly integrating detail-oriented analysis with beautiful aesthetics and creative problem solving.

Prior to joining Markham, Andrew worked as a freelance event and video producer, building a diverse portfolio of work ranging from corporate clients to nonprofits, Broadway, and beyond! His work has been featured in Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, People, Billboard, Playbill, and more. He began his career in the hospitality industry, working to deliver five-star service in management positions at prestigious restaurants, nightclubs, and luxury hotels across Manhattan.

Andrew began working with Markham in 2020, and after collaborating on many high touch corporate events (and even a bus tour!) he is looking forward to continuing to bring his intuitiveness, warmth, and signature attention to detail to his work with Markham as the Senior Manager of Corporate Events.

Caliph Mathis II

Senior Production Manager

Caliph Mathis II is an experienced event production professional with nearly a decade under his belt. He has an extensive background in project managing events in the political, corporate, live music, and nonprofit sectors.

Before joining the Markham Group, he worked for Wizard Studios serving as the Lead Project Manager of events for President Joe Biden's 2020 campaign, Hillary for America 2016, the American Black Film Festival, EY, Convene, Aspire and the World Economic Forum. He approaches each project with finesse, thoroughness, and willingness to go above and beyond to achieve nothing but a successful event.

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Caliph earned his Bachelor's degree in Marketing Communications from Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI.

When he is not on-site for an event, he enjoys cooking, traveling to see orca whales, and catching up on the latest Lord of the Rings news.

Rich Headley

Senior Manager, Military and Veteran Events

A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Rich joined Markham in 2022. During his career in the Marines, Rich served in numerous leadership billets. A few of his assignments included Infantry Platoon Sergeant, Drill Instructor, and Operations Officer. His attention to detail, leadership abilities, and problem-solving skills will ensure the highest performance standard at every event.

Rich holds a B.A. in History from Rhode Island College and a Master of Professional Studies (Homeland Security) from Pennsylvania State University. As a retired Marine awarded for Valor twice, Rich understands what service and sacrifice mean and works hard every day for our brave men and women in uniform and their families.

Ali Stowe

Senior Manager

Ali Stowe brings more than a decade of experience in nonprofit management and issue advocacy, leading multi-million dollar projects and designing mission-driven programs. As a Senior Manager at Markham, Ali delivers end-to-end project management for clients and loves executing seamless and impactful experiences on a national and international scale.

Prior to joining Markham, Stowe was vice president for communications and operations for a nonprofit advocacy organization, working closely with congressional leaders across the aisle to pass landmark legislation. During the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign cycle, Ali joined then-mayor Pete Buttigieg's campaign traveling around the country to produce rallies, roundtables, and media hits, leveraging her keen eye for detail in delivering more than 300 events across the nation. Stowe got her start in issue advocacy working in higher education where she executed civic education events and coordinated inaugural advocacy campaigns reaching thousands of students.

She received her Bachelor's from Texas A&M University and her Master's in Education Policy from Virginia Tech. She is a proud Texpat from Austin, TX but currently resides in Washington, DC in Capitol Hill, where she enjoys riding her Peloton, making the perfect breakfast taco, and rewatching Mad Men.

Christina Dudley

Manager, Corporate Events

Christina joined the Markham team in the spring of 2021. Understanding the importance of precise execution, she has built her reputation by treating every detail, large and small, with the utmost attention. She is passionate about her work and her warm hospitality skills thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Before joining Markham, Christina was an Event Planner with clients ranging from nonprofits, associations, and brides and grooms looking for a luxury wedding experience. She began her career in the hospitality industry in high school when she began interning for some of the best Event Planners in Washington, DC. When not working, she loves spending her free time with her friends and family exploring new restaurants, hidden trails, and the next best cocktail.

Nate Large

Manager

Nate began contracting with Markham in 2021. Having a wide range of life experiences to his credit, Nate enjoys the fast paced and ever-changing landscape of Markham world. An avid traveler, Nate has had the opportunity to travel the world while obtaining his Masters degree and during his time in the Peace Corps.

Before his time with Markham, Nate worked on multiple campaigns in the beautiful Commonwealth of Kentucky, including Gubernatorial and U.S. Senate campaigns. In his free time, he loves to travel and is always on the lookout for a new restaurant, enjoys baseball, bourbon and horse racing. Growing up in Southwest Virginia, Nate earned his Bachelor’s in political science and his Master’s in international relations and currently resides in Washington, DC.

David Gogats

Senior Associate

David oversees Markhams’s Data Team for Hiring Our Heroes, a project of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Data Team creates and supports registration sites and email communication for the many events hosted throughout the year, and maintains historical and current data on veteran and service member employment facilitated by Hiring Our Heroes.

Originally from Westchester, New York, David moved to Washington D.C. to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master’s Degree in Business Analysis at The Catholic University of America.

He is based out of the Washington, D.C. office.

Kate Tanaka

Senior Associate

Kate Tanaka is an experienced events & advocacy professional who specializes in streamlining, managing and executing a wide spectrum of projects for political, non-profit and corporate clients.

She has a foundation in campaign and advocacy work and is an alumni of US congressional, gubernatorial and presidential campaign cycles-- having worked for Senator Sanders in ’16 & ’20 and as an advance associate in the Biden-Harris White House. Since her college days as a student organizer, she has been in the business of “making it happen”. Her portfolio includes nationally televised events, high-touch experiences, DNC conventions, cross-country bus tours, concerts, private fundraisers and 20,000+ person rallies. Whatever the occasion, she will work tirelessly to build a world-class experience that delivers added value to clients long after the lights go out.

Kate is proudly born, raised and based in Los Angeles, CA. When not on the job, you can find her on the hiking trail with her dog, Bowie or moonlighting as a food critic.

Lily Rosenberg

Associate, Corporate Events

Based in San Francisco but originally from the Los Angeles area, Lily has a background in television production, both live and scripted, and entertainment journalism. Prior to joining the Markham team, Lily worked in production logistics and for The Hollywood Reporter, covering live events and contributing to their online team.

She began working with the Markham team in 2021 focusing on high touch virtual corporate events. Thriving in situations where her detail-oriented mindset can make an event successful, she loves collaborating with determined self starters.

Lily graduated from the University of Manchester in England with a degree in politics and international relations. During her 3 years in England, she was able to enjoy her passion for international travel, and wearing turtlenecks in the rain.

When she’s not working Lily enjoys trying to be athletic, cooking for friends, traveling, and making gallery walls for virtual backgrounds.

Sam Jefferson

Operations Coordinator

Sam started at Markham in January of 2019 as an Intern. During this time he became acquainted with the inner workings of the company and its operational structure. He soon moved to contractor and eventually became full time. Currently, Sam handles the day-to-day operational management of the DC firm. He facilitates Markham’s supply chain of assets and gear, helping craft logistical strategies for clients around the world.

Before he began his tenure with Markham, Sam was an intern in the US Senate. During his time there, he supported legislative staff by conducting research and constituent outreach on topics such as immigration, banking, and defense. As he tells it, he had four days notice that he was needed in DC, so he packed a duffle bag and hitched a ride. He had not even found a place to live yet, and hasn’t looked back since.

Sam maintains a “roll with the punches” approach to life and refuses to believe in no-win situations. A proud graduate of the University of Alabama, he double majored in Economics and takin’ it easy. "Roll Tide y’all"

Aoife Megaw

Associate

Aoife Megaw began working with Markham in 2020 and recently joined the team full time in 2021. With an eye for detail, she has been involved operationally on a number of large- and small-scale events and has helped coordinate the ever-changing day to day at the Washington, DC Office. Aoife has played an integral part in Markham’s virtual production capabilities and transition to remote-based work.

Prior to working at Markham, Aoife interned in policy roles with the Berkeley City Council and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) on a number of issues ranging from the expansion of voting rights to the extension of broadband internet access in rural areas to reduce racial health inequities.

Aoife became interested in campaigns through volunteering as a coach, canvasser, and trainer in support of nondiscrimination laws with the Los Angeles LGBT Center and most recently in support of Representative Katie Porter in Orange County. While living in the Bay Area, she also worked with Habitat for Humanity to plan events, conduct outreach, and recruit volunteers for a number of local campaigns involving affordable housing issues.

Aoife is a recent graduate of the University of California Berkeley, where she received a B.A. in Public Health and Public Policy. She is based in the Washington, DC office.

Desman Cooley

Human Resources

Asia Jordan

Graphic Designer

Asia joined the Markham team full-time in 2021. She is a passionate visual advocate designer with distinctive creative thinking and project execution abilities. Her skills thrive within caused-based marketing and branding. She has worked to help build multiple campaigns and strategically design for clients with creative innovation.

Prior to working at Markham, her design portfolio grew through nonprofit campaigns, small business branding development, behavior marketing techniques, and various freelancing experiences. She loves to give back and has frequently volunteered her time to organizations that need design work. She has even started her own scholarship to give back to those in the arts!

Asia is a recent graduate of George Mason University with a B.F.A in Art and Visual Technology with a concentration in Graphic Design. When not designing her life away, you can find her around friends and family, embarking on a new adventure, or traveling!

Grant Burress

Finance

Grant began working at Markham in 2019 in the Little Rock, Arkansas office where

he became acquainted with the financial operations of Markham. In 2021 Grant relocated to the Washington D.C. office where he works as a member of the finance team.

While working for Markham, Grant graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a degree in History and in Mechanical Engineering, minoring in Criminal Justice, where he was fortunate to be a part of several large scale projects lead by the university History department.

Whenever he’s not working, he spends his time exercising, writing, and seeking out interesting experiences and people.

He currently works out of the Washington, D.C. office.

Emily Varady

Associate

Emily began working with Markham in the spring of 2022 and joined the team full-time this fall. A detailed-oriented, enthusiastic team player Emily has experience in member relations, project management, large-scale events, and government protocol and advance.
Before joining Markham, Emily was the Programming and Operations Manager for the National Venture Capital Association. In her recent roles, Emily has served as a White House Advance Associate and Deputy of Government Outreach and Protocol for the Bloomberg New Economy Forum.
Emily is a proud Arkansan and graduate of the University of Arkansas. When not cheering on the Razorbacks, Emily enjoys being outdoors, spending time with friends, and exploring new restaurants.

Madison DiNino

Associate

Madison began working with Markham in July of 2021 and recently joined the team full-time this fall. With a keen eye for detail and there is always a path to “yes” mentality, Madison has thrived in the fast-paced environment that comes with event management. Most recently, she has become skilled in building event platforms, including websites and apps.

Prior to joining the Markham team, Madison interned on the Hill in both the Senate and the House, supporting legislative staffers in drafting memos and constituent correspondence.

Born and raised in Maryland, Madison recently graduated from the University of Maryland in May 2021 with a degree in Public Policy and minor in Public Leadership. When not traveling across the country for events, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family and taking advantage of all the special things DC has to offer.

Alaina Hooks

Junior Associate

Alaina Hooks began working for Markham in January 2022 as an events and operations intern in the DC office. While she moved back to California to finish her classes, she continued to work with the LA office and joined the team full-time in December 2022.

She is a recent graduate of California State University, Channel Islands where she studied Political Science. While she had attended a few different colleges, she was happy to find one to call home. At CSUCI she served as an intern to the student government Chief of Staff and helped organize different campus-wide initiatives. It was her time in this position that sparked her interest in event management. When she is not at work, she can be found exploring new coffee shops or at the beach and enjoying time with friends.