Staff
FIND US
☎(615) 322-2448 or Click to Call
✉EventServices@Vanderbilt.edu
Campus Map of Event Spaces
Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm • 2301 Vanderbilt Place • Rand Hall, Suite 307 • Nashville, TN 37235
OUR OFFICE
EVENTS
Angela Covington ✉
Assistant Director | Events
Angela has been working at Vanderbilt University since 2008. Her previous hospitality experience includes 10 years at the Walt Disney World Company and 5 years at Gaylord Opryland Hotel. She truly finds VU so rewarding because of her work family and the student staff she interacts with on a daily basis. She has been married for over 20 years and has two children attending college. In her free time, Angela loves to garden and hike in Warner Parks.
Jordan Hajacos ✉
Assistant Director | Events
Nashville native and Auburn University alum Jordan Hajacos has been with Vanderbilt University since 2008. After joining the team as an event manager, Jordan now serves as an Assistant Director for Events at Vanderbilt. A foodie and live music lover, Jordan’s sense for Nashville culture and cuisine helps her shape the unique event spaces at Vanderbilt University for clients.
Carrie Johnson ✉
Assistant Director | Facilities
A transplant from the Midwest, about 20 years ago, Carrie enjoys bland food and does not care for hot chicken. Twelve years ago, in her plight to find a new, meaningful job, she stumbled upon a position at Vanderbilt and decided this would be her home and family now. Along with her many, many colleagues, she has a family of 2 dogs and 4 cats at home in Donelson. Her love of HGTV empowers her with the belief that she too can renovate. That poor home. Her passions are all animals, books, and of course, constant destruction projects in her house. Fun Fact: if she were stranded on an island, Reese’s cups alone would ensure her survival.
Brooke McVey ✉
Business Manager
Brooke is a Clarksville native, but calls Nashville home. She attended Austin Peay State University and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication. Brooke has been in the event planning industry for 6 years, working with various companies to create many successful and highly entertaining events. Interacting with clients, understanding their vision, and working with them to bring it to life, really fuels her creative side. She is passionate about helping others create their perfect event. Brooke has a beautiful family, including two little girls, who are her whole world, and inspire her every day. Fun fact about Brooke: She has a twin sister, and they are like night and day!
Sara Cope ✉
Sr. Program Coordinator
Kissam/E. Bronson Ingram/Student Staff Development
Sara is a native Nashvillian who loves all things Music City! She went to undergrad at Centre College in Danville, KY, but came back home for grad school here at our own Peabody College. She loves her job, her work family, and her student staff that make the event planning process an exciting learning opportunity every day! Outside of work, she volunteers with tnAchieves to mentor local highschoolers as they apply to college. She’s also involved as a board member for the Nashville Area Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Association. On a beautiful day, you can most likely find Sara sitting on a patio at a Nashville restaurant, hiking at Radnor Lake, or listening to live music somewhere outside. She lives in Gallatin with her husband and their sweet dog Josie.
Karen Burnett ✉
Event Manager
Commons Center
Karen is a known triple threat – singing, dancing and event planning. She was active in her university programming board at her alma mater, Auburn University and honed her customer service skills for 17 years at a little hotel in town, Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. She lives wayyyy out of town in an animal-less farm with her husband Erik, son Jack, one well-behaved dog and one manic labradoodle.
Kelah White ✉
Event Manager
Business Operations and ESB/Wond’ry
Kelah is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a Master of Science in Conflict Management. During her time at Kennesaw State she had the opportunity to work for various groups such as Alumni Relations, and athletics and assisted with the Atlanta United Games. During her spare time, she enjoys traveling, attending sporting events, going to home good stores for ideas and inspiration, and being around her family and friends.
Riley Munger ✉
Event Manager
Sarratt | Rand Hall
Riley comes to Vanderbilt after moving from Buffalo, NY, where he studied Communications at the University at Buffalo and Higher Education Administration at Canisius College. Riley began work in student affairs as a Student Union Event Manager and is using his experience to support the Sarratt | Rand events team. Outside of work, Riley enjoys rock climbing, playing guitar, and reading Stephen King thrillers. He lives in the Bellevue area of Nashville with his fiancé and rockstar cats, Mick Jagger & David Bowie.
Sarah Hamilton ✉
Event Manager
Student Life Center
Sarah is originally from the Dallas, TX area and made Nashville her home in May of 2020. She attended Texas A&M University where she majored in Biomedical Sciences but fell in love with events while working as a student assistant at the alumni center. After graduating, she went to work at the Multi-Purpose Event Center in Wichita Falls, TX, which allowed her to gain experience managing many different types of events including concerts, ballet recitals, rodeos, reptile expos, banquets, and more. She is excited to be back in a university setting and when she is not on campus, you can find her exploring Nashville’s food and sights with her husband or cozied up on her couch with a good book.
Danielle Recco ✉
Graduate Assistant
Danielle is a M.Ed. candidate in the Higher Education Administration program at Peabody College. She is originally from Massachusetts but spent the last several years in Portland, Maine after graduating from Bates College. Most recently, she worked as an operations manager at an international education non-profit. Prior to that, she worked in the insurance industry. Danielle enjoys spending her free time exploring the outdoors with her two chocolate labs, Moose and Grizzly, gardening, cooking, and traveling.
Maddi Edwards
Intern
Maddi is from Clarksville, TN and is a current senior at Vanderbilt. She has been part of the Events at Vanderbilt team for a year and a half and currently serves as the Human and Organizational Development Intern. Maddi’s favorite part about her internship is being able to find creative ways to show off all of the amazing things Events at Vanderbilt does. Outside of EaV, you can find Maddi exploring Nashville’s food and drink scene.
PRODUCTION SERVICES
Andreas Claus ✉
Director, Production Services
Andreas is a transplanted Minnesotan, though he has lived in Tennessee for 36 years. Trained in Performance Technology at Michigan Tech, his career has been split between the theatre, conferences & conventions and concerts. With 13 years at Vanderbilt, he loves the variety of work and people he works with. When not on campus you can find him sailing.
Emerson Eubank ✉
Production Services
Bio coming soon!
Suzanne Freeman ✉
Production Services
Bio coming soon!
Gary Sinz ✉
Production Services
Gary was born and raised in Nashville. He has been working for Vanderbilt Production Services for 30 years.
Even though his focus is in sound production, He truly enjoys working with all aspects of event production.