Carolyn Johnson (she/her)
Co-Owner/Operator & Senior Event Consultant, Lead Trainer

Carolyn is the GOAT of live event production. Hundreds of reviews from clients, vendors and guests will show her skills are second to none! Our resident Wedding Goddess trained the entire AELO team, and her abilities as an Event Coordinator are the lifeblood of our company. A strong background in theatre has given Carolyn over 25 years of experience in creating a production, and many years of administrative leadership honed the organizational skills that allow her to manage others with grace, professionalism and humor. Carolyn is also the author of 4 Broadway themed romance novels!

Amy Nolan (she/her)
Co-Owner/Operator & Senior Planning Consultant, Hiring Manager

Amy loves to plan; whether it be travel, lunch, or large events - she’ll leave no detail behind. Over 25 years of experience in theatre and office management has helped to cultivate her need to keep things organized and on time, an intense attention to detail, and the ever-present desire to make others smile. Amy is proud to manage the best team in the business and work with incredible vendors throughout the city. She’s also a mom to 2 boys, loves musical theatre and sushi.

Lauren Donnelly (she/her)
Senior Event Consultant

Lauren has been with AELO since 2013, but her career in event planning began in 2008 as an Events & Activities Manager at Orange Lake Resort in Florida. Her impressive resume includes hundreds of weddings, private parties, themed events for families, & fundraising galas for non-profits like The American Cancer Society. Lauren is a bright light with an effortless ability to make people happy, and a badass mom of 2 who can take on any challenge and lead any team. Bonus - she’s secretly hilarious! We couldn’t be prouder of the work Lauren has done with us, and you’ll be thrilled to have her in charge of your event.

Rachel Belk (she/her)
Senior Event Consultant

Some people just sparkle, and this human star has been a delightful addition to the AELO team. Rachel has over 22 impressive years of experience as an Early Childhood Educator, and she loves her work as a Child Life Specialist at Lurie Children’s Hospital. She has always known a passion for weddings and events, and since joining AELO in the spring of 2014 she has delighted in being a part of so many special moments in many people’s lives. Rachel enjoys baking, crafting (she’s very handy!) and her travel goal is to visit every continent - but her favorite thing is spending time with her niece and nephew.

Brittany Barnes (she/her)
Senior Event Consultant

Brittany has shared her brilliant mind and excellent client service skills with AELO since 2015. She has served as an Arts Administrator and Event Manager for Chicago's cultural institutions such as the Chicago Architecture Center, Victory Gardens Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the Chicago Cultural Center Foundation and the Goodman Theatre. Brittany is an enthusiastic and detailed event manager, and you can’t help but smile when you spend time with her. Brittany hails from Wichita, Kansas, she’s a mother to 2 sweet boys and 1 sassy dog, loves art museums, the color purple, and she firmly believes that all dresses should have pockets.                                                                                           

Zoe Facey (she/her) Associate Event Consultant

Zoe is passionate & dedicated, living by the quote, “where there is a will, there's a way.” She tackles all tasks with love for the moment, tenacity, creativity & grace. Zoe studied media broadcasting & journalism at Columbia College Chicago, where she learned many valuable skills that have allowed her to execute such notable events as Lollapalooza’s “Chicago ShowCase,” Stellar Awards, Celebrate Rosé, Englewood Music Festival, the Iowa City Mayor’s Wedding, SCIU Care Festival and more! Zoe’s excitement for any project, her tenacity and her “can-do attitude” make her a joyful addition to the AELO team.

Martha Turkington (she/her) Associate Event Consultant

Martha is passionate and kind with a generous personality. She holds her Masters degree in School Social Work, boasting an accomplished 23 years of experience in that field. Somehow she has also found the time to accumulate 20 years of experience in live events, both on the service side and event management - all of which gives her an incredibly unique perspective. Martha is kind, creative, and embodies the calm-within-the-storm attitude we’ve build our reputation on. We’re thrilled to have her!

Linsey Summers (she/her) Assistant Event Coordinator

Linsey holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from Ohio University, so she fits right in on this artistic team of ours. A local Chicagoan for the past decade, she’s an actor, model, yoga teacher, Disney nerd, and dog mom. She counts herself as a hopeless romantic and a sucker for catching people weeping on their special day. Linsey is incredibly efficient, organized, and moves like the wind. You’ll always be able to spot her smiling and working at the same time - she truly lights up any room!

Madie Roos (she/her) Assistant Event Coordinator

Madie is originally from Minnesota, which is only part of why we love her so much. She enjoy exploring the neighborhoods Chicago has to offer, particularly if someone takes her out for ramen noodles. Madie has been with AELO since 2019 and she’s an incredible support system for any event. She loves the feeling of bringing a vision to life, and she can unwrap 150 glow sticks in the blink of an eye - anything to make the dance floor more fun! She’s bright, funny, and excellent in a crisis. We’re so lucky to have her, and so are her cats, Kedzie and Miso.

Sierra Buffum (they/them) Assistant Event Coordinator

Sierra began working on live events through their background in theatre and performance. They started a DIY Burlesque company with a friend, popping up in apartments and venues around Chicago, and their love of planning community-focused events took off. Since then, they’ve worked as an Event Coordinator for the Lakeview/Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce, stage-managed for local performance companies, trained to teach yoga, and occasionally finds their way on stage. Sierra is a phenomenal addition to our team of actors, teachers and creatives. Their favorite things include travel, horror movies, and their cat, Peaches.

Helen Lattyak (she/her) Assistant Event Coordinator

Helen has been managing live events for over 20 years. She loves the diversity that event work brings - from weddings to theatre productions - all live events are an opportunity to share in unique experiences and learn something new. We’re all so excited to have someone with such a depth of experience on our team! Helen believes that every live event has a little bit of magic in it, and she loves being able to bear witness to that magic. Helen has a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Loyola University Chicago, and she is a proud union member with AEA.