About Us

Erin Abel, CMP - Owner & Chief Experience Officer
Based out of Raleigh, NC

Erin has twelve years of experience planning meetings and events in various locations across the United States. After completing many internships and graduating from Grand Valley State University with a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Erin moved to Austin, Texas to be the Convention Coordinator for Texas Bankers Association where she managed the annual convention and assisted with other professional development for the nation’s largest bankers association. After two years in Austin, Erin’s now husband convinced her to move back to Michigan. In June of 2015, Erin became the Programs Coordinator for The Charter Schools Office at Grand Valley State University where she coordinated meeting and events for educators across the state of Michigan. In addition to organizing 100+ training workshops and conferences a year, she produced programming for 3,500 students at ArtPrize, golf outings for 150, Detroit Tiger’s outing for 350, and many other special events. Now she is beyond excited to begin working on her own and offering her event coordinating and meeting planning services to others.

Erin has a passion for sustainability and cutting back waste and resources as much as possible through her meetings and events. She also strives to offer diverse events that are available to all. To assist with that, she graduated with a minor is Spanish and tends to travel to Spanish speaking countries, but admits she needs to incorporate more in to her career.

To continue her education, she is an active member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI). She received her Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certificate in January 2018.

When Erin is not working, she also enjoys cooking, gardening, traveling, watching and playing sports, and spending time with her husband, Ryan, daughter, Elzie, and dog, Jeter.

Courtney Geurink - Meeting Planner
Based out of Grand Haven, MI

Courtney has over 12 years of experience, focused in the nonprofit field, five of those years were in a fundraising capacity. She holds degrees in Hospitality and Tourism Management with an emphasis in Meeting and Event Planning as well as Travel and Tourism, and a Professional Master of Arts in Social Innovation. Courtney worked for seven years for a local Chamber of Commerce, planning community events and workshops ranging from art festivals and rowing regattas to farmers markets and school field trips. She then transitioned into higher education, coordinating opportunities for alumni to engage with their alma mater, support students, network with other alumni, and continue their educational opportunities.

Personally, she loves to cook, trying new recipes out on her husband, Todd. Thankfully, he is a great support and will give anything a try once. Courtney also enjoys golfing and travel – her goal is to visit all the National Parks.

Colette Apke, CMP, CEM - Meeting & Event Planner
Based out of St. Louis, MO

With 15 years of experience in event management, from large-scale conferences with 10,000 attendees to intimate VIP incentive programs, she's worked with top organizations across a wide range of industries - everything from associations to corporate clients. Over the years, Colette has had the pleasure of working with amazing teams at places like the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Optometric Association, and AWESOME Leaders. She’s a master at the whole event planning process, from managing logistics and vendor relationships to keeping budgets on track and creating unforgettable experiences that really connect with attendees and support the goals of each organization.

Being a forever learner, Colette earned her Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) in 2012 and her Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM) in 2020. Her hard work and passion didn’t go unnoticed - in 2021, she was named to CONNECT Meetings: Association “40 Under 40” list, and she also received the Forty Under 40 Award from the Association Forum in 2020.

When she's not planning events, you’ll find Colette enjoying live music, exploring new travel spots, and hunting down the best restaurants in town. She shares her life with her partner Mike, their awesome kids Michael, Gracie, and Sophie, and their two mischievous Boxers, Daisy and Ginger.

Alexandra Osborne - Meeting & Event Planner
Based out of Raleigh, NC

Alexandra graduated from Hope College in Holland, MI, with a double major in Business and French. She began her career in marketing and advertising as a Project Manager before transitioning into event planning. With a strong foundation in project management, she brings the same attention to detail, collaboration, and problem-solving skills to events nationwide—keeping things on schedule and within budget.

Her favorite part of the job? Seeing months of careful planning come to life on site. At Third Coast, she loves creating environments where professionals can connect, collaborate, and exchange ideas relevant to their field.

Outside of work, Alexandra loves traveling with her husband, Louie, experimenting with new recipes for friends and family, and exploring hiking trails near her home in Raleigh, NC.

Kendra Bergmann - Meeting & Event Planner
Based out of Houston, TX

Kendra grew up in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. While teaching, she also was in charge of many events at her campus for anywhere from 300 to 2,000 people. She prides herself on organization and communication skills, which always presented themselves for these events. She has always had a passion for event planning, and has been told by many that event planning would be a great way to utilize her gifts. After teaching for 5 years and having her first child, she wanted to find something more flexible so she could take care of her son full time. She began working for Third Coast Events in November of 2023. During this time, she has helped with various facets of many different events.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Alec, and son, Carsen, as well as enjoying the Texas sun. She also loves music and plays piano.