Our Team
Our experienced staff possesses a genuine spirit of service that truly sets our events apart. Through meticulous attention to detail, conscientious service, and a deep desire to please, our planning team and event staff will bring your dreams into reality. Give us a call, send us an email, or connect with us via social media to set up a time to discuss your wedding vision.
Heide Hendrick
GENERAL MANAGER
Heide has been with Abernethy Center since 2013. Her career began at the age of 12 working in sales for a footwear store in John’s Landing. It was there that she developed a passion for marketing, and customer service. She went on to work for Nordstrom and after high school moved to Seattle to work for a transformational based corporation. Much of her career has been in sales, marketing, human development and project management. Having the opportunity to work with a team of people that share in the common goal of providing extraordinary service is an honor and a passion! Transforming the culture of the wedding industry in partnership with her amazing team is truly a joy and one of the highlights of her career. Heide and her husband, David, live on a small Hazelnut farm in Aurora, Oregon and have two wonderful adult sons. Heide loves the outdoors, her family, and animals! When she is not at Abernethy Center she will more than likely be found on the trail with her dog Birdie.
Karissa Kysar
EVENT SPECIALIST
Karissa holds a degree from Washington State University in Hospitality Business Management and has been with Abernethy Center since March of 2015. She has always been drawn to events and weddings due to the sheer beauty that she finds in them. She finds it exciting as well as humbling to get to be a part of making the biggest day is someone life as special as can be! Working with couples to bring their wedding vision to life is her favorite part of her job! In her spare time, she enjoys reading, going to concerts, and spending time at home with her husband, daughter, and two lovable beagles. Karissa spends as much time with her family as she can, as family is the most important thing in her life!
Kassandra Preysz
EVENT SPECIALIST, COORDINATOR & DESIGNER
Kassandra Preysz has been with Abernethy Center since January 2017. After working in the Wedding Planning and Event industry for over 3 years, Kassandra’s found that her favorite moment is being able to create that special memory for all to enjoy. Kassandra began working in the Event Planning field in 2014 with Petals and Twist where she learned the basics of wedding and event planning as well as floral design. From there, she moved to San Diego where she became an Assistant Wedding Planner for I Do Wedding and Events. With the help and support of their wonderful planners she was able to really fall in love with making any event beautiful, relaxing, and fun! Working with Abernethy Center these past two years has been a blessing and she can’t wait to see what more is to come! Kassandra loves cooking, baking, and doing anything that involves being with her friends and family. She especially likes being outdoors; boating, fishing, hiking, and spending a day at the park.
Nicole Rice
CORPORATE LIAISON
Nicole has a degree in Business Management from Oregon State University. She began her career in the event industry in 2013 when she joined Special Occasions in Corvallis as an Event Rental Consultant. Her passion for the industry grew as she joined the Abernethy Center team in July 2018. She enjoys helping make other’s vision of their event come to life, and being part of something bigger than herself. In her spare time Nicole enjoys painting, home improvement projects, and spending time with her Fiancé Tyler whom she will be marrying next Fall.
Sara O'Brien
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Sara has been with Abernethy since August 2017. As a child Sara told anyone who would listen that she planned to work at Disneyland when she grew up, because as they say, It’s the happiest place on earth. And while her trajectory may have changed over the years, she never lost the desire to work with people at their most joyous time. Sara joined Abernethy with a background in project management and corporate training. That love of people is reflected in her roles as the voice behind our Social Media accounts, and the voice on the other end of the line when you call our office. In her spare time, Sara is heavily involved in non-profit youth work, directing summer camps that empower young people through music and creative self-expression. She is recently married and lives in Southwest Portland with her husband, step-son and Oliver, a 6 year old Schnoodle who is also the Abernethy office dog.
Robert Stuart
EXECUTIVE CHEF
Robert Stuart has been with Abernethy Center since 2004. As our Executive Chef he loves the fact that he is a part of an event that the client will remember for the rest of their lives. Robert grew up in Wisconsin and has been working in the food industry nearly his whole life, starting at his family’s pub in Milwaukee. In 1987 he started working for the Weissgerber Restaurant Group where he trained under Executive Chef John Moosereiner. During his tenure with Weissgerber, he worked as a chef for several of their fine restaurants including the Golden Mast, Seven Seas and Gasthaus. Robert’s extensive culinary experience also includes working as the Sous Chef on The Queen of the West cruise ship and catering for touring musicians with Cellar Door Records. He has cooked for numerous celebrities including the members of REM and Counting Crows, Elton John and Gwen Stefani. In his free time, Robert enjoys golfing and taking his dog, Luna, to the dog park. He loves all things Wisconsin including the Packers, Brewers, Badgers and Cheese!
Barry Losch
EXECUTIVE CHEF
Barry Losch has been with Abernethy Center since 2008. As our Executive Sous Chef it brings Barry happiness to cook amazing food and see the enjoyment people have while eating it. Barry began working in the culinary field in 1984 as a prep cook at the Heathman Hotel where he stayed for 24 years. During his tenure with the Heathman, Barry held numerous positions including the position of Lead Day Chef for 16 years. He worked for two James Beard Chef’s: Greg Higgins and French Master Chef Philipe Boulot. One of his most beloved jobs was making the soups for the hotel where he became known as “Mr. B and his soups”. Barry has worked with and cooked for numerous influential people over his career including Julia Child, Anthony Bourdain, Phil Knight and Jerry Seinfeld. Barry loves the outdoors; his hobbies include golfing, gardening, BBQs, hiking, biking, fishing and hunting and cooking up some gourmet slop for his pet pig Lulu.
Osvaldo Lozano Hernandez
PROPERTY MANAGER
Osvaldo Lozano Hernandez has been with Abernethy Center since 2005. As our Property Manager, Osvaldo enjoys providing all the necessary things to make the events in Abernethy Center as memorable and special as possible, especially for the clients and bride! Osvaldo began his career in Portland at ‘Poncho’s’, known as Portland’s first Mexican restaurant. He worked for Poncho’s from 1998-2003 and was in charge of preparing foods as well as maintenance. Afterwards, he worked at ‘Old Wives Tales’ from 2003-2007. Osvaldo held numerous positions there such as: making salads, pastries, helping the chef prepare the needed food, maintenance, and would also help the general manager with anything that was needed. In 2005 he began at the Abernethy Center as the Assistant Chef and held that position until 2013. In 2014, he became the Property Manager, and to this day he cares for the property and organizes sets for all weddings. He loves to spend his free time with his family going to the park and playing his favorite sports, soccer and basketball. He also enjoys coaching his soccer team and supporting his daughters at their soccer games.
Victoria Suhotin
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Victoria has been working with the Abernethy Center since 2016. She was a server at first and then came back a year later in 2017 as an Event Manager and finally an Executive Assistant. Victoria graduated from Washington State University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s in Hospitality Business Management. She is passionate and invested in providing exceptional service while maintaining a creative and adaptive approach in the industry. There are many aspects of her profession that she enjoys and loves, from working with the team to executing daily assignments. Victoria is bi-lingual and has been in various industries which facilitated a desire to gain knowledge and understanding in diverse areas. In her free time, Victoria enjoys an extensive list of hobbies including pottery, art, reading, and outdoor activities as well as expanding her skill set. She loves spending time her family and friends.
Sarah Hartfield
OPERATIONS COORDINATOR
Sarah has been with Abernethy Center since April 2015. She started out as a server, which progressed to ceremony specialist, event manager and Operations coordinator. Sarah has always had a love for weddings and planning events, which is what attracted her to Abernethy Center in the first place. Getting to be a small part of such a very special day in a couple’s life; watching their dreams unfold, is her favorite part of the job! Outside of work Sarah enjoys relaxing, hanging out with friends, and spending time with her husband and two cats.
Jarrod Hartfield
LOGISTICS MANAGER
Jarrod has been working for Abernethy Center since April 2017. He has handled of the set up for weddings and corporate events until August 2018 when he was promoted. He now continues to do set up, as well as AV, and houseman duties. He also assists on many maintenance, renovation and general property projects. He is a jack of all trades! He is happy to help out in any capacity needed in order to ensure our couple’s wedding days are as great as possible! Jarrod enjoys spending his free time playing video games, listening to podcasts, relaxing, and terrorizing his cats and wife.
Photo Credit: Ann Hughes Photography