A diverse, proud,
passionate collective

As Group CEO of FIRST and member of the Board of Directors, Maureen leads the team to propel the business forward: establishing the vision, improving FIRST operationally, expanding to new locations around the world, and growing the team to 800+ people who deliver world-class events and experiences to FIRST clients. Her track record shows her ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with both clients and colleagues, creating a culture of excellence with her positive attitude, resilience, and determination. Prior to FIRST, Maureen was Director of Events at Billboard Magazine and The New York Stock Exchange. She then opened her own firm, Ryan Fable Productions, which laid the groundwork for what would become the FIRST New York office in 2004. In recognition of her professional achievements, Maureen was named ‘Agencies: CEO of the Year’ under Chief Marketer’s 2024 ‘People of the Year’ awards. Previously, she was a finalist for Campaign’s ‘Female Frontier Awards’ in 2022, and in Smart Meetings’ ‘Top 50 Smart Women in Meetings’ in the ‘Entrepreneurs’ category in 2017. She was also inducted into the ILEA Hall of Legends and is often quoted as an expert in industry publications. Outside of work, and with the support of her family including her husband, two kids, and two fur babies, Maureen also fulfilled a bucket list dream of running the New York City Marathon in 2018! She’s a self-proclaimed “Swifty,” loves a glass of red wine, and believes in expressing gratitude daily.

Barry leads our strategic growth through product, capability, and geography planning to meet the needs of our clients and transformative initiatives within the business. He sits on our Board of Directors and has broad international experience and a track record of developing global client relationships and strategic growth for startups to full-service brand experience agencies. He was initially drawn to the industry for the service, the people, and the memories that are made – a sentiment that echoes throughout his personal life as well. As a trained chef and a fan of IPA beers, he attempts a fitness challenge annually to keep the pounds off.

Tamsyn is responsible for leading the Asia-Pacific region for FIRST, and driving business growth internationally. With over 25 years in the experiential marketing space across Australia, Asia, and the UK / Europe, she possesses a keen understanding of the cultural nuances that drive success for brands. As our Global Head of Sustainability, Tamsyn also leads the global FIRST ESG initiative, Paramount – a dedicated project team with a core focus on the development and integration of the agency’s sustainability strategy and ESG performance and reporting. Tamsyn is passionate about design and when not working, enjoys time pursuing the arts and equestrian sports.

As the Head of Agency, Maggie is responsible for the overall management of our Agency lane, providing the vision and strategy for the team, meeting our financial targets, and ensuring high-level service to our clients. Maggie started with FIRST over 10 years ago in the Agency lane and has a deep understanding of our global clients and relationships. Prior to FIRST, Maggie’s career started in restaurants, catering, and hotels before moving to the event industry. Her love of hospitality and focusing on the details remains a passion. She lives in Ireland, loves exploring outside, cooking for friends and family, and dog sitting whenever she can.

As our Global Head of Marketing and Creative, Jennifer Kauf leads our Marketing, Internal Communications, Strategy teams and Global Creative Studio. Jen is a fierce advocate for innovation and has played a vital role in the brand strategy and creative direction of our business. Prior to joining FIRST in 2016, Jen served as Creative Director of Barkley Kalpak Agency and developed the Strategy offering at the events agency. In 2024 she received the Industry Leader Award from Smart Women in Meetings. In her downtime, Jen is an avid concert goer, a fitness enthusiast and can be found enjoying New York City with her sidekick French Bulldog, Hermie. She also serves as a Board Member for the non-profit organization, EB Research Partnership.

Since joining FIRST in 2022 as Global Business Director, Jen Honan has been at the forefront of managing our largest embedded account, based in New York. Overseeing a global team of more than 300 members, she ensures the delivery of high-level service and closely monitors daily operations. With almost 30 years of experience in the industry, Jen has a wealth of expertise, having previously held senior positions at Deloitte, including Managing Director of Meeting & Event Services and Senior Managing Director of Business Services. Known for her strategic vision and operational acumen, she excels in driving efficiency, fostering innovation, and delivering results that align with client goals. Her ability to lead large, complex global teams through periods of change and growth has been instrumental in elevating the performance of the account she oversees. Outside of FIRST, Jen is kept busy by her three almost adult children and is happiest when she is at her family’s cottage on Lake Sunapee, hiking/walking/running, cooking, wine tasting, or spending time on or by the water (just not in it).

As Chief Legal Officer, Angelo provides strategic legal advice to senior management and other executives on remaining compliant with current laws and mitigating risk across the business. Angelo started with FIRST in 2018 as a Contracts Associate, and in 2019 was hired full-time as our first-ever General Counsel where he diligently protected the business through our contracts and commercial transactions, employment law, corporate governance, legal operations, and global shared services support, and global tax and compliance. Prior to joining FIRST, he worked in-house at multiple agencies, including spending six years at a boutique sports agency as VP of Business and Legal Affairs. There, he served as counsel for professional athletes across multiple sports, including MLB, NFL, and NHL players. Outside of work, Angelo is a big sports fan (Knicks, New York Giants, San Francisco Giants, AC Milan), enjoys friendly competition playing sports, admits to watching reality television (this may come as a surprise to some!), and is a huge Bruce Springsteen fan.

As our Chief Information Officer, Deb oversees our technology-related strategies and initiatives, plans FIRST’s technology needs, and addresses any technology-related problems. Deb joined FIRST from QuickBase, where she set the overall vision and strategy for the technology organization, and also led the team to embrace low-code technology. Prior to QuickBase, she served in IT leadership roles at Pitney Bowes and Gartner for nearly 12 years.

Shivann Burggren is Head of Global Operations at FIRST, where she leads the global operational strategy that powers the company’s client delivery. She is responsible for shaping scalable service models, building data-driven frameworks, and optimizing resource deployment to ensure that teams across the business are equipped to deliver consistent, high-quality experiences. With a focus on fit-for-purpose team structures and commercial efficiency, Shivann plays a pivotal role in aligning operational performance with the business’s strategic goals. Since joining FIRST in 2014, Shivann has held progressively senior roles across account leadership and operational management. She was instrumental in launching and scaling one of FIRST’s largest embedded client partnerships in the financial services sector. Throughout her decade with the company, her remit has expanded to encompass operational oversight for the organization. She is known for her measured approach, sharp commercial acumen, and ability to connect people, process, and insight in ways that support our clients, empower teams, and drive the business forward. Shivann lives in New Jersey with her husband and two children, and enjoys gardening, reading, and a good bike ride—especially if there’s a pastry stop along the way.

As the Head of Solutions, Katie Weston leads the global operational alignment, account management, and delivery excellence for FIRST Solutions, our embedded account offering. With over 20 years in the global events industry, Katie has been a driving force behind the success of FIRST Solutions, including top-tier investment banks and leading technology and media companies. Since joining FIRST in 2010, Katie has risen through the ranks from Project Manager to Global Account Director, ultimately stepping into her current leadership role. She is renowned for her ability to build cohesive, efficient teams across regions, ensuring global consistency and excellence for our clients. When not at helm of Solutions, Katie is an avid swimmer and is currently embarking on a new adventure in horseback riding. She is often found exploring the outdoors with her Weimaraner, Jax and family.

As an Executive Advisor, Ed consults on our commercial strategy. Since joining in 2008, Ed has worked with all FIRST Embedded accounts to design optimal pricing agreements that generate cost savings, while ensuring all necessary operational and service requirements are maintained. Prior to FIRST, Ed was a Principal Consultant at the London-based strategy firm CPC LLP. He holds an economics degree and an MBA from the London Business School. Ed is happiest when riding his beloved Moots bike, cooking Sunday roasts, and going on foreign adventures with his children.

As Executive Advisor, Jeff brings over 30+ years of experience to drive creativity and excellence in all things FIRST. He founded the award-winning Barkley Kalpak Agency, which he led for 26 years until it became part of FIRST in 2016. As a recognized industry expert, Jeff serves as a guest lecturer at top universities and trade conferences and provides executive-level leadership and presentation coaching. He has received numerous accolades, including his induction into the ILEA Hall of Legends. He is a world traveler with 71 countries under his belt. Jeff has been profoundly influenced by the lands he’s visited and the people he’s met along the way, seeing life itself as the ultimate live event.