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DENISE

SILVERMAN

I've spent more than 20 years bringing people together, creating experiences, and making it look effortless.

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I've built event production businesses from the ground up, managed multi-million dollar budgets, and produced everything from intimate dinners to brand activations to large-scale, multi-day programs for thousands of guests. Along the way I've led teams, restructured organizations, and built and sold companies — so I understand both the creative and business sides of this work.

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These days I partner with brands, organizations, and passionate people who need an experienced hand — for a single signature event or longer-term operational support.

 

If you could use a collaborator who's seen a lot and sweats the small stuff, I'd love to connect.

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Let's Talk!

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

Strategic Planning | Project Management | Budget Writing & Management | Brand Activations |  Company Operations & SOPs | Meeting Planning | Stage Management | Staff Hiring & Management | Public Speaking | Writing & Copy Editing | Marketing, PR & Social Media | Business Development

Technical

CRM Software (Neon, Zoho, Salesforce, VIPER) | Room Layout Software (Social Tables) | Data Management (Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, OneDrive) | Social Media Platforms | Microsoft Office Suite

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Event Strategy & Production

WSET III Wine Education Certification

 

Named "Austin Change Maker" in Austin Woman Magazine (2024 and 2025)

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Les Dames d'Escoffier Austin Member (2021-2025)

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Leadership Award – Hosts Global (2018)

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DMC of the Year Nomination (2018)

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Destination Management Certified Professional (DMCP) – 2017

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Industry awards: International Esprit Awards, Texas Star Awards, ADMEI Awards (winner and multiple nominations)

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Accomplished public speaker selected to present at numerous industry conferences

 

Texas 4000 for Cancer (nonprofit) – Board Chair 2018-2019, Board of Directors 2015-2021

AWARDS & DESIGNATIONS

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ABOUT DENISE

Hailing from New York, Denise began her career in journalism and public relations. It was there that she discovered a passion for events - one that led her to launch her own event production company when she relocated to Austin in 2002 . . . and grew it into one of Austin's most respect event production agencies. In 2009, she merged her business with another highly reputable local agency, and expanded their portfolio to include social, corporate, non-profit, and destination management events. 

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In 2020 - after successfully selling her company - Denise accepted the role as Executive Director of the Austin Wine & Food Foundation - an events-driven non-profit organization. There, she led a team that produced 50+ ticketed events annually, including intimate tastings, group dinners, brand activations, and large-scale, multi-day programs. During her tenure, she implemented new marketing and brand strategies, grew the team, and increased revenues by 70%. 

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After 20+ years in Austin, Denise and her family decided it was time to head back to the northeast. Denise now resides in Philadelphia with her husband, Mike, their dog, Callie, and their college-aged son - who comes home for holidays and home-cooked meals. She loves exploring all that Philadelphia has to offer, visiting new restaurants, listening to records, and has a WSET Level III wine certification. She still loves her NY sports teams, but will say "Go Birds" because it makes Philadelphians happy.

Testimonials

"As Executive Director of the Austin Wine & Food Foundation, Denise built something truly special. Her superpower is her ability to build strong, values-driven teams and pair them with thoughtfully designed, highly effective systems. She has a remarkable talent for seeing both the big picture and the operational details required to make an organization thrive — and she empowers the people around her to do the same. Denise brings an incredible intuition to her work, especially when it comes to event planning. She has a rare ability to anticipate needs before they arise, make thoughtful decisions under pressure, and create events that feel both seamless and deeply intentional. Her dedication to excellence shows in every detail, resulting in experiences that are not only successful, but meaningful for the communities they serve. She leads with trust, kindness, and high standards, creating an environment where people feel supported and motivated to do their best work. Any organization would be lucky to have her at the helm."

Sarah Weeks
Development & Marketing Director
Austin Wine & Food Foundation

"Denise possesses an extraordinary talent for building cohesive, high-performing teams. She cultivates an environment that feels almost familial—one in which every team member feels supported, encouraged to grow, and motivated to excel not only for the success of the organization, but out of deep respect and admiration for Denise’s leadership. Her skill in working with nonprofit Boards of Directors is equally impressive. Denise not only assembles strong Boards; she adeptly navigates the wide range of personalities and perspectives within them, consistently drawing out the best in each member. As an Executive Director, her mastery of both short- and long-term strategic planning, paired with her ability to execute vision while managing the daily operations of a growing organization, is truly unparalleled. Denise shines in event planning as well. Her meticulous attention to detail and her commitment to elevating experiences set a standard that is difficult to match. She is a rare and remarkable talent, and any organization would be fortunate to hire her. If she has a single flaw, it is only that her drive and the high performance standard she practices sets the bar exceptionally high for those who follow in her footsteps."

Amber Shaw

Director, State Government Affairs, Exact Sciences 

"I had the pleasure of managing Denise Silverman during her time as Director of Sales and Marketing at Marquee Event Rentals, and I highly recommend her for any senior leadership role. Denise consistently demonstrated exceptional attention to detail, ensuring that every campaign, client interaction, and operational process was executed with precision. As a team leader, she fostered a collaborative, high-performance culture and developed her team with clarity, support, and accountability. Denise is also a strong strategic thinker—she understands how to connect long-term vision with practical, actionable plans. One of her greatest strengths is her ability to use data to inform decisions, leveraging analytics to optimize sales performance, refine marketing strategies, and guide organizational priorities. Denise is a thoughtful, results-driven professional, and any organization would be fortunate to have her."

Michael Martinis
Executive Vice President of Sales

Marquee Events

"Denise has exceptional sales & leadership skills and has been key in raising the bar for Austin's event scene. For me, Denise was first a mentor, then a partner, and now a colleague and friend - and I have learned from her in all roles. She has notably high standards and admirable work ethic - thriving for years in an industry that has high turnover and burnout - and is professional, analytical, eloquent, creative, kind, and intuitive. This rare combination of traits means she is both a strong leader and shrewd businesswoman, and insightful about her customers, partners, and employees. She can simultaneously motivate her team, advocate for her partners, and serve her clients, while generating the best results for the big picture. Denise seeks to be expertly informed about all facets of her industry, and as a result is also a natural educator. She is professionally nimble - I've witnessed her successfully rebrand a company and refocus her career trajectory without skipping a beat. I believe Denise could seamlessly adapt to any industry, and she would be a tremendous asset to any company in a sales or leadership role."

Laurel W.

Venue Director

Fair Market & Assembly Hall

GET
IN TOUCH

512-293-8332

hello@denisesilverman.com

Philadelphia, PA

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