ABOUT US!
The Mesilla Valley is about family and community, and Helping Hands Event Planning is really a family. The company was founded by Dawn Starostka in 2004 with the support of her husband and daughter. Over the years the company has grown significantly, but it only grows when we find the right people to fit our attitude of "do a professional job and love doing it."
Our family is:
Dawn Starostka, Owner
Dawn Starostka is an El Paso native who left the desert for a while, but was drawn back to the open skies and friendly people. Dawn spent many of her years away in the Washington, DC area as Development Director for a pharmacy association and then a private school, where event planning fell in with all the other duties of managing a fundraising program. She planned galas and golf tournaments, conferences and auctions, along with many other types of events. She has planned events from across country on very tight budgets and with great success. Upon moving to Las Cruces, Ms. Starostka saw a need for professional event planning services and has filled that niche with professionally run, well-organized events primarily in Las Cruces, but increasingly in Albuquerque and around the state.
Dawn brings the organizational as well as strict financial management skills to the team, along with the vision for where the company is going. She loves Las Cruces and loves being involved with creating fun events that celebrate the community. She is the lead on most of the large, public events and festivals, while overseeing all of the projects and supervising everyone.
Kathryn Blessington, Event Manager
Kathryn is a recent transplant to the glorious southwest, hailing from Philadelphia, where she worked as a boutique event coordinator specializing in Fundraisers, Weddings and Private Events. Her formal studies were in Architecture and Real Estate while she now enjoys learning French, practicing yoga and traveling with her partner Guillaume. Kathryn brings a little modern edge to events and an energy that is relentless when it comes to on site management. Kathryn coordinates the annual Home and Garden Show, Showcase of Homes, Girls Night Out and the Renovate and Decorate Show as well as new events that come along.
MANDY Collier, MARKETING MANAGER AND EVENT ASSISTANT
With experience in event design from an event planning company in Connecticut and a Bachelors Degree is Interior Design, Mandy is in charge of creativity! Mandy oversees all event websites, facebook pages, brochures, flyers and other marketing materials to ensure attractiveness, quality and accuracy. Mandy is heavily involved in event design when it comes to that portion of an event. In addition to staying on top of the creative needs of all events, Mandy works as an event assistant on several events, helping pull together the details.
Amanda Marron, Marketing and Event Assistant
Amanda is a native Las Crucen who knows and understands the community in which she grew up. She is just finishing her degrees in communications and marketing at New Mexico State University. Amanda uses her marketing skills to assist Mandy with keeping all of the event websites and marketing materials updated. She also assists as an Event Assistant with a number of events including A Critter Christmas and Cowboy Days. Amanda's third hat is as our Music Coordinator, booking the music and other entertainment for all of our events.
DIANE MCMELLEN, OFFICE MANAGER
Diane brings years of friendly, helpful office skills to our team and supports every event on a daily basis through phone calls, emails and database maintenance. Diane holds the office together while the team runs around, and is the first voice you hear when you call the office. She is the glue that keeps all the details straight at the office level, so when the team hits the field, all the information and data is in order.
Our Secondary Team
Our secondary team, those we pull in on events has needed and who are always there to help includes a rotating internship position as well as:
John Starostka
Photographer, banner hanger, registrar, schlepper, and supportive husband extraordinaire.
Renata Starostka
Labeler and stamper, assistant decorator, increasingly talented graphic designer and word document creator, and wonderful, supportive daughter.
CLAYTON SCHANTZ
Whatever is needed on site to make an event happen, Clayton is there. He has delivered ice, bounced drunks, hung banners and checked in pilots and vendors. He's always got a smile and does what it takes to make the event happen.