Hi, I am Daniel Kelley.

My speciality is the intersection of Event Operations and Experiential Design.

I design and deliver shared experiences that bring people together and move missions forward. Combining strategic planning, operational excellence, system-thinking, and a sincere passion for hospitality, I have helped organizations translate complex objectives into seamless, memorable events. I build the systems, relationships, and environments that ignite meaningful connection and allow businesses to thrive, from executive meetings and customer conferences to community events and live entertainment productions. I live in Denver with my dog, Nora Jones.

Pictured: me at Petra, Jordan in December 2023

What I do:

⟡ Corporate Events

⟡ Live Entertainment

⟡ Venue Operations

⟡ Executive Meetings

⟡ Experience Design

⟡ Event Sales

⟡ Audiovisual Production

⟡ Food & Beverage Sourcing

⟡ Project Management

⟡ Client Partnerships

My approach.

#1 - Understand the reason.

An event starts with understanding why people are gathering and what success means to the organizer. Success can mean ticket and table sales, or brand awareness without any monetary gain, or simply a positive impact on the lives of those who attended. I seek to understand the real reason we are gathering. Every decision that follows should support it.

#2 - Design the experience.

Great event management is not merely the sum of accurate logistics. It is the crafting of the entire experience: discovery, inquiry, contracting, anticipation, arrival, departure, and the days to follow are all part of the event itself. We as event organizers might only control certain aspects of the event, but we can shape the entire experience through intentional design and commitment to our “reason for gathering.”

#3 - Put people first.

Great events ride on outstanding hospitality, both internally and externally. This means effectively leading teams by providing clear, consistent direction and giving crew the space and resources they need to work. It also means considering the health and well-being of all the people in the room, not just the guests. Taking care of the people producing an event enables them to take better care of the people attending it.

#4 - Learn from every event.

Every event should succeed in its goals; the system that produced it should improve too. I carry lessons from each experience forward through detailed post-event reporting, refining my processes, strengthening my working relationships, assessing new ideas, and ensuring I do not repeat past mistakes. This discipline has allowed me to turn years of varied event experience into a continually evolving system of event and client support.

These are the things I can help you, your event, or your venue with.

I have a decade of experience delivering outstanding events on behalf of renowned cultural institutions.

Children's Museum of Denver

Denver, Colorado | 2024-2026

  • Directed the Museum’s venue sales and private events portfolio, generating more than $160,000 annually in earned revenue through corporate, nonprofit, and community partnerships.

  • Produced and oversaw 75+ annual private events, ranging from executive meetings and corporate retreats to fundraisers, family experiences, and community celebrations.

  • Increased annual event revenue from approximately $120,000 to $160,000 in two years through business development, relationship management, and expanded event offerings.

  • Served as the primary relationship manager for clients, partners, and vendors, managing events from initial inquiry and site tour through planning and execution.

  • Trained and mentored the Venue Sales Coordinator, developing onboarding resources, documenting processes, and providing ongoing coaching.

Strings Music Festival

Steamboat Springs, Colorado | 2022-2024

  • Supported a year-round portfolio of 90+ annual events, including headline concerts, educational programs, fundraisers, and community events serving audiences throughout Northwest Colorado.

  • Served as the primary relationship manager for rental clients, visiting artists, speakers, and community partners across events ranging from concerts and conferences to commencements, government hearings, festivals, and community gatherings.

  • Trained, scheduled, and supervised front-of-house teams, coordinating more than 110 staff and volunteers across ushering, ticketing, merchandise, and guest services.

  • Contributed to the operation and maintenance of a 569-seat performing arts venue, coordinating facility needs, technical requirements, event turnover, and ongoing readiness for performances, rentals, and community programs.

Lights, Camera, Learn

Middle East, Africa, and Europe | 2018-2019

  • Directed four English-language learning summer programs in Palestine, Tunisia, France, and Spain, serving 192 students and producing 22 student films in three months.

  • Coordinated and facilitated ‘red carpet’ film screening events, sourcing local vendors and ensuring consistent outcomes for students and interns in each host country

  • Recruited and trained international intern teams and coordinated travel, lodging, programming, and safety for students and staff across four countries.

  • Managed a CRM of 2,000+ contacts and contributed regularly to organizational communications and outreach.

Kelley Creative LLC

California, Colorado, and Oregon | 2021-Present

  • Co-founded and operate an independent creative practice providing photography, videography, design, brand, and creative production services to individuals, businesses, artists, and community organizations.

  • Manage freelance projects directly from initial client inquiry and scoping through planning, production, delivery, and invoicing.

  • Produce photography, video, event media, and branded content independently and in collaboration with a network of creative partners.

  • Maintain Kelley Creative alongside full-time professional roles, providing an ongoing platform for independent client work and creative projects.

In 2026, I earned my CMP as part of my ongoing pursuit to become a better events professional.

Music Forward Foundation

Los Angeles, California | 2019-2020

  • Independently planned and delivered 100+ music education and career-development events for young people across Southern California, while coordinating programs and partners across Los Angeles, Orange County, and Boston.

  • Recruited music industry professionals, artists, speakers, instructors, and 50+ education and community partners to expand programming and connect young people with industry opportunities.

  • Designed and implemented a Salesforce-integrated ticketing and registration system that streamlined event administration and was adopted across Music Forward Foundation programs nationwide.

  • Tracked participation, partnerships, contacts, and program outcomes through Salesforce and PatronManager, using program data to support reporting, evaluation, and continuous improvement.

Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)

Events Industry Council

Earned May 22, 2026, exp. 12/31/2031, #60040

This is what my clients have to say about me.

“We were incredibly pleased with our experience at the Children's Museum. The professionalism and attentiveness of Daniel Kelley made the planning process seamless, and their attention to detail ensured everything ran smoothly. The venue itself was beautiful, well-maintained, and perfectly suited for our event. […] From start to finish, our expectations were exceeded, and we would highly recommend this venue to others. Thank you for helping make our event such a success!”

- Ronald McDonald House Charities officer, 2025

“Amazing staff, we loved working with Daniel! He was supportive and very responsive with all of our questions. He was super creative in helping us make this even successful. Daniel went above and beyond to help us the day of the event and I was so impressed with how he moved mountains to help us have a successful event and trouble shoot last minute challenges.”

- Corporate retreat facilitator, 2024

“In over a decade of prom planning at [my school], I can confidently say that Daniel is the most organized, accommodating, and joyfully professional venue director I have had the pleasure of working with. His ability to combine efficiency with warmth made all the difference. We're already planning to return to the Children's Museum in 2027, and Daniel is a big reason why. He is an outstanding representative of your organization, and we are truly grateful for the opportunity to have worked with him.”

- Public high school administrator, 2026

“This was TOP NOTCH! Daniel was such an amazing coordinator for our event! Everything went perfectly! Easy set up and clean up. We will be using this venue for years to come! [Ours] is not an easy event to host, but EVERYONE was happy! Thank you guys so much!”

- Private university administrator, 2024

(References have been anonymized for privacy reasons, but their testimonials are unchanged.)

“Daniel was very responsive in his email and phone communication throughout the planning; he listened to our needs and accommodated us, allowing us to prep prior to the event which was extremely helpful in our turnaround time; all [Museum] staff interactions were positive; Daniel was available throughout the setup and helped to monitor our event, exceeding our expectations. Overall, the event went very well and we felt very supported!”

- Special Olympics of Colorado executive, 2025

“Thank you for everything you did this weekend and in the months leading up to [our event] to help make Literary Sojourn a glorious day by all accounts. Everything was calm, cool and collected — spot on from start to finish. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your patience and expertise … and now that we’ve all learned this one together, it’s going to be snap for 2023, right?!”

- Literary festival producer, 2022

I’ve helped hundreds of organizations and individuals bring their events to life.

I’d love to help you with yours.

Send me an email at DanielKelleyCMP@protonmail.com or fill out my form and I will get back to you promptly:

All the best,

Daniel Kelley