Our range of products requires an incredible amount of work to maintain, and we count on some of the most talented industry professionals to make that happen. From the skills of our internal staff to the outstanding support from industry leaders, the Catersource team is a content community geared for you and your business needs.
Devin Barnes | Account Manager
Contact: [email protected]
Devin Barnes is the Account Manager for the Catersource brand. His background includes a Bachelor’s Degree from West Virginia University. Since graduating, Devin has spent his professional career in sales dealing with Business to Consumer and Business to Business products/services in a variety of verticals. Before joining the Catersource team Devin worked with a healthcare nonprofit running the business development efforts for their local and national events as well as their digital and print media efforts.
Sharon Carlson | Art Director
Contact: [email protected]
Sharon is a national award-winning art director with over two decades experience in all aspects of the creative process including idea concepting, direction of photography and illustration, and creation of original photo illustration. In her current role, she is designing content for three Informa digital publications: MeetingsNet, Catersource, and Special Events.
Amber Kispert | Senior Content Producer
Contact: [email protected]
Amber is the Content Producer for Catersource where she produces and facilitates content for both the Catersource website and Catersource magazine. Her background includes a Bachelor's Degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota. Before joining Catersource, she worked as a staff writer for the Woodbury Bulletin where she primarily reported on education, arts & entertainment, and local government. Amber than made a career shift in 2016 when she began working as the Communications Specialist for LeClair Group.
As a self-described "foodie," Amber loves to experience the world of food and beverages, and is excited to help share the stories of Catersource and the world's caterers.
Amanda Nicklaus | Content Editor
Contact: [email protected]
Amanda Nicklaus is the Content Producer for Special Events Magazine. Her background lies in communications, social media, and creative writing. Amanda loves writing about health and wellness, professional development, and business relationships. As someone who believes gathering people together is key to a fulfilling life, she is excited to be creating content that will help event planners learn and evolve.
Kathleen Stoehr | Director of Community & Content Strategy
Contact: [email protected]
Kathleen is an award-winning writer, editor, and creative director responsible for aligning and building the Catersource and Special Events brands with high-quality content online, in digital via their magazines and also oversees all live education at Catersource Conference & Tradeshow, The Special Event Show, the Art of Catering Food, and the Leading Caterers of America Executive Summit.
In publishing and live event production for the near entirety of her career, she is the recipient of awards from the Society of Professional Journalists; the National Parenting Media Association; and the Minnesota Magazine Publishing Association. Kathleen is a trend spotter, having spent most of her career watching what others do and respond to, and then reporting how like-responses and interests begin to assemble like puzzle pieces into trends and shorter-lived fads. A Theatre Arts major, the production of events of all kinds lies within her DNA.
She is the author of a couple of books and is a member of the International Foodservice Editorial Council (IFEC), for which she served three years on the executive board of directors (Treasurer) and is also a member of the United States Bartenders Guild (USBG) for which she is BarSmarts certified.
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Mike Roman | Founder
1945-2013 (Read our tribute to Mike)
Mike, along with his wife Bernice, started Catersource in 1982 with the simple mission of helping all types of caterers achieve increased profitability along with a better quality of life. His vision and passion for catering made him a dynamic force in the industry. In addition to being a seasoned catering professional, Mike was also a college-level instructor with a master's degree in education. He wrote and published three books on catering tactics, strategies and solutions and was one of the most sought-after consultants and speakers in the industry.
The catering community suffered a great loss when Mike passed away in June 2013. His leadership of Catersource and teachings have shaped the direction, raised the level of professionalism, and brought a positive public image to the industry.
Today, we celebrate Mike's life with an annual Michael Roman Lifetime Achievement award. Past recipients include Warren Dietel (2023) of Puff 'n Stuff Catering; Rosemary Kowalski (2022) of The RK Group/Rosemary's Catering; Roy Porter (2021) of Engage Works; Lon Lane (2020) of Lon Lane's Inspired Occasions; Lee Epting (2019) of Epting Events; Bill Hansen (2018) of Bill Hansen Luxury Catering; Harlan Diamond (2017) of Executive Caterers; Kendall Collier (2016) of A Divine Event; Holly Safford (2015) of The Catered Affair and Russ Morin (2014), Russ Morin Catering & Events, the first ever recipient of the MRLAA.
