Ari is Executive Director and Co-Founder of Reason to Party. Ari
is responsible for building and empowering the RTP team to
execute on our vision, transforming Reason to Party into a global
movement of good will and fun. This organization encapsulates
Ari’s passions for event planning, giving to charity and enjoying
life.
By day, Ari is a serial entrepreneur. His Current venture “Artify
It” is a San Francisco based start-up dedicated to breaking down
the barriers to leasing or owning modern and contemporary art.
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Okko Grippando helped co-found
Reason to Party because it allows him to bring people together
for both fun, and benefiting the local community.
Mac serves as the primary point of contact for Reason to Party’s
web presence. In addition to maintaining the website and sending
out e-mail blasts, Mac also tinkers with all the technology
necessary to make the parties a success, such as getting the
eventbrite iPhone app loaded for check-in, designing the press
wall and coordinating the audio and visual teams at the events.
Mark Roberts serves as the Event Director for Reason to Party’s
annual galas. He was born and raised in Louisville, KY. Before
moving to San Francisco in 2010, Mark traveled the world as an
advocate for various humanitarian causes. Mark’s personal passion
for charitable efforts fuels his devotion to the causes that RTP
adopts and strengthens his respect for the organization’s
mission.
Rigel develops materials to promote the Reason to Party events
and brand. He identifies key partnerships to help RTP grow and
spread awareness. He works full time in marketing analytics, so
he loves being able to have a bit of fun with event marketing
(one of the most fun kinds of marketing there is).
He decided to join RTP in 2010 when he first moved to San
Francisco. After going to a few parties, he loved the model and
the crowd, so he figured he could put in a helping hand. He has a
passion for nonprofits, especially those that pull it off with a
certain panache.
Brian joined the Reason to Party team in 2011. As CFO of Reason
to Party, Brian is responsible for all financial operations of
the company, including financing, reporting and accounting. Brian
also works with our various teams in the planning and
implementation of each event. RTP’s mission to support
underserved populations as well as the organization’s ability to
impact the community by benefiting a wide array of charitable
organizations drew Brian to the organization.
Lorenzo serves on the board of Reason to Party and is the
entrepreneurial connection. Having run startup organizations and
nonprofits, he brings seasoned knowledge to the table- something
that a young, exciting, and dynamic nonprofit like Reason to
Party benefits from.
Anne is Reason to Party’s Charity Liaison and a member of the
board. She is in charge of vetting all of the nonprofits RTP
considers working with—a process she greatly enjoys because it
provides her with the opportunity to learn about a large number
of amazing organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Anne’s professional background is in journalism. She’s been a
regular contributor to The Economist’s Technology Quarterly, and
her work has also appeared in Fortune, Business 2.0, Fodor’s
Travel Guides, and other publications.
Sean is responsible for conceiving, developing, and implementing
the artistic vision and focus of the organization. Sean has been
an avid supporter of RTP and has always been impressed by the
concept behind the company- this was a driving factor in joining
the team. Over the years, he has studied baking and pastry arts,
photography, circus arts and fire performance and truly considers
artistic expression to be a crucial part of his life. His main
line of work is Continuing Medical Education, providing
home-study courses for doctors and nurse care professionals.
Shelly and Scott create a unique, interactive, and fun experience
for guests when they encounter the photo booth at a Reason to
Party event. They have been with RTP since the very first party
at Medjool and consider the founders and guest’s family. Both of
them are passionate about using photography to celebrate life and
to reflect some happiness back on the world. When they’re not
facilitating fun at RTP events, Shelly is a Virgin America flight
attendant and photographer, and Scott is a full-time
photographer.
Reason to Party has recently expanded to Sacramento. We are
grateful to its leadership team for a thoughtful, grassroots
outreach effort in our state’s capital city.
Mac serves as the primary point of contact for Reason to Party’s
web presence. In addition to maintaining the website and sending
out e-mail blasts, Mac also tinkers with all the technology
necessary to make the parties a success, such as getting the
eventbrite iPhone app loaded for check-in, designing the press
wall and coordinating the audio and visual teams at the events.
Katie Mattesich is a native Sacramentan. After a childhood filled
with writing plays, moviemaking, and political debates with her
neighbor and best friend Mac, she headed off to college at UC
Berkeley. She earned a double major in Political Science and
Psychology, and then moved to San Francisco.
Emily was raised in Sacramento, but had to leave in order to
discover how much she loves her native city. She studied opera in
Santa Cruz, worked as a chef on a tugboat in Maine, spent a year
in a tiny town in Argentina, and then moved to eastern Canada to
attend Mount Allison University, a small liberal arts
college in New Brunswick.
In 2006, Emily graduated with highest honors and a B.A. in
Environmental Studies. Soon after moving home to Sacramento, she
began training in nonprofit management and fundraising.
Miguel was born in Chihuahua, Mexico and studied law at the
Christian Brothers University. He moved to California right after
graduating in 2007 to work as a Mexican Attorney to the Consulate
General of Mexico in Sacramento.
He is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in International
Commercial Law at the University of California Davis and wants to
be an Expert Attorney for business strategy between Mexico,
Brazil, and the US.
Patrick grew up in a military family and lived all over the
world, but moved to Sacramento in 1997 to attend Sacramento State
University. While there, he served as Vice President of his
fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha. In 2001, he graduated with a
Business Degree and spent time traveling in Europe and North
Africa before deciding to settle down in Sacramento.
In his professional life, Patrick manages an Enterprise
Rent-a-Car branch in Roseville. In his free time, he enjoys
kayaking, skiing, sailing, and singing in the Sacramento Choral
Society and Orchestra.
Sacramento Splash is a local nonprofit dedicated to helping local children understand and value their natural world through scientific investigation and outdoor exploration.
Splash believes that all children deserve the opportunity to learn and play in nature. It offers a variety of environmental science programs designed to introduce Sacramento area kids to the wonders of science by teaching them about local habitats.
For more information about this outstanding local charity, please visit www.sacsplash.org.
Global Glimpse’s vision to have every US High School student
to gain a first-hand experience abroad that enables them to
become and act as responsible global citizens is a bold an
inspiring one.
Global Glimpse empowers high school students to become the global
leaders of tomorrow through a 3 week summer experience in a
developing country that emphasizes community service, mutual
understanding and respect, and college preparation.
Since it was founded in 1998, Equality California has
strategically moved California from a state with extremely
limited legal protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) individuals to a state with some of the most
comprehensive civil rights protections in the nation.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real
people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for
the words and images they present, and helping grassroots
organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the
stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD
promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances
equality.
The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national legal
organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families
through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education.
Satisfy your inner foodie and become a Grub Groupie! We offer you
unique deals to restaurants, wineries, and food events. Your
purchases not only help you, but also others. We donate a portion
of the proceeds to nonprofit organizations. Sign up today and
save!
We at Grub Groupie believe that it is important to give back to
the community. A portion from each deal will be given to
nonprofit organizations in the local Sacramento area.
Rockstar Limo Lounge (RSL) was founded by Q Patel and Joe
Williams with the goal of building a better limo company that’s
professional, fun, friendly, and affordable! They pride
themselves on great customer service, honesty, and making each
clients’ experience a positive one.
From a humble beginning with one little party bus, the fleet has
grown to an array of vehicles capable of transporting 1 to 30
passengers in comfort and style. RSL can even put you in a
sweet boat for your aquatic adventures on the river!
Sierra Nevada has been instrumental in supporting Reason to Party
Sacramento Events.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. remains true to its roots. Most
importantly, the Sierra Nevada commitment to quality remains the
same. Premium ingredients and time-honored brewing techniques
make Sierra Nevada ales and lagers truly exceptional beers.
Ziggy Eschliman, known to most simply as The Wine Gal or The
Contessa of Cocktails, is among America’s most enthusiastic,
authoritative and entertaining libation experts. For over 20
years, Ziggy has set and reported trends in all things to imbibe.
Her radio shows are broadcast throughout wine country and are
available on the internet. As a leading American speaker,
consultant, and wine writer, with personal experience extending
from the hills of Tuscany to the streets of New Orleans, Ziggy is
a driving force behind a national movement toward making wine
hip, fun and accessible.
Toad Hollow Vineyards began operation in 1994, with 3000 cases of
1993 Russian River Valley Chardonnay. Our Chardonnay is 100%
Stainless Steel fermented, using no oak at all. Since then we
have added additional wines, a Russian River Merlot (Richard
McDowell Vineyard), a Russian River Pinot Noir (Goldies Vines) a
Zinfandel from Paso Robles and a Rose of Pinot Noir from
Carneros. In 1995 we started to import wines made by our French
friends at Sieur D’Arques and now have two sparklings and three
still wines in our portfolio.
It’s one thing to sip a sparkling wine and let the bubbles tickle
your throat. It’s quite another thing, however, when a sparkling
wine really does…sparkle.
Stolichnaya – or more popularly “Stoli” – is one of the most
popular vodka brands on the market today. This is good because
the majority of their vodka line up is pretty good and
affordable, so when you’re in doubt you can almost always rely on
a bottle of Stoli being at the liquor store. Overall the brand is
very smooth, great for mixing or for serving and sipping well
chilled and one of the best, readily available examples of
Russian vodka. –about.com
There are lots of reasons to love Kanon, but we often can’t
decide which reason we love best. Is it the fact that its
entire production process is not only organic but totally
sustainable? That it’s Swedish and who doesn’t love a Swede? Or
the fact that it tastes awesome? Well, we love all that about
Kanon, and more. But to get the word out to other people who may
not know what they’re missing, we enlisted our good friend Casey
Neistat to help us create a look into everything you’ll need to
know about just what makes Kanon so great.
Black Star is a double-hopped golden lager based on traditional
European Pilsner style beers. It is brewed with both Bavarian
Mittelfrüh and Czech Saaz hops and two row malting barley. By
hopping it in the kettle, and then again before finishing, Black
Star opens with a distinctive hop aroma and a rich, full bodied
flavor, yet closes remarkably crisp, light and refreshing.
