800.447.RSVP
Meet the Staff
Meet the staff that makes it happen! With over 100 years of combined event planning experience, the staff at RSVP can bring your event to life. Simply put, our staff is the best! Creative, personable and dependable, we pride ourselves on planning, producing and facilitating successful events.Sharon Riley – Owner
Sharon has been in the events planning industry since 1981. After graduating from East Carolina University with a degree in Urban & Regional Planning, she spent six years as a meeting and convention planner, setting up events for up to 35,000 guests. She took a break from the event planning industry to stay at home with her son, but was recruited 8 months later to launch the event management product line at RSVP Events. She is now the sole owner of RSVP.In her down time, Sharon loves to hit the ski slopes, cut a rug, cook, and work in her garden. And to her, the best thing about working at RSVP is that “your family, your pets, and chocolate come first!”
Tammy Norman – Office Manager
Tammy began her event-planning career as chairperson for her high school prom committee. From there, she attended University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received an Associate’s degree in Applied Sciences from DTCC.Tammy began at RSVP Events as a part-time employee while attending school. Her first role at RSVP was as parade director for the Durham International Festival. She realized that event planning was far more fun than computer programming and decided to stay. Her responsibilities at RSVP include office operations, floral design, quality control, event carpenter and emergency truck driver. She is known as the office “find it” person. When the designers need it- she can find it!
Tammy’s favorite things about working for RSVP Events are that kids and pets are welcome at the office, she can eat all the snow cones and cotton candy she wants, and there are no stop lights on her commute to work-- just a few cow crossings. They have wonderful staff retreats, “buddy missions,” and reserved seating at the Village Diner. There is no such thing as casual day -- every day is casual!
Lindsey Ballentine – Production Director
Lindsey graduated from Mars Hill College with a degree in Fashion & Interior Merchandising and a minor in Business Administration. Her past work experience includes working for Optometric Eye Care Center in Chapel Hill as a technician and visual stylist. Lindsey has also won third place for a trade show booth at the Associate Executives of North Carolina Trade Show in 2005.Known as “Junior” around the office, Lindsey found her way to RSVP through her sister, who told Sharon “my sissy can draw anything.” The next day she was at the office creating signs.
Some of Lindsey’s interests include food (cooking and eating it), gardening, making stationary, playing with her dog Triscuit, kneeboarding, jet skiing, and camping. And while she loves to nap, it doesn’t happen often enough.
Lindsey loves RSVP because pajamas and sweatpants are the dress code, there is always chocolate, they have fun field trips – literally -- through the field, and Sharon makes coffee deliveries. But, best of all she gets paid to party!