Our Event Staff
Deborah Droppers
Founder & Executive Director
"My mom, Shirley Van Hoeven, inspires me every day and it is in her spirit that I founded the Center. She lived her life for college students when she was teaching at Western Michigan University. Her impact still resonates through her Scholarship Fund in the Communications Department.
This center is my dream. I love working with non-profits and enjoy the chaos of working with interns. I am inspired to think of new ideas to make events more interactive, customer-focused, and multi-layered. I teach at Western Michigan University and run the Event Management Minor. It's insanely fun. Every day I learn something new in preparation for the lectures that hopefully engage, inspire, transform. Within this pledge, we celebrate the passion of the product and the people we serve.
It's an amazing adventure".
Matt Slagell
Event and Logistics Director
Meet Matt! A proud Grand Valley University graduate, Matt brings his passion for crafting unforgettable experiences all the way from Grand Rapids to KELC. As our logistical wizard, he ensures every event runs seamlessly. With his background in advertising and public relations, Matt also excels at developing compelling marketing materials that tell the stories of who we are and what we do, making each event truly shine.
Abby Ragusa
Marketing Manager
Abby Ragusa, a recent masters graduate from Western Michigan University, is an amazing asset to the KELC team as she brings a sports management background to event planning and a keen sense of marketing platforms for customer engagement. She works for KELC and works for the WMU Athletic Department in their special events program. Her undergraduate degree is from Loras College.
Abby's professional experience is marketing and her work in athletic departments makes her flexible, fiercely focused, and able to multi-task to get the job done with a smile.
Our Event Staff
Bree
Meet Bree!
Major: Strategic Communication & Psychology
Minor: Social Work/Event Management
Favorite Event: Santa's Workshop
“I look forward to learning the ins and out of event planning and execution through KELC. The variety of events allows me to get a feel for different ways we engage with the community while getting the experience needed to finish my degree. With everyday being a new day there is never a dull moment”.
Sydney Beatty & Amelia Watchel
Both Sydney and Amelia are Event Management students at WMU. Their experience in the event world is formed through the key understanding of dynamic project management and the need to make events fun, engaging, and purposeful. Their 16 week internship is also helping them learn the business dynamics of what it takes to be ready for each day.