Meet Donna Hodge

Donna Hodge holds several certifications in the events industry including: the Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP), Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Certified Event Designer from the Event Design Collective (CED) and Digital Events Strategist (DES). These designations are hallmark of professional achievement in the special events and meeting industries.

 

Donna is a highly sought-after event expert with over 25 years of experience, crafting events with entertainment, innovation, and style. organizes events from start to finish with the right atmosphere, cuisine, and décor—she aims to combine beauty with remarkable event experiences. An avid traveler, her love for cooking and entertaining is legendary. It began at the tender age of 5 years old on a family cruise to the Caribbean. Her passion for the Culinary Arts has taken her all over the world.

 

Prior to Ms. Hodge opening her own event planning business, her background was in event management and journalism. A former tv and radio journalist, currently, she is the president of An Engaging Event, a Chicago-based boutique event management company, and the former executive director of the Chicago Football Classic. She has more than 25 years of experience in managing, conceiving, producing, and evaluating a wide range of special events and projects. She has worked with many nonprofit organizations, managing the overall execution of many high profile, premiere black-tie annual galas, corporate business breakfasts, lifestyle events, jazz festivals and sporting events in Chicago.

 

She has produced events working with actor James T. Alfred, singer Jerry Butler, the late Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., Ray Charles, George Benson, Natalie Cole, Jennifer Holliday, Gladys Knight, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Harry Lennix, Vernon Jordan and the late Miss Nancy Wilson, to name just a few.

 

She is an experienced food and travel writer and an entertaining style expert who was frequently featured as an entertainment expert on WVON-AM radio. Ms. Hodge is an expert in Caribbean cooking and teaches it throughout Chicago.

 

Her philosophy is that knowledge is to be shared and to always help – not expecting something back, but to know that you are helping another person to enhance their life.