An Pham

Experience Designer

A Southern California native born and raised in Anaheim, An has a profound love for the region, its beaches, and the myriad of amazing things to do. Her passion for the events industry led her to move to Las Vegas and pursued a degree in Meetings and Events Management from UNLV. She thrives on collaborating with clients, ensuring the planning process is smooth and the experiences created are truly memorable. From intimate gatherings to grand-scale events such as concerts, global cruising affairs to managing special events at a major league baseball stadium, she has orchestrated a diverse array of occasions. Always eager to push her boundaries, she embraces new challenges for both personal and professional growth. She currently resides in Garden Grove, California, cherishing the weather and quality family time with her husband, two amazing children, and two beloved rescue cats.

Heather Matusiak, DMCP

Regional Vice President, Southern California and Las Vegas

Heather Matusiak, Regional Vice President, leads our Southern California and Las Vegas teams. With over 20 years of experience in corporate meetings and events, most of which were in the Southern California DMC market, Heather is well-versed in all facets of the events business, from operations to creative product development and sales. Heather brings a wealth of leadership and sales experience, and prior to joining PRA, she served as Vice President of Sales in the industry. She has found success in her career by focusing on relationship building and creative marketing. Heather currently serves on the Site So Cal Board of Directors as Director of Membership. She earned her Destination Management Certified Professional (DMCP) certification in 2008. She is a graduate of University of Southern California and is based in Orange County, CA.

Contact: Heather.Matusiak@PRA.com

Patty Kindness

Regional Director of Sales

Patty has been an active member of the hospitality industry for over 20 years with 12 years at PRA.  Born in Philly, Patty moved to Las Vegas to attend UNLV and now resides in Orange County.  She’s incredibly passionate about the industry and the hospitality community as a whole. She was just awarded the MPI Emerging Leader Awards for 2023. She is a team player, contributor, and sales leader at PRA. She looks at challenges from all angles, thinks from multiple perspectives and implements innovative ways to tackle challenges in her role as Regional Sales Director of the West Region. IMEX America continues to be her favorite annual event and client experience annually.  As their exclusive DMC partner they work collaboratively every year to bring hosted buyers unique and memorable experiences together. People who know Patty, knows that she loves to laugh and has a passion for life and family.  Whether its in the travel trailer exploring the SW and Mexico with her family, or abroad, exploring new locations, food and culture is her favorite pastime.

Contact: Patty.Kindness@PRA.com

Alex Deines, CMP, DMCP

Senior Experience Designer

With an enthusiasm for all things celebratory, Alex Deines has spent her professional career designing and coordinating exceptional experiences throughout Southern California. A personal love of travel, music, and unique events helped Alex earn her bachelor’s degree in Event Management at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. At PRA Events, Inc., she now enjoys helping curate shared moments for groups traveling to Orange County. A background of concert logistics, hotel recreation, city event organization, and marketing and promotions for various hospitality organizations has provided Alex with years of experience bringing smiles to faces and a sense of wonder for event attendees. Her passion and drive have earned her both a CMP (2018) and DMCP (2019) designation, along with a Smart Meetings Magazine ‘Smart Women in Meetings - Rising Star’ award (2019). When not dreaming up new soirees, Alex enjoys attending events for herself such as music festivals or low-key get togethers with friends and family. She is always up for something tasty and loves trips to the local coffee shop with her husband and two children. She finds balance through her yoga practice and loves to escape to nature (glamping-style) to rejuvenate.

Amy Knauf

Regional Director of Experience Design

Amy Knauf, Regional Director of Experience Design, leads the team of Experience Designers in Southern California and Las Vegas. Amy’s interest in events started in college when she interned with a boutique event management company in San Diego, where she was first introduced to PRA. After graduating from Point Loma Nazarene University, Amy started her career with PRA in the very role she now leads. Over the past 16 years, Amy has created and seen some amazing events but one of her most memorable was designing a reception and dinner space in make-shift barracks facing the ocean on the beach of Camp Pendleton, complete with amphibious assault vehicles storming the beach from the water. After many years in the Experience Design role, Amy now thrives in training and mentoring her team across the region! In her free time, Amy loves to spend time with her husband and two young children.

Hilary Pineo

Senior Experience Designer

Hilary began her hospitality career in Palm Springs after relocating to the desert area 22 years ago. Her perpetual love for sunny skies made it an easy decision after acquiring her degree in Business Administration & Marketing in Northern California at Chico State. She started out in management at a local luxury resort and two years later moved into an Account Management position with PRA working with Patti Roscoe’s team. Hilary’s talents expanded greatly as she explored hospitality in DMC Sales, Convention Center Sales, Program Management, and Creative Design. She has passion for creativity and determination to build fully immersive experiences for her clients. Fun fact – She fell in love with theme event design at a young age, exploring Halloween costume patterns and linen swatches in the fabric store.

Kellie Collins, DMCP

Regional Director of Events

Three words to describe me: Organized. Caring. Loyal.

If you really knew me you would know: I love camping.

Restaurant on repeat: My own house, I love to cook and try new recipes.

The best part about my job is: Working with great people day in and day out.

My inspiration: Female leaders in the industry!

Contact: Kellie.Collins@PRA.com

Michael Costa

Senior Vice President, Business Operations

Michael brings more than twenty years of experience in executive management to the PRA team. In his role as Senior Vice President, Business Operations, Michael is responsible for developing and implementing business strategies to support company initiatives, while creating synergies and leverage opportunities throughout the PRA system.

Contact: Michael.Costa@PRA.com