Meet the Staff

Sean Dempsey - Vice President, Director of Sales
Sean has been at Saddlebrook since 2000 and has worked in the rooms division, several departments within the Food & Beverage division, has served as a construction manager and is an experienced sales executive. Sean leads the sales team with the same zeal he exhibits when participating in both marathons and triathalons.
sdempsey@saddlebrookresort.com

Kristen Boehning - National Sales Manager (West, Southeast and Mid-America)
Started working at Saddlebrook in 1999, as executive group sales director, then as sales director for the Midwest and currently handles all group sales in the Southeast and Mid-America states. Kristen came to Saddlebrook from the Registry Resort in Naples where she was the director of yield management/revenue and before that worked for 7 years with Hyatt Hotels in reservations and front desk management positions.
kboehning@saddlebrookresort.com

Cheryl Jelinek - National Sales Manager (Florida and Washington DC Area)
Working in a single department in one hotel all of your adult life is easy for Cheryl to proclaim but it makes it difficult to write a colorful bio. Cheryl has indeed only worked in the sales department over the past 21 years, first as an assistant, then as executive group sales director and, for the past 8 years, covering Florida’s corporate and association markets.
cjelinek@saddlebrookresort.com

Johnnie Giffin - National Sales Manager (Golf and Reunion Groups)
Another one of our sales team who’s worked at only two properties over her last 29 years in the industry. Johnnie worked for 10 years at the DonCeSar Beach Resort, as Front Office Manager, Night Audit Reservations Manager and Travel Industry Salesperson. For the last 19 years, she’s headed our leisure sales efforts, working with golf, tennis and social groups, family reunions, customer and vendor appreciation events.
jgiffin@saddlebrookresort.com

Yvonne Bohannon - National Sales Manager (Midwest)
Yvonne has worked in the hospitality industry for 20 years and comes to us from Busch Gardens. At Busch Gardens, Yvonne has held a number of different positions for the past ten years, all in the marketing and sales arena. She’s handled both social and corporate markets and has also been involved in the consumer events side of the business.
ybohannon@saddlebrookresort.com

Eve Lumsden - National Sales Manager (Northeast and Canada)
Eve comes to Saddlebrook with several years experience in hospitality sales and event production. Having worked primarily at high end resorts in Florida, Eve has a passion for quality and brings equal parts of enthusiasm and creativity to all of her programs. In fact Eve’s good attitude is so contagious that most of her clients and colleagues think of her as a dear friend or part of the family rather than as a business contact.
elumsden@saddlebrookresort.com

Kristen Kachurak, CMP - Director of Catering/Conference Services
Heading our Catering/Conference Service team, Kristen started at Saddlebrook as a Catering Manager in 1999. Prior to Saddlebrook, Kristen’s career experience was gained with Dolce International Hotels including stints at the Front Desk and Conference Planning.
kkachurak@saddlebrookresort.com

Doug Pollard - Associate Director of Catering/Conference Services
Doug started as a catering manager at Saddlebrook in 1991 and, when the catering and conference services departments were joined in 2002, Doug was named the associate director. Doug comes from the Boston metropolitan area, where he joined Sheraton Hotels, working in both Massachusetts and Newport, Rhode Island, for over 13 years.
dpollard@saddlebrookresort.com

Lisa Rewasiewicz - Catering/Conference Services Manager
A graduate of the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management, Lisa worked with Darden Restaurant before joining the Saddlebrook family in the sales department. She came over to the Catering/Conference Services department as the Executive Services Manager, where she handled all groups with less than 50 attendees before moving on to handle groups of any size.
lrewasiewicz@saddlebrookresort.com

John Spitz - Concierge & Floor Manager for Convention Groups
With over 35 years of experience in conference services, John provides fast, efficient service to the meeting planner while the meeting is going on. At Saddlebrook since 1984, John also worked at Innisbrook and Doral Golf Resort & Spa prior to coming with us – always in convention/conference services.