A woman sitting cross-legged on a white studio background, smiling, wearing a green short-sleeved shirt, white top, blue jeans, and beige sandals.

Meet Hannah

I founded Modern Elm Events with a simple belief: the best events don’t just look beautiful, they feel organized, effortless, and intentional.

With a background in professional event planning and management, I bring a calm, organized approach based in clear communication, thoughtful timelines, and a focus on the details that matter. My goal is to create events that feel smooth and intentional for you and your guests.

At Modern Elm Events, I don’t just ask for your trust, I work to earn it. With regular updates, proactive planning tools, and transparent communication, you’ll always feel informed, supported, and confident in the planning process.

I'm proud to call the La Crosse area home and love being part of this community. Check out the community event discount page to learn how I give back. Not in La Crosse? No problem. Reach out and let me know where your event is. I’d love to see how I can support you, wherever you are.

I believe planning should feel just as rewarding as the event itself and I’m here to make sure you can enjoy the journey, not just the destination.

With over a decade of experience in event planning and management, I bring a well-rounded background spanning intimate gatherings to large-scale public events. My experience across these settings has equipped me with the strategic insight, adaptability, and attention to detail needed to execute events at every level.

I’ve previously worked as:

  • Executive Director for one of the largest and longest-running Oktoberfest celebrations in the U.S., leading the strategic planning and execution of a multi-day, citywide event, overseeing vendor operations, cross-functional teams, sponsor relationships, and the guest experience for hundreds of thousands of attendees annually.

  • Member of the Milwaukee Brewers’ Special Events Department, supporting the execution of high-profile, large-scale events at Miller Park (now American Family Field).

  • Event & Operations Coordinator at UW–La Crosse, managing campus events with a focus on logistics, organization, and cross-department collaboration.

I’m skilled in managing corporate, personal, and community events, and my work is defined by seamless logistics, thoughtful planning, and a deep commitment to creating events that feel grounded, intentional, and genuinely enjoyable for all.

Awards & Recognition

  • Young Professionals Future Five Award - La Crosse Chamber of Commerce (2024)

  • Rising Star Under 40 – 7 Rivers Alliance (2023)

Community Involvement

Experience

Our Commitment to Community
Smiling woman sitting on a wooden stool against a dark patterned wall, wearing a light green shirt and jeans.

  • Hannah was so amazing and helpful during my bridal shower and wedding! It was so nice not to feel the need to articulate every specific detail because I fully trusted her judgement and knew that she had me and my event in mind with every decision she made. I would absolutely hire Modern Elm Events for any future events! Being able to enjoy the major events in your life, and not be overwhelmed by the planning and execution of it all, is such a blessing and Hannah made that possible for me!

    Tristyn V

  • If you're looking for an exceptional event planner, I highly recommend Modern Elm Events. Hannah brings a level of creativity, organization, and attention to detail that is truly unmatched.

    What makes her stand out is that she doesn't just focus on creating beautiful events- she focuses on creating memorable experiences. Every detail is thoughtfully planned with the guest experience in mind, ensuring that people leave feeling connected, inspired, and talking about the event long after it's over.

    Whether you're planning a corporate event, networking event, fundraiser, celebration, or special occasion, Hannah thinks of everything. Her calm demeanor, professionalism, and detail-oriented approach make the entire event planning process seamless and stress-free.

    Becki T

  • It was a really hot, steamy day and every time we turned around, you were there to offer us cold drinks and a helping hand. You took great care of the client AND great care of us. We couldn’t be more thankful and are crossing our fingers we get to work with you again!

    Olive Juice Studios

  • Hannah and Modern Elm are awesome and who you want to hire for events. She’s a good pro and she’s a good person. You can trust her when it has to work.

    She was super detailed, great with vendors (she had people driving in from multiple states because they had the best features and value - she WORKED to get us what we needed at a good price), she’s truly gifted and amazing with thinking through needed materials and adding those little touches and she is great with family members and juggling priorities. She came up with a plan that was easy to review and change. Fully spreadsheets, little maps of how it all worked, a checklist of what I needed to look over and do - so good.

    Modern Elm is officially our go to for event planning. We are grateful to have had such a great partner and teammate in our corner.

    Johnny G