Our people give OP 3 the strength, flexibility, and expertise to approach each event
with customized and innovative strategies so nothing is ever business as usual.

 

Meet our Managing Partners

Colleen Healy Fitzgerald

Managing Partner & CFO

Colleen joined OP3 in 2005 and quickly became a critical part of our production department and our leadership team. Her accounting background and obsession with all things budget- and finance-related is a point of pride that inspires the whole team to reach new heights in negotiation, cost control, and vendor management. Colleen has successfully produced and overseen fundraising walks and rides, introduced events to new markets, coordinated grassroots outreach efforts, established comprehensive risk mitigation strategies, and created signature events with new clients. ​An avid runner, Colleen recently completed her first triathlon, but admittedly spends more time chasing her children Henry, Graham, Jack, and Nora than training these days.

How to reach Colleen: colleen@op-3.com

Erica Helphand

Managing Partner & COO

A recognized leader in the peer to peer fundraising event space for 20 years, Erica has been with OP 3 since it began. She was hooked on events after donating to cyclist friends—then joining them as a volunteer lead—on the Boston New York AIDS Ride, and her experience running safe, memorable events that provide great guest experience has only grown since. Her teams have created some of the most successful fundraising events and series, but it’s her focus on customer service that keeps those fundraisers coming back. Beyond her extensive creative, strategic, and production capabilities, Erica's passion for people—coworkers, client partners, volunteers, and participants alike—is what drives her commitment to continuous improvement. She has been named one of LASSO's "Top Women in the Event Production Industry" (twice!). Although she is retired from playing roller derby, Erica’s belief that slow mileage is better than no mileage has helped her complete 7 half marathons.​

How to reach Erica: erica@op-3.com

Get to know our team of amazing women!

Christine Mastal
Vice President, Operations & Production

Christine joined OP3 in 2004 and has worked on every aspect of large-scale peer-to-peer fundraising events across the country. From recruiting walkers and volunteers to handling permitting to managing the staff of our biggest client series. Christine also happens to be our resident scholar and has a master’s degree from the London School of Economics…which we think is very cool!

  • Guilty Pleasure: Reading Spy Novels

  • How Christine got through quarantine: Wine and Netflix

  • Christine’s Hidden Talent: Gives amazing architectural tours in Boston

  • What famous person would play Christine in her life story: Julia Roberts but if she is booked Sandra Bullock

How to reach Christine: christine@op-3.com

Cheryl Prideaux
National Production Director

Cheryl has been with OP 3 since 2009. She leads our team in producing our large scale fundraising event series and can whip any event into tip top shape. Cheryl is a Jill of all trades…give her an idea, a measuring wheel and a date and in return she will give you a remarkable event experience that participants and donors will remember for a lifetime.

  • Cheryl’s Hidden Talent: Creating masterpieces out of wood to decorate her home.

  • Where would Cheryl like to travel: Australia and New Zealand are next!

How to reach Cheryl: cheryl@op-3.com

Ally Brooks
National Peer-to-Peer Director

Ally made her triumphant return to OP 3 after being gone for 8 long years. In her over 14 year experience in Peer-to-Peer development and event production she is proud to say she is now a savant at zip tie counting and communications writing. Ally spends most of her OP 3 time working with Non-Profit clients on their website development and fundraising strategies as well as Producing Events. Let’s just say Ally is as comfortable writing code as she is parallel parking a 24 foot truck.

  • Ally’s Hidden Talent: She can sing you any musical and quote the entire series of Friends

  • What famous person would Ally like to have lunch with: Chris Evans, but only if he dresses as Captain America

  • Ally’s guilty pleasure: Watching Marvel movies in chronological order

  • How did Ally get through quarantine: Not to sound repetitive but Marvel movies in chronological order.

How to reach Ally: ally@op-3.com

Christina Mihalek
National Director

Mihalek eats logistics for breakfast. She analyzes every eventuality and solves every problem before it arises. She got her boots under her in the US Air Force executing logistics, events, and safety with discipline and purpose. Christina has been in the event world ever since (20+ years) from planning large-scale, multi-day events, conferences, and incentive travel for both the corporate and non-profit realm.

 

Christina has experience as well in business development, account management, and peer-to-peer fundraising, securing national and regional brands to generate funding through gifts, sponsorships, grants, and cause-making campaigns. She holds a BA with honors in Political Science and is an MBA candidate at the Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati.

To re-charge Mihalek holds a paintbrush or a shovel, doing home projects and gardening while listening to podcasts and audiobooks. She also enjoys running with her husband Jim, and hosting friends and family in her turn of the century home

How to reach Christina: mihalek@op-3.com

Margaret Sheehe
Production Manager &
Volunteer Specialist

Margaret “Margie” Sheehe is one of a kind! Margie can wear all of the event hats while keeping us all laughing and smiling as we work. She is an expert Volunteer and Crew Specialist with over a decade of event production under her utility belt.

  • Margie’s Guilty Pleasure: Volunteering to save the world

  • How Margie got through quarantine: Laughter and smiles

  • Margie’s Hidden Talent: Making the world a better place

  • What famous person would play Margie in her life story: No one could play Margie as well as Margie…so she would have to star in her own film!

How to reach Margie: marge@op-3.com

Ava Greer
Production Manager

Ava has worked in peer-to-peer events for over 12 years, and she has a passion for all things logistics, production, and especially route planning! Ava has experience working on multi day walk series, community 5k’s, and overseeing a National Walk Series supporting fundraising and production. She is excited to work with our clients to help them bring their events to life!

  • How Ava spends her free time: Usually playing with all things cars, trucks and trains with her two boys.

  • Dream Vacation spot: Give her a tropical beach any day of the week! Sorry Mountains, you’re not calling this lady!

How to reach Ava: ava@op-3.com

Ryanne Heras
Production Manager

Ryanne always dreamed of helping non-profit organizations raise more money for their critical life-changing missions. When Ryanne joined us at OP 3 in 2022 her dreams became a reality. Ryanne aka Ry brings with her over 10 years of work experience more than half of which has been in the Events and Entertainment Industry. Her journey into the events began during her internship coordinating at Univision. While she quickly realized communications and working for a news network weren’t for her, events definitely were! She moved on to coordinate weddings, club events, and music festivals, and even worked with chartered cruises.

Guilty Pleasure:  Buying (and eventually reading) WAY too many books!

How to reach Ryanne: ryanne@op-3.com

Shawna Burke
Production Manager

How to reach Shawna: shawna@op-3.com

Melissa Szucs Fri
National Production Manager

After a decade-long career detour, Melissa made a U-Turn back to OP 3 where it all began in 2008.  And while she’s produced everything from art exhibitions to grand opening celebrations and national conferences, her true love is peer-to-peer events. When she’s not making checklists for her checklists, high-fiving volunteers, or populating spreadsheets, she’s busy raising two strong, independent little gals.  

Hidden talent: She can scare brown bears away from a walk route with a plastic $1 hand clapper and her shrill voice.

Dream vacation: Any of the National Parks (they have plans to visit them all before her daughters turn 18)

Guilty pleasure: Reality TV (the Amazing Race and Project Runway!) and any mockumentary by Christopher Guest

How to reach Melissa : melissa@op-3.com

Alanna Scrivano
Production Manager

Alanna joined the OP-3 team in 2022 as a Production Manager and has been in the event industry for over a decade, specializing in Sports + Entertainment. Alanna has helped execute over 1,000 events and loves a challenge; making magic happen under the tightest of timelines. When she isn’t rallying the troops or trying to come up with creative ways to problem solve - she is planning her wedding, traveling to every beach imaginable and hanging out with her soon to be 9-year-old Stepdaughter.

 Fun Fact: Alanna was featured in Billboard Magazine for creating some one of a kind, over the top gifts for performing artists.

How to reach Alanna: alanna@op-3.com

Michelle Manos
Production Manager

Michelle has worked in event production in one form or another for 15 years. She specializes in logistics, safety, and fostering positive work environments, and she brings a standard of excellence to every project. Michelle started her events journey doing weddings, showers and holiday celebrations in her home state of NJ. After moving to California, she began producing community and political events, such as marches, rallies, conferences, press conferences, speaker panels, fundraisers, and more. 

In addition to production, Michelle has experience in small business development, marketing, communications, public relations, and media management. She is also an accomplished writer. She spends her free time running a community center in Mid City Los Angeles, doing logistics for food distribution programs, and relaxing with her partner (who works in film production) and her Australian Cattle Dog, Max.

Michelle holds a BA in Political Science from California State University, Long Beach, as well as a Masters in International Public Policy from Stanford University. For Michelle, being a part of the OP3 team means being able to combine her two passions of high-level event production and working toward a better world for all. After freelancing for years, Michelle is excited to join OP3 and be part of this amazing team!

Favorite Karaoke Songs: Bad Moon Rising by CCR; Scenes From An Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel

Fun Facts: I traveled the country in an RV in my 20s; I once did personal security for Jane Fonda for six hours at a climate rally
On Repeat: (music) RENT soundtrack, Cardi B, The Rolling Stones, James Brown; (TV) The Office, Bob’s Burgers – I’m a mixed bag!

How to reach Michelle: michelle@op-3.com

Della Curry
Production Manager

Della Curry joined OP3 in 2022, transitioning out of the restaurant industry and into event planning full time.  She has years of experience in events from the food side and also from her volunteer work.   After going viral for speaking out about school lunches Della knew that her heart and mind needed to be working towards making the world a better and more happy place and OP3 is the perfect company for that.  Jake Tapper said she was his favorite interview of 2015 and she was awarded the Hammer and Chisel Award by Michael Moore in 2016 for her work in advocating for no cost school lunches for all students.  In her off time she enjoys boxing, camping and embarrassing her husband and her 2 teenage kids by singing at the top of her lungs in the car with all the windows down.

How to reach Della: della@op-3.com

Caily Landers
Production Coordinator

Caily was fortunate enough to join in on all of the fun at OP 3 in 2021. She has been eager to learn anything and everything about the event world since. Throughout her experience, Caily has grown fond of producing events, learning how to perfect loading a truck, and even successfully getting the event supplies kit to close on the very first try. In her free time, Caily can shoot a basketball almost as well as she can ziptie signage up... (her skill level, though, is open for interpretation).

  • Where does Caily want to travel: Europe!

How to reach Caily: caily@op-3.com

What People Are Saying

“I honestly don’t know where to start–thank you all so much for two years of HARD work to make this weekend a reality. The entire day was seamless, stress-free, and near perfect. We are so grateful to have partners who we could truly trust to be an extension of our team and ambassadors of our mission–not to mention sounding boards, confidants and friends!”

— Allison L., Save The Children Director, National Events & Community Engagement

 

“What an amazing event on Saturday night! Thank you so much for making it a grand success. Your thoroughness, organization, willingness to help, and professionalism were well beyond expectations.”

— Kris C., Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Light The Night Campaign Development Director

 

“After all the sweating of details, today’s program was really, really great. Thank you all for everything. It’s been an absolute pleasure to sweat through it with you.”

— Sheila S., Lung Cancer Research Foundation
Senior Director, Marketing Communications

 

“OP 3 is truly one of a kind. As a long-time partner of our Walk to End Alzheimer’s events here in the National Capital Area, OP 3 handles every question, logistics need, vendor, permit, and more with grace, skill, and finesse. If you are looking for an amazing production team, look no further. We are so grateful for the continued support of the OP 3 team!”

-Faith A., Walk to End Alzheimer’s
Constituent Event Senior Manager

“Thank you so much for traveling to Memphis and sharing your talent with us. Loved the escape box activity even more the second time and I think there are so many lessons to be learned from it. Thanks for literally thinking outside the box.”

— Danielle D., St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital - ALSAC
Director, Community Engagement & Fundraising

 

“What a day! From the smiles on girls' faces and cheers from family and friends to spray painted hair and tutus-this day was a success thanks to your dedication, enthusiasm, and the help of 250+ volunteers you helped lead!”

— Devoria A., Girls on the Run DC Executive Director

 

“Now that I am out of my exhausted daze, I want to officially thank you for all you did to help us make the event yesterday a reality. You were all so amazing to work with, every step of the way! You are truly experts at what you do, and your knowledge was invaluable...You are truly the BEST!”

— Marcy B., Save The Children
Associate Director, Community Engagement & Fundraising

"My thanks to you and the team for all you have done to support APDA...I know with your expertise to back us up we are always in good hands!"

— Stephanie P., American Parkinson Disease Association
Senior Vice President of Development and Marketing

OP 3 works with more than 60 event pros nationwide, our Special OPs unit (see what we did there?). This exceptional squad makes it possible to create top-notch event experiences for even more partners.