Meet Our Team

Our team is happy to provide you an all-inclusive event encompassing your rehearsal dinner, lodging accommodations, ceremony, reception and post-wedding brunch or farewell. Every detail will be tended to and our promise to you is a fairy tale wedding that is limited only by your own imagination.

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Angie Whitener

Director of Sales

Angie was born and raised in Iron Mountain, Michigan. After attending Grand Valley State University and graduating with a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, Angie fell in love with the small town of Petoskey

She enjoys the hospitality business and has been with Stafford’s since June 2000. Meeting new and different people everyday inspired her as are the relationships she has developed with clients and guests of the hotel.

Angie currently holds the position as Director of Sales and is responsible for executing weddings, groups, meetings, special events and more. She loves to plan, organize and share in the excitement and joy of special celebrations. And since she is so fond of food, creating the menu is her favorite part of the whole process!

She is a 2002 graduate of Leadership Little Traverse, is an active member of the Downtown Petoskey Events Committee and serves on the Steering Committee for the Petoskey Chamber of Commerce Connecting Women in Business Group. She is an active board member of Circle Michigan and the Petoskey Ski Team Boosters.

In her spare time, Angie enjoys traveling, camping, downhill skiing and spending time with her husband Matt and children, Cassidy and Cole and their Bernese Mountain Dog, Luca.

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Jill Harrell

Catering Manager

Jill grew up in Midland, Michigan and attended Delta College for 2 years before transferring to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where she earned her B.A. in Communication Studies. Over the next 20 years, she held roles as a Brand Manager for a promotional products company downstate, and then as Marketing and HR Coordinator for Wojan Window & Door in Charlevoix.

Jill joined Stafford's Hospitality in 2015 working in banquets at The Perry Hotel. As a side gig that was totally different from her "grown up job," she has enjoyed meeting and working with so many different people from around the world every season. Of course, she’ll be the first to brag about the amazing core staff too, who couldn't be more thoughtful, talented, and cohesive as a group – she truly does love working with the Stafford’s team!

Jill has been married to her husband Dave, a photographer, for 22 years. They have 2 children – David, a junior at University of Michigan, and Riley, a freshman at Eastern Michigan University. For fun, Jill has been sailing for about 10 years. Until recently, she would race with a crew every week in Charlevoix. Other than that, she is pretty low key, but could be seen playing trivia at City Park, visiting local wineries and traveling to visit family and friends whenever she and Dave have the chance. 

Jill has always hoped she’d have the opportunity to join Stafford's full-time, so she is genuinely excited to get to work in her new role as the Catering Manager.

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Lindsey Nelson

Group Sales Associate

Hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, Lindsey graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in Tourism, Leisure, and Event Planning. Lindsey’s introduction into the hospitality industry began during her summers in college when she worked as a banquet server at an event venue. The planning and coordination of the beautiful weddings she saw every weekend intrigued her, and in 2016, Lindsey joined the team at Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island. In her role as Conference Services Intern, she learned about the many different aspects of hospitality, overseeing events ranging from 10-250 people.

In just a year, she was promoted to Manager, where she would continue her efforts until 2020. Lindsey then relocated her talents to the Columbus Country Club in Central Ohio. As the Events and Membership Manager, Lindsey planned member events and sold club memberships until 2022.

After visiting often to admire its scenic views and serene landscapes, Lindsey has now put down roots in Petoskey. She recently joined the Stafford’s Sales Department, assisting in event planning and coordination. What Lindsey loves most about the hospitality industry is meeting people all over and helping bring their visions to life. Lindsey also appreciates the culture of Stafford’s Hospitality. She feels everyone you interact with has the same goal in mind: making the guests feel welcomed and leave with the best experience possible.

When Lindsey isn’t working, she enjoys spending as much time outdoors as possible- walking new trails, taking her daughter to the park, reading, and swimming!

Equipped with her bubbly personality and experience in the industry, Lindsey looks forward to joining a team with much talent and motivation to bring dreams to reality.