a gathering ground for creative growth

event details

Gathering in Napa Valley

Napa Valley greets you gently. Vineyards stretch toward the horizon, hills rolling softly under wide California skies. As guests arrived at Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection in Calistoga, the rhythm of wine country set the tone immediately: unhurried, warm, and quietly inspiring.

From the first evening, the energy was unmistakable. Guests gathered in the Courtyard for cocktails and light bites, reconnecting with familiar faces and meeting new ones as the sun dipped behind the hills. Conversations started easily and continued as everyone moved to PicoBar for an intention-setting session that marked the official beginning of our time together.

Abby McKinney, ITC’s Director of Operations, framed the experience with a sentiment that would echo throughout the week: vulnerability is the key to purposeful connection. It quickly became the throughline of the gathering. Over the next few days, that word, vulnerability, would return again and again in conversations about business, creativity, and the realities of building a career in the events industry.

At In Trusted Company, connection isn’t left to chance. Each guest receives a personalized itinerary designed to place them in rooms and conversations that maximize exposure to new perspectives and potential collaborators. It’s one small but meaningful expression of our commitment to hospitality and the guest experience, and one of the many reasons guests often say ITC “feels different.”

The design of the experience reflected the relaxed beauty of wine country. Stationer Sakshi Karambelkar of Inquisited collaborated with Vanessa Vierra of Vanessa Noel Events to create personalized itineraries, name tags, and conversation cards that echoed the event’s visual language. 
Even the first evening’s dress code, Plaid & Prairie, felt perfectly at home in the setting. Rustic tartans, soft denims, whimsical fringe, and earth tones filled the space, creating a look that mirrored the laid-back elegance of wine country.

Conversations That Matter

Our first morning together began with a welcome from founder and CEO Kathryn Stice and Director of Operations Abby McKinney, who reflected on something many guests feel the moment they arrive: the spirit of In Trusted Company is difficult to describe, but unmistakable once you experience it.

Dave Elcon, general manager of Solage, noticed it immediately as well, remarking on the warmth and energy of the group and the natural synergy between the ITC community and the property itself. Throughout the week, programming continued that spirit of openness and insight.

During the first panel, Scaling Without Compromise: Growing Your Business While Maintaining Quality, industry leaders discussed the realities of expanding a business while protecting the standards that define it. The conversation touched on pricing based on margin rather than comparison, assigning clear roles within teams, and building the operational structures necessary to support long-term growth.

The second panel discussion, The Evolution of Trends: Anticipating and Adapting to Shifting Client Preferences, explored emerging trends and what may shape the event landscape in the years ahead, sparking thoughtful insights, and plenty of humor, among hosts and guests alike.

But some of the most meaningful exchanges happened away from the stage: over long lunches, spontaneous conversations between sessions at Solage’s pools, and quiet fireside chats that turned into new partnerships and friendships.

Throughout the week, guests built relationships based on mutual respect and trust as they shared intentions for their time at ITC, challenges they were facing in their business or personal lives, leading into the final speed-style connection session, which allowed guests to meet many new colleagues in quick succession. As always, the most powerful moments came from the willingness to speak openly about both the triumphs and the challenges of this work honestly as well as remain present when listening to their peers and colleagues share. 

Designed for Connection

Throughout the gathering, design and hospitality worked hand in hand to encourage conversation and community.

Tuesday’s lunch, Bread & Butter, brought a cheerful butter-yellow palette to the table. Soft linens, whimsical florals, and textured seating created a welcoming atmosphere that encouraged guests to linger long after their plates were cleared.

That evening’s Bold & Blocked dinner embraced a playful, color-drenched concept. Emerald glassware, aqua lucite flatware, striped chargers, and vibrant dinner plates created a tablescape that felt joyful and unexpected, while modular tetris-style tables and color-blocked décor symbolized the spirit of the ITC community: how we all fit together in ways that feel natural and harmonious. This served as another reminder that thoughtful design can shape the way people interact and connect. I would talk about how this was in a tetris style floorplan and say something along the lines of “how we all fit together”.

Wednesday’s RWB lunch paid homage to creative director Vanessa Vierra’s favorite holiday, grounded in her childhood memories and nostalgia associated with the Fourth of July. Picnic-inspired fare and playful takes on a red, white, and blue palette, anchored by a blue toile linen,brought a festive energy to the tent.

The gathering concluded with Formal Fireside, an intimate evening centered around Solage’s fireplace fountain. Guests arrived in structured satins, crushed velvets, and buttery suedes before settling into candlelit tables for dinner. As the evening unfolded, the celebration moved to the Solstice Ballroom, where Dart Collective kept the dance floor buzzing well into the night.

And, as always, some of the most meaningful moments happened in between: the “I can’t believe we’ve never met” introductions, the spontaneous brainstorming sessions, the laughter around shared tables, and the conversations that stretched long past the scheduled end of the evening. Those are the moments that turn gatherings into community.

What stays with us after gatherings like this isn’t just the panels, the design, or even the setting, beautiful as all of those are. It’s the feeling of sitting across from someone who understands the work you do, the challenges you carry, and the passion that keeps you coming back to it.

Over a few days in Napa Valley, introductions turned into collaborations, conversations stretched long past their scheduled end times, and strangers became friends. That’s the magic of gathering Iin Ttrusted Ccompany. And we’re already looking forward to the next time we do it again.

Event Experience: @intrustedcompany
Host Property: @solageauberge
Creative Director: @vanessanoelevents
Photography: @rebeccayale
Cinematography: @duneweddings
Stationer: @inquisited
Floral Designer: @_everbloom
Furniture Rentals: @foundrentalco
Tabletop Rentals: @theonicollection
Stage, Draping, Lighting: @bellavistadesigns
Entertainment/AV: @dartcollective
Linens: @nuagedesignsinc
Social media director: @sar_schreiber
Content creation: @ivysocial.co
Concierge event meteorologist: @ironicreports
Texting service: @wedping
Payment sponsor: @rockpapercoin
Hosts: @staffordcreative_co @thomasbuilifestyle @joelserrato @bashplease @bethhelmstetter @bustleevents @cd_chandadaniels @theideaemporium @erica.adams.design @alila.napavalley @larahanlon