MEET OUR TEAM
MBSA Events is an event consulting and project management firm that excels in organizational skills and attention to detail. From fundraising galas to sporting or spectator events to corporate meetings and conventions, we have the skills, experience and community relationships to make your job easier. Our firm can tailor our scope of services to match your specific event needs and budget.
Jen Ross Bachman
President & Chief Executive Officer
Jen is originally from Fort Wayne and a graduate of Indiana University. She has been with MBSA Events since early 2010. Jen has nearly 25 years of event planning experience in Indianapolis. Her previous stops included Indiana Sports Corporation and the Capital Improvement Board where she was part of the team that built and opened the renowned Lucas Oil Stadium. Jen has been an integral part of several large scale events, conventions and community celebrations. Jen possesses a wealth of hands-on event experience and operations knowledge. Her strengths include production and logistics, creative and strategic thinking, trouble shooting and patience. She is passionate about each and every client and the causes they represent and the constituents they serve. Jen and her husband Brian enjoy spending time with their two girls and their dog Bogey. She enjoys traveling, dining out, weekends at the lake, visiting family, hanging out in her backyard, and watching Penn State football and IU basketball.
CONTACT JEN
Andretta Erickson
Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Andretta came to MBSA the summer of 2014 after almost ten years with Indiana Sports Corp in the events department where she was a Director of Events and the Executive Director for the Local Organizing Committee of the Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments. In those years, Andretta also coordinated hospitality and ancillary events, as well as the look and décor, and acted as the hotel liaison. A graduate of North Dakota State University, Andretta graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration. She was a member of the North Dakota State track and field team, earning three varsity letters. In her free time, Andretta enjoys most outdoor activities and competes in the Irish sport of hurling with her local Indianapolis club.
CONTACT ANDRETTA
Rachel Henton
Senior Associate
MBSA Events hired Rachel in June 2020 after she spent the first 7 years of her career in the sports tourism and events industry. Rachel began as an intern in Event Operations for Indiana Sports Corporation, working on events such as the Big Ten Football Championship, Big Ten Basketball Tournaments, and NCAA Championships. She transitioned to serving as an External Operations Intern for Butler University Athletics, followed by stints at both Hamilton County Tourism and Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield. Rachel graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.S. in Leisure Studies, Recreation and Sports Business and never misses an opportunity to shout “Go Hawks” at a fellow Hawkeye in Indy. Rachel and her husband Jody are enjoying new titles of ‘mom and dad’ as they welcomed their daughter, Aubrey, in May of 2024. They reside on the northside with their pup, Rider, and enjoy traveling, attending sporting events and spending time with family.
CONTACT RACHEL
Samantha Sheldon
Senior Associate
Samantha joined MBSA Events in March 2024, following nearly a decade at Simon Property Group where she held roles in Development Marketing and Corporate Events, ultimately serving as Director of Corporate Events and Board Relations. Throughout her tenure at Simon, Samantha played a pivotal role in shaping event and marketing strategies as well as overseeing the logistics and execution of various initiatives. This included orchestrating groundbreakings and grand openings for new Simon properties,
managing Simon Youth Foundation fundraising and recognition events, coordinating corporate functions and conventions, and facilitating Board of Directors meetings.
A native of the west side of Indianapolis, Samantha is a proud graduate of DePauw University with a B.S. in Political Science. In her leisure time, she enjoys traveling and exploring Indy’s vibrant bar and restaurant scene alongside her husband, Dylan. Samantha also values spending quality time with her family, friends, and dog, Dino.
CONTACT SAMANTHA
Surina Gangwani
Associate
After spending 8 years in New York, Surina moved back to Indianapolis and joined MBSA Events in July 2026 with a career rooted in bringing people together through live experiences. She has produced events across the nonprofit, corporate, and entertainment industries, including large-scale donor galas, tech leadership summits, global cultural experiences, and live music shows. Surina has proudly partnered with organizations including Alicia Keys’ Keep a Child Alive Foundation, Park Avenue Armory, Brooklyn Arts Council, and Datadog. Whether producing a neighborhood pop-up concert with Sofar Sounds, or orchestrating a 600+ attendee gala, she enjoys creating memorable experiences that leave a lasting impact. When she’s not planning events, Surina can usually be found biking the Monon, traveling with her fiancé, Austin, writing and performing music around Indianapolis, leading a local book club, or finding new ways to stay connected to her community.
CONTACT SURINA
Maribeth Smith
Founder
Maribeth started Maribeth Smith & Associates, Inc. in 1991. Maribeth’s strengths include her ability to think globally and strategically, develop and communicate a vision, and leverage partnership avenues to maximize opportunities.
She previously served as Special Events Coordinator for the City of Indianapolis during Mayor William Hudnut’s administration (1983-1989). During that time the concept of developing a Local Organized Committee (LOC) was conceived and implemented to plan numerous successful city-wide events.
While serving as special event coordinator for the City of Indianapolis, Maribeth was offered the opportunity to coordinate the 1991 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Indianapolis. She was the first woman to serve in this capacity and has since served as executive director of local Final Four efforts in 1997, 2000, and 2006. In 1992, Maribeth started her own event planning firm. Maribeth’s strengths include her ability to think globally and strategically, to develop and communicate a vision, and to leverage partnerships to maximize opportunities. She has a keen sense of detail and sets the highest of expectations. Maribeth currently serves on the boards of the United Way and Goodwill Industries. She is a former executive committee member of the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association and Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board. She served as Campaign Chair for the United Way of Central Indiana, helping to raise over $34 million, and served as Chairman of the United Way of Central Indiana board of directors and President of the Junior League of Indianapolis. Maribeth enjoys traveling and her eight grandchildren.
Don't Be Shy. Get In Touch.
If you are interested in working together, send us an inquiry and we will get back to you as soon as we can!
317-464-9389
info@mbsaevents.com
2955 N. Meridian St. Suite 400, Indianapolis, IN 46208