Gena Buhler

Finding great solutions for our clients starts with an understanding of their needs, experience in the arts and entertainment field, and a lot of listening. Gena brings all these qualities together to lead our Strategy & Operations division where she specializes in leading overall project planning for complex projects that ensures a meaningful and honest assessment of opportunity is matched with effective project planning and a data-driven, decision-making process.

With over 20 years’ experience in conference event production, resort-based venue management, operational planning, festival development, and relationship-building for critical partnerships, she knows how to turn vision into reality. Collaborating closely with clients, community members, and project stakeholders to hear as many viewpoints as possible, she brings her expertise to a range of areas including vision alignment, project management, business planning, and feasibility studies. Her goal is to create feasible and realistic plans for communities that meet development goals, increase tourism profiles, are fit for purpose, and can be sustainably operated.

Gena joined us after spending over twelve years managing high-profile resort-based venues in Aspen and Vail, Colorado. During her time in the Rocky Mountains, she worked as the executive and artistic director for the Wheeler Opera House, and the General Manager of the Vilar Performing Arts Center (Vail, CO). She was responsible for producing the Aspen Laugh Festival and the Aspen Mountain Film Festival, launching several community-based programming efforts to engage both local and visiting audiences, and managing Phase III and Phase IV of Wheeler’s historic renovation projects. She’s also worked in New York as an agent for The Road Company (Broadway touring) and IMG Artists (music and attractions) and started her career in festival management as an associate with the Ann Arbor Summer Festival.

Equally as passionate about thought leadership and convening events that inspire dialogue, Gena co-founded and continues to act as director of operations for the Colorado Energy & Water Institute producing two annual conferences for their membership in venues across Colorado.