Karen Almazan builds private events career toward consulting

Karen Almazan, a San Francisco private events manager with more than 13 years in hospitality, is being profiled for her work at McCormick and Kuleto’s and her plan to launch a consulting business. Her story centers on leadership, guest experience and resilience as she aims to turn deep operational experience into broader industry guidance.

Why it matters: - Karen Almazan’s career shows how frontline hospitality experience can evolve into senior event leadership. - Her move toward consulting could extend that expertise to other private events teams, clients and operators. - Her profile also highlights resilience and mentorship in an industry that depends on people management and execution.

What happened: - Karen Almazan is a Private Events Manager at McCormick and Kuleto’s in San Francisco. - She has more than 13 years of experience in high-end hospitality, private dining and large-scale event execution. - Her work covers corporate receptions, weddings and premium dining experiences. - She manages events from client intake and proposal development through staffing, logistics and on-site execution. - Influential Women published a profile on Almazan on September 2, 2026.

The details: - Almazan works with chefs and sommeliers to build custom menus and wine pairings for events. - She previously held leadership and coordination roles at One Market. - Her career began in entry-level restaurant and café jobs, where she learned hospitality basics firsthand. - Almazan trains team members on service skills, bartending, guest greetings and hospitality standards. - She describes her leadership approach as built on hard work, kindness, leading by example and trust. - She has managed events for hundreds of guests and for as many as 1,500 guests. - Almazan also served as a Tasting Coordinator for Wine Enthusiast Magazine. - In that role, she managed wine submissions and blind-tasting logistics for editorial reviews. - Her accomplishments include managing large-scale events for major clients and receiving an industry award for hospitality excellence.

Between the lines: - Almazan’s story positions operational detail as a competitive advantage in private events. - Her emphasis on teaching staff from the ground up suggests a leadership model focused on retention and consistency, not just oversight. - Her experience with wine submissions and tastings adds depth to her premium dining background. - She also speaks from personal experience as a domestic violence survivor, which shapes her message to young women about resilience and self-belief.

What's next: - Almazan is exploring a consulting company focused on event planning, hospitality and execution. - She says people in private events often ask for her help and advice, which has reinforced the idea. - Her longer-term goal is to use her experience to help others create better-organized and memorable events. - More information is available through Karen Almazan’s Influential Women profile.

The bottom line: - Karen Almazan is turning deep hospitality experience into a broader leadership brand, with consulting likely next.