WHO WE ARE

Voilà is a full service event production company that offers exclusive, unique event design along with traditional destination management services, worldwide. Founded by John McKinnon, CSEP*, the firm offers more than two decades of experience in the event planning and destination management arenas.

At Voilà all projects are individually approached and customized to reflect the unique goals and budgets of each client.

John R. McKinnon
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT

John McKinnon is a Northern California native that began his career in the advertising business in Los Angeles. After working for 10 years on national broadcast campaigns for Fortune 500 companies, he relocated to New Orleans to focus on large scale events at Dietrich Destination Consultants.

It was in this arena that his true creativity was unleashed with spectacular soirees that also imbued a genteel southern hospitality at their core.

John's trend of excellence continued after Hurricane Katrina with a move back to San Francisco where he has been responsible for exclusive events in the City's most beautiful venues, with an additional focus on the Napa Valley to the North, Monterey & Carmel to the South and Lake Tahoe to the East. While overseeing the operational aspects of hundreds of programs with Mana, Allison & Associates, his corporate base expanded further, with a particular focus on the Pharmaceutical, Technology, BioTech, and Financial Services sectors.

He's been a member of the San Francisco Travel Association since 2005 and was appointed to their Tourism Council in 2022 to promote the San Francisco region as a top global destination.

In 2015 he was invited to join the Board of Directors of the Curry Senior Center, a nonprofit that provides services to homeless and low-income seniors in San Francisco that promote independent living while maintaining their dignity and self-esteem. In June of 2017, he was elected to serve as the Board's President.

*CSEP: Certified Special Events Professional. The CSEP designation is the hallmark of professional achievement in the special events industry. It is earned through education, performance, experience, service to the industry and reflects a commitment to professional conduct and ethics. The CSEP designation is awarded by the International Special Events Society (ISES) and its Certification Committee. performance, innovation, and sustainability.

John R. McKinnon, CSEP / Founder & President

Laurie Fredericks
SENIOR DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL EVENTS

Laurie Fredericks is a Los Angeles based events professional with over 25 years experience in global corporate meeting, conference and incentive planning & management.

She brings Senior Conference Management expertise to the table with her background in complex, high level, multi-layered incentives and projects and is the former Senior Director of Events for an insurance company with a ten state footprint handling Board Meetings, C-Suite level events, and sports and entertainment related events.

Laurie Fredericks / Senior Director of Global Events