NEW ORLEANS – (April 13, 2018) –The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) hosted NOLA Talk: Women Empowerment in NOLA, a panel discussion highlighting women in the New Orleans hospitality and tourism industry, on April 10th at the newly-renovated Gallier Hall. The curated panel, led by Camille Whitworth, included three influential women in the tourism industry, Kristi Taglauer, area vice president and general manager of Aloft New Orleans; Melissa “DJ Soul Sister” Weber, radio personality on WWOZ and entrepreneur; and Samantha Carroll, owner of Sac-a-lait and Food Network star on “Cajun Aces.” The event kicked off with a reception and cooking demonstration presented by Fleur De Lis Catering’s Executive Chef Molly McLaren.

“The hospitality and tourism industry dedicated last night’s NOLA Talk to showcase many inspirational women in our city. Opportunities in tourism are endless, and the New Orleans CVB and our partners are continuously committed to supporting and uplifting the women to move up the ranks in our industry,” said Cheryl Teamer, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Through events such as NOLA Talk, we are committed to providing a platform for New Orleanians in our industry to tell their story and inspire the next generation.”

The panelists offered insight on the opportunities available in hospitality and tourism, work-life balance, tips on how to be a successful businesswoman and more.

“The New Orleans CVB is eager to learn from these successful leaders and pleased to be able to provide a forum for others to learn from them as well. It was exciting to hear these women talk about their professional journeys and hopefully it inspired others to pursue the employment, entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities in the hospitality and tourism,” said Stephen Perry, President and CEO, New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. “With a local workforce of 89,000 strong, the hospitality and tourism industry is not slowing. We at the CVB intend to continue to cultivate the next generation of leaders within our community through thoughtful, curated panel discussions like this one, job shadow programs, job fests, career expos and more.”

For more information on upcoming industry events, please visit www.NewOrleansWill.com. For images of NOLA Talk: Women Empowerment in New Orleans, click here.


New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is a nationally accredited, 1,100-member destination marketing organization and the largest and most successful private economic development corporation in Louisiana. The CVB and its members influence thousands of decision-makers and millions of visitors to choose New Orleans through direct sales, marketing, public relations, branding and visitor services at our New Orleans headquarters and offices in Chicago, Columbia, SC, Washington, D.C., the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, and China. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB celebrates its 58th anniversary in 2018. For more information, please visit www.neworleans.com; www.facebook.com/neworleans; www.twitter.com/VisitNewOrleans.

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Media Contact:
Kristian Sonnier, New Orleans CVB, 504-481-7933, ksonnier@neworleanscvb.com