News
Member Spotlight – Laine Garner
March 16, 2026 |Member Spotlight: Laine Garner Sr. Vice President of Sales, Membership & Education for Louisiana Travel Association Laine has been at LTA for 17 years. Among many of her responsibilities, she represents LTA members at national trade shows in the group market for both domestic and international travel as well as promoting small businesses across the state at shows for… Read More »
Member Spotlight – Denise Thevenot
March 16, 2026 |Member Spotlight: Denise Thevenot Campus Territory Manager, GRUBHUB Past MSWIT President For over 30 years Denise Thevenot's name was synonymous with the very impressive Louisiana Tax Free Shopping program. From 2007 to 2021 as Executive Director, Denise ran the entire program which was an entity under the Louisiana Department of Revenue. This program, which was unique to Louisiana, helped put our… Read More »
Member Spotlight – Carolyn Barrett
March 16, 2026 |Member Spotlight: Carolyn Barrett Executive Director of Visit Kenner + Executive Director of Rivertown Main Street MSWIT Board Member/Secretary Carolyn has built an accomplished career in the hospitality industry, holding leadership roles as Hotel Sales Manager, Director of Sales and Marketing, and Senior Sales Manager for an area CVB. She now serves as Executive Director of Visit Kenner, which she… Read More »
Member Spotlight – Andrea Thornton
March 16, 2026 |Member Spotlight: Andrea Thornton Manager, Lanaux House & Tourism Consultant Andrea Thornton has done what she refers to as “the full Monte”. After many years as Tour and Travel Director at the Hotel Monteleone, she left to open her own Receptive Tour Operation and Travel Agency called Tours by Andrea. Tours by Andrea successfully operated for 10 years,growing from… Read More »
Member Spotlight – Peggy Benoit
March 16, 2026 |Member Spotlight: Peggy Benoit Owner of True Louisiana Tours LLC Peggy started working in tourism in 1988 at Oak Alley Plantation and spent over a decade there in various positions before taking a job in loan servicing at Whitney Bank. This job was short lived once she realized that tourism was her passion. In 1999 she began… Read More »
Member Spotlight: Angela Aspiazu
March 16, 2026 |Member Spotlight: Angela Aspiazu Co-Founder/Managing Partner, New Orleans Secrets Certified Travel Advisor, Fora Travel MSWIT Board Member/Parlamentarium Angela Aspiazu may have been born in the Midwest, but New Orleans is where she found her heart. With a background as both a creative director and finance professional, Angela once considered herself indifferent to history. That changed instantly during a pivotal business trip to New… Read More »
Member Spotlight – Kenisha Richard
March 16, 2026 |Member Spotlight: Kenisha Richard Catering & Conference Services Manager The Windsor Court Kenisha Richard is a seasoned hotel sales and event execution professional with over 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry. She specializes in catering sales, meeting and event planning with a passion for crafting unforgettable experiences and bringing a unique blend of creativity, precision, and strategic… Read More »
Member Spotlight: Amy Kirk Duvoisin
March 16, 2026 |Member Spotlight: Amy Kirk Duvoisin Events and Sponsorship Manager, WWOZ-FM President & Founder - Joan of Arc Project a.k.a. the Joan of Arc Parade on Twelfth Night in the FQ Amy has been a busy woman since she moved to New Orleans in 2004. She has worked for Louisiana Children's Museum, Pelican Publishing, IHeart Radio (then Clear… Read More »
Member Spotlight: Lois Sutton
March 16, 2026 |Member Spotlight: Lois Sutton Co-Publisher French Quarterly Magazine An honors graduate of the University of Texas School of Communications, Lois moved to New Orleans in 1969 with her family. She worked in several positions over the years but many of our members know Lois Sutton as the Publisher of Where Magazine for 26 years! When that publication ended its… Read More »
Member Spotlight: Fran McManus
March 16, 2026 |Member Spotlight: Fran McManus Owner, McBrand Marketing MSWIT Board Member/Vice President A Career Built on Passion, Purpose, and the Power of Tourism Fran dropped into the ad business just as she finished college – long after Mad Men, but in a similar world. Those who ran the show were older men – who sometimes drank their lunches – making… Read More »