Sandra Savoye Dartus has spent her career bringing people together through the power of events, culture, and community. A passionate advocate for New Orleans and the people who shape its spirit, she specializes in creating experiences that celebrate the city while making a meaningful difference.
Today, Sandra serves as the Community Engagement and Planning Coordinator for the New Orleans Jazz Museum’s Improvisations Gala, where she builds relationships and develops partnerships that help sustain the museum’s mission. Over the years, her consulting work has supported beloved celebrations such as FestiGals, NOLA ChristmasFest, and the Louisiana Pirate Festival — always with a focus on empowerment, collaboration, and cultural authenticity.
Sandra is best known for her longtime leadership as the original Executive Director of French Quarter Festivals, Inc., for the first 20 years of French Quarter Festival and led the effort to create Christmas New Orleans Style (now Holiday New Orleans Style) and Satchmo SummerFest into treasured traditions with major economic and cultural impact. She was also the founding director of the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience and the Dallas City Arts Celebration, and has produced Caroling in Jackson Square for several years.
Her work has earned her numerous honors, including recognition as one of New Orleans’ “300 for 300” in the Tricentennial Tribute, the Spirit of Hospitality Lifetime Achievement Award, Ambassador of the Year for the New Orleans Chamber, and several distinctions celebrating her leadership, creativity, and service. She has even been honored with her own scholarship fund and a festival in her name — a testament to how deeply she is woven into New Orleans’ cultural fabric.
Beyond her professional achievements, Sandra is a devoted volunteer and community leader. She currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for Historic BK House & Gardens and proudly supports organizations throughout the city that preserve history, uplift women, and nurture the tourism and hospitality workforce of the future. She is passionate about travel and her grandchildren.
At the heart of everything she does is a simple belief: when people come together with purpose and passion, great things happen — and New Orleans inspires the best of both.
Sandra became a MSWIT member when it was MidSouth Women in Travel in the 80’s when membership was a small group of mostly travel agents. She’s watched us blossom into Women in Tourism and become 180 + members strong, encompassing virtually every segment of the industry and developing a culture of camaraderie and support that’s so rare, especially among women competitors.
