VenueConnect 2025

Elaine Williams
Chief Commercial Officer
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center


Elaine Williams is a dynamic leader in the convention and hospitality industry, with a career spanning over 25 years. As Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, she spearheads strategic initiatives to drive growth, attract high-profile events, and reinforce the Convention Center’s reputation as a premier event destination. Williams has been an integral part of the Convention Center since 1996, when she first joined ARAMARK as a Sales Manager. She transitioned to the Convention Center’s Sales team in 2007 as a National Sales Manager. Her leadership and strategic vision led to her promotion to Director of Sales in 2013, and most recently, she served as Senior Director of Sales and Event Services, where she led a team focused on business growth, revenue generation, and seamless event execution. A firm believer in professional development, Williams has earned multiple industry-leading certifications, underscoring her expertise in event management. She obtained her Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation in 2005, her Certification in Exhibition Management (CEM) in 2015 and she achieved the CEM-AP (Advanced Professional) certification in 2021. Williams’s contributions have garnered significant recognition. In 2022, she was nominated for the Professional Convention Management Association’s (PCMA) Supplier of the Year award. Most recently, in 2024, she was honored as one of Eventex’s “100 Most Influential Venue Professionals” and recognized by New Orleans CityBusiness as one of its “Women of the Year,” celebrating her leadership and community impact.

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