NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans & Company is hosting NOLA Talk, a panel discussion highlighting the innovative technologies that are emerging in the New Orleans hospitality and tourism industry on Tuesday, November 19 at 6 p.m. at New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI), 725 Howard Ave. The panel, guided by Jeremy Cooker, vice president of marketing and special projects at New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, includes four influential experts in our local industry, including:
- David Piscola, general manager of Hilton New Orleans Riverside
- With more than 25 years of hospitality expertise with Hilton, Piscola recently took the helm of the 1,622-room Hilton New Orleans Riverside, concentrating on elevating guest satisfaction and managing day-to-day operations. Piscola joins Hilton New Orleans Riverside after serving as general manager at Capital Hilton. Prior to Washington, D.C., Piscola held positions as general manager at Hilton Atlanta Airport as well as cluster general manager. In addition, he served as director of food and beverage for Hilton Atlanta, Hilton Alexandria Mark Center and Hilton McLean Tyson’s Corner, as well as Hilton Portland in Oregon, among others. Piscola is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, N.Y. with an A.O.S. in culinary arts. He also received a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from the University of New Haven.
- Andrea Chen, executive director of Propeller
- Chen began her career as a high school English teacher at John McDonogh Sr. High School and subsequently trained teachers at the University of New Orleans and The New Teacher Project. She has worked at the Louisiana Association of Charter Schools where she oversaw grantmaking for over $5 million in charter school startup funds and launched a $1.5 million below-market rate Bridge Loan Fund. She was named “40 Under 40” by Gambit Magazine, 2010 CityBusiness Women of the Year, World Economic Forum Young Global Shaper, and is an appointed board member of the New Orleans Business Alliance, the official economic development arm of the City of New Orleans. She graduated from Stanford University, attended Harvard Graduate School of Education and the University of New Orleans, and was trained in business at Dartmouth University’s Tuck School of Business.
- Prashant Vashisht, commercial account manager of British Airways, North America
- Vashisht is an influential senior sales professional with a sustained record of success established in B2B and B2C marketplaces in the UK, China, India, Europe and the USA. He has over a decade of experience working in operational, customer and commercial roles across British Airways in multiple international locations. In his current role, he manages British Airways/ Iberia’s relationship with key strategic corporate and agency partners for Texas and New Orleans market.
- Lawrence Martin, president of Connect2Black
- Martin is the founder of NOLA.Tv, New Orleans’ first web-based Internet news television network, serving and showcasing the positive spin of the Black community. He is also the publisher of the Boulevard Magazine, a quarterly publication that reaches thousands of readers. Through push notifications and eblasts, he informs the community of issues that impact Black residents around Metro New Orleans. In addition, Martin is a graphic artist and print production expert responsible for marketing solutions for a host of prestigious organizations, including Capstone Financial, Liberty Bank, Paul S. Morton Ministries, Full Gospel International, Southern and Dillard University programs, elected officials, and Black Pages of Houston, Texas. Martin is also the founder of the Asante Awards Foundation, a non-profit organization recognizing the contributions of Black New Orleanians. Now, Martin has taken all of those years of experience and dedication to serving his community, by bringing his academic and technical skills where it is needed most: the economic forefront.
This event is free and open to the public. More information can be found here.
