Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1543954
14 PA C E S E T T E R B M & T ••• March/April 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com D onna Glover a proud native of New Orleans, has dedicated more than three decades to championing her home- town as a premier meetings and conventions destination through her work with New Orleans & Company. As Vice President of National Accounts and Tradeshows, she leads strategic sales initiatives across the Mid-Atlantic region, cultivating high-impact meetings and conventions that drive economic growth for the city. Her portfolio includes national associations, trade organizations, and specialty groups whose programs bring thousands of attendees to New Orleans each year. A graduate of Dillard University with a degree in accounting, Glover entered the hospitality field through Hilton Worldwide Reservations as a part-time reservationist. Her experience across reservations, catering sales, and convention services with multiple hotel brands provided a comprehensive understanding of hotel oper- ations that strengthens her sales and destination strategy today. That operational perspective allows her to anticipate client needs, align citywide partners, and position New Orleans competitively in an increasingly sophisticated meetings marketplace. In 1989, she joined the New Orleans Tourists & Convention Commission, the organization that later evolved into New Orleans & Company. Her years on the hotel side provided critical insight into client needs, equipping her to build lasting relationships with meeting professionals nationwide. During a five-year tenure based in Washington, D.C., she promoted New Orleans before returning home in 2004 to continue advancing the city's meetings industry. Her time in D.C. expanded her national reach and deepened her under- standing of association governance and procurement processes, fur- ther sharpening her strategic approach. A Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Glover is an active member of the Professional Convention Management Association, the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals — where she serves on the Board Nominations Committee and was honored as a 2024 Lifetime Member — and the American Society of Association Executives. Through these affiliations, she remains closely connected to industry trends, leadership development, and advocacy efforts that support diversity and economic opportunity within the meetings pro- fession. Beyond her professional achievements, Glover is deeply commit- ted to service. She serves as a Board Member and Marketing Committee member for Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans and holds leadership roles within her homeowners' associations. A devoted member of St. Andrew the Apostle Church, she has served in multiple parish leadership capacities, reflecting her enduring commitment to faith and community. Throughout her career, Glover has remained steadfast in her mission: promoting New Orleans with authenticity, integrity, and pride. Her longevity in the industry, coupled with her strategic acumen and community leadership, reflects a career defined not only by professional success but by a genuine dedication to the city she calls home. DONNER GLOVER CONTINUES TO EXCELL AS VICE PRESIDENT WITH NEW ORLEANS & COMPANY