The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC) has promoted Lauren Keating, CPA, to Director of Financial Planning and Reporting. In this expanded leadership role, Keating will oversee the Convention Center’s strategic financial management and lead processes for budgeting, forecasting, performance analysis and financial reporting. She will continue to ensure the organization’s resources are allocated effectively, provide actionable insights to support decision-making and maintain a clear financial roadmap aligned with the Convention Center’s long-term goals. Keating will also support efforts to improve coordination and clarity across all financial processes, ensuring integrity and transparency in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) guidelines and state regulations.
Keating joined the NOENMCC team in early 2023 and has served in various roles, including Financial Reporting Supervisor, Financial Reporting Manager and, most recently, as Director of Property Accounting. In each of these roles, she demonstrated exceptional leadership in managing monthly financial processes, capital projects, tax reports and financial statements – significantly improving accounting operations and reporting accuracy.
“This change reflects our continued efforts to enhance financial oversight and ensure we have the right structure in place to support our teams and organizational priorities,” said Alita G. Caparotta, CPA, CGMA, Chief Administrative Officer for NOENMCC. “With Lauren in this role, we are well-positioned to strengthen our financial planning and reporting functions and better serve the organization. I want to thank Lauren for her contributions and look forward to the impact she’ll make in this new position.”
Keating brings more than six years of accounting experience to the role, including her previous work with Ernst & Young LLP (EY), where she led financial audits for a diverse range of clients, from private businesses to publicly traded companies. She holds a master’s degree in accounting and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Tulane University.
“Stepping into this role gives me the opportunity to build on the strong foundation our team has created,” said Keating. “By bringing together financial planning, reporting and property accounting, we can deliver the insights and strategies that guide smart decisions, strengthen our resources and support the Convention Center’s continued growth and success.”
The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is a key economic driver for the city, generating a $2.4 billion economic impact and supporting 24,250 jobs. Under Keating’s leadership, NOENMCC is positioned to continue driving financial success, enhancing its role as a world-class destination and generating economic benefits for the region.
About the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC)
New Orleans is Built to Host! With 1.1 million square feet of prime exhibit space on one level, all under one roof, NOENMCC is tied for the sixth-largest convention center in the United States. NOENMCC is a 2025 Exhibitor Magazine Centers of Excellence recipient and is consistently named a regional top workplace by The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate. A recent LEED Gold certification makes NOENMCC the largest LEED-certified project in Louisiana and the largest convention center project in the U.S. certified under LEED v4.1 Operations and Maintenance, as well as the first convention center in the world to be awarded initial certification under LEED Gold v4.1 O+M. A leading contributor to the city’s robust tourism economy, NOENMCC event activity has produced $90.1 billion in economic impact since its 1985 opening.
###