True value in hospitality lies in stewardship, not compliance and guiding clients to better outcomes through data, logic, and reframing, not winning arguments.
Kara C. Pigéon · In Her Own Words
Her Story
About Kara
Kara is a seasoned hospitality and catering professional with more than three decades of experience creating exceptional events and building lasting client relationships throughout the New Orleans area. Known for her energy, dedication, and ability to manage complex projects with ease, she has developed a reputation for delivering outstanding service while balancing customer needs with business objectives. Her career has been defined by a commitment to excellence, operational efficiency, and the belief that strong relationships are the foundation of long-term success in the hospitality industry. Kara began her professional journey in destination management, where she spent 15 years advancing from production roles to Director of Production and ultimately becoming a business partner by the age of 30. During that time, she managed events ranging from intimate gatherings to large-scale programs involving thousands of attendees, gaining expertise in logistics, event production, vendor management, and client services. A passionate advocate for the events industry, she also founded what is now the New Orleans chapter of the International Live Events Association (ILEA) and played a key role in rebuilding membership following Hurricane Katrina, earning recognition for her leadership and retention efforts. After a few years in hotel sales and event management, Kara joined her family’s business, Pigéon Catering and Events, where she quickly rose through the ranks to become Director of Sales. Today, Kara leads the sales team at Pigéon Catering and Events while also overseeing marketing initiatives and helping drive the company’s continued growth. Her extensive experience across destination management, hospitality, catering, and event production allows her to bring a unique perspective to every client engagement. Beyond her professional achievements, Kara is deeply committed to serving her community through fundraising, disaster relief, and nonprofit initiatives that support hospitality professionals and Gulf Coast families. She credits much of her success to the example set by her late father, John Conners, whose generosity, humility, and dedication to helping others continue to inspire both her personal and professional life.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kara
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute much of my success to my father, John Conners, who was my greatest inspiration and strongest supporter. Although we had little growing up, he taught me the value of generosity, hard work, and treating others with kindness, and his unwavering encouragement gave me the confidence to pursue my goals and celebrate every accomplishment along the way.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was to maintain a healthy perspective by not taking myself too seriously.
In professional environments, it is easy to become entirely consumed by workplace challenges and lose sight of core personal values like family, friends, and community. Cultivating this awareness requires deliberate effort, especially during high-stress periods, to ensure long-term well-being and a sustainable career.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Maintaining a healthy perspective and sharpening your organizational skills are two pillars of long-term career success.
First, learning not to take myself too seriously has kept me grounded through stressful seasons and preserved my focus on what truly matters. Second, developing rigorous organizational habits has been my greatest competitive advantage. In today's fast-paced environment, wearing multiple hats and seamlessly pivoting between major accounts requires a systematic approach. Mastering these skills not only enables efficient multitasking but ultimately positions you to consistently exceed your professional goals and stand out in your field.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Persistent Labor Shortages: Finding and retaining skilled culinary and front-of-house talent remains a massive hurdle. Changing workplace cultures in order to retain skilled talent means paying higher wages and more training.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
One of the most defining milestones of my career was learning the transformative power of a resilient mindset.
Early in my professional journey, I allowed daily workplace stressors to dictate my outlook. However, surviving Hurricane Katrina in 2005 fundamentally reshaped my perspective, clarifying what truly matters: family, community, and a supportive work environment. This experience taught me that a positive professional attitude is not passive; it is rooted in deep self-belief. Cultivating this internal confidence changes how you approach adversity, allowing you to view complex business challenges not as roadblocks, but as problems that can always be solved.
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