Biography
Eugenié "EJ" Encalarde is adjunct lecturer for the undergraduate Hospitality Management & Entrepreneurship Certificate and the first instructor to teach Entertainment & Festival Management at the Freeman School of Business. She is President and Chief Operating Officer of Festival Productions, Inc., where she has spent more than three decades producing large-scale live events including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the Essence Music Festival, and Super Bowl Boulevard for Super Bowl XLVII. As Coordinating Producer for Jazz Fest, she works under Producer/Director Quint Davis, leading cross-departmental teams and production planning. Encalarde was recognized by Billboard as one of the 2024 Touring Power Players and speaks regularly at industry conferences. A Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths Coach and certified facilitator, she specializes in leadership development and team performance. Encalarde holds a BA from Loyola University New Orleans.
