Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation announces new Director of Event Operations and Community Affairs, board members

NEW ORLEANS – The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation is proud to announce William Dede as the new Director of Event Operations and Community Affairs.

In this role, Dede will develop and execute operational event plans for major sporting events in the greater New Orleans area. Dede will also serve as the Community Relations liaison with the City of New Orleans on behalf of the Sports Foundation’s major event Host Committees to promote community initiatives surrounding these events.

Prior to joining GNOSF, Dede worked for ASM Global as the Event Services Manager for ten years. In this role, he was the operational point of contact for all major events held at the Caesars Superdome, Smoothie King Center and Champions Square, and was responsible for gathering and implementing the facility logistics for all events, including WrestleMania, the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, and the 2022 Men’s Final Four.

Dede received a Bachelor of Science with a concentration in Sports Management from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Louisiana State University.

Additionally, the Sports Foundation announces the latest individuals selected to join the Board of Directors. These professionals represent various industries throughout the Greater New Orleans area and have been nominated by a current board member and subsequently approved by the Board. The wealth of experience and knowledge that they bring will support the foundation’s mission of attracting and managing major sporting events that have a positive economic impact on the State of Louisiana and the Greater New Orleans area.

The new members are:

• Erin Burns is the Director of Communications for the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY). With over 13 years of experience working with government agencies and educational institutions in New Orleans, Burns has developed a knack for connecting organizations to the people they serve through new and traditional forms of media.
• Keith Claiborne is the Deputy Sheriff for Orleans parish, Summons & Subpoenas Division. For more than 15 years, Claiborne has officiated both NCAA football, for the BIG XII, Mountain West, Southland and Southwestern Athletic Conferences, and NCAA basketball, for Conference USA and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.
• Michael Corchiani is the Director of Sales and Events at Fat Boy’s Pizza. A recent graduate of Louisiana State University, Corchiani is heavily involved in the New Orleans community, also serving as a member of the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce.

The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation is a nonprofit corporation governed by a Board of Directors, which supervises and advises business affairs and various activities of the Foundation. The Board of comprised of community leaders, industry experts and supporters of the Foundation’s mission to attract and manage sporting events for the economic benefit of the State and City.