Our Team
Emily Madero
President and CEO
Emily Madero has served as President and & CEO of French Quarter Festivals, Inc. since 2017. Under her leadership, the organization has placed increased focus on its non-profit mission to showcase New Orleans’ culture and heritage and contribute to the economic well-being and pride of the community. She has championed initiatives such as festival recycling, inclusivity, and community partnerships while supporting expanded programming that provides opportunities to more local musicians. Prior to taking the helm at FQFI, Emily devoted over a decade of her career to building a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in New Orleans with The Idea Village. While there, she served as a critical part of economic recovery in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Formerly serving as COO and acting CEO, Emily was a key player in creating and building New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, a festival celebrating entrepreneurship and innovation in the city. A longtime New Orleans resident, Emily earned her Master of Business Administration degree and Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Psychology from Tulane University. Outside of her professional career, Emily is actively engaged in many community endeavors. She is a founding member of Campaign for Equity New Orleans, a grassroots movement committed to dismantling structural racism in New Orleans. Emily is fanatical about live music, visual arts, and food! She savors spending time with her husband, two daughters, and their menagerie of pets, and her favorite room is the kitchen, where she loves to cook and enjoy long, boisterous evenings with friends and family.
Sabrina Cutaia
Chief Development Officer
After graduating from Tulane University, Sabrina Cutaia began her career in event production with the New Orleans Hornets (now the Pelicans) and moved on to work large-scale events with NOLA Motorsports Park, eventually transitioning into music festivals. Sabrina has worked on many notable events over the years, such as the BUKU Music + Art Project, VooDoo Music Festival, and finally, French Quarter Festivals, Inc.
Karin CurleY
Development Director
Karin joined the FQFI team full-time in 2022 after serving on our festival Sponsorship Crew since 2017. She has been a part of numerous community-focused events in the region, including: the re-opening of the historic Saenger Theatre, leading marketing and fundraising efforts at Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo, and most recently serving as Director of Operations for Young Leadership Council, the historic New Orleans organization that leads vital community projects including YLC Wednesday at the Square. Karin is a native New Orleanian who is passionate about our creative culture. She holds a Bachelor in Public Relations degree and a Master of Business Administration degree, both from Loyola University New Orleans.
Kristen Dufauchard
Marketing and Communications Director
Kristen Dufauchard is a connector and storyteller. She joined the French Quarter Festivals, Inc. team in 2024 with over a decade of experience designing and delivering campaigns for national and international brands, including New York University, Lone Star College, Nielsen, Visit Baton Rouge, and more. Kristen is the founder of aKrewe NOLA, a marketing firm nurturing ideas and advancing communities through brand storytelling and entrepreneurship. Originally from New Orleans, she has a degree in journalism from LSU’s Manship School, a Master of Public Administration degree from Southern University, and a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion certification from New York University.
AJ Gaulton
Chief Operations Officer
AJ brings over 15 years of expertise in large-scale event production, non-profit management, and operational strategy to this role as Chief Operations Officer at French Quarter Festivals, Inc. (FQFI). Since previously serving as Operations Director at FQFI (2015-2019), he has added professional expertise in process improvement, cost management, sustainability practices, and strategic stakeholder collaboration. These most notably come from global sporting event environment leadership roles with FIFA World Cup 2022 and within the local organizing committee of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22.
Originally from outside Eugene, OR, AJ’s career spans various industries (non-profit, sports, venues and event organizations) and has always had a calling towards producing live events & moments. AJ has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration & Marketing, with a minor in Sociology from Pacific University. Throughout his career, he has thrived when given the ability to innovate and implement strategic solutions, bring together and lead diverse teams, and deliver transformative outcomes by aligning operations with organizational goals.
Driven by FQFI’s community-focused programming and cultural celebration, he is excited to be put back to work to support the organization’s mission of uplifting the vibrant heritage of New Orleans. When not working, AJ loves spending time with his family outside and unplugged in nature (hiking, camping, fishing), obsessing over basketball and NBA statistics, and cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles. Go Birds!
Greg Schatz
Entertainment Director
New York native Greg Schatz majored in music at Ithaca College for one year and later received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University, where he studied anthropology and ethnomusicology. He moved to New Orleans in 1995 to pursue a career in music. As a composer, bass player, accordionist, and keyboard player, he works with several ensembles around New Orleans and has performed at clubs and festivals in Europe and around the U.S., including French Quarter Festival. In fall 2008, he joined the staff of French Quarter Festivals, Inc. as Entertainment Manager and was promoted to Director in 2019.
Kenneth Spears
Food, Beverage, and Hospitality Director
Kenneth Spears is a native New Orleanian who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music and business management from Dillard University. Kenneth worked closely with the French Quarter Festival family while serving as a venue contact/liaison for Woldenberg Riverfront Park as Event Operations Supervisor at Audubon Nature Institute. Kenneth has over a decade of festival experience through his work with Essence Fest, Jazz Fest, Voodoo, Fest Fried Chicken Festival, and more, in various capacities such as Stage Manager, Artist Relations, and Operations. Kenneth is a loving father and husband whose hobbies include composing digital music and enriching the artist community and culture of New Orleans through his work as co-founder at Abstract Nola.
Dave Stover
Chief Financial Officer
Dave Stover embodies the perfect mix of talents for French Quarter Festivals, Inc.; he is a professional musician and a professional accountant. Stover attended Florida State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1995. Shortly after graduation, he moved to New Orleans to pursue a career in music. As a bass player, Stover has enjoyed sharing the stage with many of the city’s incredible musicians performing a myriad of musical genres. After Hurricane Katrina, Stover moved to Nashville to further his education by studying accounting at Middle Tennessee State University. After two years away, he returned home to New Orleans and joined the FQFI staff in the fall of 2009.
Andrew Woodruff
Director of Operations and Event Production
Andrew has been a part of the French Quarter Festival, Inc. team since 2011, previously holding the roles of Site Manager and Assistant to the Operations Director before becoming Operations Director in 2019. Andrew has worked in festival production in New Orleans for over a decade, including positions with the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, New Orleans Film Festival, VooDoo Music Festival, and Essence Music Festival. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Industry Studies from Loyola University New Orleans and enjoys gardening and songwriting in his free time.