Scale without losing the human thread

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At TDA, Elinor planned and delivered MEGACON, a statewide educational conference reaching 1,000+ executives and leaders. She was the visible public-facing representative for agency initiatives, trusted by senior leadership and participants alike.

She owned logistics end to end: venues, A/V, catering, registration, exhibitors, and staffing. As MEGACON Committee Chair she mentored a cross-functional seven-member committee, oversaw 150 volunteers on site, and coordinated 55 volunteers for TDA’s food and nutrition exhibit at the State Fair of Texas, where the exhibit engaged 230,000+ visitors annually.

She developed sponsorship packages, secured a $2,500 No Kid Hungry photography donation for complimentary professional headshots, and sourced door prizes from a dozen community stakeholders. She maintained donor records, reported donor statistics to the Assistant Commissioner, and provided editorial oversight for outreach materials. In her first year she grew stakeholder engagement and registration by 20%, and negotiated a $30,000 decrease in catering costs.

What this proves for museum & nonprofit leadership

Visitor experience at scale, volunteer systems, earned-income instincts, and partnership cultivation. That is exactly the operating language of museums, festivals, and mission-driven institutions.