Meet the Staff
Laura Tibbitts, Director
Laura returned to the Forty Acres in 2023 after spending 20 years working in higher education administration and university conference services. A native Austinite, she began her UT career as the Summer Conference Coordinator for University Housing and Dining. She has since held roles at Stanford University, the UT System, and, most recently, the Texas State University System. She is thrilled to be back on the main campus, working alongside the wonderful team at TCC.
Laura holds a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from the Moody College of Communication. In 2009, she earned her Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation. She is an active member of the Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors-International (ACCED-I) and the Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP).
Elisabel Bordallo Mannan, Associate Director
Elisabel has been with the Thompson Conference Center (TCC) since 2009. She was the Conference Services Manager for many years and became the Associate Director in 2018. She spent her time as the Conference Services Manager underscoring the need for stellar customer service to her staff, nurturing a team that believes their success is achieved through client success. In this client-first, service-oriented atmosphere, Elisabel has stepped back from managing the conference office and focused on the bigger picture, bringing her values and vision across the department.
Outside of work she enjoys being a foodie, photography, travel, hiking with her dog Duke and spending time with her son Julian.
Kai Rogers, Senior Administrative Associate
Kai moved to Austin from Richmond, Virginia in 2024 to join TCC. She brings with her extensive experience in administrative services across multiple industries. She is ready to provide you with fantastic customer service!
Outside of work, Kai enjoys attending music festivals, embarking on cross-country road trips, and is a proud half marathon finisher.
Nestor Cordova, AV and Operations Manager
Nestor has over ten years’ experience with videography and AV systems. He has been a part of the UT Austin community since 2011, first joining with the TCC team in 2014. Nestor and his team are ready to help you with your technology and facility needs and to provide you with a superior event experience at the Thompson Conference Center.
Nestor received his B.A. in history from Portland State University, and he enjoys cooking for large groups.
Aaron Lord, Events and Technology Supervisor
Aaron is a Texas native who brings over 20 years of event coordination, logistics, and administrative experience coupled with an excellent understanding and deep passion for all things audio/visual. Attention to detail and the experience of our guests are always a top priority when Aaron is involved.
Aaron's additional interests include drumming, graphic design, and culinary arts, taking every available moment to acquire new skills to improve his quality of work.
Amy Davis, Events Program Coordinator
Amy joined the TCC staff in 2021 after spending 21 years in the professional theater industry, specializing in Shakespeare and classical theater. In her work at TCC, Amy focuses on supporting campus clients.
Amy loves exploring all the great places to eat around Austin and cooking southern classics and food from around the world.
Kiana Tarrant, Events Program Coordinator
Kiana moved to Austin from San Diego to join TCC in 2023. With a Bachelor’s degree in marketing and years of experience as a coordinator, she is ready to provide you with an excellent event experience.
She enjoys exploring Austin, attending live music shows, floating the river, and making new friends.
Hannah Coker, Events Program Coordinator
Hannah is an Austin native and has been with TCC since 2023. Since graduating from Texas A&M, she has worked in Promotions and Events. She is excited to give you the best experience possible at TCC!
Outside of work, Hannah enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, cooking at home, and connecting with people.
Customer service is the cornerstone of everything we do at the Thompson Conference Center (TCC). We are committed to ensuring that our clients feel prepared and supported throughout their planning process. As our client, your success is our success, and we want your attendees to leave campus having had the best possible experience that we can engineer.
The TCC Experience
We collaborate with you to make sure events run smoothly. We help solve unexpected problems quickly so that your participants don’t even notice. The focus of any event should be the program, not the amenities. The questions that arise for event attendees (where do I park? … how can I get breakfast? … what room am I in? … where will I get my afternoon dose of caffeine? … is there wifi?) are easily answered (right next door in Lot 40 – it's complimentary! … downstairs at Under the Oaks … check the screen by the elevators … Under the Oaks is open until 2 p.m. … yes, Wi-Fi is free on campus!). Which means participants can spend their energy focusing on the substance of the program you’re presenting.
Our Clients Educate and Innovate
TCC serves a specific niche of clientele. Any event we host must be educational in nature, so we can’t host weddings or parties. What we can do is provide a location for nonprofits, government agencies and campus clients to meet with their groups to train, inspire and innovate. In a rapidly-changing community like Austin, it’s important to have local options that remain accessible so your events can reach their target without breaking the budget.
Striving for Excellence
As part of the family at The University of Texas at Austin, we know that what starts here changes the world. We are excited to be an avenue by which many Austinites return to campus or even visit for the first time. Whether we are hosting a former president at the Lady Bird Johnson Auditorium, welcoming a government agency for training or setting up the dining hall for a reception, we extend a Longhorn welcome to each client and participant.
Hook ‘em!
