Katrina 20 Advisory Commission

Mayor's K20 advisory Commission

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  Ronald Burns, Sr.
  

  Ronald V. Burns, Sr., is the founder of BMG Enterprises, a diverse corporation consisting of QCS Logistics (which was recently acquired by Dropoff, Inc.), The Burns Management Group, and Global Parking Systems, LLC. Mr. Burns is a dedicated and resourceful leader whose contributions and commitment to his community have established him as one of the leading entrepreneurs in the metropolitan area. Mr. Burns’ tenacity and genuine interest in the enhancement of his community is what sets him apart as a committed entrepreneur.

   

  A 1973 Cum Laude graduate with a B.S. in Accounting from Dillard University of New Orleans, Louisiana, Mr. Burns also successfully completed the Minority Business Executive Program, a general management program for owners and senior executives of minority firms at the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College. In 1974, Mr. Burns began his professional career as Vice President and Internal Auditor with Liberty Bank and Trust Company, a position he held until 1984.

   

  Believing that entrepreneurial opportunities existed for African Americans, Mr. Burns founded Quick Courier Services, Inc. in 1984 (now known as QCS Logistics) where he served as Chairman & CEO. His keen business sense and tireless efforts helped place QCS Logistics among the leading expedited delivery and logistics services in the Southeastern region. He was active in the national Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA) and in 1992, was elected as its first African American board member.

   

  Using QCS Logistics as a foundation for business and community leadership, Mr. Burns branched off into other business ventures. In 1992, he started Burns Management Group, a consulting firm with emphasis on business development, and corporate/ governmental relationships where he serves currently serves as President.

   

  In 1993, Mr. Burns also embarked upon the “Parking Business.” Mr. Burns founded Global Parking Systems, a Parking Management Company. He presently serves as its Chairman-CEO while leading its growth to include offices in Louisiana, Texas, California, Colorado, Hawaii , Utah, and Oregon.

   

  Global Parking Systems has teamed up with SP PLUS, the largest parking company in America, to create the New South Parking Partnership. Through this partnership, they have been awarded major parking contracts to operate the Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans, Louisiana, and both the William Hobby and the George W. Bush International Airports in Houston, Texas. Other airport venues include the Kona International Airport (KOA) in Kalaoa, HI, Shreveport Regional Airport (SHV), the San Francisco International Airport (SFO), the Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD), the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR); the Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), the Portland International Airport (PDX) , the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), Omaha Eppley Airfield (OMA), and most recently, Hilo Hawaii (ITO) and San Diego (SAN) airports.

   

  What separates Ronnie Burns from many other business leaders is his “get involved” approach to entrepreneurial and community involvement. A long-time supporter of education, Mr. Burns has been active in the alumni associations of both his high school and college alma maters as well as several other organizations noted for their interests in promoting educational success. His dedication to the youth of his community and his belief in a sound education have created opportunities for many who otherwise may not have had a chance to exceed.

   

  Mr. Burns is an individual who believes in leading by example. Through his affiliation with such organizations as The New Orleans Recreational Department Corporation, Big Brothers of New Orleans, and The Sabriya’s Castle of Fun Foundation, he has emerged as a standard by which young people can measure their own achievements. His compassion for young people is particularly exemplified by his leadership role in The Sabriya’s Castle of Fun Foundation – A foundation which donated mobile audio-

  visual entertainment units to children in hospitals suffering from leukemia and other terminal illness. He founded the New Orleans Branch, which has donated castles to numerous New Orleans hospitals.

   

  Ronnie Burns is devoted to ensuring that our youth have the same opportunities for success. He is active in the St. Augustine High School Entrepreneurship Program, motivating students to explore entrepreneurship. Mr. Burns and his family are also avid financial supporters of the school. During the 2013-2014 school year, the Burns Family established a scholarship in the name of their parents, Winston & Gretta Burns. The Burns Family was recently honored by the school for its decades of service and commitment to preserving the legacy of St. Augustine.

   

  Mr. Burns’ professional and civic involvement includes many organizations, including Liberty Bank & Trust Company (Board of Directors and Chair of Audit Committee), and the Sugar Bowl Committee, where he has served as both President and Chairman. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees at Dillard University, where he chairs the Audit Committee Chairman and serves on the Executive Committee as Secretary. He was recently appointed to serve on the board of the Greater New Orleans Foundation.

   

  In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, two major hospitals that served his community received severe damage and were shuttered. As a resident of New Orleans East (NOE), Mr. Burns understood the need to restore healthcare services to the NOE residents. When called upon by Mayor Mitch Landrieu to head up the newly established New Orleans Hospital Service District Board (NOEH), he gladly accepted. Under his leadership, serving as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, a new hospital was built and re-opened in 2015. Today, the hospital is thriving and received the 2021 “Hospital of the Year” Award by the LA Nurses Association.

   

  Widely recognized locally for his many endeavors, a few of Mr. Burns’ many awards and honors include the Gulf South Minority Purchasing Council Diamond Award, Louisiana Minority Pacesetter Award, Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame, Dillard University Alumni Association Presidential Citation, Harrison-Rochon, CPAs Educational Foundation, Inc.’s Louisiana’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Graduate Role Model, and the Young Leadership Council’s Role Model Award. Mr. Burns was selected by City Business as one of the Health Care Heroes for his leadership in the re-building of the New Orleans East Hospital. In 2016, Global Parking Systems received the Houston Airport System’s Concessionaire J.V. Award. In 2017, Mr. Burns was selected as a recipient of the American Diabetes Association Man of the Year award and also received the City of New Orleans Legends Award. In 2018, Mr. Burns was inducted into the Customized Logistics Delivery Association (CLDA) Hall of Fame. In 2019, he was the recipient of the Bleu Flame of Excellence Award by his alma mater, Dillard University as well as the Beacon Light Church Champion Award for Outstanding Leadership and Accomplishments in the New Orleans community. He was also honored by The Crescent City (New Orleans) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated as its 2019 Champions for Change award recipient. He also was honored by Dillard University with the 2023 Justice Revius O. Ortique, Jr. Professional Excellence Award. He received his high school’s highest alumna honor with his induction into the 2023 St. Augustine Hall of Fame. Most recently, Mr. Burns was the recipient of the 2024 Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award, conferred by the Southeast LA Council of the Boys Scouts of America.

   

  Mr. Burns continues to be a driving force for success. Mr. Burns has been married for over 46 years to Sheila Berniard. They are the proud parents of two sons, Vinnie, and Jason and the grandparents of twins, Jordyn and Jason Burns, Jr.

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  Burnell Cotlon
  

  Burnell Cotlon is a U.S. Army veteran and lifelong resident of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina devastated his neighborhood, he used his life savings to open the first grocery store in the area, bringing vital services back to a community long neglected in the rebuilding process. Over time, Cotlon expanded his building to include a barbershop, hair salon, laundromat, and a sweet shop, with plans underway to open the first internet cafe in the neighborhood.
  
  Cotlon’s work stems from a deep commitment to service and community, values instilled during his military years. Despite hardships like the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ida, his store remained open, even offering credit to struggling families. His mission is not just to run a business but to help rebuild his community, one essential service at a time. 

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  Dr. Takeisha Davis
  

  Dr. Davis is a New Orleans native and has spent the last 10 years at the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) where she served as the Director of the Center for Community and Preventive Health, Medical Director and Assistant State Health Officer for the Office of Public Health (OPH). Dr. Davis earned her Doctorate of Medicine from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a Master’s in Public Health from Harvard University. She has extensive experience in clinical care, community engagement and healthcare systems management.

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  Mardele Early
  

  Mardele Simmons Early, the Founding Chief Executive Officer of Lake Forest Charter School, is a proud New Orleans native. Ms. Early’s distinguished career in education spans 50 years and the journey began with her serving as a middle and high school English teacher. As a young educator, Ms. Early quickly became known for her strong leadership and high standards. By 1993, she was Interim Principal at John F. Kennedy High School, and a year later, was appointed Principal of Lorraine Hansberry Elementary School. 

   

  In 2001, Ms. Early was named Principal at Lake Forest Montessori and under her guidance, the school became one of the top-performing elementary schools in New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina, in 2006 Ms. Early led the efforts with a strong team of teachers to reopen the school as a charter.  Lake Forest Charter School, known as the “Beacon of the East”, was the first public school to reopen east of the Industrial Canal, encouraging locals to return and rebuild. Currently, Lake Forest is the highest-performing K-8 public charter school in New Orleans, ranks in the top two in the K-8 category in Louisiana. The school has received three National Title I Distinguished Schools and two National Blue-Ribbon Awards.  Ms. Early's accomplished leadership has earned her several prestigious awards as well, including the NAACP’s Chapital Award and the nationally acclaimed Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership through the National Blue-Ribbon Program. 

   

  Mardele Early remains a standout in the field of education.  As the ultimate school leader, Ms. Early champions holistic child development and parental involvement - stressing high expectations, high achievement, high accountability, student focused results, and a data-driven approach.  It is this philosophy that has driven her leadership and led to a career that personifies educational success.

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  Col. Terry Ebbert (ret.)
  

  Colonel Terry Ebbert, United States Marine Corps Retired, is the former Director of Homeland Security for the City of New Orleans. In this role he was responsible for the administration and leadership for all Public Safety agencies, which included Police, Fire, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Preparedness and Criminal Justice organizations. He served as the "Incident Commander" and coordinated all local, state and federal response to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the largest disaster in the history of the United States.
  
  Colonel Ebbert's views on the Katrina experience have been documented in extensive federal testimony, books, articles, television, lectures, and personal sessions with the White House and Department of Homeland Security. His input has been taken into consideration in the creation of national reforms for emergency planning and operations. For his service during this disaster he received the United States Coast Guard Public Service Award, The Louisiana Legion of Merit and the American Spirit Gold Medallion.
  
  Colonel Ebbert's previous positions have included serving as the Director of the New Orleans Police Foundation and as the Director of Security for the National Strategic Petroleum Reserve. He has also served as the Director of Security and Emergency Management for the Department of Energy National Strategic Petroleum Reserve and the Pacific Fleet Security Officer responsible for all US Ports in the Pacific. This broad experience has been vital to understand the complex issues needed to provide difficult program management and technical support issues.
  
  Colonel Ebbert completed a distinguished career in the United States Marine Corps where he held nuclear security positions and served as Security Officer for the United States Pacific Fleet. Other assignments included serving as the Military Secretary to the Commandant of the Marine Corps and Commanding Officer of The Basic School for Marine Officers. He is the recipient of the Navy Cross, the nation's second highest award for valor for leadership actions in the Republic of Vietnam.
  
  Colonel Ebbert served as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow to Homeland Security Institute (HSI), the internal federal "Think Tank" for the Department of Homeland Security.
  
  Previous Associations and Affiliations:
  Orleans Parish Communications District (911 Communications Facility) - Board President
  New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation - Executive Board Member
  New Orleans Military Maritime Academy Public Charter High School - Board President
  Marine Corps Support Group - Member
  Legion of Valor - Member
  
  Senior Military Awards Received:
  Navy Cross – December 24, 1966
  Bronze Star w/Valor - May 16, 1966
  Purple Heart w/Gold Star-1966

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  Asali Ecclesiastes
  

  Asali DeVan Ecclesiastes is a mother, daughter, educator, organizer, author, event producer, performance artist, and community servant. Most know her by her many pursuits, but the way this writer knows herself and the world around her, is through her exploration of the word.  Embedded in the cultural soil of New Orleans and watered by the writings of her literary idols, Kalamu ya Salaam, Sonia Sanchez, and Toni Morrison, Asali has grown to bask in the sun of her literary heritage—from the sages who transformed pharaoh to God in Ancient Kemet to the Spy Boys who chant the way clear for Big Chiefs on Carnival Day.  Ms. Ecclesiastes excitedly brings her deep roots in New Orleans’ indigenous culture to her work as the new Executive Director of Efforts of Grace and Ashé Cultural Arts Center.
  
  Prior to joining Ashé, Ms. Ecclesiastes served as Director of Strategic Neighborhood Development for the New Orleans Business Alliance, where she designed equitable development strategies for high impact neighborhoods—empowering resident leaders and making bold commitments to address entrenched disparities.  She became devoted to this mission as the Claiborne Corridor Program Manager for the City of New Orleans’ Mayor’s Office, where she advanced place-based projects and secured funding within six priority areas:  economic opportunity, cultural preservation, affordable housing, transportation choice and access, environmental sustainability, and safe & healthy neighborhoods. Before her brief life in government, Ms. Ecclesiastes worked as Congo Square Coordinator for N.O. Jazz & Heritage Festival, Artist Relations Director and Empowerment Seminars Author for Essence Music Festival, and Executive Producer of Tremé 200 Festival, N.O. Juneteenth Festival, Tremé/7th Ward Arts & Culture Festival, and Akoben Words-In-Action Festival.   She has taught in New Orleans public schools, universities, and prisons, and continues to utilize her spoken and written word as a platform for societal change through art and social justice for all humanity.
  
  Asali has toured nationally with the critically acclaimed, “Swimming Upstream”, a play she co-wrote with a cohort of extraordinary NOLA women, exploring life in New Orleans following the post-Katrina flood and produced by author of the Vagina Monologues, Eve Ensler. The author of two TED Talks and chosen as one of the 300 most influential citizens for the City’s Tricentennial, Ms. Ecclesiastes is a 2019 Tulane University Mellon Fellow who counts among her honors President Obama’s 2012 Drum Major for Service Award, the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Council’s 2013 Queen’s Scribe Award, and Essence Magazine’s 2018 Excellence in Service Award. Ms. Ecclesiastes is a graduate of McMain Magnet High School and Vanderbilt University, where she earned Bachelor of Science in English Literature and Secondary Education, with minors in Biology and African Diaspora Studies—a program she co-founded at the university with her sisters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
  
  As she embraces her new role as Executive Director of Efforts of Grace and the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, Asali holds the wisdom of Zimbabwean author Matshona Dhliwayo who proclaims, “To help people takes strength, to inspire people takes wisdom, to rule over them takes virtue, but to elevate them takes love. The real power of a leader is in the number of minds she can reach, hearts she can touch, souls she can move, and lives she can change.”

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  Paul Flower
  

  Paul is the Owner, President, and CEO of Woodward Design+Build, LLC, one of the largest design and construction organizations in the Gulf Coast Region. Paul has worked in the construction industry since 1968. In 1970, Paul joined Woodward. Prior to his present role, Paul has worked as a Structural Designer, Project Manager and Project Estimator on projects ranging from medical, commercial, institutional, industrial, and multi-family to historic restorations and renovations. Paul became President and CEO of Woodward in 1987. In 2004, Paul formed Woodward Interests, LLC, a real estate development company. He has been responsible for the development of several large commercial projects in New Orleans. Paul received a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1968. He received a Master’s Degree in Engineering from Tulane University in 1975. Paul was named the 2008 De La Salle High School Alumnus of the Year. In 2010, Paul received the School of Science and Engineering Outstanding Service Alumnus Award from Tulane University. Paul served on New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s Sustainable Energy and Environmental Task Force, and was Chair of the Recovery School District’s Peer Review of Educational Standards and Performance Specifications for the School Rebuild Master Plan. Paul served as President of the Dean’s Advisory Board for Tulane University’s School of Science and Engineering. He is Chair of the Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region. He also serves on the board for Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, the President Council of Tulane University, and the Advisory Committee to Georgia Tech’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Paul and his wife Donna have established the “Paul H. and Donna D. Flower Endowed Scholarship Program” at Dillard University. In addition, they have established the “Paul H. and Donna D. Flower Early Career Professorship”, an endowed fund to support a research professorship at the Tulane University School of Science and Engineering, and were instrumental in the development of the “Donna and Paul Flower Hall for Research and Innovation”. They were inducted into the Paul Tulane Society for their philanthropic efforts.

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  Andy Kopplin
  

  Andy Kopplin is president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Foundation. He previously served as first deputy mayor and chief administrative officer for the City of New Orleans under Mayor Mitch Landrieu. By aggressively managing the city’s operating and capital budgets, Andy helped move the city from near bankruptcy in 2010 to fiscal stability and its highest bond ratings in history by 2016. He also helped New Orleans go from being the most blighted city in America to becoming the city eliminating blight faster than anywhere in America. Prior to city government, Andy worked at Teach For America, where he served as senior advisor to the Founder and CEO, Wendy Kopp. From October 2006-January 2008, Andy served as founding executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA), the agency charged with leading Louisiana’s recovery efforts after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, where he developed the strategy and built the bipartisan coalitions that more than doubled congressional appropriations for Louisiana’s rebuilding, from $13 billion to $28 billion. Before heading the LRA, Andy was chief of staff to two consecutive Louisiana governors, Democrat Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and Republican M.J. “Mike” Foster, Jr. He joined Foster’s staff in 1996 as policy director, and in that role led the pioneering effort to create the state’s community college system. Andy holds a bachelor’s degree from Rice University; a master’s in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School; and is a 1986 Harry S. Truman Scholarship winner.

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  Walt Leger III
  

  Walt Leger is the President and CEO of New Orleans & Company, the official destination marketing and sales organization for the tourism industry of New Orleans. Representing over 1100 member businesses, New Orleans & Company is the tourism and hospitality industry’s official destination sales, marketing and trade organization, responsible for driving billions of dollars of diverse annual business to the regional cultural economy.  New Orleans & Company works to inspire, promote and encourage travel, business meetings, conventions, sporting and special events to New Orleans in a highly competitive global environment for the economic, social and community benefit of New Orleans, Louisiana, and their people. Founded in 1960, New Orleans & Company is committed to celebrating the richness of our culture, while creating jobs, building careers, and enhancing the quality of life for every New Orleanian.

   

  Walt is well-known in the state of Louisiana as a strategic thinker and fierce advocate.  First as an Assistant District Attorney in New Orleans and later as an attorney with the law firm of Leger & Shaw, Walt has been a zealous advocate for his clients and victims of violent crime.  Just out of law school, Walt served the people of the City of New Orleans as an Assistant District Attorney specializing in the prosecution of violent offenders and drug traffickers.  He tried countless cases before Judges and Juries and earned the respect of his peers and opponents as aggressive, fair and just.

   

  Walt is a proud graduate of Louisiana State University. In 2018 he was inducted into the LSU Hall of Distinction and chosen as the Young Alumnus of the Year.  After graduating from Louisiana State University with numerous honors, Walt attended Tulane Law School, earning a certificate of specialization in Admiralty & Maritime Law and his Juris Doctor.  At Tulane, Walt served as the Business Editor of the Tulane Maritime Law Journal, the Editor-in-Chief of the Tulane Environmental Law Newsletter, 1L Class President, and Student Bar Association Vice-President.  He currently serves on the Tulane University President’s Council and on the Advisory Board of the Ogden Honors College at LSU.

   

  Walt was elected by acclamation in 2012 and again in 2016 to serve as the Speaker Pro Tempore of the Louisiana House of Representatives, the youngest member to ever serve in this 2nd highest ranking position in the Louisiana House of Representatives.  He was first elected to be the State Representative for District 91 with 65% of the vote in the fall of 2007, and re-elected without opposition in 2011 and 2015.  In the Legislature, he represented parts of Uptown, Central City, the Lower Garden District, the Irish Channel, Broadmoor, Marleyville, Gert Town and Hollygrove in New Orleans.  

   

  In the Legislature, Leger was a senior member of the powerful Appropriations Committee, and the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, as well as the House Education Committee, House Judiciary Committee, House Criminal Justice Committee, House Executive Committee, House Select Committee on Homeland Security, The Energy Council, the Justice Reinvestment Task Force, Multimodal Commerce Advisory Commission, Executive Committee of the Southern Legislative Conference of State Governments, and the Council of State Governments Governing Board for 2017-2018. In October 2012, Leger was elected to the Chairmanship of the Southern Rail Commission formerly known as the Southern High Speed Rail Commission.  For many years, Leger served as the Chairman of the Louisiana Juvenile Justice Reform Implementation Commission.  On the National Level, Leger served a co-chair of the National Conference of State Legislatures Committee of Health and Human Services for two years. In 2015 he was awarded a Rodel Fellowship of Public Leadership at the Aspen Institute.  The Fellowship seeks to enhance our democracy by identifying and bringing together the nation’s most promising young political leaders to explore, through study and conversation, the underlying values and principles of western democracy, the relationship between individuals and their community, and the responsibilities of public leadership; to support and inspire political leaders committed to sustaining the vision of a political system based on thoughtful and civil bipartisan dialogue; and to help America’s brightest young leaders achieve their fullest potential in public service.

   

  Walt has been widely recognized and acclaimed as a problem solver, a consensus builder and someone who gets results.  Between 2008-2020, Leger passed over 125 pieces of legislation.  His support for tax, revenue and budget reform and stabilization, strategic infrastructure investments particularly for our Ports, rail and multi-modal facilities, Criminal Justice Reform and Reinvestment, Early Childhood Care and Education, Education Reform and Economic Development has been recognized nationally and across the state with dozens of awards naming him a legislative champion, legislator of the year, or advocate of year.

   

  Walt is regularly called upon to lecture at Continuing Legal Education programs for lawyers and Judges through the Louisiana State Bar Association, the New Orleans Bar Association and other organizations. Walt is a founding board member and Vice President of the Louisiana Institute for Children in Families, which focuses on foster youth and adoption as a method for ensuring every child in Louisiana is loved and cared for.  

   

  Walt was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to the Travel and Tourism Advisory Board to advise the Secretary on current and emerging issues in travel and on government policies and programs that impact the travel and tourism industry.  Walt serves as an Executive Board member of the U.S. Travel Association, on the Board of PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association), Louisiana Travel Association, Anti-Defamation League South Central Board, Goodwill Industries of Louisiana, Louisiana Appleseed, Agenda for Children, Early Partners, The Loyola University Institute of Politics, The Audubon Institute, the Business Council of New Orleans, GNO, Inc., the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, and the Louisiana Children’s Museum.  He has served on the Board of Directors of the Louisiana Judicial College and has lectured regularly over the years at Tulane University School of Law, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, LSU Law School, Tulane University, the Loyola University Institute of Politics, and at conferences around the country.  Walt is also an adjunct professor of Law at Loyola University New Orleans, College of Law. 

   

  Leger currently resides in New Orleans with his wife, Danielle and daughters Cate and Caroline.

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  Pastor Fred Luter, Jr.
  

  Fred Luter, a former street preacher born in New Orleans, became pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in September 1986. Because of his emphasis on FRANgelism, Franklin Avenue grew to be the largest Southern Baptist church in the state of Louisiana. Pastor Luter made history in 2012 when he was elected as the first African American President of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has preached at conferences, conventions, revivals, churches and chapels all across America. He has been married to his “Prime Rib” Elizabeth Luter since 1980. They are the proud parents of two adult children and three grandchildren.

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  Cyndi Nguyen
  

  Cyndi Nguyen is a trailblazing community leader and public servant, known for her historic tenure as the first Vietnamese American elected to the New Orleans City Council, representing District E from 2018 to 2022. Born in Phuoc Tinh, Vietnam, Nguyen fled with her family in 1975 at the age of five, seeking refuge from the aftermath of the Vietnam War. They settled in New Orleans East, where she was raised. Embracing her new home, she adopted the name "Cyndi" after her favorite singer, Cyndi Lauper. Nguyen pursued higher education, earning a bachelor's degree in social work and a master's in organizational management. Her early career included serving as a Social Service Coordinator at the Versailles Arms Apartments, a 400-unit affordable housing development, where she worked to build a cohesive community among diverse residents. In 2001, she co-founded the Vietnamese nonprofit in Louisiana, VIET, targeting limited English speaking and underserved communities and created programs to allow them to thrive in society.
  
  Nguyen's journey from refugee to public official has been recognized in various exhibitions, including the "Hoa Tay" exhibit at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, which celebrates Vietnamese American contributions to Southern culture and the Bring, "Making It Home: From Vietnam to New Orleans" exhibit at the New Orleans Historic Collection. Her story exemplifies resilience, dedication, and a commitment to public service, inspiring many in the Vietnamese American community and beyond.

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  Brandon "BMike" Odums
  

  Brandan “BMIKE” Odums is a New Orleans-based visual artist who, through exhibitions, public programs, and public art works, is engaged in a transnational dialogue about the intersection of art and resistance. From film to murals to installations, Odums’ work encapsulates the political fervor of a generation of Black American activists who came of age amidst the tenure of the nation’s first Black president, the resurgence of popular interest in law enforcement violence, and the emergence of the self-care movement. After graduating from the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), where he studied visual art, Odums began working as a filmmaker, creating original content through 2-Cent Entertainment LLC and directing music videos for hip hop artists like Curren$y, Juvenile, and Yasiin Bey (Mos Def). Founding 2-Cent in 2005, Odums led the collective of then college-age Black creatives in documenting and analyzing New Orleans’ changing sociopolitical landscape in the years following Hurricane Katrina through DIY satire and interviews that garnered national attention and coveted awards, including an NAACP Image Award. Odums began experimenting with graffiti in 2012, attracted to the medium because of its decidedly temporary nature.

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  Joan Rhodes
  
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  Councilmember Oliver Thomas
  

  The Honorable Oliver M. Thomas, Jr. was elected in 2021 to serve as Councilmember of District “E” - Orleans Parish. As the citizens voice of District “E”, Councilmember Thomas relies heavily on his experiences as a servant leader, to evaluate the needs of every resident, seamlessly integrating resources, and diligently performing his duties with his constituents’ priorities clearly at the forefront of his office's agenda. Oliver, affectionately known as “OT”, is a native of New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, a historic community located within the district he now serves. The son of a laborer and telephone operator, his life has been rooted in hard work, constituent relations, and a genuine commitment to improving the lives of others.
  
  Early in life, “OT” established a proven track record of effective and efficient leadership. While attending Joseph S. Clark Senior High School in New Orleans, he dominated the athletics arena as a true student athlete, earning him a scholarship. Upon graduating from Joseph S. Clark, he went on to receive a bachelor's degree in Business Studies from the College of Santa Fe, a liberal arts institution in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Continuing his studies, Oliver attended the Aspen Institute, in our nation’s capital, satisfying his thirst for knowledge while bolstering his aptitude for critical thinking concepts. Additionally, Councilmember Thomas successfully completed the Kennedy School Executive Program for state and local leaders at the prestigious Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Working for several years as an account executive, “OT’s” love of home was the reason for his return to New Orleans.
  
  Immediately upon his return to his native city, using the skills developed throughout the years and a passion to give back, Oliver became known as a servant of the people, beginning his political career as a member of the Black Organization for Leadership Development, “B.O.L.D.”, a political organization improving the community through the political process. A protégé of longtime City Councilmember and B.O.L.D. leader, Jim Singleton, he was appointed as a legislative aide serving under them. Councilmember Singleton, in 1986. “OT” would also hold positions as the Capital Projects Manager for the City's Downtown Development District, and as a property manager within the private sector. Ripened to ascend to higher levels in politics, Oliver M. Thomas, Jr. later succeeded Jim Singleton in 1994 to become the next New Orleans City Council Member for District “B”, kicking off years of dedication to public service.

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  Michael Williamson
  

  As President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of Southeast Louisiana (NEWSELA), Williamson is responsible for leading philanthropic and impact efforts to build stronger, more equitable communities in Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington parishes. Before taking over as CEO in 2013, he joined UWSELA as COO in 2009 from his position as Vice President of Field Leadership at United Way of America (UWA), where he provided overall management and leadership to UWA’s $28 million Hurricane Response and Recovery Fund developed in Hurricane Katrina’s wake. Under Williamson’s direction, UWSELA’s response to struggling communities has highlighted his unparalleled ability to lead world-class fundraising and impact at scale. Williamson’s leadership enables UWSELA to respond to new and emerging needs in real-time and in the most compelling ways. He led the development of UWSELA’s Blueprint for Prosperity, its holistic plan to eradicate poverty through innovative and systemic solutions, and the organization’s current transition to a Modern United Way, strengthening UWSELA’s commitment to equity and a market-driven approach to the issues most directly affecting lives in Southeast Louisiana.
  
  Williamson’s most significant successes have come in response to disaster – major hurricanes, the BP Oil Spill, historic flooding, and COVID-19. UWSELA’s COVID-19 efforts generated $16+ million in local support through crisis grants, volunteerism, advocacy, and partner funding. In response, Williamson welcomed UWSELA’s newest Million Dollar Round Table member through MacKenzie Scott’s $10M gift, the largest ever in UWSELA’s 95-year history. His leadership in 2020 highlighted UWSELA’s ability to mobilize resources and activate with agility to drive impact. For his work, Biz New Orleans recognized Williamson as one of 2020’s Executives of the Year. In the wake of Hurricane Ida in 2021, he led UWSELA’s robust response, raising over $5.3 million for immediate and long-term recovery efforts. Introducing an innovative pop-up relief model, the organization served over 8,400 families across 21 events and 7 parishes, giving out nearly $2 million in critical aid to the hardest-hit communities. Additionally, Williamson provided guidance over the organization’s distribution of $300,000 in immediate financial assistance through UWSELA’s new gift card distributions, offering recipients direct funds to address urgent needs such as gas, prescriptions, food, and household essentials.
  
  Williamson has over 30 years of executive-level nonprofit management experience, 29 of those years served in the United Way system, including 15 years at UWSELA. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and served as President of United Way of Aiken County and Resource Development Director/Executive Director of Aiken Technical College Foundation in South Carolina. He is the proud husband to Kim and father to sons Chance and Tucker and enjoys family time on the water.

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