Urban League of Louisiana names Tyronne Walker and Todd Battiste as new Vice Presidents

Today, the Urban League of Louisiana announced that Tyronne Walker and Todd Battiste have been named as Vice Presidents and members of the Strategic Leadership Team.

Tyronne Walker will serve as Vice President for Policy, Strategic Partnerships and Development. Walker has a diverse portfolio of leadership experiences in government, philanthropy, and business. He currently serves as Chief Administrative Officer of the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, and previously served as Vice President at the Greater New Orleans Foundation, as well as Communications Director for the City of New Orleans and Senior Advisor to former Mayor Mitch Landrieu. At the Urban League, Walker will oversee the major bodies of work within the Urban League’s Center for Policy and Social Justice, including statewide policy and advocacy initiatives, establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships statewide and nationally and developing and leading a robust development strategy.

Todd Battiste has assumed the role of Vice President for Education and Youth Development. Battiste brings to the Urban League close to two decades of executive level experience working in nonprofits and philanthropy. He previously served as Baptist Community Ministries’ Program Director for Education Grants, Senior Vice President for Education and Equity with United Way of Southeast Louisiana, and Executive Vice President of Program Operations at Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana. He has also worked for Total Community Action/Head Start and New Orleans Public Schools, improving educational opportunities for children and families.

“I am so proud to welcome these two dynamic leaders to the League,” said Judy Reese Morse, Urban League of Louisiana President and CEO. “These are challenging times for many in our community, but exciting times to be a part of the Urban League of Louisiana because of our commitment to improving the plight of African American and other marginalized communities to achieve greater parity, civil rights and economic self-reliance. Both Tyronne and Todd bring incredible experience and vision that will add to our dynamic team and portfolio of impactful programming, policy and advocacy work.”

“Joining the Urban League in this defining moment is exciting for me,” said Walker. “This opportunity gives me the chance to put all of my talents to use in partnership with other capable leaders to deliver on issues of great consequence for the African American community not just in New Orleans, but across Louisiana. Whether we are talking about wealth creation, social justice or voting rights I am grateful for the confidence of the Executive Leadership team at the Urban League and look forward to working with them to deliver game-changing impact across Louisiana.”

“Ensuring educational and growth opportunities for our young people is critical to decreasing wealth, health and other disparities impacting African American and other marginalized communities,” said Battiste. “With this role, I look forward to helping the Urban League with enhancing programs, engaging philanthropy, and enacting policy. I am excited to lead Urban League’s efforts to inform our parents, students and the community as they work to secure quality education options, prepare for college and career opportunities, and support local leaders navigating the current education landscape.”

“The Urban League of Louisiana has always attracted top talent committed to uplifting our community,” said Cathy Washington, Urban League of Louisiana Executive Vice President. “These two new vice presidents can hit the ground running and help us advance the important work that the Urban League has been unwavering on for decades. They are great additions to our strategic leadership team and I look forward to working with them in the years ahead.”


(Tyronne Walker (left) and Todd Battiste (right)