The son of a sheriff and charity hospital nurse, John Bel Edwards understood the importance of serving others from an early age. From his service as an active duty Airborne Ranger in the U.S. Army to his time in the Louisiana House of Representatives, Gov. Edwards has always put people first.

John Bel was born seventh out of eight children to Sheriff Frank Jr. and Dora Jean Edwards. He grew up hunting and fishing in Amite, a rural town in Tangipahoa Parish. He and First Lady Donna Edwards began dating while students at Amite High School. After graduating top of his class, Gov. Edwards attended the United States Military Academy at West Point.

As a cadet, he completed Airborne School and served as vice-chairman of the panel that enforces the West Point Honor Code. The governor graduated from West Point in 1988, commissioning as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He subsequently completed Ranger School and served as an active duty Airborne Ranger for eight years. 

After commanding a parachute infantry regiment in the 82nd airborne, Gov. Edwards retired from the Army with the rank of captain. He moved back home and earned a law degree from Louisiana State University before opening a civil law practice in his hometown of Amite.

In 2008, the people of House District 72 elected him to the Louisiana House of Representatives, where he represented the people of Amite, Greensburg, Kentwood and Hammond for eight years before being elected governor in November 2015.

On January 11, 2016, John Bel Edwards was sworn in as the 56th Governor of Louisiana.

In his first official act, Gov. Edwards signed an executive order to expand Medicaid coverage to 430,000 of the state’s working poor. The decision to expand Medicaid cut Louisiana’s uninsured rate from 24 percent to just 10 percent, saving lives and improving the quality of life for citizens across the state. Gov. Edwards considers this the easiest big decision he’s had to make as Governor.

Upon taking the oath of office, Gov. Edwards inherited the largest budget deficit in Louisiana’s history, following years of budget mismanagement, which included cuts to higher education and vital state resources and services. In 2016, the state faced a $1 billion shortfall to close out the last quarter of the fiscal year. And in 2017, the state faced a $2 billion deficit in the governor’s first full fiscal year. 

Gov. Edwards and a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers worked hard to stabilize the state’s budget through a balanced approach. Today, higher education funding has been restored, the state’s gross domestic product is the highest it’s ever been and Louisiana’s budget is balanced and stable.

One of the governor’s top priorities coming into office was comprehensive criminal justice reform. For decades, mass incarceration plagued Louisiana, and the state led the nation in incarceration rates. Gov. Edwards signed sweeping bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation in 2017 that targets recidivism and invests in treatment programs. In 2018, the state saw a 20 percent decrease in the number of people imprisoned for non-violent crimes. Under his leadership, Louisiana shed the title of the most incarcerated state in the country.

Gov. Edwards continues to do what the people sent him to Baton Rouge to do: Put Louisiana First. Hundreds of thousands are insured, Louisiana’s budget is stable and Louisiana is open for business.

Congressman Cedric Richmond represents Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Cedric currently serves on the House Committee on Homeland Security and the House Committee on the Judiciary. Outside of Committee service, he is a member of the New Democrat Coalition and currently serves as the House Democratic Assistant to the Majority Whip.

As a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, Cedric works to ensure New Orleans and surrounding communities are adequately prepared for any emergency through oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA). He also works to ensure the security of the nation’s critical infrastructure, borders, and ports. He is also the Chairman of the Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation Subcommittee.

As a member of the Committee on the Judiciary, the second oldest standing committee in Congress, Cedric works with committee members to exercise oversight responsibility for the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security.

Born and raised in New Orleans, Cedric is a strong believer in the value of mentorship in his hometown. He is a graduate of Benjamin Franklin High School, earned his undergraduate degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, and his Juris Doctorate from the Tulane University School of Law in New Orleans. Cedric is also a graduate of the Harvard University Executive Education Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Entrepreneur. Lawyer. Professor. Legislator. Mayor. President, U.S. Conference of Mayors. President and CEO of the National Urban League, the nation’s largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization.

In a distinguished professional career that has spanned 25 years, Marc Morial has performed all of these roles with excellence and is one of the most accomplished servant-leaders in the nation. As President and CEO of the National Urban League since 2003, he has been the primary catalyst for an era of change — a transformation for the 105-year old civil rights organization. His energetic and skilled leadership has expanded the League’s work around an Empowerment agenda, which is redefining civil rights in the 21st century with a renewed emphasis on closing the economic gaps between whites and Blacks, as well as other communities of color, and rich and poor Americans.

During his tenure, the League had record fundraising success with a 280MM, five-year fundraising effort. He has secured the BBB nonprofit certification, which has established the NUL as a leading national nonprofit, and the coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, which has placed the NUL in the top 10 percent of all U.S. charities for adhering to good governance and other best practices, as well as executing its mission in a fiscally responsible way.

Under his stewardship, the League launched a historic $100 million, five-year “Jobs Rebuild America: Educate, Employ, Empower” initiative in 2013 – a solutions-based, comprehensive approach to the nation’s employment and education crisis that brings together federal government, business, and nonprofit resources to create economic opportunity in 50 cities across the country through the Urban League affiliate network.

His creativity has led to initiatives such as the Urban Youth Empowerment Program to assist young adults in securing sustainable jobs and Entrepreneurship Centers in 10 cities to help the growth of small businesses. Also, Morial helped create the Urban Empowerment Fund, which will lend to urban impact businesses, and helped create the League’s New Markets Tax Credits initiative, which has resulted in $1 billion in community investment via urban impact businesses, including minority business, through both debt and equity investments.

As mayor of New Orleans, Morial was a popular chief executive with a broad multi-racial coalition who led New Orleans’ 1990’s renaissance and left office with a 70% approval rating.

As a lawyer, Morial won the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Pro Bono Publico Award for his legal service to the poor and disadvantaged. He was also one of the youngest lawyers, at age 26, to argue and win a major case before the Louisiana Supreme Court.

As a professor, Morial served on the adjunct faculty of Xavier University in Louisiana, where he taught Constitutional Law and Business Law.

As a Louisiana state senator, Morial was named Legislative Rookie of the Year, Education Senator of the Year, and Environmental Senator of the Year, while authoring laws on a wide range of important subjects.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Economics and African American Studies, he also holds a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., as well as numerous honorary degrees including Xavier University and Howard University.

Under appointment by President Obama, Morial has served as Chair of the Census Advisory Committee, a member of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, and on the Department of Education’s Equity and Excellence Commission. He was also appointed to the Twenty-First Century Workforce Commission by President Bill Clinton.

Morial has been recognized as one of the 100 most influential Black Americans by Ebony Magazine, one of the Top 50 Nonprofit Executives by the Nonprofit Times, and one of the Top 100 Black Lawyers in America.

Angela Rye is Principal and CEO of IMPACT Strategies, a political advocacy firm in the nation’s capital. She is a CNN Political Commentator and NPR Political Analyst. She has been featured as an influential politico, lawyer, and advocate by several publications and outlets from Marie Claire to Ebony and the Washington Post,.

Rye has an unwavering commitment to ensuring positive change in the political process. Rye is a prominent strategist who has offered on-air commentary for several media outlets including BET, CNN, NBC, HBO, ABC, MSNBC and TV One. The depth of her dialogue ranges from political campaigns to more complex legislation and administration policies that have long-term implications nationally and internationally.

She currently serves on the boards of the Congressional Black Caucus Institute, Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee (CBCPAC), the Seattle University School of Law Alumni, Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network, Inclusv, and Wilberforce University. She recently received an Honorary Doctorate from Wiley College. She is a member of The Links, Incorporated, National Bar Association, American Bar Association, and the Washington Government Relations Group.

Rye served as the Executive Director and General Counsel to the Congressional Black Caucus for the 112th Congress. In her role as Executive Director, Rye was tasked with developing the overall legislative and political strategy for the Caucus.

Prior to working for the CBC, she served as Senior Advisor and Counsel to the House Committee on Homeland Security under the leadership of Congressman Bennie G. Thompson. Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Rye learned the importance of advocacy through her family’s political and community activism. She is a proud graduate of the University of Washington and Seattle University School of Law.

Flozell Daniels Jr., President and CEO of Foundation for Louisiana (formerly the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation), is a public policy and community engagement strategist with expertise in community development, resilience building, legislative strategy and leadership development. With a focus on building successful coalitions that increase success in expanding economic opportunity for all, Flozell is accomplished in expanding capacity and outcomes in areas that include community development finance, criminal justice reform, coastal/environmental policy, transit equity and asset development. Flozell has led more than $50 million of award-winning community investment strategies while at the Foundation.

Prior to his appointment at the Foundation, Flozell served as Tulane University’s Assistant Vice-President & Executive Director of State and Local Affairs for nine years. Before that, he cut his public policy and community engagement teeth as an Urban Policy Specialist & Administrative Assistant in the Office of the Mayor, Division of Federal and State Programs for the City of New Orleans. In his civic capacity, Flozell currently serves as Ex-officio & Policy Committee Chair of the Urban League of Greater New Orleans Board of Directors, where he was honored with the first-ever Distinguished Service Award for board leadership after serving five years as the post-Katrina Chair leading critical recovery efforts. Flozell is also a founding member and Board Chairman of the Orleans Public Education Network; a Mayoral-appointed commissioner for the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority; the Supreme Court Chief Justice appointee to the Louisiana Public Defender Board; a founding member of the Greater New Orleans Funders Network; steering committee member of the first of its kind New Orleans White House Local Resource Network; an advisory member of the ResilienceNOLA/100 Resilient Cities Initiative; and, has served as a commissioner of the Mayor’s Working Group on Criminal Justice Reform in New Orleans that led to historic reductions in jail size.

Flozell is a 2013 graduate of University of Oxford Said Business School’s Impact Investing Programme, 2011 Fellow of the Opportunity Agenda Communications Institute, a life Fellow of the Louisiana Effective Leadership Program, an alumnus of Leadership Louisiana and a graduate of the Metropolitan Leadership Forum. Flozell has an MBA from the A.B. Freeman School of Tulane University, a BA in Biological Sciences from the University of New Orleans, and spent six years doing materials research for the USDA. A New Orleans native who was raised in the Freret neighborhood, Flozell has a daughter, and spends free time enjoying second lines, festivals and other celebrations of Louisiana’s amazing culture.

Recently retired Felton G. Clark Distinguished Professor of Education at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Lisa D. Delpit is the former Executive Director/Eminent Scholar for the Center for Urban Education & Innovation at Florida International University, Miami, Florida. She is also the former holder of the Benjamin E. Mays Chair of Urban Educational Excellence at Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia. Originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she is a nationally and internationally-known speaker and writer whose work has focused on the education of children of color and the perspectives, aspirations, and pedagogy of teachers of color. Delpit’s work on school-community relations and cross-cultural communication was cited as a contributor to her receiving a MacArthur “Genius” Award in 1990. Dr. Delpit describes her strongest focus as “…finding ways and means to best educate marginalized students, particularly African-American, and other students of color.” She has used her training in ethnographic research to spark dialogues between educators on issues that have impact on students typically least well-served by our educational system. Dr. Delpit is particularly interested in teaching and learning in multicultural societies, having spent time studying these issues in Alaska, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and in various urban and rural sites in the continental United States. She received a B.S. degree from Antioch College and an M.Ed. and Ed.D. from Harvard University. Her background is in elementary education with an emphasis on language and literacy development.

 Dr. Delpit’s recent work has spanned a range of projects and issues, including assisting urban school districts engaged in school and curriculum improvement efforts; developing innovative alternative teacher education programs in urban education and teacher leadership; founding the post-Katrina National Coalition for Quality Education in New Orleans; recruiting renowned mathematician and Civil Rights leader, Dr. Robert Moses to South Florida to establish the national Algebra Project; assisting in the creation of high-standards, innovative schools for low-income, urban children; and developing urban leadership programs for principals and school district central office staff. She has taught pre-service and in-service teachers and principals in many communities across the United States.  

 Her numerous awards include the Harvard University Graduate School of Education 1993 Alumni Award for Outstanding Contribution to Education; the 1994 American Educational Research Association Cattell Award for Outstanding Early Career Achievement; 1998 Sunny Days Award from Sesame Street Productions for her contributions to the lives of children; and the 2001 Kappa Delta Phi Laureate Award for her contribution to the education of teachers.

 Dr. Delpit was also selected as a recipient of the Antioch College Horace Mann Humanity Award, which recognizes a contribution by alumni of Antioch College who have “won some victory for humanity.” Winning candidates are those persons, or groups of persons, whose personal or professional activities have had a profound effect on the present or future human condition. She was also selected to deliver the prestigious DeWitt Wallace-Reader’s Digest Distinguished Lecturer Award at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). The award recognizes the contributions of an educational researcher whose work leads to improved learning for low income, elementary or secondary students.

Her recent book, published in 2012, “Multiplication is For White People”: Raising Standards for Other People’s Children explores strategies to increase expectations and academic achievement for marginalized children. Library Journal named Multiplication… one of the 20 best-selling education books of 2013, and the American School Board Journal selected it as one of eight “notable books” for 2012. A previous book, Other People’s Children, has sold well over a quarter of a million copies and received the American Educational Studies Association’s “Book Critic Award,” Choice Magazine’s Eighth Annual Outstanding Academic Book Award, and has been named “A Great Book” by Teacher Magazine. Her other books include: The Real Ebonics Debate: Power, Language, and the Education of African-American Children; and The Skin That We Speak: Thoughts on Language and Culture in the Classroom. An edited volume, Teaching When the World is on Fire, is due out in 2019.

John W. Matthews, Jr. is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, with a Bachelor of Science Degree from Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and a Master of Business Administration Degree from Loyola University, New Orleans.

After graduating from Southern, John was employed by Texaco, Inc. in a number of challenging positions including Assistant to the President of Texaco’s Natural Gas Marketing Group. After completing twenty successful years, John elected to retire his services to Texaco.

John subsequently accepted an appointment and commission by the Governor of Louisiana to the Governor’s Office of Urban Affairs and Development in August 1993. In February 1997, John transitioned to Louisiana Economic Development (LED) as Manager of the Small Business Bonding Assistance Program in an effort to assist small contractors with greater access to construction related projects.

Since 2003 to full retirement from LED in May of 2019, John served as Senior Director of Small Business Services which offers a comprehensive array of programs and resources that build capacity, cultivate opportunities, and accelerate growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs. Small Business Services supports LED’s mission to grow a diverse economy.

 John currently collaborates with stakeholders in Louisiana and surrounding states in an effort to foster a proactive economic development climate required for the small business space to sustain and grow in these communities.

Tyronne B. Walker is the Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs at the Greater New Orleans Foundation. In this role Tyronne oversees all external affairs, government relations, and communications of the Foundation. In addition to leading initiatives like GiveNOLA Day which raised a record $5.9 million for nonprofits across Southeast Louisiana in 2019, Tyronne also oversees the foundation’s policy and advocacy work.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Walker served in the administration of former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. His roles included Senior Advisor to the Mayor and Communications Director; Senior Advisor to the Mayor for Local Affairs where he oversaw Local Government Affairs and Community Engagement; Special Assistant to the Mayor and Faith-Based Advisor; Director of CeaseFire New Orleans; and Project Manager on the Mayor’s Innovation Delivery Team where he helped write and lead the implementation of the city’s NOLA for Life Murder Reduction Strategy. 

Outside of working in public service, Walker has demonstrated success in the private sector as Chief Operating Officer of the Law Office of Wayne E. Woods and Alpha Title Company and owner of Walker Strategic Solutions, LLC, a full service consulting firm he started in 2015 that specializes in strategy development, project management and political campaigns. 

Walker is a native of the New Orleans’ 9th Ward and is a proud graduate of Brother Martin High School. Walker went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont. Walker is also active in civic leadership having served on a number of boards in founding roles including Miller-McCoy Academy for Mathematics and Business, Son of a Saint Foundation, and the Split Second Foundation. Walker also currently serves on the Board of New Schools for New Orleans. Walker is the Immediate Past President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Sigma Lambda Chapter and is a member of the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church.

Tracey Ross leads the All-In Cites initiative at PolicyLink. In this role, she works with cities across the country to adopt policies and practices to promote racial economic inclusion equitable growth.

She also serves as a delegate to the U.S. Japan Leadership Program, which fosters connections between leaders in both countries.

Prior to joining PolicyLink, Tracey worked at the Center for American Progress focused on urban poverty and environmental justice, and at Living Cities on building a green economy. In 2012, she was selected as a “Next Vanguard” Next City magazine’s recognition of 40 urban leaders under 40. Tracey has been a guest on The Melissa Harris Perry Show on MSNBC and Inside Story on Al Jazeera English, and was a regular commentator for SiriusXM’s The Agenda. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, ThinkProgress, and Essence.

Tracey began her career in the offices of former U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and former U.S. Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO). She completed her master’s in public affairs with a focus on urban policy and planning at Princeton University, and received a bachelor’s degree in political science and anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Denese Shervington has an intersectional career in public health and academic psychiatry. She is the President of The Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies (IWES), a community-based translational public health institute in New Orleans. She is also the Chair of Psychiatry at Charles R. Drew University. Dr. Shervington has held Clinical Professorships in the Departments of Psychiatry at Columbia University and Tulane University. A graduate of New York University School of Medicine, she also received a Masters of Public Health in Population Studies and Family Planning from Tulane University School of Public Health. She completed her residency in Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco and is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

A Fellow of the American Psychiatry Association, in 2018 she received the Award for Excellence in Service and Advocacy; prior to which she received the Jeanne Spurlock Minority award. Dr. Shervington is also a member of the American College of Psychiatrists. In July 2019, Dr. Shervington testified before the Congress of the United States House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight and Reform on Childhood Trauma. She also co-chairs the New Orleans City Council (R-18-344) Children Youth Planning Board Taskforce on Childhood Trauma. She has authored several papers in peer-reviewed journals addressing health disparities, the social determinants of health and resilience in underserved communities. She is the proud parent of two amazing children, Kaleb and Iman, and grandchildren Ayelet and Haddassah.

Dr. Monteic A. Sizer serves as Executive Director of Northeast Delta Human Services Authority (Northeast Delta HSA). He joined the organization in May 2013 as its first Executive Director. He is uniquely qualified to advocate on behalf of citizens located in the twelve Northeast Delta HSA parishes he represents because he exemplifies how people can meet their greatest human potential based on accountability, integrity and a willingness to engage in their own lives.

His vision for transforming Northeast Delta HSA into an innovative entity has already begun with the integration of previously disparate mental health, developmental disability, prevention and addictive disorder services. Under his leadership, Northeast Delta HSA is increasing efficiencies for improved clinical accessibility, centralized operations, organizational accountability and improved partner and provider relationships.

Dr. Sizer has established three tenets for Northeast Delta HSA and its partners: to provide excellent customer service, greater access to services and competent, quality care.

Prior to his Northeast Delta HSA appointment, Dr. Sizer served as the President and CEO of the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps, a long-term disaster recovery organization created by the state of Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Dr. Sizer also served as a National Consultant and Subject Matter Expert with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Additionally, Dr. Sizer has deep professional experience in organized philanthropy, politics, educational reform and has been leader of several large health and human services organizations. Dr. Sizer is also a consultant and sought after keynote speaker. Dr. Sizer’s expertise enables him to speak practically about relevant policies, procedures and programs needed to help advance causes of the poor, working class and related vulnerable populations.

Dr. Sizer’s academic research and professional experiences as a clinical-community psychologist serving poor and underserved populations in educational settings, community-based mental health centers, prisons and forensic hospitals, have given him a profound knowledge of administrative, systems and public policy challenges impacting poor and working class Americans. Some of Dr. Sizer’s academic research examined the correlation between home, school and community influences on academic achievement, African American homicide, crime and causes of community instability. Dr. Sizer is also a leader in behavioral and primary healthcare integration.

Dr. Sizer is a 2010 Leadership Louisiana graduate, a Leadership Fellow with the Effective Leadership Program at the Center of Leadership and Public Values at Duke University and the College of Business at Southern University (Baton Rouge), and a Political Fellow and former member of the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership. Dr. Sizer also participated in the Executive Training Institute at Vanderbilt University and the Leadership in Non-Profit Management Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Dr. Sizer earned a Ph.D. in Clinical-Community Psychology from the University of South Carolina. He completed his clinical residency at William S. Hall Psychiatric Institute. He holds Bachelor of Science (Summa Cum Laude) degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Pfeiffer College, and an Associate degree in Applied Science from Central Piedmont Community College.

 Pastor Eileen Lumar-Johnson is a woman who, above all things desires to please God and to see His people saved, delivered, empowered and prosperous. She is foremost a Servant of God, serving as Senior Pastor of Grace & Glory Family Worship Church International in New Orleans, Louisiana.

She was baptized in July,1990, at the Greater Woodville Baptist in Wallace, Louisiana by the late Pastor Ernest M. Howard, Jr. She served as a Deaconess at Woodville and at Third Rose of Sharon Missionary Baptist Church in New Orleans, under the leadership of Pastor Joseph Jackson. She served at Third Rose until the Lord led her to Household of Faith Family Worship Church International.

Pastor Johnson joined Household of Faith in May,1996 as a member of the Deaconess Board and accepted her call to ministry in March,1997. She was licensed by Pastor Antoine M. Barriere to preach the gospel in January,1999, and ordained an Elder at Household of Faith in November, 2002.

In March 2006, Pastor Johnson and her husband Deacon Mark Johnson founded

Confront and Conquer Incorporated; a faith-based support group which offers spiritual, educational, and therapeutic resources to families who have children with physical and developmental challenges. To date, Confront & Conquer ministers to over 40 families on a regular basis.

On August 25, 2013, she was elevated to Pastor of Special Needs at Household of Faith. Through this office she has taught the word of faith, and ministers healing to parents and caretakers of individuals with special needs.

On January 5, 2014, she preached her first sermon as Interim Pastor at Macedonia Full Gospel Baptist Church. She was installed as Senior Pastor at that ministry on May 5, 2014. At the leading of the Holy Spirit the Lord released Pastor Eileen to birth a new name and vision for the ministry at 802 Third Street; and on December 5, 2015 Grace and Glory Family Worship Church International was consecrated for operation in the kingdom of God.

 Pastor Eileen Lumar-Johnson is a much sought after speaker, already ministering to numerous congregations throughout Louisiana, the United States and Canada.

Pastor Lumar-Johnson serves as Director of Community Relations at Audubon Nature Institute, and develops programs for minority underserved families in the New Orleans metropolitan area. She has over 30 years public relations and community outreach experience, and is former Second Vice President of Corporate Communications for Pan-American Life Insurance Group, and former Public Relations Director for Audubon Nature Institute.

She has also served as an Account Executive for Beuerman, Miller, Fitzgerald and the Brylski Company in New Orleans. She is a former General Assignments Reporter for KFDM-TV in Beaumont, Texas, and served as radio News Anchor for WYLD-Radio in New Orleans.

Pastor Lumar-Johnson graduated as class salutatorian from West St. John High School in Edgard, Louisiana in 1981, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Loyola University at New Orleans in 1985. She has been cited by the Press Club of New Orleans, the Associated Press, the Advertising Club of New Orleans and the Public Relations Society of America for her journalistic and public relations work. She has also been named a “Woman to Watch” by the Times Picayune in New Orleans, and a “Phenomenal Woman” by Data Newsweekly in New Orleans.

She is a former member of AARP’s Partners in the Pulpit program, and the Salvation Army’s Emerge Committee. She has also served as a volunteer Champion for the American Cancer Society’s CPS3 cancer study. She has served on the Board of Communications for United Way of Greater New Orleans, the Board of Directors for Family Service of Greater New Orleans and the Board of Directors for the City of Refuge at New Hope Community Church in Kenner, Louisiana.

She has been married to her husband Mark Anthony, Sr. for 30 years and is a mother of two; Alexys and Mark, Jr. She was born January 2, 1963, through the union of Mrs. Anita Lumar and the late Mr. Otis Lumar, Jr, and is a native of Edgard, Louisiana.

Scripture of Encouragement: Romans 4:20-21 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God – And being fully persuaded that what He had promised He was able also to perform. (KJV)

Leon C. Winters, MSW, LCSW is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he attended Belaire High School. Mr. Winters moved to Lafayette, Louisiana in 2000 to attend the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. After graduation, Mr. Winters worked in various settings such as: Mental Health, Child Services and Investigations, Education and numerous grant funded programs. In 2010, Mr. Winters enrolled at Louisiana State University (LSU) where he obtained a Masters In Social Work (MSW) with an emphasis in High Risk Youth and Co-occuring Disorders in May 2012. Mr. Winters was previously employed as a Community Liaison in the Child Welfare and Attendance Department with the Lafayette Parish School System.

Currently, Mr. Winters is the CEO and Lead Therapist for his own company: Leon C. Winters, LCSW LLC DBA Winters Mental Health and Consulting. The company’s focus is assisting children and families through the toughest transitions in life. Mr. Winters has gained extensive knowledge providing services to families in times of crisis, bridging the gap bewteen the school and community, assisting children with behavioral disorders, navigating cumbersome state and federal laws regarding special education/504 students, educational disciplinary procedures regarding all students, truancy and discipline management within the school system. Mr. Winters has received extensive training regarding behavior modification in adults and children, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Trauma informed care of children and families. Mr. Winters has received specialized training through the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. In the future, Mr. Winters plans to obtain his PhD in Social Work with a specialization on Trauma Informed care for children in Educational System.

Leon Winters is a Husband, Father, Mentor, Motivational Speaker Christian and Religious Musical Director for a church in Lafayette, LA. In his spare time he enjoys spending times with his family, golfing, reading, stimulating conversations, and most of all music of all kinds. For Mr. Winters music (playing and listening) has kept him grounded in many areas of his life. Mr. Winters attended college on a music scholarship, has toured with bands, performed with many artists, had his own band and uses his musical platform to give back to the community, especially reaching our youth.

Mr. Winters’ passion is helping youth be their best even when no one is looking. Transitioning from. poverty was a great challenge for Mr. Winters and his experiences are used as a great platfom to reach youth who may share these same experiences. Mr. Winters is currently writing a book that describes the plight from poverty to prosperity.

Dr. Rebekah Gee is the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, the state’s largest agency with a budget of $14 billion. Her oversight responsibilities include public health and other direct service programs for citizens in need such as behavioral health, developmental disabilities, aging and adult services, emergency preparedness, and the Medicaid program. Under Dr. Gee’s leadership, over 450,000 Louisianans are newly insured under Louisiana’s Medicaid Expansion, and for the first time, many are receiving much needed primary and preventive health care.

Dr. Gee is an Obstetrician/Gynecologist and brings a caregivers’ perspective to the people she serves. In her current role she has led national discussions on the negative public health impact of high drug prices. Her efforts began with the prices of drugs that cure Hepatitis C, the leading infectious disease killer in the United States. Her efforts have resulted in the first state based subscription purchasing model and elimination campaign.

Dr. Gee is also a trained policy expert who has served in numerous state and national policy roles and in 2017 she was elected to the National Academy of Medicine. Prior to her role as Secretary, Dr. Gee served as the director for the Birth Outcomes Initiative where she led the charge to decrease infant mortality and prematurity statewide – an effort that in part led to a 25% reduction in infant mortality, an 85% drop in elective deliveries before 39 weeks and a 10% drop in NICU admissions statewide.

She is the mother of five energetic children and lives in New Orleans where she continues to see patients.

Krystal Hardy Allen is the Founder & CEO of K. Allen Consulting™, a doctoral candidate at Columbia University, an education advocate, and well-respected former school principal.  K. Allen Consulting™ is a global education consulting firm that empowers students, educators, and communities via professional development, thought leadership, and philanthropy. 

Having served over 196 schools and organizations within the United States, South Africa, and soon Nigeria, K. Allen Consulting™ ‘s team of associate & senior consultants coach and develop K-12 principals, a variety of nonprofit leaders, and a plethora of business executives through customized 1-on-1 sessions and whole group workshops; design curriculum and programmatic initiatives for schools and nonprofits; provide thought leadership around topics and issues within early childhood, elementary, and secondary education; and donate thousands of dollars annually directly to K-12 student initiatives and public education classroom teachers.  In under 3 years, this firm has impacted over 60,000 students nationally and abroad.

Krystal began her career teaching elementary school, serving as an instructional coach, then Asst. Principal, and thereafter, leading as an elementary & middle school Principal. A native of historic Selma, Alabama, Krystal has been a guest of the White House in attendance of ESSA Policy formulation, as well as shadowed and featured by national media, such as Yahoo News, The Hechinger Report, Education Weekly, and The CS Monitor. She is a 2019 Gambit 40 Under 40 recipient for the city of New Orleans, was internationally named a 2019 Aspen Institute Ideas Festival Scholar, a 2016 Urban League of Louisiana ULEAD Activist Award recipient, named a 2014 Deloitte™ Courageous Principal, and serves as a member of the Board of Directors of KID smART.  A first-generation college graduate, Krystal earned her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame (South Bend, IN), M.Ed. from NLU-Chicago, and is currently completing her Ph.D. in K-12 Educational Leadership at Columbia University (NYC). 

Krystal’s dedication to social justice, adult learning, and honoring both her roots and those who have come before her are the driving forces of her decision-making and life’s work. 

Ernie Broussard has 42 years of professional experience in government, urban policy, capital Project/Program management, land use administration, state and federal program administration, and a host of planning and economic development initiatives. He has an advanced degree in Planning and Urban Design from the University of Southwest Louisiana, currently ULL, and went on to secure certification in Land Use Administration from the Pepperdine University School of Law. He is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute through the University of Oklahoma, where he received the prestigious Robert B. Cassell National Award for Leadership and Academic Excellence.

Ernie is an AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners) with the American Planning Association, as well as, a CEcD (Certified Economic and Community Developer) through the International Economic Development Council. He has been awarded the Distinguished Leadership Award, as well as, being named Planner of the Year on three separate occasions, even as recently at 2011. He has also qualified as an expert witness before congress on three occasions and multiple court litigation.

He also has three national awards for outstanding plans and economic strategies for the Comprehensive Zoning Law and Urban Design for the City of Lake Charles, “A New Vision- An Economic Strategy for Downtown Economic Development”, as well as, the Adaptive Reuse Plan for the Chennault International Airport Authority. Ernie has also been a recipient of numerous national and regional awards for leadership, professional excellence, and sustained meritorious contributions throughout his professional career.

Ernie was employed by the Cameron Parish Police Jury as the Executive Director of the Planning & Development Agency, where a long-term planning and economic development initiative is ongoing for the parish. This initiative achieved both short and long-term sustainable objectives in order to make Cameron Parish a planned livable community since the devastation from Hurricane Rita. Ernie was recognized by the Office of Community Development for the State of Louisiana and the Bush School of Public Policy at Texas ATM for the Cameron Redevelopment Plan as Best Practice, outstanding contributions to coastal recovery and incorporated redevelopment initiatives for resiliency for recovering communities. He has also served as a board member for the Road Home Program, the Louisiana Land Trust Authority and the Louisiana National Guard Foundation.

Ernie is currently the Business Development Manager for Hunt, Guillot, and Associates (HGA) Lake Charles office; a multi-disciplined full-service engineering group that has national and international notoriety in engineering design, pipeline services, project and program management, as well as its own staffing business unit for professional placements. The immersion of the HGA brand into southwest Louisiana with specific industrial targets as LNG, oil and gas, petrochemical, materials handling, specialty chemicals, C&G, and other specific disciplines where the marketing objectives for this corporation. Ernie’s core responsibilities for HGA include, but are not limited to, developing strategic alliances and business opportunities in Louisiana and Texas.

Ernie sits on the Louisiana Energy Export Association (LEEA), currently serving as treasurer, as well as, Vice-Chair of the Louisiana National Guard Foundation. Being very active in the SWLA Business Alliance/Chamber, Ernie serves on the 2019 Executive Committee, chairs the Business Development and Diversity committee and sits as a functioning board member on the Lake Charles I-10 Bridge Taskforce. Ernie is also currently president of the Colt Group a professional planning and economic development and policy analysis agency that renders strategic solutions to both industry, municipal, and private sector interests. His current clientele includes ProfastTelcom, Frontier Hospitals, Global Management Enterprise, Industrial Logistics, Town of Iowa, just to name a few.

Ernie is married to the former Phyllis Marie Craven and has two children, Brandon Ernest and Megan Nicole. He is a personal advocate of Louisiana Bred Quarter horses and enjoys competing in American Cutting Horse events. He is an admirer of Louisiana history, Western heritage, and prides himself on being a sports fisherman, avid hunter, and as a former athlete, still enjoys competitive sports whenever his recurrent ailments permit. 

Ashley K. Shelton is the Executive Director of the Power Coalition, a statewide 501c3 table in Louisiana. The Power Coalition uses a broad-based strategy that combines community organizing, issue advocacy, and civic action all while increasing the capacity of community organizations throughout the state to sustain and hold the work. Mrs. Shelton has led both C3 and C4 strategies to move more than 500,000 voters throughout the state of Louisiana having significant impact in elections in the major metros including New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport. Since our inception we have focused on moving infrequent voters of color. Our integrated voter engagement approach has changed policy at the municipal and state level as well as move infrequent voters of color to vote at the same levels as chronic voters in the communities where we run a full get out to vote program.

The Power Coalition is a spinoff organization of One Voice. As the former Louisiana Director of One Voice, Mrs. Shelton led a series of coordinated campaigns while anchoring and supporting the development of the 501c3 table that is now The Power Coalition. Prior to this role, Mrs. Shelton was the Vice President of Programs at the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation (LDRF). Mrs. Shelton managed LDRF’s system of integrated, value-added programs with the goal of creating a better Louisiana for all of its citizens in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Prior to this, Ms. Shelton served as Director of Grantmaking for the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. Ms. Shelton has received many honors, including selection as a 2005-2006 Fellow in the Emerging Leaders Program at Duke University and the University of Cape Town, and was appointed in 2003 to the Foundation for the Mid South’s Commission to Build Philanthropy. Ms. Shelton attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications.

Lanor Curole is a citizen of the United Houma Nation (UHN) in southeast Louisiana and a life-long resident of Lafourche Parish (county) where she continues to live within the tribal community and is pleased to have the opportunity to work for the betterment of her people as the Tribal Administrator of the UHN. She has been in this position for 9 years. Ms. Curole grew up in the tiny community of Golden Meadow where her family lived a good life seasonally off the land.

 Her work includes overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Tribe and the nonprofit arm where community services are administered. Her grant writing efforts garner nearly $1M annually for the Tribe. Part of her work today is to raise awareness of the environmental changes and challenges happening around the UHN communities. However, her love is to serve tribal elders and citizens with disabilities to aid them in living productively in the community on their own terms.

 Lanor is the current President of the Consortia of Administrators for Native American Rehabilitation (CANAR), which is a national organization that advocates for the employment needs of American Indians with disabilities. She is Leadership Award recipient in 2008 from the V-Day Foundation as well as 2002 from the UHN.

 Ms. Curole has a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Nicholls State University and a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Western Washington University. She is proud of her educational accomplishments as she is the first generation in her family that was allowed into the public-school system and her mother attended a segregated all Indian school where she was only afforded a 7th grade education. Lanor credits her mother for her drive to succeed because of the limitations she faced as a young Houma Indian woman growing up in the 1950s and 60s.

For more than 25 years, Deon has worked as a human rights defender and advocate for Black women, working class and low-come women, and LGBTQ communities in the Deep South. As the Executive Director of Women With A Vision (WWAV) in New Orleans, she led the organization after Hurricane Katrina in successfully changing the “crime against nature” statute being used to criminalize street-based sex work, thereby securing the removal of more than 800 people from the Louisiana sex offender registry.

Through her relentless advocacy, she has grown WWAV into a leading voice on Black women and criminalization in the American South, advancing community-led policy solutions on the international and national stages and at home in Louisiana. For this work, she has been honored with numerous awards by groups across the United States in recognition of her leadership at the intersection of HIV/AIDS, harm reduction, LGBTQ rights, reproductive justice, anti-criminalization, and ending mass incarceration, including the Center for Constitutional Rights, SisterSong, Ms. Foundation, National Organization of Women (NOW), ACLU Louisiana, the Human Rights Campaign, the Red Door Foundation, Philadelphia FIGHT, Planned Parenthood, Forum for Equality, TheBody.com, BET.com, and Frontline Defender’s Dublin Platform. In 2018, she was appointed to the New Orleans Human Relations Commission to advance this body’s work on Human Rights and Equity. 

Hyma Moore serves as the Vice President of External Affairs for Greater New Orleans, Inc. In this role, Hyma leads the organization’s public face, supporting the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in communications and policy decisions on behalf of the 10-parish region. Hyma Moore began working in national politics in 2015 after joining the Hillary for America (HFA) presidential campaign. During the 19-month national campaign, Hyma led political advance teams to 40 states and 130 cities on behalf and in preparation for Secretary Hillary Clinton, President Bill Clinton and Senator Tim Kaine.

As a national Press Lead for Hillary Clinton’s advance team, Hyma handled high-level media and political appearances for Secretary Clinton, President Clinton and high-level campaign surrogates. Additionally, during the 2015 primary, Hyma served as the Louisiana State Director for HFA, securing 71% of the Louisiana democratic primary vote, and winning 62 of Louisiana’s 64 Parishes.

Prior to joining the HFA campaign, Hyma held several positions on New Orleans’ Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s Communications Team. In those positions, he developed and implemented media engagement and communications strategies to advance the mayor’s priorities.

Since the HFA campaign, Hyma has consulted with several individuals holding or pursuing political office. Some of those assignments included, Jon Ossoff for Congress (GA-6), the costliest congressional campaign in history and the transition for Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome, the first female mayor of Baton Rouge. Additionally, Hyma worked on a nation-wide healthcare tour with Senator Bernie Sanders and the DNC.

Hyma returned to New Orleans in 2017 to serve as Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s Communications Advisor during the final months of Landrieu’s second term. In this role, he managed all national media appearances for the mayor.

Following the Landrieu Administration, Hyma was tapped by Mayor LaToya Cantrell, the first female mayor of New Orleans, to serve as Director of Federal Affairs. In this role, Hyma managed the Mayor’s federal agenda and engagement as a member of the United States Conference of Mayors.

In addition to politics, Hyma has several ventures in the entertainment industry, including managing music talent and advancing and staffing executives like Michelle Ebanks, President and CEO of Essence Communications.

Hyma attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. He comes from a spiritual family and is passionate about the ideals of community. He is an avid golfer and French language enthusiast.  

Jacqueline Thanh is the Executive Director of VAYLA New Orleans, she is an agent of change and the daughter of Chinese Vietnamese refugees with an extensive history in intersectional direct services and survivor advocacy.

She has dedicated the last decade of her career to championing comprehensive health equity by working intimately with social determinants of trauma in communities across racial and cultural lines dealing with a myriad of intersecting issues like mental health, sexual assault, domestic violence, human and labor trafficking, substance abuse, incarceration as well as homelessness.

She has served over 900 women, youth, families and community members through direct services and advocacy here in New Orleans over the last four years. Jacqueline is committed to leading and facilitating cross-cultural community healing and movement building through civic engagement, youth advocacy and empowerment through community organization and mobilization.

She is also a first-generation college graduate, holding a B.A., in English from the University of California, Berkeley. She also holds a Master of Social Work and Global Health Administration and Policy Certification from the University of Chicago.

As a cultural worker, activist, facilitator, and educator, Wendi O’Neal works to connect social and economic justice groups’ mission, vision and values with how everyday work gets done. She uses spiritually grounded practices, visual art, story circles and song sharing as tools for growing inspiration and building democratic process.

Born and raised in New Orleans, she has worked in local, regional and national organizations; but her heart’s work is rooted in the Deep South of the US, especially the kind of organizing that happens around kitchen tables and good food. She is a dancer, “markers & scrap paper” visual artist, freedom-song-singer and teacher.

One of her favorite teachers is her father, John O’Neal, co-founder of the Free Southern Theater, a Radical Black Theater project that grew out of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee in the 1960’s. In 1991, she helped found one of the first documented out lesbian and bisexual women’s alliances at a Historically Black College, Spelman, in Atlanta, GA – which continues to exist as the group, Afrekete, today.

Some groups Wendi has worked with include: Amnesty International, Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children, Southerners on New Ground, The Highlander Research and Education Center, INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence, and Junebug Productions’ Free Southern Theater Institute

Sharon Weston Broome is a firm believer in achieving unity and equality through her dedication to public service.

During her time in office, Broome has placed a heavy focus on improving the quality of life within the citizenry. Her areas of focus are specifically in developing areas such as infrastructure, public safety, economic growth, and education, among many other areas.

Before becoming the first female to hold the position of Mayor-President of the City of Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish, Broome served as a Baton Rouge Metro City Council Member, a Louisiana State Representative, and a Louisiana State Senator.

While serving in the legislature, Broome became the first woman to hold the leadership positions of Speaker Pro Tempore in the House and President Pro Tempore in the Senate.

Over the years, she has also been recognized for her service and leadership by several organizations, including the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Louisiana Health Freedom Coalition, American Heart Association, Every Child Matters, Baton Rouge NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award, Girl Scouts Louisiana East 2017 Women of Distinction Award, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Lambda Kappa Kappa Chapter) 2017 Citizen of the Year, and National Congress of Black Women.

Faith and family are priorities for Broome. She is happily married to Marvin Broome. They are the proud parents of three children and three grandchildren.

Broome holds a B.A. in Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse and an M.A. in Communications from Regent University. Broome has served as an adjunct instructor at the Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge Community College, and Southern University. In addition, she was a reporter for five years for WBRZ-TV, the Baton Rouge ABC affiliate.

Mayor Cantrell’s life has been steeped in community service. As a little girl, her grandmother would bring her to neighborhood meetings, and by the age of 13, she was serving as secretary for her local chamber of commerce.

“My soul found its home in New Orleans,” is how Mayor Cantrell describes her arrival in 1990 as a student at Xavier University. After graduation, she and her husband, Jason, bought a home in the Broadmoor neighborhood, and Cantrell became an active member of her new community.

As the President of the Broadmoor Improvement Association, Cantrell led the neighborhood’s redevelopment following Hurricane Katrina and the levee failures. Flooding decimated Broadmoor, but through citizen engagement and Cantrell’s leadership, Broadmoor is now considered an international model for disaster recovery.

Elected to the City Council in 2012, Cantrell has prioritized improving people’s lives.

On May 7, 2018, Mayor Cantrell was sworn in as the first female Mayor of New Orleans, just in time to celebrate the city’s tricentennial, or 300^th anniversary.

She is a dedicated wife to her husband, Jason, proud mother of her daughter, RayAnn, and a parishioner at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church.

Mayor Cantrell pledges to produce results that will create a more equitable and safe New Orleans for all residents.

PERSONAL LIFE
Mayor Jamie Mayo was born in Monroe, Louisiana. During his youth, he lived in Mer Rouge, Louisiana and was educated in the Morehouse Parish School System. Jamie attended and graduated from Bastrop High School. In addition to being a model student, he was a member of the school band and excelled in baseball, football and basketball. While there he earned a full basketball scholarship to Northeast Louisiana University (now the University of Louisiana at Monroe). At ULM he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

Mayor Mayo has over 20 years of business experience working with companies such as State Farm Insurance, Allstate Insurance and Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corp. He is married to the former Angela Washington and they have two children (Jared and Ashley), both graduates of Grambling State University, and one grandson (Tyler Williams). Mayor Mayo is a member of New Light Baptist Church (Rev. James B. Johnson, Pastor). He is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE
Elected Monroe City Councilman for District #5 (1995 – to fill unexpired term)
Re-elected Monroe City Councilman for District #5 (1996, 2000)
Appointed Interim-Mayor (June 2001)
Elected Mayor (October 2001 – to fill unexpired term)
Re-elected Mayor (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016)

FOCUS AREAS
Mayor Mayo’s administration has six major focus areas: Economic Development, Public Safety, Partnerships in Education, Beautification, Housing & Growth, and Marketing Monroe. During his 2016 – 2020 term, his added focus will be a “60 for 60” project list. This includes city-wide efforts focusing on economic development, public safety, health, infrastructure, quality of life, education, and more. His goal is to create, continue or complete these projects by 2020.

FISCAL MANAGEMENT
Under the Mayo administration, the City of Monroe is enjoying its best fiscal position in history. Thanks to conservative fiscal management and sound business practices, Monroe enjoyed eleven consecutive years of having a fiscal year budget surplus, earned an A+ Bond Rating and now has an overall fund balance of more than $15 million dollars. Mayor Mayo credits the hard work of his department heads and city personnel for their commitment to fortifying Monroe’s fiscal affairs.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Monroe is a seven-time winner of the Louisiana Municipal Association Community Achievement Award. Four of which were for economic development. Since 2001, more than 2000 new small, medium, and large-sized businesses have opened up shop in Monroe, creating thousands of new jobs. Monroe is home of the corporate headquarters for the nations’ 3rd largest telecommunications company Centurylink, currently ranked #168 on the Fortune 500 list. IBM, CenturyLink and the State of Louisiana partnered to create 400 jobs in Monroe over the next 10 years. IBM will establish an application development and innovation center in Monroe. It will be the anchor of a new 80+ acre lifestyle community development.

Monroe has also experienced major business growth and expansion through companies such as Vantage, Mid-South Extrusion, Gardner-Denver Thomas and more. During the Mayor administration, tremendous growth and development have or is taking place in Monroe’s Air Industrial Park and the I-20, Tower-Armand, Downtown, and Southside economic development districts.

CURRENT AND PAST BOARD AFFILIATIONS
Governor John Bel Edwards Transition Team
LA Municipal Association Law Enforcement Body Camera Implementation Task Force
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Local Government Advisory Board
Black Bayou National Wildlife Refuge
The Salvation Army
The Ouachita Enterprise Corporation
Ouachita Council of Governments
Chairman of the Board for the Opportunities Industrialization Center of Ouachita
Advisory Board for ULM College of Business
Letterman Club Board of ULM
Monroe-West Monroe Public Trust Financing Authority
Bancorp South Advisory Council
President’s Advisory Board for LAMP, Inc.
Past President of the Louisiana Chapter National Conference of Black Mayors
Past President for the Louisiana Conference of Mayors
Board of Directors for the National Conference of Black Mayors, Inc.
Advisory Board for Master of Public Administration Program of Grambling State University
Louisiana Retirement Development Commission
Louisiana Uniform Construction Code Council

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS and UPCOMING PROJECTS
Class 1 Fire Rating
NEW Monroe Regional Airport Terminal
New Comprehensive City Master Plan
Greater Ouachita Port Facility
Upgraded Vehicle Fleets and Equipment for Fire, Police, Public Works
$10 per hour minimum wage for full-time workers
Created City Hall Annex South on Jackson Street
Created Entergy-City of Monroe Community Service College Scholarship – YTD (2016) 153 scholarship recipients who’ve attended Louisiana colleges/universities
Built City of Monroe Public Safety Center
OK Program of Monroe
Summer Youth Job Program
Passed dedicated sales tax for Fire & Police salary increases
Downtown Revitalization – Riverwalk, River Jam, Art Crawls, Restaurants, Housing
NEW Monroe Police Department Website (yourmpd.com) won Webby Award
I-20 and U.S. 165 Highway Lighting Projects
Kansas Lane Connector Project
I-20/Garrett Road Interchange Project
Zoo Entrance Boulevard Project
Had a speaking role in the 2015 Billy Gardell movie “Dancer and the Dame”
*Note – See More on the “60 for 60” Project List

NOTABLE AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
ULM Golden Arrow Award (Highest honor for University of Louisiana at Monroe Alumni)
National Conference of Black Mayor’s Valiant Award – Aftermath of Hurricane’s Katrina and Rita
Louisiana Municipal Association Community Achievement Award
Who’s Who among Business Leaders?
Rupert F. Richardson Legacy Award
The National Society of Leadership and Success Honorary Member
LA Chapter of American Planning Association Award for Distinguished Leadership
Louisiana Transit “Extra Mile” Award for leadership in Public Transportation Louisiana Head Start Association Award of Excellence
Martin Luther King Trailblazer Award – Ouachita Parish Martin Luther King Foundation

 Adrian Perkins was born in the Cedar Grove neighborhood of Shreveport. He is the grandson of a sharecropper and the youngest of three boys raised by a single mother. He attended Arthur Circle, Youree Drive Middle School, and Captain Shreve High School.

In the wake of 9/11, Perkins felt compelled to serve his country. He accepted a nomination to West Point, where he was the first African-American cadet elected Class President in the Academy’s history. Subsequently, he deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, achieving the rank of Captain and Company Commander in the United States Army.

After three tours of duty, Perkins enrolled in Harvard Law School, where he was once again elected Student Body President. He chose Harvard to gain the requisite skills and knowledge to serve his hometown, focusing his studies on crime and the use of technology by city governments. While in law school, he assisted Governor John Bel Edwards on criminal justice reform.

Adrian Perkins announced his candidacy on April 26th, 2018. During the campaign, he stressed policing reform, economic development, and smart-city initiatives. Perkins was elected December 8th, 2018 and was installed as the 56th Mayor of Shreveport on December 29th.

Jade Brown-Russell is a proud native of New Orleans. Jade is Principal of JD Russell Consulting, LLC (“JDR”), a full service consulting firm focusing on regulatory compliance, legal counsel, corporate turnaround/workout services and governmental relations. Jade began her professional career at Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago, Illinois, where she gained experience in mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, corporate governance and securities related transactions. Prior to launching her own firm, Jade previously served as Regional General Counsel at Caesars Entertainment, where she addressed litigation, gaming, corporate and regulatory and compliance issues for the company’s properties in Louisiana, Mississippi, Illinois and Ohio.

Under Jade’s leadership, JD Russell Consulting has grown from a “solo shop” to a team of ten (10) professionals who focus on providing results-driven strategies and outcomes for their clients. The JDR team works collaboratively with several public and private agency clients on strategic planning, diversity, inclusion, policy development and other business solutions, including the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District and the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Jade’s team also provides key turnaround services to public and private clients.

She currently serves as Chairman of the Urban League of Louisiana and is a Board member of Bricolage Academy, Ashe Cultural Arts Center and the Arts Council of New Orleans. Jade is a Past Chairman of the Downtown Development District and the immediate past Co-Chair of the Solo and Small Practitioner’s Section of the New Orleans Bar Association. She is also a founding member and the inaugural President of the Urban League of Greater New Orleans Young Professionals and the former General Counsel and Secretary of the Young Leadership Council, the City of New Orleans two premiere young professionals organizations. Jade is co-author of the Amazon Best Seller, “Champions Never Tell”, and she co-hosts two radio shows: Pumps, Pearls and Politics on WBOK 1230 AM (New Orleans) and Momentum Mondays WQSW 100.5FM (Indianapolis).

In 2012, Jade was honored by New Orleans CityBusiness in its Leadership in Law class. In 2008 and 2013, she was honored as a New Orleans CityBusiness Woman of the Year, and in 2009 and 2011 she received the Urban League’s Rising Star Award for her professional and civic accomplishments. Jade earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in Political Science from Howard University, where she was named a Patricia Roberts Harris Fellow. She earned her Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Southern University Law Center where she served on the Student Bar Association as President of the Senior Class, and was Vice Chairman of Moot Court. Jade is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Links Incorporated. She is the proud mother of daughter, Jadon, and son, Dorsett.