Broderick Bagert

Lead Organizer, Together Louisiana

Bio coming soon.

Don M. Bain, P.E.

Senior Advisor, Climate Central Inc.

Don Bain is a licensed engineer and expert on climate change, adaptation and sea level rise. Dedicated to building a bright future in a dramatically changing climate, he is a highly accomplished business executive and management consultant. He has managed 100s of projects and has experience working in 21 countries. As a consulting partner at Ernst & Young, he advised Fortune 500 clients. Don has international executive experience, has led several technology and professional services companies in the U.S. and Europe, and was a board member at Robin Hood Ventures. Don is an expert on the implications of sea level rise and has advised municipalities on adaptation, risk management, economics and finance. He earned an electrical engineering degree from Stanford University, completed The Management Program at Rice University’s Jessie H. Jones School of Administration and completed studies at the Greenhouse Gas Management Institute.

JR Ball

Associate Publisher / Executive Editor, Greater Baton Rouge Business Report

JR Ball is the associate publisher and executive editor of the Baton Rouge Business Report, overseeing all print and digital operations of the B-to-B division. Over two stints, he has been with the company for more than 20 years and he has 35 years of journalism experience. Under his direction, Business Report has been named the country’s best regional business publication by the Missouri School of Journalism on four difference occasions and Ball has won columnist of the year awards at both the state and national level. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Ball is a member of Smart Growth America and is also the head men’s lacrosse coach at LSU.

The Honorable Chauna B Banks

Councilwoman, Metro Council, City of Baton Rouge | Parish of East Baton Rouge

A native of Baton Rouge, Chauna graduated from Southern University Laboratory High School and received her Bachelor of Science degree at Southern University in Computer Science, further graduating from Southern University Graduate School with a Master’s degree in Education, Leadership, and Counseling from Southern University School. She is employed with East Baton Rouge School System. She is a career employee with the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. Job assignments include Mental Health Counselor; Graduation Coach; Grants Project Manager; Interim Dean of Students; and Professional School Counselor.  Currently serving her third term as Metropolitan Councilwoman District 2 and Department Head for the Jewel J. Newman Community Center. Among her many accomplishments is the (JJNCC) Advisory Board, whose dedicated support of community center staff has led to enhanced services and established the center as "A Place for All".  The #NBRNow Blue Ribbon Commission, appointed by Councilwoman Banks in 2016, consist of nine members, whose ultimate mission is to enrich north Baton Rouge's communities and economy through public, private partnerships, and grass-root efforts.  Lastly, establishment of the Jewel J. Newman Senior Center in collaboration with EBR Council on Aging. While rooted in a consistent tradition of empowering the underserved, Chauna has crafted a vision for Metro District 2 that focuses on equitable funding for blight elimination, infrastructure, and new housing construction. Creating economic opportunities for her constituent base, whose demographics are continually expanding, is a priority. She has likewise enhanced her district by increasing commercial development, experiencing a reduction in crime, and continuously advocating for healthcare access opportunities.  Her dedication and hands-on approach with residents, business leaders, public and private institutions, community groups, and other elected officials has been fundamental in changing the “status quo.” Councilwoman Banks also received several national accomplishments to include being featured in LIFETIME TV Documentary, “Her America: 50 Women, 50 States. We Dare You to Listen” in 2018.  She was also voted the National League of Cities, Women In Municipal Government, 2021 Woman Of The Year Recipient.  Her greatest joy, was the opportunity to share her story on the coveted TEDx Scotlandville stage. Councilwoman Banks has made a life-long commitment to move her community forward, and will always work to foster an end to joblessness, neighborhood blight, and poor public education through using the tools of public policy, legislation, and public involvement. Her overall vision is to improve her constituents’ quality of life — regardless of race, class, gender, or socioeconomic status. She continues to believe that there is a solution to every problem and that when we work together, everybody wins. Her most cherished part of life is shared with her son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.

Erin Z Bass

Administrator, The TECHE Project

Erin Z. Bass is a native of Crowley and lives in Lafayette. She has a bachelor's degree in Journalism from Louisiana State University and has spent the past 20  years working as a writer and editor. Her career experience spans from newspapers and magazines to marketing and public relations. Her newspaper experience includes The Times of Acadiana, Independent Weekly and The Current. She also serves on the board of directors for Festival International de Louisiane. Bass is no stranger to the Bayou Teche and got married along the bayou in Arnaudville and also has family living along the bayou in New Iberia. She has covered the Teche through her work with Discover Iberia magazine and the Louisiana Tour Guide. As administrator of The TECHE Project, she utilizes her communication, marketing and public relations skills to handle membership, social media, and the Annual Report and Annual Banquet, in addition to day to day administrative duties.

Jamie Bennett

Thought Leader, Lord Cultural Resources

Jamie Bennett [he/him] works at the intersections of nonprofits, philanthropy, and the public sector with arts, culture, and comprehensive community development, across rural, suburban, Tribal, and urban geographies. For seven years, Jamie was the Executive Director of ArtPlace America, a ten-year, $150 million philanthropic collaborative that invested in artists working as allies in equitable community development. Jamie has also served as interim President and CEO of United States Artists; and worked as a Chief of Staff at the National Endowment for the Arts in President Obama’s administration, at the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Mayor Bloomberg’s administration, and to the President of Columbia University.  Jamie provided strategic counsel to the Agnes Gund Foundation and worked in fundraising at the New York Philharmonic and at Columbia University. Jamie is on the board of directors for the David Rockefeller Fund, the emeritus board of the HERE Arts Center, and advisory councils for the Make Music Alliance and The Heritage Center (Itówapi Owápazo) of the Red Cloud Indian School in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota. Jamie lives, works, worships, and plays in both Brooklyn, NY and Toronto, ON and has been sober since 2009.

Kelia Bingham

Watershed Coordinator, Acadiana Planning Commission

Kelia Bingham is a Planner II with the Acadiana Planning Commission. She is the Watershed Coordinator for Region 5 of the Louisiana Watershed Initiative and the Project Manager for the Acadiana Regional Gauge Network.  Kelia’s professional background spans 25 years and includes federal, state, and local experience in overall watershed management, environmental education, nature-based solutions, stormwater regulations, and coastal Louisiana processes. She previously worked for the Coastal Wetlands, Planning, and Protection Act, Lafayette Consolidated Government, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, and as a high school math and science teacher. Kelia received her B.S. in Biology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2000 and a M.Ed. from Louisiana State University in 2004. She resides in Lafayette with her husband of 16 years, their 8-year-old daughter and five very spoiled cats. 

Logan Burke

Executive Director, Alliance for Affordable Energy

Logan Burke is the Executive Director of the Alliance for Affordable Energy, where she works on a broad scope of consumer protection and clean energy issues, advocating for energy efficiency programs, distributed energy resources, equitable and affordable access to renewable energy. She has led several collaborative efforts with other advocacy organizations supporting affordable housing, health, good governance, climate resilience, and the intersection of Louisiana’s power sector. Before joining the Alliance, she was a founder and the development director for the Committed To Equality Initiative in Los Angeles, CA. Logan Burke will bring to the Summit expansive knowledge on Louisiana’s energy policy, sustainability, and climate justice. 

Preston Castille, Jr.

CEO, Helix Community Schools; Board Chair, Center for Planning Excellence

Preston Castille joined Taylor Porter in 1994 and was a Partner and member of the Executive Committee. He retired from the partnership in January 2020 and is currently Of Counsel with the firm. Mr. Castille is engaged primarily in education and business law. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Castille worked as an economist for the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. In October 2019, Mr. Castille was elected as the District 8 member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). BESE is the administrative body for all Louisiana public elementary and secondary schools. Mr. Castille is active in various education-related organizations. He is the Immediate Past National President of the Southern University Alumni Federation and is a current member of the Tulane Law School Dean Advisory Board. Mr. Castille served on Governor John Bel Edwards’ Education Transition Committee in 2015. He is Immediate Past Chairman of the Board of Directors of New Schools for Baton Rouge and President of Helix Community Schools. He is also a former member of the Board of Directors of Volunteers in Public Schools.

Renee Chatelain

President/CEO, Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, Inc.

Renee Chatelain began her career as a dancer, then served as a guest teacher for Iceland Dance Theater, Cornell University, Ballet Festival of India – Mumbai, among others.  She is an Advisory Board member of the American Mural Project in Winstead, CT, Women in Dance Conference, Southern Arts Advocacy Board, and serves on numerous local boards. She holds a B.A. Degree and Juris Doctor from Louisiana State University and is an active member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and Baton Rouge Bar Association. Renee has been recognized by the Louisiana State Senate for her contribution to African Americans in Louisiana through the Arts.  She received the Milestone Award from the National Guild for Community Arts Education, the John W. Barton, Sr. Award for Excellence in Non-Profit Management, and most recently, was named a Louisiana Role Model by the Links, Inc.  She is a recipient of the Blue Cros Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation’s Angels Award for her work with Mid City Dance Project, Inc., a company she co-founded, providing dance performance and opportunities to underserved and special needs children.  Renee’s passion project is The Fading Line: A Commemoration of the 1953 Baton Rouge Bus Boycott, a multi-media dance interpretation of this historic event in her hometown. Renee loves the color orange, olives, and collaboration.  She is awed by Sylvie Gilliam, her most cherished activity is being witness to great art happenings and creations, and her favorite person is her husband, Kevin Lyle.

Christopher Coes

Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation

Christopher Coes serves as the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy. Coes previously served as Vice President for Land Use and Development at Smart Growth America (SGA), Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute, Professor at George Washington University, and Deputy Director and Senior Advisor for the Transportation for America campaign.

Joyce Coffee

President, Climate Resilience Consulting

Joyce Coffee, LEED AP, is founder and President of Climate Resilience Consulting, a social enterprise that works with clients to create practical and equitable strategies that enhance markets and communities through adaptation to climate change.  As president, Coffee has created resilience strategies for dozens of governments, nonprofits and companies.  She led the development of the world’s first set of climate resilience principles for the financial services industry, directed the National Equitable Climate Resilience project and co-authored the national report on the state of the climate adaptation field. She has trained hundreds of local officials and other practitioners in resilience finance. Currently, she is leading the EPA’s Equitable Resilience Builder Project and the Ready to Fund Resilience initiative. Coffee has 25 years of leadership experience in government, private, nonprofit, philanthropic and academic sectors. She has worked with over 200 institutions to create and implement climate-related resilience initiatives, including the City of Chicago where she directed the Chicago Climate Action Plan. Specific areas of emphasis include resilience strategy, resilience finance, resilience measurement and social equity. She is an appointed director or chair of 25 nonprofit boards and initiatives including serving as a Technical Advisor to the Fifth National Climate Assessment and as Anthropocene Alliance’s board chair. She received a B.S. in biology, environmental studies and Asian studies from Tufts University and a Masters in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she sits on the visiting committee. @joycecoffee

Lindsay Cooper

Project Manager, Louisiana Climate Initiative, Louisiana Governor's Office

Lindsay Cooper has served in the Louisiana Governor’s Office for over four years with expertise in strategic planning, interagency alignment, and intergovernmental coordination on state priorities regarding climate change adaptation and mitigation. As manager for the Louisiana Climate Initiative, Lindsay served as lead planner and author of Louisiana’s first Climate Action Plan. Lindsay staffs the Governor’s Climate Initiatives Task Force and its ten public committees to ensure transparent and inclusive implementation of climate action across Louisiana. Lindsay coordinates with federal and state partners, communities, and industries to plan for and implement energy transition and industrial decarbonization.

Jessica Dandridge

Executive Director, The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans

As the Executive Director of The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans (TWC), Jessica Dandridge has dedicated her life to community advocacy and campaign development for organizations seeking to be socially, economically, and culturally inclusive. As the Executive Director of TWC she focuses on community led adaptation and mitigation as the core to water justice and climate resiliency strategies. To be resilient, Jessica believe communities needs redundant, rapidly distributed resources. To achieve this, Jessica has led a movement around water management as a tool for social and economic liberation that should be transformational to our most vulnerable communities. Today TWC focuses on water management, hazard mitigation, water justice through access, affordability, and quality, and equitable community transformation through blue/green jobs and the renewable economy. Ms. Dandridge received her B.A at Xavier University of Louisiana in Political Science and her M.A in International Affairs with a concentration in conflict and security at The New School for Public Engagement in New York City. Since starting her career as a youth organizer in 2005, she has worked for, or in collaboration with over two dozen organizations in the Greater New Orleans and nationally. Before starting at the TWC, Ms. Jessica was the Louisiana State Director at the Campaign Election Engagement Project, and a Program Director for Rural Electric Cooperative Democracy Project for the Rockefeller Family Fund. Ms. Dandridge is a trained facilitator from YPQI, has a certificate in Leadership, Activism and Civil Rights from Brown University, and a certificate in Kingian Nonviolence Strategies from the Selma Center of Nonviolence. In her current work, Jessica sits on the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s Climate Resiliency Roundtable, A member of the Community Advisory Board for the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and is a board member for New Harmony High School in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Honorable Freddie DeCourt

Mayor, City of New Iberia

Mayor Freddie DeCourt came into office on January 1st, 2017, determined to build a stronger New Iberia. Mayor DeCourt is a New Iberia native and proud graduate of Catholic High School in 1980. He also attended USL and McNeese. Mayor DeCourt started his political career as New Iberia Mayor Pro Tem in 2005 until 2013. His experience as a contractor, designer, small business owner is beneficial to the operations of city government. He is dedicated to addressing the city’s serious issues and to attract new businesses and residential development. He is married to the former Janita Miller and the father of Natalie DeCourt Guillory, has a granddaughter Amelie and son-in-law, Caleb Guillory. He is the son of the late Ruth Segura DeCourt and late businessman, Fred Decourt, lifelong residents of New Iberia.

Eric Dexter

Director of Business Development, Civil Solutions Consulting Group

Eric Dexter is the Director of Business Development for Civil Solutions Consulting Group, a civil engineering and surveying firm that assists governmental agencies, developers, and architecture firms with planning, design, and project management. Eric leads the firm’s marketing and business development initiatives while managing new and existing client relationships. Eric also serves with several nonprofits and associations. Some of which include the Baton Rouge Downtown Development District, the Baton Rouge Complete Streets Citizens Advisory Committee, and the Baton Rouge Sustainable Transportation Action Committee. He’s been recognized by the Baton Rouge Business Report as a Forty Under 40 honoree in 2015; as LABI’s 2016 Young Businessperson-Free Enterprise Champion; a 2017 Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge Great Futures Gala honoree; and a 2022 Baton Rouge Area Volunteer Activist honoree. He received his undergraduate degree at Northwestern State University, where he majored in Business Administration and minored in Marketing.

Jeannette Dubinin

Director of Resilience & Adaptation, Center for Planning Excellence

Jeannette has been with CPEX since 2010, focusing on developing and providing planning and implementation tools with and for Louisiana’s coastal communities. She has co-authored several of CPEX’s publications and worked with numerous coastal communities to identify opportunities for reducing flood risk and increasing overall resilience. Jeannette has a natural science background and earned a M. Sc. in Energy and Environmental Science from Rijksuniversiteit Groningen in the Netherlands, and B.Sc. in Biological Science from LSU in Baton Rouge. Jeannette is married and has two daughters, two dogs, and an ugly cat that she likes to spend her time with. Her hobbies include horseback riding, gardening and carpentry.  

The Honorable John Bel Edwards

Governor of Louisiana

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 served on active duty for 8 years, earning Airborne, Ranger and Jumpmaster status, culminating with command of a rifle company in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He and the first lady married in 1989. They have three children: Samantha Bel, Sarah Ellen and John Miller. After commanding a rifle company in the 82nd airborne, Gov. Edwards left 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 2019, the people of Louisiana re-elected him, and on January 13, 2020, Gov. Edwards was sworn into his second term as the 56th Governor of Louisiana. In his first official act, Gov. Edwards signed an executive order to expand Medicaid coverage to over 747,200 of the state’s working poor. Louisiana’s uninsured rate has now dropped from 22.7 percent in 2015 prior to expansion to just 9.4 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. Gov. Edwards and a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers worked hard to stabilize the state’s budget through a balanced approach and continued to do so even despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple devastating hurricanes. Today, the state is making investments in education at every level, raising teacher pay, prioritizing roads and bridges, restoring the coast, and diversifying the state’s economy. This progress has contributed to Louisiana having record a low unemployment rate. One of the governor’s top priorities coming into office was comprehensive criminal justice reform. For decades, mass incarceration of non-violent offenders drained the state of resources needed to make investments proven to reduce crime. Gov. Edwards signed sweeping bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation in 2017 that targets recidivism and invests in treatment programs and victim services. He has also taken numerous steps during his administration to address climate change and expand the clean energy sector alongside Louisiana’s long history of traditional energy. In 2020, the governor created the Climate Initiatives Task force, the state’s first effort to develop economy-wide policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The climate task force delivered a plan to get Louisiana to net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and under Gov. Edwards’ leadership Louisiana is emerging as a global leader in the energy transition. The same year, the state formally began the process to develop offshore wind leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf of the Gulf of Mexico with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Gov. Edwards continues to do what the people elected him to do: Put Louisiana First.

The Honorable Eugene P. Foulcard

Mayor, City of Franklin

Eugene Paul Foulcard is a native of Franklin, Louisiana. He is the son of the late Lydia Delasbour Foulcard and Carl C. Foulcard. He has four brothers; Carl, Donald, Michael and Charles along with two sisters Debra and Carol.  He is married to Terri Foulcard and the father of Lynn, Ashley, A’Myrie and Eugene Jr.  Eugene’s paternal grandparents are the late Joseph Clayton and Louise (Porter) Foulcard. His maternal grandparents are the late Eugene and Anna (Johnson) Delasbour. Eugene is a 1984 graduate of Franklin Senior High School. He attended Southern University and A&M College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Eugene was employed at St. Mary CAA Inc as Chief Financial Officer for the past 29 years.  He also served as Chairman on the Franklin Foundation Hospital Board of Commission and currently serves as a Board Member. Eugene was elected in March 2018 as the mayor of the City of Franklin and has served in that capacity since July 1, 2018 and was recently unopposed in the 2022 qualifications. Prior to becoming mayor, he served three terms, from 2006-2018, as Franklin City Councilman for District C. While serving on the council, he served as the Chairman of the Finance Committee.  He was also the Chairman for the Franklin Home Rule Charter Committee. As Mayor of Franklin, Eugene’s focus has been the Revitalization of Franklin. His administration has been very aggressive in addressing and mitigating the blighted property within the city limits. He has also spearheaded various initiatives such as the Project Front Yard/Embrace the Space initiative, the Shop Local First-Eat Local First-Play Local First-Fuel Local First initiative. He has helped to bolster an energetic atmosphere in Franklin through Community Development events causing a major spotlight to fall upon the City from many other municipalities. Like he always says “It’s all here under the Lampposts!”  For his efforts of this Revitalization he was just chosen to receive the 2019 Virginia Tyler Guillotte Award through the St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce. Currently the Historic Downtown Franklin Pocket Park is under construction along with the Robert Jenkins, Sr. Family Pavilion at Broussard-Harris Park. His Administration was awarded the 2021 State Economic Development Project Award for the Historic Downtown Franklin Pocket Park. His Administration recently broke ground with the Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser the State of Louisiana’s only loop paddle trailhead. Eugene is a life time member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. He is also a member of St. Jules Catholic Church. Eugene enjoys reading, traveling, helping others, learning new things each day and spending lots of time with his family.

Jamila Freightman

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention High Obesity Program Program Manager, Louisiana State University AgCenter

Jamila Freightman is a public health professional with 10+ years of experience coordinating  and developing  public health programs, facilitating coalitions, and policy analysis. Currently Jamila serves as the program manager for the LSU AgCenter CDC High Obesity Program (HOP), which focuses on implementing policy, system, and environmental changes to improve the nutrition and built environment in 6 Louisiana parishes with an obesity rate of over 40%. She is also a current graduate student in the Department of Sociology at Louisiana State University, where she explores the intersection of race, class and health. Jamila also serves as the Climate and Recruitment Committee Chair for the LSU AgCenter’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, general member of Forum 225, and Recording Secretary for The Urban League of Louisiana Young Professionals-New Orleans Chapter. Her other full-time job consists of being a mother to a sweet and rambunctious 5-year-old son named Nandi.

John Gray

Musician & Educator, Continuum Music

John Gray is a musician & educator born and raised in Baton Rouge. He is a graduate of McKinley Sr High School, and an Alumnus of Southern University where he attained his Associate of Arts Degree in Jazz Studies & Louisiana Ethnic Music (2001), as well as his Bachelors Degree in Music Performance (2005). He also recently completed his Masters in Music (Jazz Studies) at LSU. As a performing artist, Gray leads two of his own bands, The JGray Jazz Trio, and The Soul Jukeboxx. He is a long time member of The Michael Foster Project, and is also a member of Delfeayo Marsalis’ Uptown Jazz Orchestra, and performs regularly with The Treme Brass Band in New Orleans. John also runs Continuum Music, LLC. A music promotion and production company started by Gray and his classmates while at Southern. John is currently the sole owner of Continuum and continues to operate as a professional musician and booking agent through this company. As an educator, John has taught at North Dale Academy, Lee High School, and The Dunham School. He is also a go-to speaker and teaching artist for various arts integrated programs and camps throughout the community. He is on the community artist roster for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, as well as the Louisiana Division of the Arts. As a professional musician and educator he is a member of several professional organizations, including the National Recording Academy, The American Federation of Musicians Union (Local 174-496), The Louisiana Music Educators Association, the Jazz Education Network, and the Baton Rouge Blues Foundation - where he serves on the board as Education Committee Chair. He is also a 2015 graduate of the Baton Rouge Chamber’s Leadership Program. John has been recognized with several awards and distinctions in his career including, the Arts Ambassador Award from The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, Top 40 Under 40 from Southern University Alumni Federation, the Role Model of the Year Award from the Baton Rouge Chapter of THE LINKS, Inc. , Teacher of the Year from the Baton Rouge Symphony, Liz Peters Master Teacher Award from The Dunham School, Louisianan of the Year by Louisiana Life Magazine, and The Legend Award from The McKinley High School Alumni Association. John is continuing his education as a doctoral Assistant at LSU’s School of Music, where he is pursuing a Ph.D in Music Education. He continues to teach and perform locally and internationally. You can keep up with his schedule by going to www.jgrayjazz.net.

Brace B. “Trey” Godfrey, III

Senior Vice President of Policy, Baton Rouge Area Chamber

Trey serves as the senior vice president of policy at BRAC. In this role, he drives regional and state-level initiatives to create a more competitive region for business growth and talent development, particularly through the organization’s public policy and government affairs activity. Additionally, Trey leads strategic coalition building for regional initiatives, including those related to education, workforce, transportation, quality of place, entrepreneurship and small businesses, criminal justice, and others. A two-time Tulane University graduate, Trey brings a background in consulting, development, organization management, government relations, and entrepreneurship to the organization. During his time at development firm Cyntreniks, he helped develop the Kress Building and Hotel Indigo in downtown Baton Rouge, and engaged in political and legislative advocacy for the company’s projects. Prior to his current role at BRAC, Trey served as the executive director of 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge. At the 100 Black Men, Trey expanded its membership and mission, including launching programs related to economic development, mentoring, entrepreneurship, and education. He has wide experience in public speaking and community and civic engagement. Trey's late father, Brace Godfrey, Jr., was the chair of BRAC’s Board of Directors in 2002.

Robert Habans

Economist, The Data Center

Robert Habans, PhD, is the economist at The Data Center of Southeast Louisiana, where he acts as a subject matter expert, advises internal colleagues and external partners on data and analysis, and leads several applied research projects, mostly focused on the economy of the New Orleans region, its workers and critical industries, and issues related to coastal and climate change. Prior to returning home to New Orleans in 2018, he was a research associate at UCLA and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Over the last decade, he's authored numerous studies on economic development, job quality and occupational segregation, and place-based inequality. Currently, he also leads projects focused on climate equity and the link between flooding and migration. He has a PhD in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a masters from UNO, and a BA from University of California, Berkeley.

Joni Hammons

Design and Implementation Manager, Center for Planning Excellence

Joni brings to the team interests in land conservation, interpretation of cultural landscapes, and public space design as an instrument of community revitalization. Prior to joining CPEX, Joni gained experience in both the public and private sectors. She worked as a Designer and Planner at Design Workshop in Austin, TX and completed internships with the National Park Service and the Cultural Landscape Foundation. She has also held leadership roles within the American Society of Landscape Architects. An Acadiana native, Joni holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy, and a Master of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University. A continued interest in narrative informs her approach to landscape design. When she’s not in the office, you can find Joni staring at plants on long walks around town, experimenting in the kitchen, or exploring the small towns of South Louisiana.

Sherreta R Harrison

Chief Sustainability Catalyst & IG Co-Lead, MetroMorphosis

A self- proclaimed non- profit warrior, Sherreta R. Harrison is doing her part to make the world a better place. Driven to create access for those who have been historically denied it, Sherreta works for equity in education, mental health, organizational leadership and community building. She currently serves as the Sustainability Catalyst for MetroMorphosis, a social change agency focused on citizen mobilization and collective action, where she explores the intersection of organizational leadership, legacy building and community change.

Cordell Haymon

CEO, Petroleum Service Corporation (Retired)

Immediate Past-Chair/Board Member, Center for Planning Excellence

Cordell Haymon is a Baton Rouge attorney and businessman. He has a B.A. in Economics from Rice University and a J.D. from the LSU Law Center. He was engaged in the active practice of law for 25 years and served as President of the Baton Rouge Bar Association and on the Board of Governors of the Louisiana State Bar Association. He is a member and past President of the Louisiana State Law Institute. Mr. Haymon has been an advocate for proactive planning and, while serving on the Board of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, chaired the committee which created a plan for the revitalization of downtown Baton Rouge (Plan Baton Rouge) in 1998.  He has also served as chair of Teach for America – South Louisiana since 2004. Mr. Haymon is married to Louisiana’s Poet Laureate Ava Leavell Haymon, has two children and three grandchildren, and attends University Presbyterian Church.

Lyneisha Jackson, AICP

Project Manager/Community Planner, Center for Planning Excellence

Lyneisha is a community planner who brings nine years of private sector experience, ranging between transportation, housing, and community planning and development to CPEX. Lyneisha’s expertise includes data analysis, community planning and outreach, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Lyneisha holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Environmental Design from Morgan State University, a Master of Community Planning from University of Maryland, College Park, and a GIS certificate from University of New Orleans. Lyneisha is an AICP certified planner and is a board member of the American Planning Association Metro Chapter and the Scotlandville Community Development Corporation. In her spare time, Lyneisha is an avid salsa dancer, and she enjoys reading, gardening, and spending afternoons in the park with her pup Bailey.

Pamela Jenkins, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus, The University of New Orleans

Pamela Jenkins is a Research Professor of Sociology and faculty in the Women’s Studies Program at the University of New Orleans. She is a founding faculty member of UNO’s Center for Hazard Assessment, Response and Technology (CHART). Before Katrina, her research interests were diverse but focused on how communities respond to a variety of problems. Her research interests post-Katrina include documenting the response to Katrina as part of a national research team on Hurricane Katrina evacuees. She has published on first responders, faith-based communities’ response to the storm, and the experiences of elderly during and after Katrina. Throughout her career, she has evaluated a number of national and local efforts focused on community sustainability. At a community level, she is involved in several projects that work directly with best practice for violence prevention, including domestic and community violence.

Tanner A. Johnson

Policy Counsel, Van Ness Feldman, LLP

Tanner has worked for more than two decades on natural resource conservation and ecosystem restoration policy at the federal, state, and local levels. After earning his law degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University, Tanner developed a focus on Louisiana’s imperiled coast in public service as Legislative Director to U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu and aide to Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco.  His work in these positions contributed to the development and unanimous adoption of Louisiana’s 2007 Coastal Master Plan, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) and the RESTORE Act. As Policy Counsel at Van Ness Feldman, LLP, Tanner helps clients with issues related to conservation, climate change, federal energy policy, disaster resiliency, adaptation, coastal and wetlands restoration, as well as other environmental and natural resources policy issues. Prior to joining the VNF, Tanner worked at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and managed the $2.5 billion Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, a grant fund resulting from the BP oil spill which in part funds coastal restoration efforts in Louisiana, where lead the distribution of over $1 billion of these funds to projects along the coast in Louisiana and Texas.

Jessica McKelvie Kemp, PhD

Vice President, Center for Planning Excellence

As Vice President, Jessica provides leadership across various spheres of influence to further the organization’s mission and resource development efforts.  She is responsible for supporting the CEO in setting the strategic course for the organization; overseeing progress towards strategic goals in all program areas, including membership and communications; supporting staff development; and helping the CEO to build and maintain relationships and partnerships in support of the CPEX mission. Jessica’s professional and academic career has been focused on research, communications, fund development and social justice philanthropy. Before coming to CPEX in 2013, Jessica served as Vice President of Communications for the Foundation for Louisiana where she led communications, outreach, and fund development efforts to advance programs and policies for community-driven economic development, affordable housing, and capacity building for grassroots leadership. Jessica completed a Ph.D. in English at Louisiana State University; a M.A. in English from the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York; and a B.A. in English from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. She is a lifelong fellow of the Effective Leadership Program, a joint endeavor of Duke University, Southern University and the University of Cape Town to cultivate leaders committed to social justice in Louisiana and South Africa.

Justin Kozak, Ph.D.

Consultant

Bio coming soon.

Melissa S. Lee

Director of Planning & Engagement, Concordia LLC

Melissa S. Lee is the Director of Planning and Community Engagement at Concordia. She is an urban planner, community organizer, social alchemist and reformed public servant, steeped in the certainty that anything is possible when radical imagination pairs with action. She co-leads an integrated team of planners, designers and technical experts in the completion of community engagement, planning and facilitation activities at Concordia. As an experienced urban redevelopment professional and solutions-focused administrator with a comprehensive background in neighborhood economic development, community organizing, and urban planning, Melissa has over 20 years of experience shepherding socially innovative programs across the country from inception to completion. Her previous work experience includes serving on executive teams to advance program strategy and project implementation related to Federal Disaster Community Development Block (D-CDBG) investment initiatives; strategic planning processes with a collation of 25 not-for-profits to establish a unified neighborhood development agenda based on the framework of Results Based Accountability (RBA); a City led neighborhood economic development investment strategy; and the Lower Manhattan Small Business and Workforce Retention Program aiding in the September 11th recovery. Melissa envisions equitable planning and development more than buzzwords. She is committed to making planning more responsive to quality of life demands of all populations, developing new tools for understanding how social and economic conditions affect access across racial and socioeconomic disparities, and diversifying the involvement of those participating in planning processes.

Mike Lydon

Principal/Co-Founder, Street Plans

Internationally recognized planner, writer, speaker, and advocate for livable cities, Mike Lydon, is a founding Principal of The Street Plans Collaborative – an urban planning, design, and advocacy firm working to create successful public spaces and increase the effectiveness of active transportation as a means to creating more competitive and sustainable 21st century towns and cities. Lydon’s work has appeared in or been featured by NPR, The New York Times, CNN Headline News, Planetizen, Monocle, Fast Company, Next American City, Streetsblog, and a number of other national and local publications, and in 2018, he was named by Planetizen as one of the top 100 most influential urbanists of all-time. Mike Lydon will share his extensive experience and expertise in smart growth planning, tactical urbanism implementation, and complete streets/active transportation.

Camille Manning-Broome

President/CEO, Center for Planning Excellence

A native Louisianan, Camille Manning-Broome is internationally recognized for her expertise in resilience and adaptation planning. Her leadership on issues of land loss, coastal community sustainability, climate change resilience and adaptation as well as resident-led community planning has contributed to the transformation of cities, towns and parishes throughout Louisiana and has created knowledge of interest to peers throughout the U.S. and the globe, from South Africa to Scotland to Denmark. As President and CEO, Camille oversees CPEX’s multidisciplinary team as they develop plans and provide technical assistance, data and research, policy guidance, communications support, and thought leadership to communities seeking to make thoughtful decisions about how they develop and grow. Camille’s prior career experience includes work in nonprofit, private and government sectors. After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, she was among the first planners on the ground, working across 36 parishes to develop the Louisiana Speaks regional plan.  She served as Assistant Deputy of Operations for FEMA’s Long-Term Community Recovery group and was later recruited to the Shaw Group where she co-authored Louisiana’s first Coastal Master Plan. She has also attended Congressional delegation trips to the Netherlands and Japan to study water and disaster management.

George Marks

Programming Team Leader, NUNU Arts and Culture Collective

George Marks is an award-winning contemporary visual artist and social sculptor living and working in the Arnaudville-Deux Bayous Cultural District in Louisiana. He attended Louisiana State University, where he received a bachelor's degree in fine art. Marks is a seminal member and outspoken advocate of Louisiana's culture and arts scene, co-founder and past president and director of NUNU Arts and Culture Collective where he currently manages programming. He is also the co-founder of the Arnaudville-Deux Bayous Cultural District and Corridor des Arts.

Kim Marousek

Director of Planning, Center for Planning Excellence

Kim has 28 years of community planning experience at the regional, parish, municipal and neighborhood scales. She has specialized in working with local governments, leading community planning efforts, and finding creative solutions to address local issues.  She also has experience in post disaster recovery and long-term community resilience building.  Understanding local values and goals while also considering big ideas underpin the approach that she takes when working with local communities. Kim has worked in the Capital Region for the past eight years and in Louisiana for 15 years.  Prior to moving to Louisiana, Kim was a community planner in Washington state for 13 years.

Louis Michot

Founder, Nouveau Electric Records

Louis Michot is best known as the fiddle player and lead-singer for the Grammy award winning Lost Bayou Ramblers, but his passion for Louisiana French and local folklore are what fuels his career as a musician. He was born and raised in South Louisiana, and started playing Cajun music on the stand-up bass at age 14, replacing his Uncle David Michot, in the world traveled group of his father and uncles, Les Freres Michot. He picked up the fiddle at age 19 and started the Lost Bayou Ramblers with his brother Andre Michot. Louis took to learning his ancestral language of French by traveling throughout French Canada, by learning from Cajun French speakers at home in south Louisiana, and by singing the endless repertoire of Cajun French music. In 2012 Louis’ violin and vocal work was the main feature for the Oscar nominated film Beasts of the Southern Wild.

Andreanecia M. Morris

Executive Director, HousingNOLA

Andreanecia M. Morris serves as the Executive Director for HousingNOLA, a 10-year public private partnership working to end housing insecurity in New Orleans.  After Hurricane Katrina, Morris implemented programs that created over 500 first time homebuyers, secured $104.5 million soft second subsidy for Metro New Orleans and provided supportive services for approximately 5,000 households—homeowners who were struggling to rebuild and renters who required wrap-around services.  Morris also serves as President of the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance (GNOHA) the region’s housing alliance—after Katrina, GNOHA’s members and partners were responsible for creating over 88,000 housing opportunities. For leading HousingNOLA’s efforts, Gambit Weekly named Morris 2017 New Orleanian of the Year and as a part of celebrations around New Orleans' historic tricentennial anniversary in 2018, JP Morgan Chase partnered with NOLA.com to name Morris one of 12 "Icons of New Orleans” as part of its 300 for 300 campaign. In 2021, Consumer Federation of America (CFA) named her one its five Consumer Champions.

Pierre Moses

President, 127 Energy

Pierre has been working in clean energy finance and project development for 15 years and leads company operations as President of 127 Energy. 127 Energy's focus includes public and private portfolios of distributed renewable generation assets and commercial-scale solar plus storage microgrids. Prior to 127 Energy, Pierre worked at private equity and transaction advisory firms helping infrastructure investors source, underwrite, and execute solar PV and energy storage investments. Early in his career, Pierre was the founder and director of Make It Right Solar, a for-profit subsidiary of Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation where he structured and completed more than 250 solar PV projects, of which 130 were certified LEED Platinum. Pierre holds a BS from the College of Charleston and an MBA from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business where he's an adjunct professor and board member of the Tulane Energy Institute.

Fred Neal Jr., AICP

Director of Planning, Villavaso and Associates

Commissioner, New Orleans Regional Transit Authority

Fred Neal Jr., AICP is Director of Planning with Villavaso and Associates and a member of the Board of Commissioners at the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority where he serves as chair of the Operations and Administration Committee and board liaison to the Riders Advisory Committee. Additionally, Fred is an Adjunct Professor at Tulane University in School of Architecture's Master of Sustainable Real Estate Development (SRED) program. Fred was a founding member of RIDE New Orleans, an organization that advocates for world class and equitable public transportation in New Orleans, and serves as a Trustee at TransitCenter, a national foundation that works to improve public transit in communities across the U.S. Fred lives in the historic New Orleans Central City neighborhood and uses the 57 and 91 buses, the St. Charles Streetcar, bike share and personal bike for many of his daily trips.

Brian Nunes

Transportation Alternatives Program Manager, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development

Brian Nunes is a licensed professional engineer with 20 years of experience in the private sector, Parish Government, and State Government.  For the past five years, Brian has worked for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development where he has served as the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Manager for the State of Louisiana.  During that time, he has been responsible for the project development and funding of over one hundred bicycle and pedestrian projects throughout the state benefitting communities of all sizes.  Prior to his time at DOTD, he served as the Public Works Director for St. John the Baptist Parish.  Brian lives in the City of Central in East Baton Rouge Parish with his wife Jennifer and four dogs, Abigail, Axle, Annie, and Atticus.

Beth Osborne

Vice President for Transportation and Thriving Communities, Smart Growth America

Beth Osborne is the Director of the Transportation and Thriving Communities Team at Smart Growth America, a national nonprofit focused on the way communities are built and believes that no matter where you live, or who you are, you should enjoy living in a place that is healthy, prosperous, and resilient. Beth previously worked at the U.S. Department of Transportation, where she served as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, managing the TIGER Discretionary Grant program and the Secretary’s livability initiative, and the development of policy proposals for the department. Before joining DOT, Beth worked for Sen. Tom Carper (DE) as an advisor for transportation, trade and labor policy, as the policy director for Smart Growth America and as legislative director for environmental policy at the Southern Governors’ Association. She began her career in Washington, DC, in the House of Representatives working as a legislative assistant for Rep. Ron Klink (PA-04) and as legislative director for Rep. Brian Baird (WA-03).

Elder Chief Shirell Parfait-Dardar

Environmental and Human Rights Advocate and Cultural Preservationist, Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw

Elder Chief Shirell is the former Active Traditional Tribal Chief of the Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw, an Ordained Minister of the Universal Life Church, an Independent Artist/small business owner, becoming the first Native American business owner in the Historic Downtown District of Houma, LA. She is one of the founding members of the First People’s Conservation Council of Louisiana and is currently seated as the Secretary. She was also one of the advisors to LA H.B.660 – Act #102, establishing the Native American Commission and was elected the first Native American Chairwoman of the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs Native American Commission. Much of Shirell’s working hours are dedicated to Tribal Federal Acknowledgement efforts and serving her Tribal Citizens and the Community Residents within her Tribal Territory in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. She is an active advocate for coastal restoration and preservation, development and utilization of alternative energy sources, community resiliency, education and human rights. Her favorite quote is an ancient American Indian proverb: “Make mine enemy brave and strong, so that if defeated, I will not be ashamed.”

April Renard, P.E., PTOE, RSP21

Principal & Owner, Grey Engineering

April spent the majority of her career working for state government but some in private consulting firms small and large. She graduated from Louisiana State University in Civil Engineering, acquired her professional license to practice shortly after, and has over 16 years of experience in the transportation field with a focus on traffic and safety. Most recently she started her own firm, Grey Engineering, with a specific goal of providing technical assistance to small communities who need help implementing complete streets. If you have a state highway dividing your community, you need Grey…because as most who deal with implementing complete streets on state highways know, it’s rarely just black and white. April has lived in Texas, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Louisiana and currently resides in Greenwell Springs with her 3 children. She also has too many pets, an expanding garden, and loves to make wine.

Jennifer Ruley, P.E.

Mobility and Safety Division Manager, City of New Orleans Dept. of Public Works

Jennifer Ruley is the Mobility and Safety Division Manager for the City of New Orleans Department of Public Works. The focus of this newly formed division is to ensure multimodal design in street projects that improves mobility options and increases safety for people walking, bicycling, accessing transit, and driving. Her team leads highly collaborative projects including Moving New Orleans Bikes, which will result in the accelerated build-out of connected high quality bikeways. Ms. Ruley brings a diverse background in public, private, and the non-profit sectors and experience in the fields of engineering, public health, and transportation planning.

Liz Russell

Louisiana State Director, Environmental Defense Fund

Liz Russell is the Louisiana State Director at Environmental Defense Fund. She leads the development and implementation of political and advocacy strategies that move to stabilize the global climate, build defenses against extreme weather, and reduce exposure to air pollution and toxic chemicals. Liz defines Louisiana-based political and policy objectives and works to design and implement strategies for effective state and federal policy engagement to improve outcomes for Louisianans. Prior to her current role at EDF, Liz was the Climate Justice Program Director at Foundation for Louisiana, working to build people power, advance just policies, and cultivate new narratives in support of economic opportunity, environmental justice, and equitable development. Her previous experience coastal planning and architectural design cultivated an explicit, nuanced understanding of the ways that disparities are solidified within the built environment, even as a changing climate heightens inequality. As a New Orleans native with deep roots in Louisiana, Liz is no stranger to disaster. She interrogates the ways that land use, planning, and development solidify inequities, allowing tremendous variations in investment, social services, real estate valuation, criminalization, and access. She is committed to rooting out injustice and bringing about a more healthy, just, and vibrant Louisiana. With a background in architecture and experience in landscape and urban design, her design and implementation proficiencies range from fabrication and construction detailing to community engagement, ecological design, and future planning. Liz has held a range of academic positions, having taught within the School of Architecture at Louisiana State University, the Department of Architecture and Landscape within the University of Greenwich in London, London College of Contemporary Art, and Birmingham City University.

Ashley Shelton

Executive Director, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice

Board Member, Center for Planning Excellence

Ashley K. Shelton is the Executive Director of the Power Coalition, a spin off organization of One Voice. As the Louisiana Director of One Voice, She led a series of coordinated campaigns and anchored and supported the development of the 501c3 table that is now the Power Coalition. The Power Coalition serves as a catalyst for real collaborative work between policy and community organizing groups. The Power Coalition uses a broad-based strategy that combines base building, popular education, and organizing all while increasing the capacity of community based organizations throughout the state to sustain and hold the work. She also was the former Vice President of Programs at the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation (LDRF), now the Foundation for Louisiana. In the fight for an equitable and inclusive recovery for the Gulf Coast it remains clear that much work needs to be done at the state level to achieve equity and inclusion for Louisiana's most vulnerable and marginalized populations. In her role at the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation, Ms. Shelton managed a 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. In her role at LDRF, she designed, initiated and coordinated a comprehensive policy strategy, which led to a systemic, multi-pronged approach to equitable policy development on a local, state and national level. Utilized a participatory model that engaged local, state, and national partnerships to develop and nurture civic engagement throughout the state. Ms. Shelton provided leadership, and key philanthropic knowledge of Louisiana based nonprofits to put more than 8,000 families back into homes and restore more than 4,000 small businesses after 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.

Gretchen Siemers, AICP

Vice President, Policy & Planning, Build Baton Rouge

Gretchen serves as the Director of Planning and Special Projects responsible for our urban planning-related programs and place-based initiatives. Prior to joining BBR, she worked at Kaiser Permanente as a Corporate Real Estate Land Use Manager responsible for the land use and property entitlements for the company’s over 1000 building portfolio. With over 15 years of community development experience, Gretchen has worked for Los Angeles County as a Planner and the City of Los Angeles as a Project Consultant providing the best practices for urban planning and real estate. She is a New Orleans native and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Arizona and a Master of Planning from the University of Southern California. She holds an American Institute of Certified Planners credential.

Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP

Principal, McAdams

Mitchell is a principal with McAdams, a land planning and design company. He is responsible for providing advisory services in urban planning, parks and public space planning. He is an award-winning planner with more than 35 years of experience and is internationally recognized for his leadership and contributions to contemporary planning issues. Mitchell is one of the nation’s most celebrated urban thinkers. In 2017, he was selected to Planetizen’s list of the 100 Most Influential Urbanists in the world. He specializes in comprehensive planning, placemaking and implementation strategies. Known by his colleagues as a passionate communicator, creative thinker, problem-solver and visionary leader, Mitchell Silver has been at the center of many cutting-edge trends, innovative solutions and visionary plans. Prior to joining McAdams, Mitchell served as the commissioner for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation; Chief Planning Officer in Raleigh, NC and served as president of the American Planning Association. He is currently president of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Chancelier “Xero” Skidmore

Freelance Poet, Actor, Musician, Teacher

Chancelier ‘Xero’ Skidmore is a poet, educator and organizer from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He has been ranked twice among the top five slam poets in the United States at the Individual World Poetry Slam Festival, ranking 3rd in 2010 and 1st in 2013. You can find his work published in the anthology, Spoken Word Revolution Redux by Sourcebooks mediaFusion and the Spring 2010 volume of the New Delta Review by LSU Press. Xero teaches poetry to teens in Baton Rouge and its surrounding areas through Forward Arts.

John Spain

Executive Vice President, Baton Rouge Area Foundation

John Spain is the Executive Vice President of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. The Foundation is a non-profit community foundation with assets of over $650 million dollars.  The Foundation provides charitable gifts to organizations and is involved in civic projects in the areas of health care, urban renewal projects, education, and the arts. In his role as Executive Vice President he oversees the foundation’s community projects. John also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Southern Rail Commission where he has worked to restore passenger rail service along the gulf coast, including between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Prior to moving to the Foundation, John was the Managing Director of The Powell Group, a private holding company with thirteen diverse subsidiary companies including radio stations, commercial timber, rice milling and international power plants and real-estate development. John started his professional career in the field of broadcasting and worked at WBRZ-TV, the ABC affiliate in Baton Rouge for 23 years where he served as its News Director and Station Manager.

Ebony Starks

Vice President, Place-Based Initiatives, Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation

Ebony joined the Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation in March 2022, where she serves as the Vice President of Place-Based programs. She brings with her nearly 15 years of experience in nonprofit management, fundraising and philanthropy. She is a vocal advocate who works to identify the resources needed for families and communities to thrive. Her career has garnered a unique blend of experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Previously, Ebony served as the Southeast Regional Director of Development for the global nonprofit Facing History and Ourselves. Prior to that role, she served as the Executive Director of the Gwinnett Tech Foundation, leading institutional advancement efforts and garnering support for students and programs. A native of Colorado, Ebony earned her BA in Political Science from Howard University and an MS in Urban Policy Studies from Georgia State University. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and is passionate about social justice and economic empowerment. Since relocating from Atlanta, she is a new resident of Baton Rouge and enjoys spending time with her husband and sons.

Elizabeth “Boo” Thomas

Founder & President Emerita, Center for Planning Excellence

Well-versed in community-driven land use planning and implementation, Thomas has led successful revitalization efforts across the region since obtaining her Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from LSU. Serving as the founding CEO of the Center for Planning Excellence (CPEX), Thomas has been an advocate for smart growth in Louisiana throughout her career. Prior to the founding of CPEX in 2006, Thomas led Plan Baton Rouge, the revitalization of the downtown area, and was the founding Executive Director of the Mid City Redevelopment Alliance. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, she led CPEX in facilitating the Louisiana Speaks recovery process, which was the largest planning effort ever undertaken in Louisiana and set national records for public participation. The process resulted in the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan, a comprehensive plan created through the participation of over 27,000 South Louisiana residents. Under Thomas’ leadership, CPEX worked in more than 25 parishes and cities CPEX’s planning efforts in communities and parishes across the state. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to Louisiana, Thomas has been honored by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, the YMCA, the Baton Rouge Business Report, LSU, Forum 35 and the Louisiana Architecture Foundation. In September 2009, Thomas and CPEX were awarded the Olmsted Medal by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) for “incredible leadership and set the standard for bringing community members and leaders together to work toward a shared vision for future growth and development.” One year later, Thomas became the second woman in Louisiana named to the American Society of Landscape Architects’ National Council of Fellows, one of the highest honors the organization can bestow on an individual. She also received the John W. Barton Excellence in Nonprofit Management Award from the Baton Rouge Area Foundation.

Michael Tipton

President, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation

Fifteen years ago, Michael Tipton was teaching high school history in the South Bronx, an experience that cemented his commitment to making the world better for the next generation. Since returning home to Louisiana in 2007, Michael has lived that commitment by leading growth and change for some of the state’s leading organizations in education and health.  As the executive director for Teach for America in South Louisiana, he led a team that grew fundraising from $650,000 to more than $3.7 million and graduated over 400 alumni, many of whom are now serving as non-profit and policy leaders. In 2015, Michael joined the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation as its president, where he manages a $50 million endowment and grantmaking programs to improve the wellness and wellbeing of children and communities across Louisiana. Michael is also the head of Community Relations for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, where he oversees corporate giving of more than $1 million annually and supports volunteer efforts for the company’s 2,500 Louisiana-based employees. During Michael’s tenure, employee-led community impact has grown and diversified substantially. As two examples, in 2020 Blue Cross employees gave more than 45,000+ hours of community service and for this was named the United States’ Volunteer Leader. In 2020 & 2021 Blue Cross launched a new state-wide platform with the Taproot Foundation allowing volunteers to leverage skills in support of non-profit projects. This was a first-of-its-kind effort and one that is now being replicated elsewhere in the United States. For these and other efforts Blue Cross has been named the Corporate Volunteer Champion (2017, Volunteer Louisiana), been given the Torch Award for Ethics in Business (2018, Better Business Bureau), has been named to the Points of Light Foundation’s Civic 50 Award, highlighting the most community-minded businesses in the United States, for the last 4 years (2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022) and been honored as the Volunteer Leader in the United States in 2021. Blue Cross and the Foundation have also launched numerous high-impact projects and programs during Michael’s tenure, including the launch of Blue Bikes New Orleans, grants to enable Ruston to become Louisiana first walkable city and collaborative efforts like the Louisiana Health Fellows and the Louisiana Funder Collaboration to share ideas and best practices. Most recently the Foundation launched a $15M Disaster Relief Grant Fund, supporting both COVID-19 and Hurricane related response throughout 2020 & 2021. These investments make the Blue Cross Foundation the top, Louisiana-based grant maker in response and recovery over the last two years. Tipton is a native of Louisiana and graduate of LSU with dual degrees in political science and history. He earned his master’s degree in teaching from Pace University in New York and is the recipient of numerous community honors, including being named as LSU’s Young Alumnus of the Year. He is an alum Leadership Baton Rouge and Leadership Louisiana and serves on the boards of the Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL) and Philanthropy Southeast among others. Michael and his wife Sarah have two children, Alexander and Eleanor.

Christopher Tyson

President, National Community Stabilization Trust

Christopher J. Tyson is President of the National Community Stabilization Trust (NCST) and leads NCST’s efforts to expand the supply of affordable, single family homes to stabilize neighborhoods, build community wealth, and advance racial equity. For more than a decade NCST has been a trusted intermediary for responsible, locally-based buyers and developers who acquire and rehabilitate homes to create affordable homeownership opportunities. NCST has facilitated the transfer of over 28,000 properties, aggregates financial resources, and builds local capacity to expand, preserve, and rehabilitate single family housing. NCST also advances affordable homeownership through policy advocacy and supporting practitioner-led efforts. Prior to NCST Christopher served as the President and CEO of Build Baton Rouge, where he led the agency’s revival and raised more than $50 million to support equitable development in the Baton Rouge region. He was also the Newman Trowbridge Distinguished Professor of Law at the LSU Law Center. Christopher serves on the Baton Rouge General Medical Center Board of Directors and the Howard University Board of Trustees. His published works have appeared in numerous academic and editorial journals, including the New York Times and the Harvard Journal on Racial & Ethnic Justice. He holds degrees in architecture, public policy, and law from Howard University, the Harvard Kennedy School, and Georgetown University, respectively.

Rob Verchick

Professor of Law, Loyola University New Orleans

Rob Verchick is a leading climate law scholar who designed and implemented climate-resilience policies in the Obama administration. He holds the Gauthier-St. Martin Chair in Environmental Law at Loyola University New Orleans, is a senior fellow in Disaster Resilience at Tulane University, and serves as president of the Center for Progressive Reform. Verchick is the author of four books and host of the podcast “Connect the Dots.” Visit his website at www.robverchick.com.

David Whitley

Planning & Urban Design Manager, Center for Planning Excellence

David has a background in urban planning, urban design, public policy, and development-related disciplines. He has over 20 years of experience in developing long-range plans and urban design strategies; drafting code amendments; planning and implementing capital projects; and managing economic development tools. In both the public and private sectors, David’s work advances innovative planning practices that improve the built environment; evaluates municipal policies and business processes through the lens of fostering more vibrant cities; and capitalizes on strategic opportunities to create unique and enduring places. His prior work includes leading an urban design studio for the City of Dallas and developing plans and ordinances throughout Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana—including the City of Gonzales, as well as Ascension and St. John the Baptist Parishes. David’s practice has evolved to have an increasing emphasis on the connection between the built environment and human health, including managing capital improvements that address environmental conditions to improve both physical health and mental well-being. David holds a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Regional Planning from Cornell University.

Sam Zimbabwe

Practice Builder, Kimley-Horn

Sam Zimbabwe has spent more than 20 years supporting equitable cities in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. He works at the neighborhood, citywide, and regional scales on transformative infrastructure investments and policies that reshape transportation choices for communities. Prior to joining Kimley-Horn in March of 2022, Sam was Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation and Chief Project Delivery Officer for the District Department of Transportation in Washington, DC. In both roles he was responsible for leading the public investments and programs to support people walking, riding bikes, and taking transit. Earlier in his career, at the Center for Transit-Oriented Development, Sam led regional transit-oriented development strategies and advocated for Federal and state policies to support transit and TOD. Sam lives in Seattle with his wife and two children, coaches youth soccer and softball, and serves on the Board of the Transportation Choices Coalition.