Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans honored with Innovative Agency of the Year award

Written By Alicia Vial

NEW ORLEANS – Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans was recently recognized as the Innovative Agency of the Year, receiving the inaugural award at the Travelers Aid International National Conference on Sept. 19. This recognition, presented by Peter Lauten, Director of Partnerships at Travelers Aid International, honors Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans for its creative solutions in addressing homelessness and housing instability in New Orleans.

The Innovative Agency of the Year award was created by Travelers Aid International in 2024 to recognize organizations that implement groundbreaking programs to meet the specific needs of their communities. All 31 Travelers Aid International member agencies, including those from the U.S., Canada and Australia, were considered for this award. However, Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans was selected for its exceptional efforts in expanding homelessness outreach and launching an innovative tiny home housing partnership with Tulane University and Louvis Services, providing housing and support to vulnerable populations.

“We are incredibly honored to receive this award,” said Donna Paramore, CEO of Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans. “It reflects our team’s commitment to finding meaningful and sustainable solutions for our community. The homelessness outreach and tiny home initiative have allowed us to make significant strides in providing not only shelter but hope for individuals in need.”

Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans was chosen by the Travelers Aid International leadership team as the first, inaugural recipient of this award.

For more than 115 years, Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans has been working to end homelessness by acknowledging the harmful systems that contribute to homelessness and housing insecurity in greater New Orleans. The organization aims to recognize and work against racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism and other forms of discrimination that impact housing access. Travelers Aid Society strives to keep learning, listening, adapting and advocating in order to achieve just outcomes for those that need it most.

For more information about the Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans and its programs, please visit travelersaidsociety.org.

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About Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans
Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans is a 501 (c)(3) organization that works to end homelessness. Its vision is for New Orleans to be a place where everyone has a safe place to call home. Travelers Aid Society acknowledges the harmful systems that contribute to homelessness and housing insecurity. The organization aims to recognize and work against racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism and other forms of discrimination that impact housing access. Travelers Aid Society strives to keep learning, listening, adapting and advocating in order to achieve just outcomes for those that need it most.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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