NORLI Announces the Class of 2021
Leaders gain skills, knowledge, and relationships to better serve the GNO Region
NEW ORLEANS, LA. (Oct. 14, 2020) — Building upon its 20 year legacy of educating and connecting leaders from the 10 Parishes of Southeast Louisiana, the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute (NORLI) recently selected 50 business and civic leaders who have been named to the 2020-2021 Regional Leadership Program class. Drawing from some of the most dynamic and influential leaders in Southeast Louisiana, the class represents a broad cross section of perspectives and experiences in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Through its Regional Leadership Program, NORLI provides a nine-month intensive training program for emerging and established community leaders that not only enhances the participants’ civic understanding, but also encourages deliberate and meaningful dialogue and collaborative leadership around Regional concerns.
“Every year, we set the stage for catalytic conversations around the issues that most impact business and the community in the Greater New Orleans Region,” said NORLI Chair Patty Riddlebarger. “And every year, it is the class and our alumni who drive those conversations into awareness and action. We believe in people, and we believe that with good leadership, we can make Louisiana a better place to do business and to have a family. The Class of 2021 joins in that rich legacy and mission.”
Despite the various challenges that 2020 has presented to organizations and businesses across the state, NORLI Executive Director Stephen Reuther is bullish on this year’s class. “The strength of our program lies in our ability to connect individuals through experiential learning opportunities. In assessing the delivery of our program for this year, we’ve been able to put together some elegant solutions that include a variety of in-person and virtual platforms with a digital resource guide for enhanced engagement and understanding around our focus areas. Combine that planning with an increased desire to delve deeper into key national and local issues like coronavirus impacts, racial injustice, and workforce development, and I believe we can create an environment for elucidating and transformative discussions.”
The new class will kick off its program year with an opening retreat in November. Subsequent sessions will include discussions centered on public policy, education, economic development, diversity and equity, criminal justice, environment and sustainability, healthcare and more.
Members of the Class of 2021 include:
Kristen Amond, Mills & Amond LLP
Liljana Baddour, Louisiana Department of Health Office of Public Health
Kenn Barnes, Louisiana Supreme Court
Katy Bodin, Ochsner Health System
Leigh Ann Bogran, LCMC Health
Greg Booth, Postlethwaite & Netterville, APAC
Shannon Brice, Richard’s Disposal Inc.
Jason Burt, Volunteers of America, Southeast Louisiana
Damon Carraby
Anthony Carter, Downtown Development District of the City of New Orleans
Lawrence Counts, Concentra Medical Center
Peter Davis, Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative
Michael DeGruy, Ryan Gootee General Contractors, LLC
Emily Dowsett, Gambel Communications
Jason Doyle, The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival & Foundation, Inc.
Tim Duncan, University of New Orleans
Christopher Encardes, Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic, New Orleans
Giti Farudi, Xavier University of Louisiana
Darik Fernandez, Domain Companies
Kelsey Foster, Algiers Economic Development Foundation
Alfred Galindo, Entergy Louisiana LLC
Ashley Garcia, Brian Gibbs Property Management
Gerard Gaudet, Adams and Reese LLP
Sorbrique Grant, Center for Resilience
Valerie Grubb, Val Grubb & Associates, Ltd.
Kate Henry, Renaissance Publishing
Ashley Hilsman, New Orleans Chamber of Commerce
Kimberly Hollard, Providence Community Housing
Katie Klibert, REV Broadband - RTC | EATEL | Vision | VENYU
Jennifer Kogos, Jones Walker LLP
Tyshara (Shar) Lawson, Microsoft
Ileana Ledet, Greater New Orleans, Inc.
Afina Lockhart, College Track New Orleans
Paul Matthews, Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District
Ondina Mendoza, GP Strategies Corporation
Kathleen Milligan, New Orleans Business Alliance
Jeremy Mipro, Wells Fargo
Charles Neyrey, M2 Studio
Alexis Parent-Ferrouillet, Delgado Community College
Jacob Raymond, Community Sailing New Orleans, Inc.
Natasha Richardson, Children’s Hospital
Christian Rodriguez, EskewDumezRipple
Erica Rogers, Braveheart Foundation
Brandon Smith, Flexicrew Technical Services
Jennifer Snape, Batture, LLC
Jessica Styons, State Library of Louisiana
John Wachter, Edward Jones
Kimiyo Williams, K.H. Williams Enterprises, Inc.
Clifton Worley, IBERIABANK
Ray Zabala, Mathes Brierre Architects, LLC
For more information about NORLI, please visit norli.org.