News and Updates

WHAT NEW ORLEANS NEIGHBORHOOD DO YOU LIVE IN? / WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? 

I live Uptown in the Carrollton area with my husband and kids.  I am not from New Orleans, I was born and raised in MS but came to New Orleans for college over 20 years ago and met my husband here.

DESCRIBE YOUR JOB TO US! 

I am the Director of Community Outreach and Special Projects for City Council President Helena Moreno.  A good portion of my job involves helping to resolve constituent issues, but also being engaged in the community.  I also sometimes represent the Councilmember at community events as well as attend events with her.  I feel like a big part of my job is just knowing who people are and what is going on. 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH.  

I went to college with plans of going to medical school and becoming a pediatrician.  It wasn't very long into my Freshman year at Dillard University when I realized maybe that wasn't the right choice for me.  I eventually changed my major to English but had an interest in public relations because I love social interaction.  I remember my Junior year in college I watched a debate between two women that were running for a United States Senate seat from Louisiana.  Not being from LA it wasn't something I was invested in 100% but I watched and listened to a candidate by the name of Mary Landrieu and heard the passion in her voice and said to myself that one day I would work for a woman like that.  She won the election and became the first woman elected to a full term as the US Senate from Louisiana.  Fast forward to the year after I graduated from Dillard, I interviewed for a position in Senator Landrieu's office.  I didn't get the job...immediately.  I was later hired to work in Senator Landrieu's New Orleans office where I stayed for the next 13 years.  After taking some time off to be with my family, I went to work for Mayor Mitchell Landrieu in his Neighborhood Engagement Office where I stayed until the end of his term.  At that point I went on to accept this position with newly elected councilmember Helena Moreno, and the rest continues to write itself.

WHAT ASPECTS OF YOUR JOB DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST? 

I am a very social person and being able to interact with the community is the best part of my job.  I like problem solving and helping people, but I also like to just be able to celebrate the best things about this city.

WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FIND TO BE THE GREATEST IN YOUR ROLE?  

We are a city of lots of complex issues and sometimes not being able to find an immediate resolve can be challenging.  During the pandemic the biggest challenge was just a lack of interaction.  Not being able to go out to personally address an issue or to sit down and work with community leaders was very difficult and forced us all to find other ways to work together.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT NEW ORLEANS? 

THE PEOPLE.  I don't care where you go or what you do, the people of this city are like no other.  You will never meet a stranger here!  We are strong and resilient, we love and we love hard, we find ways to make things work when anyone else would have given up and walked away.  We know what matters and we fight for it.