Meet the ARPA Team

The New Orleans ARPA Implementation team was established in Fall 2023 to ensure $387,523,048 from the U.S. Treasury is spent in full compliance with federal guidelines and to support departments in spending their ARPA allocations. The Office is responsible for providing technical support and guidance to support all city departments and subrecipients that received funds from SLFRF. Our mission is to ensure a strong, resilient, and equitable recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic by making investments that support long-term growth and opportunity to ensure a prosperous future for the city of New Orleans. 

Implementation Team

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    T Diamond, Director
     

    Dr. Diamond is a seasoned portfolio, program and project management, as well as public administration professional with over a decade of experience leading complex programs and strategic initiatives. A certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Project Management Office Practitioner, LEAN continuous improvement practitioner, and Certified Agile Leader, she has driven impactful results in both public and private sectors, with expertise spanning portfolio management, continuous improvement, and community engagement. Tricia holds advanced degrees in educational administration and aerospace engineering, complemented by studies in mathematics and English, enabling her to apply analytical and innovative approaches to solve complex challenges.

    Her commitment to community is evident in her past service on  the National League of Cities’ Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (2024). She has also served as the Past President of the Evergreen Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration. Her leadership roles in County governance and municipalities  highlight her strengths in team development, regulatory compliance, and performance management.

    In addition to her public administration work, she led Diamond Educational Consultants, which offered STEM curriculum development and consulting to support student achievement and career growth. Her focus on workforce and professional development in the aerospace sector underscores her dedication to sustainable, community-centered solutions.

  • Michal Mackie

    Michal Mackie
    Infrastructure Project Manager Supervisor

    Michal G. Mackie was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She recently moved to New Orleans with her husband. She has worked as a project manager on a variety of capital improvement programs and government project for the past 8 years.

  • Michal Mackie

    Christianna Kooney
    Infrastructure Project Manager Supervisor

    Christianna Kooney moved to the New Orleans area in the mid 70’s with her family when her father accepted a transferred from Denver, CO to work on the then new Space Shuttle External Fuel Tank project. She attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA and received her Bachelor’s of Science in Biochemistry. Most of her 35+ year career has been as a Systems Engineer and Project Manager in Aerospace Large Structures manufacturing at the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans East. She also has experience in Manufacturing Processes and Requirements consulting and in Consumer Product development and patents. She is an amateur machinist, enjoys reading and collecting vintage technology books, baking, and developing her own recipes.

  • Jira Williams

    Jira Williams
    Infrastructure Project Manager

    Jira Williams, a native of vibrant New Orleans, Louisiana, brings a wealth of experience in project management across diverse sectors, including the non-profit industry. With a strong foundation rooted in her hometown, Jira has honed her skills and expertise over the years, contributing to various capital improvement programs. In addition to her project management background, Jira is a licensed therapist with a counseling practice, where she provides support and guidance to individuals seeking mental health and well-being. Passionate about driving impactful change and fostering collaboration, Jira's dedication to delivering successful outcomes extends beyond her professional endeavors to her commitment to improving lives through counseling and therapy.

  • Toyosi Kade

    Oluwatoyosi Kade
    Infrastructure Project Manager

    Oluwatoyosi Kade, originally from Lagos, Nigeria, embarked on a transformative journey to pursue her education in the United States. After earning her A.S. from Southern University and her B.S. in computer science from Louisiana Tech University, she made the vibrant city of New Orleans her home. Inspired to further her professional growth, Oluwatoyosi chose to pursue her MBA at the University of New Orleans. Throughout her career, she has applied her expertise to a variety of projects, including technical ones. She speaks English and Yoruba.

  • LaTora Latson

    LaTora Latson
    Infrastructure Project Manager

    LaTora D. Latson was born and raised in Shreveport, La. As a retired Navy veteran, she has a diverse professional history as a Project Manager. Her goal is to continually refine and apply expertise to spearhead transformative initiatives and play a pivotal role in the triumph of cutting-edge projects. 

  • Amy Mennelle

    Amy Mennelle
    Infrastructure Project Manager

    Amy Mennelle is originally from Columbia, South Carolina, but moved to New Orleans following completion of her B.S. in Public Administration from the University of Arizona. Amy originally moved to the city to be a Project Manager with a non-profit construction organization, in 2014, but has since obtained her M.A. in Social Work and developed an extensive background in mental and behavioral health services in alternative schools and hospitals.

  • River Scrantz

    River Scrantz
    Infrastructure Project Manager

    River Scrantz is a Louisiana native who completed his B.A. in Political Science and Master of Public Administration at Louisiana State University. After graduation in 2020, River worked as a Management Analyst with the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service before becoming a budget and management consultant for local governments, working with local policy leaders on a wide range of projects including use of ARPA funds. He speaks Louisiana French and Spanish and enjoys reading, writing, and traveling.

  • Andrew Sensi

    Andrew Sensi
    Infrastructure Project Manager

    A graduate of the University of Virginia, Andrew moved to New Orleans in 2009 to attend Tulane Law School. After graduation in 2012 he returned home to Virginia to practice law before returning to New Orleans in 2016. Committed to sustainability he joined the board of The Green Project and is working to reduce waste in the city through creative reuse. Andrew also serves on the National League of Cities Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee to provide strategic direction and guidance for NLC’s federal advocacy agenda and policy priorities on sustainability, climate change, community resilience, water infrastructure, solid waste management and more. Andrew is a big sports fan, an amateur woodworker, and the proud father of two wonderful little girls.