City Hall Spotlight

September 9, 2024 | From City of New Orleans

City Hall Spotlight: Andrew Logan

What New Orleans neighborhood do you live in? / Where did you grow up?

I live in the vibrant uptown neighborhood, and I was born and raised in the Hollygrove neighborhood off of Edinburgh Street. 

Describe your job to us!

Well, my job has many layers to it. I work at the pleasure of Mayor Cantrell. I write talking points, draft press releases, media advisories, and statements. However, a bulk of my job involves capturing and creating content for social media and planning and coordinating all major press conferences, ribbon cuttings, and special events. 

Tell us about your career path.

I graduated from Dillard University in May 2022 with a Mass Communications degree. My first job out of college was working as a Communications Specialist for STEM NOLA, from there I began working in the Mayor's Office of Communications in September of 2022. I have a deep passion for event planning and coordination and in any future role I embark on I would like to work in that sector. 

What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?

The aspect of my job that I enjoy the most is community engagement. Being from New Orleans, I have a different appreciation, respect, and dedication to moving this city forward. I grew up seeing the passion my family had for New Orleans, communicating to the public the initiatives and advancements we are making, that is the best way I can make a difference. 

What is your favorite thing about New Orleans?

THE PEOPLE! New Orleanians are some of the most heartfelt, honest, and resilient people in this world. I am inspired daily by our stories, challenges, and accomplishments. We are truly a unique people. 

August 12, 2024 | From City of New Orleans

City Hall Spotlight: Frederick "Wood" Delahoussaye

What New Orleans neighborhood do you live in? / Where did you grow up?

I currently reside in Central City, a neighborhood considered the heart of New Orleans. An area with a deep history of many different cultures and even deeper history in the civil rights struggle featuring giants like Oretha Castle Haley, as well as a musical history that spans the gamut from Buddy Bolden and Kid Ory to No Limit and Cash Money! I grew up however, in the glorious 7^th ward and its history of creole language and creole cuisine. My neighborhood was a beautiful mix of families who looked out for each other and kept each other grounded. Neighbors became family and lifelong friends. 

Describe your job to us!

There are many elements to my job as Deputy Director of the Office of Cultural Economy but the most important lies in the responsibility to create and maintain initiatives that enhance and support the incomparable cultural heritage of our beloved city. New Orleans culture has no equivalent and I feel beyond blessed to part of an office dedicated to its preservation and sustainability.

Tell us about your career path.

My career path has seen me in the roles of artist, culture bearer, arts administrator, educator, and community servant. For the past decade I had the absolute pleasure to serve at the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, first as a creative writing instructor and program coordinator for their youth initiative, Kuumba Academy, next as Artistic Director and Chief Creative Officer. Ashé helped raise me as an artist, community servant and human being and provided me with the knowledge, tools and support to help me on this journey.

What aspects of the job do you enjoy the most? 

I enjoy supporting our culture. Everyday I look forward to discovering new ways to support, elevate and empower our artists and culture bearers, they are the lifeblood of our city and the reason people love this place so much. For so long our artists and creatives have had to leave our city to find success and sustainability. Our office is here to build on their national and international acclaim, but also create economic opportunities right here at home, all the while preserving the incomparable rituals and traditions that make New Orleans the incredible gem it is.

What challenges do you find to be the greatest in your role? 

I truly believe the greatest challenge in my role is that there is never enough support or time to go around. We want to empower and encourage everyone. Our artists, artisans and culture bearers deserve the world and our office can only do so much. We are always in forward motion to find additional opportunities and resources for the community we serve. I’m eager to learn how to be a better community servant and how to continue to show up for our city. 

What is your favorite thing about New Orleans? 

Have I mentioned the culture! I am a New Orleans artist and culture bearer. I live and breathe our culture, it’s the soundtrack to our lives and the tone of our existence. New Orleans culture speaks to the history in all of us, it lays tracks to our lineage, roots, neighborhoods and this nation. To live in New Orleans is to plan parts of our lives around Second Lines, Super Sundays and festivals. We open front doors and windows to hear the music created by our forefathers and ancestors who walked the same streets we do. We practice traditions that have carried on for centuries. We are a magical, mystical, musical place where we eat, sing, and dance because celebration is not only beautiful but necessary and every bit of who we are as a city and a people. New Orleans is not just where I live, it’s who I am. 

July 5, 2024 | From City of New Orleans

City Hall Spotlight: Freda Richardson-Taylor

What New Orleans neighborhood do you live in? / Where did you grow up?

I live in beautiful New Orleans East, but I grew up in Chilly Gentilly, 7^th Ward on Randolph Avenue (one block long, but it was such a family-friendly block, full of two-parent homes that watched after each other. We couldn't stray too far in the neighborhood without one parent noticing us and telling us to make it back to Randolph immediately 🙂.

Describe your job to us!

I have the privilege and honor of co-leading the BEST staff in City Hall - FINANCE!  As Deputy Director of Finance & Comptroller, I wear two hats.  I oversee the entire Department of Finance under newly appointed Director Romy Schofield-Samuel and lead up the Bureau of Accounting. I'm incredibly proud of the Bureau of Accounting, as they are a resilient force. This year marks the first year in 5 years that we have finally been able to produce & submit the City's Annual Audit ON TIME to the LLA!  This is such a feat because the obstacles we faced kept coming: in June 2019, we went live with BRASS (or ERP Financial System), and in December 2019, we were hit with a Cyber Attack; then, in March 2020, we started COVID-19, and we finally recovered this year, after battling & defeating the configurations of our new BRASS system.

Tell us about your career path.

My career path started in the 11^th grade at my beloved Alma Mater, McDonogh 35 College Preparatory High School, where I took my first Accounting course under the late Glenda Ganier-Simpkins; taking her course changed my life & opened my eyes to the Accounting world when I graduated in 1993.  I then matriculated to my parents' Alma Mater, THEE Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA, where I received my B.S. in Accounting in May 1997. My first job was as a Junior Accountant at the City of New Orleans in the Bureau of Treasury for ten months.  My then Supervisor Joyce Atkins encourged me not to wait to long to acquire my Master's Degree, she said, "you'll get stuck here and never go back; you better go to grad school now!" I love that woman who became like an Aunt to me. I listened and moved to Richardson, Texas, to attend the University of Texas at Dallas and obtained my M.B.A. in May 2001. I then moved back to New Orleans and landed a job as an Accountant at the New Orleans Aviation Board. I was there for 15 years and matriculated from Accountant I to Senior Accountant to Principal Accountant to Acting Capital Manager.  In December 2017, I was allowed to interview & become Assistant Comptroller in January 2018, the first year of Mayor LaToya Cantrell's Administration. After assisting Comptroller Charlene Rollins in producing our 2017 Audit to the LLA in June 2018, our new CFO Norman White brought me aboard as the Finance Lead to configure our New ERP System BRASS. This was my first time being on a sizable IT project, creating & implementing from inception to fruition, and it was worth it. By September 2019, I became the Comptroller of the Bureau of Accounting. Since then, I navigated throughout City Government in the Finance arena, and in April 2024, I was appointed Interim Deputy Director of Finance.

What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy helping EVERYBODY! My lifeblood is hearing my co-workers and vendors say, "You have been so helpful; thank you so much!" It comes from my upbringing.  My parents were both educators, and the students they taught throughout the years never forget how they "helped" them along the way.  From students to the teachers to the janitorial staff, my parents treated everyone equally and taught us the same way. It harms NO ONE to be friendly & greet people with a smile & a warm heart. That is my daily driving force to help somebody along the way.

What challenges do you find to be the greatest in your role?

The expectancy from others that their fire is your fire! As the Comptroller, over Payroll, Accounts Payable, and Accounting division, we get daily fires we must put out. Now grant it, some of them are genuinely fires, but some of them are poor planning & execution on their part. The only way we all become better in our lanes is to become more accountable and hold our teams more responsible. I would appreciate your help; knowing your team still needs to complete their due diligence goes much further than demanding others what isn't demanded of your team.  My team knows I have their back 100%, and when they are correct, I will back them; when they are wrong, I will also acknowledge that. We can only grow if we genuinely look in the mirror and say, "That's on me!"

What is your favorite thing about New Orleans?

The family atmosphere! You can go to the corner store, the grocery store, a sporting event, the French Quarter, or even a concert, and I guarantee you will run into somebody that you know or who knows someone you know!  We are indeed a Southern City with Southern Charm. I'm a proud New Orleanian, and so is my husband, Edgar Taylor (love you, Hunniebear)

June 7, 2024 | From City of New Orleans

City Hall Spotlight: LaTosha James

What New Orleans neighborhood do you live in? Where did you grow up?

I currently live in New Orleans East.  I grew up in downtown New Orleans near Canal St.

Describe your job to us!

Communicating with my fellow constituents and assisting everyone to the best of my ability. Taking messages and relating them to co-workers as needed to help their day run as smooth as possible.

Tell us about your career path.

I started school in 2019 and have been attending off on with hopes of receiving my associate degree in Radiology Technology. In the meantime, I have been doing customer service, and administrative office work the last 4 years.

What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?

Aiding with constituents in the Mayor’s Office.

What challenges do you find to the greatest in your role?

Trying to troubleshoot problems when someone is not available and providing correct and beneficial information.

What is your favorite thing about New Orleans?

The food and the culture.

 

 

December 8, 2020 | From City of New Orleans

City Hall Spotlight: Cynthia Sylvain-Lear

 

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

I am a New Orleans native, and I currently live in the 7^th Ward.  It is also the neighborhood in which spent most of my early years. 

 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH.

Prior to graduating from Xavier University with a Bachelor of Science degree, I worked for the Royal Orleans/Royal Sonesta Hotels in Human Resources and Purchasing as well as Exxon Company, U.S.A.  Over the next twenty-three years at Exxon, I worked in several areas.  The last position held was as a Sr. Financial Specialist.  During the course of working at Exxon, I received a Master of Business Administration degree from Loyola University of New Orleans.  I have been an Adjunct Instructor at  Southern University of New Orleans teaching general business and finances courses.  I have been a business consultant in the areas of entrepreneurship and professional development at the University of New Orleans Small Business Development Center and The Petra Group. 

I started working with the City in 1996 in the Division of Economic Development as the Director of Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization and later as the Director of the Department of Parks and Parkways.  In 2002, I became the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer and managed many of the recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina.  In May 2010, I was appointed to the position of the Director of the Department of Sanitation.

 

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TOUGHEST DECISIONS YOU'VE HAD TO MAKE AS THE DIRECTOR OF SANITATION?

Some of the toughest decisions made as the Director of the Department of Sanitation were related to contract administration.  This is a critical area of responsibility of this department.  It has always been an area of constant challenges to overcome and manage. 

 

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WHILE WORKING FOR THE CITY (OR AS THE DIRECTOR OF YOUR DEPARTMENT)?

During my time in each position, I developed, initiated and managed a number of innovative improvements which resulted in the delivery of additional services to citizens, strengthened internal controls, streamlined processes and increased performance and accountability.

I am very pleased to have positively impacted the paths of a number of employees.  It is heartwarming to see the career development of persons in several departments over the years.  In the Department of Sanitation, we have created pathways for a number of persons who started as laborers to obtain CDLs.  Some of these persons have moved into Supervisory positions.  Prior to 2010, a number of functions previously handled by contractors were moved in-house at substantial cost savings to the city.  

I am also very proud of the work done to help the City during and after Hurricane Katrina.  I played a role in the renovation or rebuilding of a number of City buildings.

Another key accomplishment was in restarting curbside recycling and in the growth of the Recycling Drop Off Center.  At the Drop Center, a number of partnerships were developed which allow us to accept tons of glass and  hazardous waste in addition to paper, plastics, metals and cardboard.   

 

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN WORKING IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT?

I would advise anyone interested in working in municipal government to apply!  It has been the most challenging but rewarding part of my career.

It allows individuals to directly impact the community in which they live and to see the results of their efforts.

  

WITH RETIREMENT ON THE HORIZON, HOW DO YOU HOPE TO SPEND YOUR NEWFOUND FREE TIME? 

I plan to spend more time with family and enjoy my city.

 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT NEW ORLEANS?

My favorite thing about New Orleans is its people!  After travelling to other cities and countries, there is no place like home!  I have not witnessed the friendliness to family and strangers exhibited routinely by New Orleanians.   

December 8, 2020 | From City of New Orleans

City Hall Spotlight: Ann Macdonald

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

My house is in Vascoville, the neighborhood.  I’ve lived there my entire life.  Growing up we called it Boscoville. I love Chilly Gentilly - it is centrally located and many of my neighbors are second and third generation residents. New Orleans’ culture is built in neighborhoods like Vascoville that are rich in tradition.   

 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH.

When I was in high school, I wanted to be an actress. I was very active in student government and the drama club (I was voted most leadership in the senior superlatives).  My parents did not see a way forward for that dream and definitely did not support it.  In college, I majored in business management and got a job with the City’s Housing Department in the late eighties, where I worked before taking a position as the Secretary of Recreation in 1994.  I worked at NORD for seven years prior to transferring to Parks and Parkways in 2001.  I became the Director of Parks and Parkways in May of 2002 and, as the saying goes, the rest is history.  Having the opportunity to lead a City agency for almost 18 years has been an honor.  I often tell my co- workers the work we do impacts every citizen and visitor. 

 

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TOUGHEST DECISIONS YOU'VE HAD TO MAKE AS THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND PARKWAYS?

Budget decisions are also difficult, although I recognize these challenges impact all city departments. Municipalities around the country deal with the need to do more with less every day.  I knew early on in my tenure that it was necessary to literally get down into the weeds to understand every aspect of Parks and Parkways so that I understand the consequence of every budget decision.  These decisions impact the workforce, equipment and the quality of life for the entire city.               

Making a decision to terminate an employee is always tough.  I tell employees all the time we do not hire without a plan to terminate, but that we have numerous counselling sessions and try our best to course correct before it reaches that point. 

 

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WHILE WORKING FOR THE CITY (OR AS THE DIRECTOR OF YOUR DEPARTMENT)?

Being a part of rebuilding the department post Katrina is one of my greatest accomplishment while working for the City.  At one point, we were down to 75 employees (from 250), our campus was flooded, and every building was uninhabitable, including our greenhouse.  The buildings were restored in 2014, and we are also back in the greenhouse.  Having a functional place to work does wonders for morale.

I am most proud of the fact I made a conscious effort to hire former offenders, in addition to individuals who have dealt with substance abuse, offering an opportunity for them to turn their lives around and positively impact their entire family. We also provide a space where mistakes do not mean the end.  Demonstrating to employees that you support them through challenges builds confidence, loyalty and a dedicated workforce.   Everybody is different and leaders are required to use a variety of approaches to inspire. 

Additionally, Parks and Parkways completed a citywide Tree Inventory for the first time in over 25 years.

 

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN WORKING IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT?

Remember who you work for ultimately.  We are all here to serve the people of this unique, diverse and culturally rich city.  Gratitude and glory may never come with this work.  Many days I felt like I was on a hamster wheel but when an opportunity presents itself to make a  difference, you feel absolute joy.  Strive for small victories every day in pursuit of incremental change.   

Represent your agency by being an informed  advocate, and when given the opportunity to impact decisions, make sure that they are data-driven. Having power means you are responsible for finding solutions. Recognize that the opportunity to help an employee, a colleague and a citizen is energizing.  You must also have the courage to speak up when asked to do the impossible but even then, come up with a compromise. Do not let what you can’t do negatively impact what you can do!    

 

WITH RETIREMENT ON THE HORIZON, HOW DO YOU HOPE TO SPEND YOUR NEWFOUND FREE TIME? 

Doing whatever I want to do (LOL)… I will continue to contribute by volunteering for city initiatives if needed. Honestly, carrying one cell phone or no cell at all will be FREEING.  I will have an opportunity to empty my bucket list which includes a great deal of travel and home improvement projects.      

 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT NEW ORLEANS?

It’s home, nobody is a stranger and the food is amazing 😊.  With all the challenges, I feel the city wrapped around me like amour, I absolutely love this place.   

December 8, 2020 | From City of New Orleans

City Hall Spotlight: Ellen Lee

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

I live in the St. Anthony neighborhood in the Gentilly planning district. I grew up in the 6^th Ward on the Backatown side of Treme.

 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH.

I started my career in higher education as the director of a computer center. We administered some grants for the center and that led to my earning a position as a compliance officer in city government in a department that coordinated federal and state grants. From there, I served as a department head for the office overseeing the administration of grants to serve persons living with HIV/AIDS. I then broadened my scope to the director of neighborhood development. I took a break from city government after Katrina to work in state government and then worked for many years in the philanthropic sector. I started my second tour of duty in city government in housing and have finished in a great role where I have been able to bring all of my experiences together to support the Mayor in her vision for our city and its people. It’s a bit of a zig-zag, but sometimes the shortest distance between point A and point B is not the most interesting.

 

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TOUGHEST DECISIONS YOU'VE HAD TO MAKE AS THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?

It’s always hard to decide where to spend limited resources – what neighborhoods, which demographic, which partners – but you make the best decision with the information you have at the time in hopes of making the biggest impact. It’s also hard to say no – whether it’s no to an agency doing good work – but there aren’t enough resources to reach them or no to a staff member when they deserve a raise or promotion and you can’t make it happen. That said, there is always more that could be done, but I don’t have any big regrets about the decisions I have made throughout my career. I think those decisions have largely been good ones.

 

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WHILE WORKING FOR THE CITY (OR AS THE DIRECTOR OF YOUR DEPARTMENT)?​

I have literally given blood (don’t ask), sweat, and tears over many years to help make life better for our residents. I am proud that I have been able to make changes to the way we do things in government and form relationships inside and outside of City Hall that create better administrative functioning, efficiency, coordination, and leverage so that we can serve more people and better serve them with the healthcare, housing, and other supports they need and deserve.

 

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN WORKING IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT?​

Stop yourself! LOL. Seriously, I would say that this work can be extremely rewarding, but anyone who comes to this work for their own praise and glory needs to find another career because that is not what city government is about. This work is about serving people and doing the things that create a better quality of life for everyone. I would also say that you have to act with both a sense of urgency  - because the need is great and patience - because the resources are few. Finally, eyes on the prize – keep doing the work even when you think you are not gaining ground. The results will come.

 

WITH RETIREMENT ON THE HORIZON, HOW DO YOU HOPE TO SPEND YOUR NEWFOUND FREE TIME?

Cleaning my house.

 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT NEW ORLEANS?

The reaction I get when I tell people not from here where I am from. It increases my cool factor exponentially.

November 9, 2020 | From City of New Orleans

City Hall Spotlight: Tammie Jackson

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

Gentilly.

 

DESCRIBE YOUR JOB TO US!

The Department Safety and Permits (DSP) is fast paced and every day is a challenge. As the director, I am responsible for  six divisions and two bureaus, which collectively work to ensure that safety standards are met for all construction, use of buildings and properties in the City of New Orleans.  The department is also responsible for issuing all  permits for special events including festivals and  second lines. Additionally, the one stop permitting process is also located within the department which  processes all licenses.

 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH.

I always had an interest in real estate. After law school, I obtained my real estate license. I started with the City as a law clerk in Finance. I was also the Finance attorney for several years. As a code enforcement attorney, I was part of the team that revamped the  administrative hearing process to ensure blight liens were actionable and launched the lien foreclosure process. 

 

WHAT ASPECTS OF YOUR JOB DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST?

I love seeing the transformation of a property, especially a blighted property. I equally enjoy seeing new business excited about receiving their occupational license.

 

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

The greatest challenge as the director of DSP is the same as in life: trying to make everyone happy.

 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT NEW ORLEANS?

I cannot choose just one thing I love about New Orleans. My favorite things about New Orleans are the people and the food.

 

A little lagniappe - I am a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, 27 years.

October 12, 2020 | From City of New Orleans

City Hall Spotlight: Jeffrey Schwartz

 

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

I was born on Plum Street in the Riverbend and grew up at the Lakefront. Now I live in the Irish Channel with my wife and daughter.

 

DESCRIBE YOUR JOB TO US!

I have my dream job!  As the Director of Economic Development for the City, I get to work every day to support our businesses both large and small; help create economic opportunity and reduce barriers for all of our residents; and promote an amazing quality of life.  Economic Development frequently is made too complicated, but I think it boils down to creating jobs, increasing investment, growing the tax base, and ensuring that as many New Orleanians participate in and benefit from a growing economy.  The job involves a number of different facets, and every day I get to think about how to better support our businesses and diversify our economy; support our workers to get the education, skills, and credentials they need to advance their career; be more proactive about creating new opportunities with publicly-owned assets or partnering with the private sector; and growing investment in new industries and in every neighborhood in New Orleans.

 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH.

I actually am in my second stint in City Hall—I was bit by the public sector bug early in my career!  Right after graduating from college, I was a Mayoral Fellow serving in both the Health Department and the Office of Economic Development before and just after Katrina.  I then went back to graduate school for urban planning (where I focused on economic and real estate development, and city design and development).  After returning to New Orleans right after grad school, I co-founded a community economic development organization working on Broad Street and in the communities surrounding Broad Street.  While there, I got to work on many aspects that I love: supporting small business owners, developing community-led real estate development projects, and engaging in public policy to create more equitable economic outcomes.  After working there for over a decade, I then was offered the opportunity to be the Director of the Office of Economic Development last year, which affords me the ability to paint with a broader brush.

 

WHAT ASPECTS OF YOUR JOB DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST?

Every day, I get to work on projects, policies, and initiatives that help New Orleans businesses and help to ensure that New Orleans is a more vibrant and equitable place to live.  What I like most about it is that I get to think about how to connect New Orleanians to opportunities, and identify how to leverage public assets and resources to help businesses and our City grow.  I can’t think of anything cooler than great public policy and programs that change the landscape, especially for a place that you love. 

 

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

The greatest challenges in economic development are frequently those of our own making.  We don’t see the assets we have in New Orleans, from our people and our communities, to our infrastructure and publicly-controlled properties.  So much of economic development is actually about ‘connecting the dots,’ and making sure that we are investing in and prioritization the initiatives that will actually diversity our economy and bring more opportunity to our businesses and entrepreneurs, and it is frustrating when that alignment has not historically existed.  However, I am an eternal optimist, and these are the best sorts of challenges to work on!

 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT NEW ORLEANS?

The people!  There is really nowhere else like it, and while our architecture and music are close seconds, it’s the community here that makes New Orleans singular in all the world.

September 8, 2020 | From City of New Orleans

City Hall Spotlight: Sarah Babcock

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

I grew up in Mechanicsburg, PA and have been in New Orleans for 10 years.  I currently live in Gentilly. 

 

DESCRIBE YOUR JOB TO US!

I am the Director of Policy for the New Orleans Health Department where I oversee health policy, emergency preparedness, healthy environments, and communications. In my job, there are no two days that are the same.  Tasks I work on vary everyday from cleaning homeless encampments with NOPD and the Department of Sanitation, writing policy memos, developing COVID-19 reopening, managing  shelters in a hurricane, to enforcing public health ordinances. 

 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH.

In college, I discovered public health while spending a summer in Zambia.  After college I spent a year volunteering with AmeriCorps in a health department where I was able to work with children born with disabilities and help their families access healthcare.  I completed by Masters in Public Health at Tulane University and interned with NOHD during that time. After a short hiatus to work in a HIV clinic, I returned to NOHD full time in 2013. 

 

WHAT ASPECTS OF YOUR JOB DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST?

I love being able to work on a wide range of topics and having variety in my day.  I have a great team to work that really support one another, especially while working long hours. 

 

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

Many of the topics that I address on a daily basis are complicated, sometimes controversial, and directly impact people's lives.  It can be difficult to balance the needs of all stakeholders, but my goal is always to address to needs to the most vulnerable New Orleanians. 

 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT NEW ORLEANS?

I love driving through New Orleans looking at beautiful homes under a canopy of trees.