Congratulations to the 55th Annual Leadership Forum Graduates!
Since 1968, the Committee for a Better New Orleans annual Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum has brought together and trained over 2,600 emerging leaders from across New Orleans to learn about the issues facing our city, and work toward solutions. This year the program welcomed its 55th Forum cohort, a group of 53 professionals from the greater New Orleans area to take part in the ten-week program.
From City staff to caretakers to lawyers to line cooks, the program truly brought together a slice of New Orleans from across professions and neighborhood lines over a home-cooked meal. Every Wednesday night this Fall the group came together with a new central question and local experts in the field to deepen our understanding of the topic and activate collaborative solutions. From navigating City government to ongoing environmental efforts to economic development, the Forum touched on a wide variety of issues facing New Orleans, and remained hopeful and committed to equitable solutions. “We all have a part to play. Whether major or minor, each one of us can make a difference if we are willing to actively engage” said Daylon Taylor, a 2023 graduate.
Overall, the program was centered around education, collaboration, and community leadership, emphasizing real life hard skills and fostering curiosity throughout the months. “The most valuable lesson learned from this 10 week program wasn't anything from a lecture, or an interaction, but through self-reflection and self-inquiry” writes Osa Adun, a 2023 graduate. With that, the Committee for a Better New Orleans honors its graduates for all their hard work over the program.
Alexis Kedo, New Schools for New Orleans
Amelia Matier, Communications Consultant
Bradley Holland, Habitat for Humanity
Camly Tram, Friends of Lafitte Greenway
Carlos Bello, Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company
Caroline Robichaux, Basics Plus: Communication and Learning
Casey Davis, City Of New Orleans, Municipal and Traffic Court
Cynthia Wiggins, Guste Homes
Daphney Young, AARP
Dareana Roy, New Orleans Health Department
Daylon Taylor, Level Ground Community Church
Det Beal, Jones Walker LLP
Diedra Meredith, Multimedia Activist *Class Speaker Nominee*
Chelsea Nelson, Covenant House New Orleans
Edith McDonald-White, Caretaker
Gabriel Bordenave, Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans
Hayley Alexander, Louisiana Public Health Institute
Hailey Marshall, The Committee for a Better New Orleans
Jacob Engel, City of New Orleans, Mayor’s Office
Janet Tobias, Property Management
Jennifer Schwertz-Ohrin, GIS Executive Advisor
Jeremy Davis, Consultant
Joey Algier, The Water Collaborative/ Loyola University New Orleans
KD Minor, Alliance for Affordable Energy
Keree Blanks, The Water Collaborative
KiTani Lemieux, Xavier University of Louisiana College of Pharmacy
Laila Bondi, Global New Orleans
LaQuaita Pierce, Veterans Health Administration
Latanja Dickerson, Retired Military /Owner Pre-Teen Essentials LLC
Laura Paul, Lowernine.org
Lawrence Mason III, Color Of Change
Malcolm Lloyd, Southern Poverty Law Center, Tulane Law
Naomi Jones, Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office
Osa Adun, GNO INC
Patrick Urbine, Blue Krewe
Ray Fontaine, Bywater Branding Services
Roxanne Moore, El Centro
Sam Buckley, RIDE New Orleans
Samuel Cook, City of New Orleans
Shannan Cvitanovic, Friends of the New Orleans Public Library
Tashia Gaspard, Veteran
Our annual Leadership Forum would not be possible without the support of our gracious sponsors, and all the speakers who took time out of their schedules to meet with our cohort. It takes a village to create this program, and we cannot thank everyone who put their energy into making this space come to life.
For details, to join our planning committee, and more information about future cohort applications, please visit www.cbno.org/forum.
