New and Notables

Six months ago, Davon Barbour left California to try to resurrect New Orleans as one of the best cities in the nation. With a professional background in economic and community development and retail attraction and retention, Barbour assumed leadership of…

As director of strategic initiatives and policy for the Jefferson Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) Annalisa Kelly plays an integral role in many of the organization’s most impactful projects. Just a few of her recent contributions have included: leading the effort…

This past January, Paul Matthews made waves in the maritime industry when he became the first African-American head of the Port of South Louisiana For 10 years, Paul Matthews’ work in the maritime industry — which most recently included serving…

One of the largest black-owned banks in America, Liberty Bank and Trust will celebrate its 50th anniversary this November under only its second president, Todd McDonald, son of the bank’s founder, Alden McDonald. Exposed to the finance world all his…

Sophina Uong is not afraid of a challenge. After years working in San Francisco’s best restaurants, winning “Grand Champion Grill Master” on the Food Network show “Chopped,” and managing a restaurant for famed chef Andrew Zimmern in Minneapolis, in the…

As the new executive director of the Young Leadership Council, Camille Sumner is bringing a fiery passion for community and the greater good to the organization in its 36th year. “I’m the happiest when I’m involved in the community,” said…

As director of the LSU Health New Orleans/LCMC Health Cancer Center since June 2021, Shreveport native Dr. John H. Stewart is focused on helping New Orleans become a beacon for immunotherapy research, cancer clinical trials and research, and policy in…

The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) was founded in New Orleans in January 1932 to monitor and analyze government policies, finances and processes as then U.S Senator-elect Gov. Huey Long muscled his notorious political machine into the city. In the…

Since its founding in 1966, The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC) has focused on preserving the treasures of the city’s culture and past. In looking toward its own future, however, the organization recently created a new position. In December 2021,…

If you were watching the news last summer when the Delta variant of COVID-19 was hitting hard, you likely caught at least a few interviews with Dr. Mark Kline. An infectious disease specialist by training, Kline jumped into the role…

More than $100 million in investment capital — that’s what Tulane University is aiming to bring to the New Orleans region through its new Innovation Institute, set to launch later this year. Part innovation lab, part campus programming and part…