2014 – 2015 Fellows

Murtuza Ali

Title: Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Section of Cardiology; Director of Quality Improvement Initiatives; Co-Director, Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Interim LSU Hospital; Program Director, Interventional Cardiology Fellowship
Employer: LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans
Education: Trinity University, San Antonio, TX (BS, Biology); LSU School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA (MD)
Civic Engagement: Volunteer, American Heart Association; Volunteer physician, Student-Run Homeless Clinic (LSU)

Shawn M. Barney

Title: Managing Director
Employer: CLB Porter, LLC
Education: Howard University, Washington DC; Freeman School of Business, Tulane
Civic Engagement: Catholic Charities (Finance & Gen Board), Arts Council of New Orleans (Finance , Int’l, Exec Comm) Film Festival/Film Society (Finance & Gen Board) Audubon Montessori (Finance & Gen Board)

Westley Bayas III

Title: Project Coordinator
Employer: Welcome Table New Orleans
Education: Louisiana State University & A&M College (B.G.S.)
Civic Engagement: Young Democrats of New Orleans New Leaders Council – Louisiana Young Leadership Council

Buddy Boe

Title: Chief Administrative Officer
Employer: St Charles Parish Government,
Education: Tulane University
Civic Engagement: National Association of Counties NextGen Network; Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance; Louisiana Industrial Executives Association; Emerging Philanthropists of New Orleans; Bryan Bell Leadership Forum; Loyola Institute of Politics; New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute; Young Leadership Council Leadership Development Series; ; HIVE/Change.org Global Young Leader; NACo County Leadership Institute

Nandi F. Campbell

Title: Jason R. Williams and Associates- Of Counsel Nandi F. Campbell, Attorney at Law Orleans Public Defenders, Conflict Attorney Tulane University Law School- Assistant Professor
Employer: Orleans Public Defenders, Tulane University Law School
Education: CUNY Baccalaureate Program, University of Georgia School of Law

Michelle D. Craig

Title: Labor and Employment Law Lawyer
Employer: Adams and Reese, LLC, Partner
Education: Northwestern State University, Louisiana State University
Civic Engagement: Legal Counsel, National Association of African-Americans in Human Resources, 2007-2009; First Tee of Greater New Orleans, Board Member, 2008-2010; Appointed to Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s Transition Team on Blight, 2010; Member of the Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard Merchants & Business Association Board of Advisors, 2010; Urban League Young Professionals, Founder and Executive Board Member, 2008-2011; Urban League New Orleans Guild, Founder, 2012-Present; Adams and Reese Diversity Committee, Member, 2011-Present; Member of the UNCF Young Leadership Council, 2012-present; Co-Founder of DiversiTea Divas, a Mentoring Organization

Nash Crews

Title: Consultant
Employer: Educate Now!
Education: Furman University, University of Mississippi Graduate School
Civic Engagement: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeast Louisiana

Paulette Carter, MPH, LCSW

Title: President/CEO
Employer: Children’s Bureau of New Orleans
Education: Tulane University, Newcomb College Master’s in Social Work – Tulane University, School of Social Work Master’s in Public Health – Tulane University, School of Public Health
Civic Engagement: City of New Orleans Interagency Behavioral Health Council Member, New Orleans’ Health Department’s Task Force on Trauma Informed Care President, Council of United Way Agencies Past Chair, New Orleans Kids Partnership.

Andrea Chen

Title: Co-Founder, Executive Director
Employer: Propeller: A Force of Social Innovation
Education: Stanford University, University of New Orleans/Harvard Graduate School of Education, Dartmouth University Tuck School of Business

Gia M. Hamilton

Title: Director, Joan Mitchell Center
Employer: John Mitchell Foundation in New York
Education: New York University, CUNY Graduate Center
Civic Engagement: American Anthropological Association, Independent Curators International, ArtTable, Res Artis, 

Christopher J. Kane

Title: Partner
Employer: Adams and Reese, LLC
Education: Christian Brothers University (Memphis), B.A.B.S., Economic/Finance Christian Brothers University (Memphis), M.B.A. Loyola University, School of Law (New Orleans)
Civic Engagement: Loyola Institute of Politics, Fellow Young Leadership Council, Secretary/ General Counsel

Julius E. Kinbrough, Jr.

Education: Hampton University, B.A., University of Chicago, M.P.P., University of Chicago, M.B.A.

Ethan Linden

Title: Rabbi
Employer: Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation
Education: Cornell University, Jewish Theological Seminary (Rabbinic Ordination)
Civic Engagement: Rabbinic Council of Greater New Orleans, Micah Project

Erika McConduit-Diggs

Title: President and CEO
Employer: Urban League of Greater New Orleans
Education: Howard University; Loyola University School of Law
Civic Engagement: New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute’s Board of Directors, the KID smART Board of Directors, the New Orleans Kids Partnership as the former Vice Chair and Parliamentarian, African American Women of Purpose and Power as Vice Chair of Programs, Orleans Public Education Network’s Board of Directors, National Urban League’s Emerging Leader graduate, and United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council Member, Crescent City Chapter of Links, Inc., Jack and Jill of America New Orleans Chapter, NOCCA Institute Board.

Peggy Mendoza

Employer: City Year
Education: Tulane University 
Civic Engagement: Board Member – Jefferson Chamber Foundation Academy, New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute, New Orleans Kids Partnership, Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation Super bowl Host Committee, Mayor’s Youth and Families Task Force

Monique G. Morial

Title: Judge, First City Court, New Orleans
Employer: State of Louisiana
Education: Emory University, Tulane University School of Law, Graduate of Institute of Politics – Loyola University
Civic Engagement: Sugar Bowl Committee

Florencia Greer Polite, MD

Employer: LSU Health Sciences Center, Department of OBGYN OBGYN, Director of Residency Training Program, OBGYN Director of Generalist Division
Education: Harvard College, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Civic Engagement: LINKS, Inc.: Member, Health Facet Committee

Coleman Douglas Ridley, Jr.

Title: Managing Director
Employer: Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region/
Education: College of William and Mary, Tulane University Law School
Civic Engagement: New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute (Board Member); Crescent City Schools (Board Member); The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts Institute (Board Member); Youth Empowerment Project (Board Member); Ellis Marsalis Center for Music (Board Member)

Ava Rogers

Title: Deputy CAO of Operations
Employer: City of New Orleans
Education: Georgetown University,  Harvard Kennedy Graduate School 
Civic Engagement: Extensive overseas volunteer service, Neighborhood Partnership Network (NPN) (New Orleans); Various after-school tutoring organizations (New Orleans, Washington DC, Boston).

Steven J. Salm

Title: Class of 1958 Endowed Professor of History
Employer: Xavier University
Education: University of Wisconsin – Madison (BA), University of Texas at Austin (MA, PhD)
Civic Engagement: Volunteer – Lusher Charter School & Morris Jeff Community School, Volunteer Coach – Louisiana Fire U5/U6, Member – Faubourg Saint John Neighborhood Association

Curry W. Smith

Title: Executive Director
Employer: Young Leadership Council
Education: Tulane University
Civic Engagement: Young Leadership Council, 504ward, Roosevelt Pipeline New Orleans, Prelude (LPO-Affiliated Young Professionals Organization)

Kyle Wedberg

Title: President and CEO
Employer: New Orleans Center for Creative Arts
Education: St. Olaf College- Urban Studies, American Racial and Multicultural Studies and Urban Studies (Triple Major, Concentration in Africa and the African Diasporal); University of Massachusetts- Amherst, Center for Public Policy and Administration, Master of Public Policy and Administration
Civic Engagement: City Year/Americorps Volunteer- 1996-1997, Coro Fellow- 1998, NORLI- 2010 Leadership Louisiana- 2012, Bywater Neighborhood Association- Past Member, Superintendent of Education Louisiana Believes Committee- Past Member

Charles E. West II

Title: Director, Inovation Delivery Team
Employer: City of New Orleans
Education: Georgia Institute of Technology, B.S., Computer Science; Georgia Institute of Technology, M.B.A.

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