New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute announces Class of 2017 graduates

The New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute (NORLI) is proud to announce 41 business, civic, and community leaders from the 10-parish region have completed the 2017 New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute.

NORLI is a nine-month program designed to enhance personal leadership skills and examine issues central to the advancement of the Greater New Orleans region. Through a competitive application process, the class brings together business, civic, and community leaders representing all races, genders, industries, and communities in the region with a mission to promote regional collaboration by providing a forum for the exchange of diverse viewpoints and a network of relationships.

According to Christe Brewton, chairwoman of NORLI, “NORLI is a prime opportunity for professionals and business/industry leaders to broaden perspective, establish vision, and define goals in a tangible way. We are proud of the 2017 graduates and look forward to having them join our prestigious alumni, with more than 600 NORLI graduates since the spring of 2000.”

This year, NORLI honored two graduates from the class of 2017. The Regional Leadership Award is given in honor of the founding father of NORLI, Lonnie Stockwell and the Community Service Award is given in honor of Ric Smith and Jackie Sullivan, two alumni of NORLI. Based on an extensive list of criteria, the two award recipients were recognized at the 2017 graduation ceremony. The Regional Leadership Award recipient was Royce Duplessis and the Community Service Award recipient was Larry Washington. These individuals were selected based on their ambassadorship for the Greater New Orleans community.

According to Royce Duplessis, “My NORLI experience was both rich and rewarding. Each session tackled difficult subjects thoughtfully, respectfully, and honestly. Over the course of nine months, our class benefitted greatly by celebrating our diversity and our collective interests around the future of our region. Given our current social and political climate, I could not think of a more valuable leadership program. I highly recommend NORLI to anyone who is considering applying.”

For more information about NORLI, please visit http://norli.org/. Become a fan of NORLI on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NORegionalLeadershipInstitute?ref=ts.

NORLI’s 2017 Class is comprised of:

  • Amanda Aiken, A. Leigh Solutions
  • Mary Elizabeth Alvarez, M.D., Medical College of Wisconsin
  • Anthony Bonck, Peoples Health Network
  • Vicki Bristol, New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • Philip de,V. Claverie, Jr., Phelps Dunbar
  • Jarrett Cohen, JECohen Holdings, LLC
  • Kevin Cox, New Orleans City Park Improvement Association
  • Louis David, New Orleans Business Alliance
  • Tiffany Delery Davis, Liskow & Lewis
  • Matt Dearmon, Entergy Corporation
  • Royce Duplessis, Louisiana Supreme Court
  • Elizabeth Ellison-Frost, Chalmette Refining, LLC – PBF Energy
  • Elaine Garvey, Postlethwaite & Netterville
  • David Hecht, Abri Design + Development
  • Marshall Hevron, Adams and Reese
  • Blake Heymann, John Crane, Inc.
  • Gretchen Hirt Gendron, Gambel Communications
  • Kristen Koppel, Junior League & Valmont Realtors
  • Loretta Lambert, Louisiana SPCA
  • Christopher LeBato, IBERIABANK
  • Andrew Lee, Jones Walker
  • Emily Madero, French Quarter Festivals, Inc.
  • Kristin Masoner, Entergy Louisiana
  • Tracy Mercadel, Algiers Charter School Association
  • Angela Morton, Mathes Brierre Architects
  • Paula Peer, Trapolin-Peer Architects
  • Amanda Rivera, Eskew+Dumez+Ripple
  • Kia Robinson Hatfield, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation
  • Christy Ross, Baptist Community Ministries
  • Judy Schott, Gilsbar
  • Elizabeth Shephard, LifeClty
  • Kenneth Smith, Space & Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic
  • Deborah Stagni, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana
  • Denise Thevenot, Louisiana Tax Free Shopping
  • Sean Walsh, Eustis Engineering
  • Michael Walshe, Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann
  • Larry Washington, Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans
  • Michelle Wedberg, City Year New Orleans
  • Sharonda Williams, Fishman Haygood
  • Kirk Williams, Chester Development
  • Matthew Wolfe, Greater New Orleans, Inc.
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