News and Updates

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

I currently reside in Uptown New Orleans. I grew up in Atlanta, Ga after Hurricane Katrina then realized I wanted to experience my home town culture, so I made the decision to move back to New Orleans. 

Describe your job to us!

I currently work in Roadwork as the Resilience Outreach Specialist focusing on the Gentilly Resilience District. Part of my job duties include being aware of all things Green Infrastructure in the city, strategizing flood reduction ideas, keeping residents informed, meeting with project managers and contractors and many other duties to help move along the National Disaster Resilience Program in ways to better help residents and their communities. I work with the Green Infrastructure in the city of New Orleans which is more so the "beautification projects". Not only do the Green infrastructure projects add trees, flowers, ball parks, and playgrounds, this form of infrastructure assist with reducing flooding in the city by inputting water tanks underground. This alleviates pressure off the water pumps during flood season. 

Tell us about your career path.

Graduating with a Political Science degree, I always had  passion for politics and Law. Wanting to help underdeveloped countries, my focus was more so on the international affairs sector. After graduating I knew it was best to become knowledgeable in many political sectors not just one. I worked on several different campaigns and grasped as much information as I could to move forward in my career. Challenging myself, I started my career in Law, in which I worked in three major Atlanta Law Firms and found a great liking to the techniques of Law. I decided to move back into the political realm once I moved back to New Orleans in which I was challenged to better my understanding and professionalism as I grow in the political realm. All in all I understand my career purpose is to help individuals in many different ways, In knowing so I understand the work ethic that comes with that.

What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?

What I enjoy most about my job is being able to see the before, during, and after construction process. Knowing that an impact is being made to the city in regards to roads being fixed, pumps being cleared out, and beautification is being added. To know that some residents live in the same house since they were little kids and the roads and or greenery has been the same, to now major changes and constructions are being done. Also, that green infrastructure is being looked at as an importance to help reduce flooding in the city of New Orleans.

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

Certain challenges faced in my current role are issues such as not being able to provide results to residents when it comes to completion of construction projects due to delays in schedules and or funding issues. I am a hands on and visual worker so I enjoy solving issues for residents and physically seeing the impact. In this role we aren't able to just jump out and start beautification projects without certain policies and procedures, and sometimes that can take months, even years. Having to constantly tell residents a project is coming to the area but not knowing exactly when is very challenging. 

What is your favorite thing about New Orleans?

My favorite thing about New Orleans is the hospitality. I've traveled to many places in my life but there is no other place like New Orleans