Donna K.Alley Dianne Baham Gaynell Bellizan Ruth Berggren Lolita Burrell Jeanette C. Butler Vanessa Claiborne Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson Elaine E. Coleman Katherine Conklin Charlotte M. Connick Lisa Crinel Susan2003 G. D’Antoni M. Christine D’Antonio Sandra Dartus Camilla Q. Davis Catherine C. Dunn Carol Etter womenPeggy A. Feldman Susan K. Fielkow ofDeborah theDuplechin Harkinsyear Deborah C. Keel Patricia A. Krebs Sen. Mary Landrieu Janet E. Leigh A. Kelton Longwell Laura K. Maloney Eve Barrie Masinter Elsie Mendez Eileen F.Powers Tonnette “Toni” Rice Deborah B.Rouen Dionne Rousseau Diane M. Roussel Kim Ryan Grace Sheehan Andrea Thornton Keely Williams Verrett Dawn Wesson Charlee Williamson

Sponsoredby: Thanks Camilla Davis for thirteen years of dedicated service to our company and the insurance industry.

We congratulate her as one of the 2003 CityBusiness Women of the Year.

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2360 Fifth Street • Mandeville, LA 70471 • 1-800-259-8388 • www.fara.com Chaffe & Associates, Inc. 2003 Congratulates womenoftheyear Vanessa B. Claiborne

table of contents One of the

Donna K.Alley 5B CityBusiness Dianne Baham 6B Gaynell Bellizan 8B Women Ruth Berggren 9B of the Year Lolita Burrell 10B Jeanette C. Butler 12B for 2003 Vanessa Claiborne 13B Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson 14B Elaine E. Coleman 15B Katherine Conklin 16B Lisa Crinel 17B Susan G. D’Antoni 18B M. Christine D’Antonio 19B Sandra Dartus 20B ASSOCIATES, INC. Camilla Q. Davis 21B INVESTMENT BANKERS Catherine C. Dunn 22B Carol Etter 23B 201St. Charles Ave, Suite 1410 Peggy A. Feldmann 24B New Orleans, LA 70170 Susan K. Fielkow 25B 524-1801 www.chaffe-associates.com Deborah Duplechin Harkins 26B Deborah C. Keel 27B Patricia A. Krebs 28B Sen. Mary Landrieu 29B Janet E. Leigh 30B A. Kelton Longwell 31B Charlotte Connick Mabry 32B Laura K. Maloney 33B Eve Barrie Masinter 34B Elsie Mendez 35B Eileen F.Powers 36B Tonnette “Toni” Rice 37B Deborah B. Rouen 38B Dionne M. Rousseau 39B Diane M. Roussel 40B Kim Ryan 41B Congratulations Grace Sheehan 43B Andrea Thornton 44B Councilwoman Keeley Williams Verrett 45B Dawn Wesson 46B Charlee Williamson 48B Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson, a wonderful example of caring for our City. Mayor C. Ray Nagin

Photographer: Cheryl Gerber and the Published by the NOPG LLC 111 Veterans Memorial Blvd., City of New Orleans Employees Suite 1440, Metairie, La. 70005 504-834-9292; Fax: 504-837-2258. Publisher and president: D. Mark Singletary Editor: Terry O’Connor Senior associate editor: Megan Kamerick Director/custom publishing and industry reports: McKenzie Lovelace Account executive/custom publishing and industry reports: Ann Bower Art director: Lisa Finnan Production manager: Julie Bernard Advertising coordinator: Heidi Decker 2003womenoftheyear

“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.” Rebecca West

We always wonder each year when we start the Rebecca West quote because so often I interview women like these and process of soliciting nominations for Women of the they are quick to tell me “I’m not a feminist or anything.” West’s quote Year if we’ve exhausted all our possibilities. Can is usually my response. there really be another batch of at least 40 women Our editorial committee once again found it difficult to narrow the doing amazing things in this community? field down to 40 women. We even had several nominees who are past You have the answer in your hand. winners: Jennifer Magee, Sandra Shilstone and Judy Perry Martinez. Megan Kamerick They are a varied group in age and experience and Next year we plan to establish a CityBusiness Hall of Fame for multiple goals. Some have struggled with discrimination or Women of the Year nominees. poverty. Some have taken on the role of superwoman, pursuing a We thank the nominators for bringing these women to our atten- stressful demanding career while raising children. Most have found tion. And we thank these women for their contributions to New time to give back to their community in some way. They are doctors, Orleans. Please keep up the good work. lawyers, entrepreneurs, politicians and members of the military. I get a kick out of reading these every year and interviewing some of Megan Kamerick the women myself. They introduce me to professions and facets of the Senior associate editor New Orleans community I would otherwise never know. I chose the New Orleans CityBusiness

THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS SALUTE DR. SUSAN FIELKOW AS ONE OF CITYBUSINESS’ 40 WOMEN OF THE YEAR

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1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Phyllis Adams Tonia Aiken Julie Condy Ann Cassagne Anderson Donna K. Alley Jan Boatright Lauren Anderson Sherie Conrad Annie Avery` Dianne Baham Patricia Denechaud Carol Asher Sheila Danzey Trilby Barnes Gaynell Bellizan Maura Donahue Judy Barrasso Judy Dawson Ginger Berrigan Ruth Berggren Betsy Dresser Diane Barrilleaux Ann Duplessis Dianne Boazman Lolita Burrell Lana Duke Suzette Becker Patti Ellish Donnie Marie Booth Jeanette C. Butler Nanci Easterling Elodia Blanco Jean Felts Christine Briede Vanessa Claiborne Midge Epstein Julia Bland Patricia Gray Kay Brief Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson Mignon Faget Cindy Brennan Beverly Gianna Stephanie Bruno Elaine E. Coleman Donna Fraiche Maureen Clary Sheilah Auderer Goodson Kimberly Williamson Butler Katherine Conklin Patricia Habeeb Sally Clausen Norma Grace Jane Cooper Lisa Crinel Connie Jacobs Dr. Elizabeth Terrell Deborah Ducote Keller Shirley Trusty Corey Susan G. D’Antoni Leslie Rosenthal Jacobs Hobgood Fontham Donna Guinn Klein Kay Dee M. Christine D’Antonio Alice Kennedy Joni Friedmann Roselyn Koretzky Eugenie Jones Encalarde Sandra Dartus Ti Martin Joanne Gallinghouse Corvette Kowalski Alethia Gauthier Camilla Q. Davis Judy Perry Martinez Brenda Garibaldi Hatfield Jennifer Magee Clem Goldberger Catherine C. Dunn Elise McCullough Paulette Hurdlick Barbara Major Patricia Green Carol Etter Ruth Ann Menutis Maureen Larkins Laurie Vignaud Marshall Judith Halverson Peggy A. Feldmann Siomonia Edwards Milton Gay LeBreton Suzanne Mestayer Barbara Johnson Susan K. Fielkow Phala Mire Saundra Levy Nancy Morovich Barbara Kaplinsky Deborah Duplechin Harkins Margaret Montgomery-Richard Londa Martin McCullough Barbara Motley Ruth Kullman Deborah C. Keel Karyn Noles Linda Mintz Roberta Musa Sharon Litwin Patricia A. Krebs Ruth Owens Judith Miranti Iona Myers Ana Lopez Mary Landrieu Sharon Perlis Angela O’Byrne Rickie Nutik Barbara MacPhee Janet E. Leigh Nellie Stokes Perry Rajender “Raj” Pannu Tina Owen Deborah Mavis A. Kelton Longwell Leaudria Polk Kay Priestly Sharon Rodi Marguerite McDonald Charlotte Connick Mabry Kay Priestly Kat Rice Wanda Sigur Cheryl Nickerson Laura K. Maloney Jan Ramsey P.K. Scheerle ChiQuita Simms Danette O’Neal Eve Barrie Masinter Marguerite Redwine Eileen Skinner Katherine Harlan Sippola Jimmie Phillips Elsie Mendez P.K. Scheerle Bettye Parker Smith Julie Skinner Stokes Catherine Pierson Eileen F. Powers Flo Schornstein Sherry Walters Ruby Sumler Jane Raiford Tonnette “Toni” Rice Janet Shea Nancy Bissinger Timm Rhonda Robichaux Deborah B. Rouen Kim Sport Ollie Tyler Julie Rodriguez Dionne M. Rousseau Carroll Suggs Pam Wegmann Judy Shano Diane M. Roussel Barbara Turner Windhorst Ann Wills Sandy Shilstone Kim Ryan Susan Spicer Grace Sheehan Suzanne Thomas Andrea Thornton Deborah Villio Keeley Williams Verrett Kay Wilkins Dawn Wesson Elizabeth Williams Charlee Williamson From the courtroom to the conference room,

we’re leaders in today’s complex legal arena.

Adams and Reese blends the wisdom of over fifty years of comprehensive legal and practical experience with the energy and vitality of an ambitious newcomer. Whether in the courtroom or in the conference room, our attorneys use proactive leadership strategies to provide the highest quality legal service in the most prompt, cost-effective manner possible.

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Congratulations to our Partner and Executive Committee Member Deborah B. Rouen 2003 Women of the Year Recipient

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No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of the legal services performed by other lawyers. Not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization except as noted. Author: Charles P. Adams, Jr. FREE BACKGROUND INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. women of the year 5B

2003womenoftheyear

Donna K. Alley

Position: Provost,West Bank Campus, Delgado Community College Family: husband, Daniel; son, Jon, 36 Education: B.A., English/French, Central College, Fayette, Mo.; M.A., reading education, University of Missouri at Kansas City; Ed.D., higher education administration, Nova Southeastern University

Donna Alley thinks community colleges not only offer a qual- Communication. ity education at an affordable price, they also play an essential In 1999, after moving to Florida, Alley received her role in meeting local needs for workforce development. doctorate from Nova Southeastern University in Fort “That mission is extremely important,” said Alley, Lauderdale. Looking to land her next job, she sent out provost of Delgado Community College’s West Bank three applications: two for positions at Florida colleges campus. “I think that’s one thing this campus had not and one for an opening at Delgado. done as much (in the past).” “This was the one I really wanted,” said Alley,who had Under Alley’s leadership, the expansion of career-ori- attended conferences in New Orleans and loved the city. ented course offerings at the campus has helped boost “I was holding my breath hoping they would offer it to me, enrollment from about 1,500 students to 2,800 in just and they did.” three years. Among the newest programs are international Alley’s community affiliations include the Algiers education, public service and massage therapy — which is Economic Development Association, which is partnering the only such program offered by a Louisiana community with the campus to develop a construction training pro- college. In addition to its college courses, Delgado is par- gram that involves repairing blighted housing. She also is ticipating in a national pilot program to help Jefferson a member of the Harvey Industrial Canal Association, the Parish high school students with deficient skills prepare House of Ruth and the New Orleans Regional Chamber for college. of Commerce, which named her its 2003 Ambassador of One of the biggest inspirations for Alley’s choice of an the Year. education career was her mother. In her leisure time, she enjoys traveling, walking, water “My mother was a widowed lady who had a high aerobics and especially visiting with her grandchildren, school education and worked for something like $40 a Zachary,12, and Elizabeth, 3. week to support two children,” Alley said. As Delgado’s West Bank enrollment continues to grow, Her first job out of college was a four-year stint teach- the need for additional buildings to accommodate more stu- ing journalism and English in a rural high school in dents and programs grows with it. But competition with Independence, Mo. After earning her master’s degree other Delgado campuses for limited resources makes fund- she spent 19 years at Maplewood Community College in ing one of Alley’s toughest challenges as campus provost. Kansas City, Mo., where she instituted a reading pro- “Although we have needs,we have to wait in line,”she said. gram and advanced to chairwoman of the Department of — By Sonya Stinson 6B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Dianne Baham

Position: Executive Director, St.Tammany Association for Retarded Citizens Family: husband, Jim; son, Mark, 26 Education: B.A. social work, Southeastern Louisiana University, 1970

For Dianne Baham, running the St. Tammany Association summer camps. for Retarded Citizens is not just a job,it’s a spiritual mission. “We provide a lifetime of services and support to “The Lord sort of prepared me as a very little girl for infants, children and adults with mental retardation or any this work,” Baham said. kind of developmental disability,” Baham said. Baham grew up in Folsom, where her parents owned a Baham’s goal is to help each client become as indepen- nursing home. The family spent so much time at the facil- dent as possible, while providing the best of whatever care ity that she said, “We lived there, pretty much.” At their he or she needs. Sometimes she takes her sense of per- own home they often took in people to live with them. sonal responsibility to remarkable lengths: The Bahams That early experience shaped Baham’s deep compassion themselves currently have custody of one of the associa- for people in need. tion’s clients, a man who is in his 60s. While studying social work at Southeastern Among Baham’s proudest achievements are: helping to Louisiana University, Baham met her future husband, pass a local millage to raise funds to assist both retarded the Rev. Jim Baham. After they married, he was called citizens and seniors in the parish; getting a bill passed that to a position as associate pastor and minister of music provides local authority over services related to mental ill- at First Baptist Church of Slidell. The search commit- ness, mental retardation and substance abuse; starting a tee at the church mentioned an opening for someone to recycling project and a commercial linen service that pro- run a new nonprofit serving retarded citizens. Armed vides jobs for clients; and developing a training curricu- with her degree in social work and volunteer experi- lum for direct support professionals at Delgado ence at the Hammond State School for developmental- Community College. ly disabled children, Baham took on the assignment. Baham said she makes a point of hiring people who When STARC began,it had three children as clients, a share the same passion for the work that she has. $2,500 budget and a staff of two. Today it serves more “I like to try to make any ordinary day an extraordinary than 400 families at any given time,has a $4.5 million bud- day,” Baham said. “I like for our staff to get excited about get and a staff of more than 200. Providing referrals as well making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.” as direct services, the association helps clients acquire — By Sonya Stinson therapy, medical care, home care, work and placement in Progressive Women

. . .may not be the first phrase that comes to mind when you think of an accounting and consulting firm that has been in Southeast Louisiana for nearly 80 years. As three female directors who contribute their personal time as board members of the United Way, Volunteers of America, Junior Achievement and Touro Infirmary, in addition to serving the accounting, tax and employee benefit needs of our local business community, they are. And, as Bourgeois Bennett directors, they continue to practice our firms belief in the timeless values of integrity, objectivity and professionalism in everything they do.

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Louise S. McGehee School is open to all qualified girls regardless of race, religion or ethnic origin. 8B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Gaynell Bellizan

Position: Account Executive,WHNO-TV Channel 20 Family: engaged to Frank Robinson Jr.; son, Brandon, 15; daughter Cydne, 5 Education: B.A., communications, Xavier University

When Gaynell Bellizan graduated from Xavier nonprofits and Christian organizations. One such group, University in 1984 she struggled with the age-old the Louisiana Family Council, was featured on Future dilemma: How does one secure a job that requires expe- Focus, a COX Channel 8 program created by Bellizan. rience when no one will provide the opportunity to The council,a federally funded program,offers services acquire that experience? to troubled families.Bellizan said it represents what she set After a period of frustration, Bellizan was offered an out to accomplish with Future Focus. internship at WDSU-TV Channel 6. It was the year of the “There weren’t any good local community affairs shows World’s Fair.She worked as an assistant to the producer of that addressed the important issues like crime or education a daily morning show. Five months later, she landed an or broken families. I wanted to create a show that touched entry level position in the traffic department and from on these issues while providing New Orleanians a forum there her career in television took off. and opportunity to express their opinions candidly.” All it took, Bellizan said, was that one initial opportunity. At one point, a college student interested in a career in Now,working as an account executive for WHNO-TV communications was host of the program. Though she had Channel 20, and producer of several local television pro- no experience,Bellizan granted her the opportunity to shine. grams, Bellizan is committed to providing small business- “Kids who want an opportunity,I give it to them.” es, non-profit organizations and college graduates that Bellizan,who was born and raised in New Orleans,said same kind of opportunity. she has a natural feel for the local culture that translates “It gives me an opportunity to bless others and that into her work. brings me joy,” she said. “I can tell what shows will work before they air and in Bellizan is in charge of selling advertising to local busi- marketing I can tell where businesses need to place their nesses. Most small businesses have never previously money depending on who they want to reach.” advertised, Bellizan said, so she also provides free market- She intends to use this innate sense in her new business ing consultation. venture, ABC Marketing. The company will help small “I help them get into other mediums and acclimated to businesses market themselves. As with everything else she advertising. I show them how inexpensive it can be and does, Bellizan’s focus is on providing someone just start- how it can make them more competitive in the market.” ing out the opportunity to succeed. Bellizan’s other true love lies in her work with local — By Richard A. Webster women of the year 9B

2003womenoftheyear

Ruth Berggren

Position: Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases at Tulane University Schools of Medicine and Public Health and Tropical Medicine Family: husband,Tyler Curiel;son,Alex, 10; daughter, Megan, 9 Education: B.A., biology, Oberlin College; M.D., Harvard Medical School

The historical ties that bind New Orleans and Haiti run Since starting in June, the program has successfully deep. For Dr. Ruth Berggren, they are personal. tested 1,500 women. Berggren spent 10 years of her childhood in Haiti Berggren was born in Boston and returned to her where she witnessed firsthand the hardships the peo- hometown at the age of 14. She remembers her surprise ple endured. Over dinner, she listened to her parents, upon seeing all the nice homes and realizing everyone both public health physicians, discuss how to prevent went to school. babies from contracting infectious diseases from their “I lived in a rural area in Haiti. And though I did not mothers. live a rural life, all of my friends did. They lived in humble Berggren translated these experiences into a lifelong homes, and not everyone went to school. I thought it was battle combating HIV and the AIDS virus. normal until I came back to the States.” As an assistant professor of infectious diseases at Berggren hopes some of the techniques used there, Tulane, Berggren conducts research involving HIV vac- such as the outreach programs into the local communities, cines and preventative and therapeutic clinical trials. She can be transferred to New Orleans. is also an attending physician at Charity Hospital. “In New Orleans we see people come into the hospitals Berggren travels to Haiti five times a year as part of an very late into the disease and we know if we could have initiative sponsored by the World AIDS Federation,work- diagnosed them years earlier we could have given them the ing in and around a town called Mirebalaif.She travels into proper treatment,” she said. “By going out and meeting the outlying communities where people lack access to a people in their environment we can diagnose them earlier hospital. Her work is focused on preventing the transmis- and get them help.” sion of HIV/AIDS from mother to child, much as her par- She hopes a facility such as the HIV Outpatient Clinic ents did decades earlier. on Roman Street, a full service medical center offering “Poor countries like Haiti have not historically had both health and social services, can be opened in Haiti. access to HIV medicines because they’re so costly. Our “It will not only help AIDS patients, but raise the job is to not only provide the people with drugs, but to entire standard of health care and living for everybody in provide them with the therapy and counseling to ensure the community.” the intervention is successful.” — Richard A. Webster 10B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Lolita Burrell

Name: Lolita Burrell Position: Managing Auditor, Ochsner Clinic Foundation Family: husband, John Education: B.S. in management, accounting concentration,A.B. Freeman School of Business,Tulane University; Certified Public Accountant

On May 20,2003,in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom Orleans Jazz Divas.”Despite her growing fame,she said the scandals, 130 auditors, accountants, attorneys and other difficulty of coordinating music rehearsals with her work members of New Orleans’ corporate community gathered schedule, along with her marriage in November 2001, for the New Orleans Does Business Right! Corporate eventually led her to shelve her entertainment career. Governance and Ethics Conference, aka the CEO Summit. Recalling that her choice to study accounting “was Putting it all together — behind the scenes as organizer largely influenced by some strong family pressure,”Burrell and fundraiser and out front as mistress of ceremonies and said she probably would have majored in music, art or speaker — was Lolita Burrell. writing had it had been entirely up to her. Burrell took charge of the event in her role as marketing But during a summer internship under the direction of coordinator for the local chapter of the Institute of Internal a Tulane University accounting professor, she discovered Auditors. the auditing field of accounting was surprisingly interest- “We hosted it in honor of the first recognized Internal ing and creative. It requires innovation, resourcefulness Audit Awareness month, with the goal of focusing public and interpersonal skills for putting people at ease during attention on the role internal auditors play in good corpo- the auditing process. rate governance,” said Burrell, who is managing auditor “Contrary to popular belief, the life of an auditor, espe- for the Ochsner Clinic Foundation. cially an internal auditor, is not just about sitting behind a The program included panel discussions with corpo- desk, crunching numbers and analyzing spreadsheets,” rate directors, executive officers and auditors, as well Burrell said. speeches by Timothy Ryan, University of New Orleans Outside work, Burrell enjoys writing and public speak- interim chancellor and business school dean, and local ing — which she views as a kind of performance art — and corporate attorney Dionne Rousseau, who also helped she has a strong interest in economic development. She is organize the conference. also involved in the Young Leadership Council. Although spearheading the CEO Summit was a novel Born in New Orleans and raised in Queens,N.Y.,Burrell experience for Burrell, it was by no means her first time in can trace her Crescent City roots back to the 1700s. the spotlight. She is a jazz singer who until recently per- “I love New Orleans and I want to see it thrive and suc- formed under the stage name Lolita Trudeau. In 1999, ceed,” she said. Offbeat magazine selected her as one of eight “New — By Sonya Stinson

12B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Jeanette C. Butler

Position: Director of the Facility Management Service Line at the Veterans Administration Hospital Family: husband,Ted;son,T.J.,11, and daughter, Jasmine, 6 Education: B.S. electrical engineering, University of New Orleans

As a teenager,Jeanette Butler once noticed that a fan in her Hardship, said Butler, helped make her an independent mother’s apartment was broken. So she carefully took the woman.Her parents divorced when she was 5 years old,and machine apart, laid the component pieces on the floor, her younger brother is autistic. Her mother raised the two of found the part that had jammed and put the whole thing them alone in the St. Bernard Housing Development. But back together again. her mother was a source of quiet strength to Butler, always “My mom caught me with the pieces all over the floor making sure her daughter went to school in clean and crisp and asked, ‘What are you doing?’ But I fixed it.” clothes and that she never ran late. Butler’s mother even Today, Butler is rebuilding bigger things than house arranged for her daughter to make her debut in front of the fans. As director of the facility management service line Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club when she was 16. Her at New Orleans’ Veterans’ Administration Hospital, she mother’s sisters, meanwhile, always made sure that she had is charged with the care and feeding of a 54-year-old, the right outfits for special occasions. full-service health center. Under her direction, the 1949 Juggling a high-powered job and her role as a mother hospital has undergone major renovations of patient is the biggest challenge, said Butler. “I’m always beating wards and had ancient plumbing systems reconfigured. myself up about not finding the time to be at the level I The 38-year-old engineer is in charge of every aspect of want to be in both roles,” said Butler. the hospital’s physical plant, from sanitation and air As a student at UNO, Butler was undaunted by quality to furnishings in waiting rooms. She also over- being the only female in most of her electrical engi- sees a full-time staff of 218. neering classes. In the real world, however, she’s still A graduate of the University of New Orleans’s elec- shocked to find contractors who can’t deal with a trical engineering program, Butler worked briefly for a female African-American administrator. “They won’t utility company in Michoud before joining the VA’s make eye contact, or they make a point of talking to the graduate training program for engineers in 1990 when white male engineer in the room,” she said. “The boys she was 25. She rose quickly in the hospital’s ranks from at UNO were not that way.” there, eventually becoming operations manager. She assumed her present position in 2002. — By Lili LeGardeur women of the year 13B

2003womenoftheyear

Vanessa Claiborne

Position: Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Chaffe & Associates Inc. Family: husband,Walter; daughter, Clairice, 1 Education: B.S., accounting,Trinity University; M.B.A. with a concentration in finance, University of Texas;licensed Certified Public Accountant, accredited in business valuations by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; accredited Senior Appraiser by the American Society of Appraisers.

Vanessa Claiborne entered a mundane field no one else Union. was interested in and made a career out of it. “My favorite place was probably Russia,” Claiborne She returned to New Orleans after earning a mas- said. “My parents and my grandmother had all been ter’s degree from the University of Texas in Austin in there years ago, and I was really interested to see what 1987, but the opportunities didn’t look promising until it looked like now. The consumerism that has hit the someone sent her to speak with Black Chaffe, president country since my parents were there 20 years ago was of Chaffe & Associates. just unbelievable.” “I really wanted to go into the financial world but Claiborne’s community involvement consists mainly opportunities in New Orleans at the time were very of serving on the board of the finance committee of limited,” Claiborne said. “Then I spoke with Black, Covenant House, a shelter for runaway teens. She has and it was like a light bulb going off.” also worked with the now-defunct Young at Art, an That conversation began a mentoring process in organization that provided funds to schools to help which Claiborne learned the intricacies of business val- purchase art supplies. uation. In her current position, Claiborne values busi- Claiborne credits a tight-knit family with keeping nesses for tax purposes and employee stock ownership her in New Orleans. Her parents, along with two broth- plans. ers, all live within a few blocks of each other. Credit for “When I began, I knew little about what I have now her career success, Claiborne says, lies squarely at the been doing for 17 years,” Claiborne said. “I just knew feet of her mentor, Black Chaffe. that I wanted to be able to serve a lot of clients across “I’ve been very fortunate to study under Black,” many industries and to work with small businesses.” Claiborne said. “My career reinvents itself every day. In her free time, Claiborne and her husband indulge It’s been 17 years of the best education I could ever in a passion for outdoor sports, including skiing, scuba hope to get.” diving and travel, most recently to the former Soviet — By Richard Slawsky 14B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson

Position: New Orleans City Councilwoman for District C Family: husband,Arthur “Buzz” Clarkson; five grown daughters, 10 grandchildren Education: Partial education at Tulane University

Following Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson through her nor- the Louisiana Realtors Association. Clarkson found herself mal routine is enough to exhaust even the most energetic representing the Realtors on various political issues at the city, observer. state and national levels.And with politics in her blood — her She wakes up every morning at 5 a.m., after hitting the father created the New Orleans Recreational Department — pillow about four hours earlier. In the 20 hours she’s Clarkson “bitten by the bug.” awake, you can find her cracking down on mess in the She entered the 1989 City Council race and has been French Quarter, speaking up at City Council Meetings or in politics ever since, serving a four-year term as council- devoting time to one of her countless civic organizations. woman, an eight-year stint in state Legislature, then “I’ve always enjoyed a full schedule,” Clarkson said. “I returning to the City Council in spring 2002. thrive more on accomplishments than sleep.” Right now,her goals include rebuilding Canal Street, That pace has enabled Clarkson to become one of New restoring Armstrong Park and revitalizing the Tréme Orleans’ best-known City Council members. Her district neighborhood. covers what she calls “the heart and soul of the city” and Clarkson also serves on numerous civic boards,including includes the French Quarter, Faubourg Marigny,Bywater, the New Orleans Museum of Art,Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Faubourg St. John and her native Algiers. Carre and the American Heart Association. “We have plenty going on in every inch of it, and I love Of all her accomplishments, Clarkson said she is most that,” she said. proud of her daughters. Her youngest daughter is Emmy- Perhaps Clarkson’s biggest claim to fame has been her award winning actress Patricia Clarkson, while her other efforts to rid the French Quarter of its park benches and daughters have careers in psychology, environmental epi- tarot card readers — actions that have garnered heaps of demiology,finance and real estate. praise and stinging criticism, not to mention national And even on four hours of sleep a night, Clarkson media attention. doesn’t plan to rest anytime soon. She wants to finish her Long before Clarkson made politics a full-time job, her college degree and says, “I still have some real big goals in responsibilities were those of wife and mother to her hus- terms of city government, and then personally,I can’t wait band, Arthur “Buzz” Clarkson, and their five daughters. to be a great grandmother. I plan to live a very long time On a whim, she pursued a job as a Realtor, which blos- and never be quiet.” somed into a 33-year career in which she became president of — By Autumn Giusti women of the year 15B

2003womenoftheyear

Elaine E. Coleman

Title: Executive Vice President of External Affairs, Entergy New Orleans Family: husband, Bobby, 56; sons, Bobby Jr., (deceased) and Bryan, 30 Education: B.S., home economics, Northeast Louisiana University, MBA Tulane University

Elaine Coleman grew up in Rayville in northern Louisiana However, she had an understanding of what it took to where she attended a segregated high school and worked succeed in the corporate world. After being with the com- in the cotton fields during the summers. pany for more than 20 years, Coleman entered the Tulane “It was the only way to make money,” she said. “My University MBA program. parents wanted to instill in me a work ethic and there was “I was promoted when I was working on my MBA. no way they were going to let me sit around the house and There were others in the running but I knew a long time ago do nothing. But it was awful and I hated it.” that to get ahead you need a strong financial background.” So Coleman set a goal for herself — find a way out of the Coleman now finds herself at a point in life where that cotton fields. next promotion does not mean as much as helping peo- In the ninth grade she learned how to sew.By the 10th ple. The loss of her eldest son, Bobby Jr., three years ago grade she had a thriving custom clothing business patron- to AIDS altered the course of her life. ized by students as well as teachers. Coleman never “When my son passed away it was a fork in the road. I worked in the cotton fields again. had to figure out where I was going,” she said. “You don’t get anywhere by sitting back and thinking “An event like that totally changes you. I’m still under- success will just come to you. You need to set goals and standing how it affected me. All I know is that some of work hard to achieve them.” the pushing you did just to get ahead may have been That attitude allowed Coleman to rise through the ranks worth it, but you get to a point where other things of Entergy to her current position as vice president of exter- become more important.” nal affairs in which she oversees regulatory and governmen- She now serves as a board member with the NO/AIDS tal affairs, economic development and customer service. Task Force and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. When Entergy hired Coleman in 1974 as a home econ- “I’m at the point in life where I’m looking at spending omist energy adviser, there were few women in profes- more time in the community.As opposed to pushing through sional positions within the company and few people, men that next glass ceiling, I’m looking for a quieter life. I want to or women, being promoted from one area to another. help the young people in the company to move forward and Coleman’s goal was to rise through the ranks of the teach them some of the same things my parents taught me.” company but it looked like an impossible task. — By Richard Webster 16B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Katherine Conklin

Position: Member, McGlinchey Stafford PLLC Family: husband, Robert Angelico; daughter, Jean, 19; son, George, 14; twin sons, Greg and Seth, 11 Education: B.A broadcast journalism, Louisiana State University; J.D.Tulane University; law clerk to Justice Walter Marcus, Louisiana Supreme Court

Katherine Conklin grew up in Milford, N.J., near New Coast Council — IRS Practitioner Council. York. So when her family moved to Houma while she was “I’m one of those people who got shoved on a path and in high school, she was surprised the streets in Louisiana just kept on going,” Conklin said. “I’ve made a career out were actually paved. of it, mainly because there aren’t many other people who “I’d read a story when I was a child about the swamps, know this type of law.” and I honestly thought that there weren’t going to be cars Conklin has served on the board of directors of here,” Conklin said. Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Louisiana Inc. the She quickly adapted to the culture shock, however. She past four years. She serves on the board of My House, a settled in New Orleans and even helped found a Mardi community center offering health screening, vocational Gras krewe, Muses. training, employment services, literacy programs, tutor- Conklin earned a degree in broadcast journalism but ing and other services to low-income students and fam- quickly decided broadcasting wasn’t for her and went to ilies who live Uptown. She is also active with the Tulane Law School. American Red Cross and served on the planning com- “Once I realized that most people were just looking for mittee of the 2003 annual Humanitarian Award someone who was very pretty, I lost interest in the field,” Recognition Ball. Conklin said. As one of the founding members of the Krewe of Her journalistic training proved invaluable in law Muses, Conklin serves on its board of directors. She is school, however, having learned how to write quickly and the driving force behind many of the community and take good notes, she said. Conklin graduated magna cum arts activities undertaken by the krewe including con- laude from law school. tests among high schools for the artwork on plastic Conklin’s area of expertise is in employee benefits and throw cups. employment and labor law, a field she chose mainly “I didn’t have the prescience to choose my path in because no one else wanted to do it, she said. Conklin has life; it was given to me,” Conklin said. “It’s very intel- become a member of the New Orleans Association of lectually challenging and ever-changing. It’s worked Employee Benefit Planners and the New Orleans Estate out very well.” Planning Council, along with the Employee Plans Gulf — Richard Slawsky women of the year 17B

2003womenoftheyear

Lisa Crinel

Position: Owner, Chief Operating Officer, Innovations Health Care Services; Innovations Hospice Services;Abide Home Care Services Family: daughter,Wilneisha, 16 Education: B.S., accounting, Georgia State University

The most difficult moments in life come with sickness and much more than a business. death. Lisa Crinel makes a living helping families work Crinel grew up in the 9th Ward and like most people through these difficult times. native to New Orleans, she holds the city and its people “My job is to provide a shoulder for people to lean on,” close to her heart. About 80% of her patients are on either Crinel said. “We give caregivers an opportunity to take a Medicaid or Medicare. Many rely on Social Security for much-needed break while helping move patients toward an income. independence. We also try to make the terminally ill as If necessary, Crinel goes out of her way and into her comfortable as possible until that final moment when they own pockets to provide her patients with medicine, cross over.” insulin, wheelchairs, heaters, air conditioners and refriger- Crinel is the owner and chief executive officer of three ators. Upon a patient’s death, she sends bereavement New Orleans-area companies devoted to assisting the sick counselors to the family’s home. and those in recovery — Innovations Health Care “We want the family to know that we will be there for Services, Abide Home Care Services and Innovation them even after the service.” Hospice Services. Crinel serves as vice chairwoman for the Eyes Have It When Crinel opened her first business, Extraordinaire Inc., a public health organization that provides free eye Home Health in 1994, she had two customers, a member screenings at public schools. At work, she offers year-round of her church and her father. Her office was her mother’s work-study programs for high school and college students. kitchen table. “It helps these young adults gain real-world, hands- Today, at any one time, almost 600 people are under on work experience that will benefit them in the future,” Crinel’s care. Her companies employ 150 people and are she said. worth a combined $12 million. As for her own future, Crinel said she has no immedi- “Before I opened my first business I worked for a small ate plans for expansion. She believes it is more important mom-and-pop home health-care agency but I couldn’t that her patients receive the highest quality of care. take the unprofessionalism,” Crinel said. “I have high “Sometimes when you grow so big you lose focus on expectations of how a business should be run.” the purpose of mission.” For Crinel, however, providing care for those in need is — Richard A. Webster 18B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Susan G. D’Antoni

Position: Executive Director, Orleans Parish Medical Society & Medical Services Bureau Family: husband, Edward; daughter, Christina, 10, son; Evan, 14 Education: B.S., health services administration,Auburn University; certificate program in management excellence; graduate work toward master’s degree in business administration and marketing

When the Orleans Parish Medical Society celebrated its event planning and public affairs. Over the years, she tai- 125th birthday,Susan G. D’Antoni was at the helm of the lored the job to the unique needs of New Orleans doc- organization, steering the parties, workshops and lec- tors — such as providing information on hurricane pre- tures that accompanied the event. It epitomized the paredness, a high-interest topic here that would stir little “glamorous” side of the job. excitement in the northern part of the state. But D’Antoni, only the organization’s third executive But what’s vitally important to D’Antoni is attracting director in its century-plus history,said the job is reward- new members. “For the long-term success and survival ing in other ways — serving its 1,200 active members of this organization, more and younger physicians are with timely information on the evolution of medicine going to have to be recruited,” D’Antoni said. and medical care. And while her love of health care led her to consid- The role of medical organizations is different now than er enrolling in medical school more than once, it was 20 years ago, and it will continue to evolve over the D’Antoni said she feels that leading the OPMS is a years. D’Antoni said one of her responsibilities is to tailor career well suited to her passion and abilities. It’s often the OPMS into a more useful tool for its members. demanding, given that she works around the doctors’ “How can we personalize the association to them so schedules, meaning early mornings, late nights and that they can see it as a vehicle through which they can travel away from her family. But she emphasizes that accomplish their own goals?” she asks. “I’m not a physi- her family willingly supports her career, enabling her cian and this is their association. They need to be to devote more time to the health-care issues that ben- empowered to make it into what they need it to be.” efit our community. As executive director, D’Antoni tackles policy devel- — By Faith Dawson opment, membership recruitment, sales and service, and women of the year 19B

2003womenoftheyear

M. Christine D’Antonio

Position: Owner, Louisiana Eye Care Family: husband, Nicholas; daughter, Rebecca, 3; sons, Nicholas, 9, and Benjamin, 7 Education: B.S., physical therapy, Louisiana State University School of Allied Health Professions; M.D., University of Alabama School of Medicine; Internship at Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation; Residency in ophthalmology, LSU School of Medicine.

Christine D’Antonio started her medical career as a she enjoys running a small business. “I like a little bit of physical therapist, but eventually saw the light in oph- everything,” she said, adding that the rewards that come thalmology. from helping people are greater than having the control A native of Ville Platte, she now owns and operates of a private practice. “I do it because I enjoy it,” she said. Louisiana Eye Care in Metairie. As a doctor in private In the community,she has given lectures to senior cit- practice, she sees a range of ocular maladies like izens on eye health, and encourages people, regardless of cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration and even age, to seek regular exams. Some eye diseases have no less-threatening conditions such as dry eyes. Her com- symptoms, she said, and can only be detected by regular munity involvement indicates she is a doctor who cares annual exams. about giving her patients personal attention and educat- D’Antonio also served as the team ophthalmologist ing them on eye health. for the New Orleans Brass hockey team, a job that for- As a physical therapist, D’Antonio practiced for four tunately brought few injuries during her tenure. She is years at Ochsner Medical Foundation, working on the a member of the American Medical Association, the stroke and burn teams and in the diabetic foot care pro- American Academy of Ophthalmology, the New gram, which she developed. Orleans Academy of Ophthalmology and the Society In 1992, she decided to attend Louisiana State of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and is certified in University School of Medicine and later graduated from LASIK surgery. the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Outside the office, the wife and mother of three Birmingham, Ala., having transferred to follow her hus- focuses on raising her family and volunteering at St. band, who is a radiologist. The family returned to New Andrew the Apostle Church but also hopes to grow Orleans, and D’Antonio completed a residency program her practice, which she recently expanded to include in ophthalmology at LSU. an optical shop. Now in private practice for two years, D’Antonio said — By Faith Dawson 20B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Sandra Dartus

Position: Executive Director, French Quarter Festivals Inc. (until October 2003) Age: 51 Family: fiancé Alan Horowitz; daughter,Tracy, 30 Education: Some college education at St. Bernard (now Nunez) Community College and University of New Orleans

Anyone who’s ever been fussed at for partying too much event for the city with more music, food and crowds. This can look to Sandra Dartus as a role model. past festival had an estimated economic impact of about Dartus was the founding executive director of French $60 million and drew nearly 400,000 people. Quarter Festivals Inc. In the nearly two decades since its Under Dartus’ leadership, the festival branched out founding,the organization’s namesake event has become a into sister events, including the New Orleans Wine and much-anticipated part of the city’s festival season, drawing Food Experience, Christmas New Orleans Style and, hundreds of thousands of locals and tourists. most recently,the Satchmo Summer Fest. “You never think you’re going to grow up and do festi- Dartus has also served on the boards of directors for the vals for a career,” she said. New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors As a girl growing up in Chalmette in the late 1960s,Dartus Bureau, the French Quarter Business Association and the hadn’t thought about attending college or making grand Press Club of New Orleans. career plans. But after marrying and divorcing at a young age The 2003 French Quarter Festival marked the event’s and having a little girl, her career goals started to shift. 20th anniversary, and Dartus’ last year running the show. Dartus started out as administrative assistant to the super- She recently moved to Jackson Hole, Wyo., in October to intendent of St.Bernard Parish schools only to be hired a few enjoy retirement with her fiancé, Alan Horowitz. years later as executive assistant to real-estate developer Letting go won’t be easy,she said. Darryl Berger. The city was gearing up for the 1984 World’s “I guess it’s like when you have a baby and they’re 6 Fair, and Berger was getting ready to unveil his new proper- months old. Then all of a sudden they’re walking and ty, Jax Brewery. Mayor Dutch Morial was working to put going to senior prom,” she said. together a French Quarter Festival to revive that part of the Dartus plans to do some travel writing,and maybe learn city.Morial approached Berger about running the event and a new language or two. “I don’t speak anything besides Berger appointed Dartus co-coordinator. y’at,” she said. “Since I was the local girl, I became the person who Would she do another festival? would go talk to Rotaries and Lions Clubs. The rest just “I’m hoping I’ve carried my last bag of ice, but who sort of evolved,” she said. knows?” Dartus helped grow the festival into a major spring — By Autumn Giusti women of the year 21B

2003womenoftheyear

Camilla Q. Davis

Title: Vice President of Administration, FARA Family: husband, Don, 40; son, Mitchell, 6; daughter, Meredith, 2 Education: B.A., journalism, Louisiana State University

When Camilla Davis was an intern during her senior year munications. She manages more than 400 employees in at Louisiana State University, her boss gave her a piece of 20 nationwide locations and more than $6 million in com- advice. mercial properties owned by affiliated partnerships. “ ‘When someone gives you something difficult to do,’ Davis is also dedicated to helping the growth of the he said, ‘even if it means stretching yourself, say ‘no prob- local economy. Under her direction, all FARA asset pur- lem’ and find a way to get it done.” chases over $500 are made through local vendors or local The advice served her well. representatives of national vendors. After graduating in 1990, Davis went in for her first job FARA, having tripled in size since Davis entered the interview. Todd Richard, then-vice president of adminis- fold, is in the unique position of having a large chunk of tration with FARA, an insurance and risk management business to spread around. firm based in Mandeville, wanted to hire someone he “I’ve established a network of people locally and those could groom to take over his responsibilities while he con- local businesses are serving our business nationally,”she said. tinued to advance his career. He decided to give Davis a “If someone is working hard and doing good job I believe in chance and hired her as an administrative assistant. rewarding them and giving them that opportunity.” In 2003, 13 years after that first interview, Davis was She supports fund-raising activities by the Delta promoted to vice president of administration, fulfilling the Gamma Sorority to provide aid to the visually impaired. promise Richard, now president and CEO, saw in the She also participates in the American Heart Walk. ambitious young graduate. Davis is the first female vice president of administration “It’s a wonderful success story and I am very lucky and in the history of FARA.The accomplishment is significant appreciative of all the opportunities they gave me to grow but for her the ceiling is non-existent. with the company,”Davis said. “It all goes back to that one “This was my first interview and my first job and I’m piece of advice which I’ve applied over and over again still here. I’ve really enjoyed the challenges and meeting throughout my career.” those objectives and I feel a great sense of accomplish- As vice president of administration, Davis oversees ment. But I’m only 35 and I still have a lot of things I want FARA’s risk management program, litigation issues, major to do and achieve.” asset purchasing, licensing and compliance, and telecom- — By Richard A. Webster 22B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Catherine C. Dunn

Position: Deputy Director, Port Development, Port of New Orleans Family: husband, Durward; sons Durward Jr., 25, Bryan, 22, and George, 20; daughter, Steele, 23 Education: B.S., industrial engineering, Mississippi State University; graduate studies in civil engineering and industrial engineering management, University of New Orleans

Catherine Dunn’s family moved from Buffalo, N.Y. to Dunn serves as deputy director for Port development, New Orleans when she was in high school and her father responsible for environmental management, utilities man- took a job transfer. agement, special projects and the tracking of cash flow When he passed away less than a year later, she real- relating to capital projects at the Port. ized the importance of a woman being able to take care In the community, Dunn’s activities include serving of herself. as an adviser to the capital improvements committee of “The passing of my father changed the course of the New Orleans Public School Board, acting as chair- my life,” Dunn said. “My mother was here, in a new woman of the University of New Orleans Minority place, alone with two children. It made me appreciate Outreach Committee and serving as a young adult the need for a woman to be able to stand on her own adviser for the Presbyterian Church. two feet.” She has also acted as chairwoman for the WYES Public Her father’s influence remained, however, and Dunn Television Auction Committee, serves on the Engineering followed in his footsteps, studying industrial engineering Advisory Board for UNO and frequently speaks at Career at Mississippi State University. Day programs at area schools. After graduation, Dunn got a job doing quality,process “My mother really instilled in me a strong sense of vol- and technological improvements and organizational man- unteering,” Dunn said. agement at Haspel Brothers, Kaiser Aluminum and Additionally, Dunn and her husband work with the Durward Dunn Inc. Boy Scouts of America, maintaining ties with the organi- Since joining the Port of New Orleans in 1989, zation built when two of her sons were Eagle Scouts. Dunn has served in a variety of management posi- Dunn’s current project is working with her husband to tions, including leading the Port’s operations team, build a four-story home in the Warehouse District. being responsible for the day-to-day operations of the “My husband and I love that area,”Dunn said.“We col- Port and reviewing, analyzing and recommending lect art, we’re big lovers of that industry,and it just fits that improvements for all business processes within the we’d be in town close to everything.” Port. — Richard Slawsky women of the year 23B

2003womenoftheyear

Carol Etter

Position: Founder and President, Helion Consulting Family: husband John; son, Darryl, 18; and daughter,Vanessa, 15 Education: B.S., engineering, Swarthmore College; MBA, finance, University of Colorado

Sometimes small business owners need the advice of pro- Downtown Development District. fessional consultants but can’t afford the fees. That’s At the DDD, Etter was charged with maintaining and where Carol Etter comes in. growing the business base in New Orleans — a formi- Etter’s business, Helion Consulting, caters to small dable task. and mid-size businesses that want to grow more effi- “I was part of developing a strategic plan for economic cient and successful, to “get to the next level” even if development for the downtown area, working to identify they don’t know what their management strengths and what sorts of businesses would fit into the downtown area, weaknesses are. trying to identify what some of the barriers were that we “A lot of times, (with) small companies that are needed to address.” started by an individual, there’s sort of a transition The job was made tougher by working with limited period where you have to grow from being an entre- resources. But Etter was — and remains — committed to preneurial-type business to a real business where helping New Orleans businesses flourish. you’ve got policies and procedures and you may have She is also a founding member of Commercial Real to start delegating,” Etter explained. “A lot of times Estate Women. Her membership in CREW includes the business owners have a problem in doing that. I can organization’s charitable outreach committee and also led work with them. I work with businesses that are strug- to a spot on the city’s comprehensive zoning ordinance gling with management problems, where they’re real- review task force. izing their management skills or procedures or the way Helion accepts clients anywhere in the southeastern they’re organized just aren’t letting their business go to United States, Etter said. But the company’s primary mis- the next level.” sion is still to uncover the potential of small local, some- Two-year-old Helion Consulting is the result of Etter’s times family-owned businesses that make up the fabric of far-ranging career, which includes work in the energy the community. industry. She worked in the public utilities division of the Etter is a volunteer with Lionman Foundation, a mar- Citizen Utilities Co. and was a manager with Hagler Bailly tial-arts youth program, and St. Matthew United Church Consulting in Colorado. Prior to starting Helion, she was of Christ. She is also a dedicated runner and flautist. director of economic development for the New Orleans — By Faith Dawson 24B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Peggy A. Feldmann

Position: Captain, U.S. Navy; Commanding Officer, Space and Naval Warfare Information Technology Center Family: husband,Andrew Brower; daughter,Admiral Mary (Addie), 7; son, Commodore Riley (Cory), 3 Education: B.S., oceanography, U.S. Naval Academy; M.S., acoustical engineering, Naval Postgraduate School

There have been a lot of firsts in Capt.Peggy Feldmann’s life. ing from the academy, she was assigned to the Naval In 1980, she was a member of the first class to graduate Oceanographic Research and Development Activity in women from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Bay St. Louis, Miss., where she helped develop an A swimmer since high school,she became the first woman acoustic monitoring and tracking system. She earned a to earn a letter in athletics at the academy. master’s degree in acoustical engineering in 1986 and And when she assumed the post of commanding offi- completed training in dive school in Florida. cer at the Space and Naval Warfare Information Throughout her naval career — from a mission as test Technology Center at the University of New Orleans in director for Project Ariadne, a fiber optic surveillance sys- August, Feldmann became the first military officer to tem, to her current post — Feldmann has been involved lead the center. with the high-tech aspects of military service. The center employs about 1,000 service people and civil- “Computers were still basically new” when Feldmann ian contractors.It develops and maintains personnel and pay- joined the service, she said. “I’ve progressed with the roll systems for the Navy and was previously led by a civilian Navy as the world has changed.” director. Feldmann said the change to military leadership While Feldmann describes her years at the Naval brought a degree of structure to the organization. Academy as “a very good experience,”there was never any “Many people here have worked for the military,” she doubt that the 55 women in her class were shaking things said. At the same time, Feldmann hopes to incorporate up at the historically all-male institution. practices from the business world into the center’s day-to- “We were breaking ground, there’s no question of day operations. that,” she said. Today, Feldmann talks about that experi- The streamlining efforts come at a time when the Navy, ence and the opportunities now available to women when like other branches of the military, is working with the she visits area schools to promote the Navy. civilian sector to make the country more secure. “It’s a “When I came to the Navy in 1980, there were a lot of huge job and an important job,” she said. positions that were not available to women,”she said.“But Feldmann, the daughter of a U.S. Air Force officer, that’s not the case anymore.” spent much of her youth in San Antonio. After graduat- — By Russell McCulley women of the year 25B

2003womenoftheyear

Susan K. Fielkow

Position: Pediatrician, Center for Child Development, Ochsner Clinic Foundation Family: husband,Arnold; sons, Justin, 16, Mike, 14, and Steven, 11 Education: B.A. political science and pre-med, Northwestern University; M.D. University of Florida College of Medicine

Dr. Susan Fielkow is a part-time pediatrician. Full-time, arship to Northwestern. she’s the devoted mother of three boys. At Ochsner, Fielkow works with Dr. Andrea Starrett She is also the wife of New Orleans Saints vice presi- evaluating children for developmental and attention dent Arnold Fielkow — the equivalent of another full- problems. She is also on the International Medicine time job, which makes her a busy woman. Committee for Ochsner Clinic and a member of the “It’s unusual that you caught me at home,” Fielkow medical contingent of the New Orleans Economic Trade said on a recent evening. “We’re only home because the Mission. Her biggest honor since moving to Ochsner Cubs are in the playoffs.” three years ago, however, has been to serve as a member In college, Fielkow was more inclined toward theater of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Academy of and drama than sports. But she was also drawn to Pediatrics. Being alongside “heavy hitters” in the world Arnold Fielkow, a fellow student at Northwestern of children’s medicine has been a wonderful experience, University. The two maintained their relationship even she said. though she went to University of Florida Medical School Fielkow enjoys working with children because it’s and he went to law school at the University of always hopeful. She carries that sense of hope into her Wisconsin. Fielkow recalls their trips back and forth as work with Each One, Save One, a one-on-one tutoring the “Madison-Gainesville shuffle.” service she and her husband joined last year. Fielkow is Because her husband’s career has taken him from also active with the United Way Women’s Leadership place to place, Fielkow has chosen to work with large Initiative and is a co-chairwoman for the TEAMS pro- medical groups so she could transfer easily. gram of the National Council of Jewish Women. Born in Chicago and raised in South Florida, Fielkow “I fill up every moment doing stuff. I really have a was the third of four children. Her parents divorced strong philosophy that you fill up every minute because when she was 13, but her mother, who taught math, you only have one chance to live this life. What you do would have scrubbed floors to make higher education for others is really your legacy.” possible for her daughter. Instead, Fielkow won a schol- — By Lili LeGardeur 26B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Deborah Duplechin Harkins

Position: Member, McGlinchey Stafford PLLC Family: husband, Corky Education: B.S., political science, University of Southwestern Louisiana; J.D. Loyola University New Orleans

Deborah Harkins calls herself a “tenacious little Cajun lation allowing dockside casinos. girl.” The native of Eunice knew by the fourth grade that She works on a number of other issues as well deal- she would either be a lawyer or a stewardess. ing with insurance, the environment, banking and She combined the best of both worlds by putting her- health care. She hopes to take her team’s expertise to a self through law school through creating a business called more national level, although the team is already rep- Lift Tickets Unlimited. resenting many clients nationally, tracking issues in “I told the dean that the only way I could afford to con- many states. tinue (school) was to work, and I have to continue bring- Harkins said one of her biggest challenges in her career ing these doctors and lawyers skiing. It was wonderful.” is dealing with the good-old-boy network. She traveled around the world for three years between “I’m not a women’s libber, but it doesn’t matter if I’m a college and law school doing freelance work for a bigger young man or a woman.The good-old-boy network is still tour operator. By the time she got to law school she was alive and thriving, although it’s not nearly as present as it more settled than most and had made a pledge: she would used to be.” never again travel with a group of more than two. She is proud of surviving those obstacles, however, and After a long career in law, Harkins still works at happy at McGlinchey Stafford.As a resident of the French McGlinchey Stafford, but said she quit doing law a long Quarter, she is involved with the Vieux Carre Alliance and time ago. Her passion is lobbying. the French Market Board. She is also involved with the “What I like about it is the issues are constantly Committee of 21, a political action committee whose goal changing and the people are constantly changing. It’s is to get more women into elected office. predominately a people business and it’s all about rela- Harkins has not lost all of the travel bug. She recently tionships,” she said. “I’m not inhibited with any written returned from a conference in Portugal of the International rules. If I don’t like them, I change them. We don’t have Association of Gaming Attorneys. Her philosophy is a to think in a box.” simple one. As the leader for McGlinchey’s government relations “I never want to say ‘I wish I had.’ I always want to say and gaming team, she lobbied for Evangeline Downs and ‘I’m glad I did.’” Delta Downs. Her team was also instrumental in the legis- — By Megan Kamerick women of the year 27B

2003womenoftheyear

Deborah C. Keel

Position: Chief Executive Officer, Kenner Regional Medical Center Family: husband, Patrick; daughters Kelly, 21, Corie, 19 and Kimberly, 17 Education: B.A., journalism, University of Missouri; M.S., public health,Tulane University.

If not for a chance meeting, Deborah Keel might have hospitals to become CEO of Kenner Regional Medical been writing this biography instead of running one of Center and chairwoman of the Metropolitan Hospital the largest hospitals in the state. Council from 2003 to 2004. Keel has received Tenet After graduating from the University of Missouri HealthCare’s “Circle of Excellence” award four times. with a degree in journalism, Keel took a job with a busi- Keel also serves on the boards of directors for the ness magazine in Kansas City. Once she married and Summerville Assisted Living Center and Mount had children, however, the New Orleans native decided Carmel Academy.In 1994, she was the co-chairwoman it was time to come home. of Mary Landrieu’s campaign for governor. “When you’re 18, you leave home and you think that Keel said much of her success is due to her co-work- you’re never coming back to the city,” Keel said. “Once ers. At Kenner Regional, she is responsible for a staff of you’re away long enough, though, you realize that this more than 400. is the only place in the world to live.” “I’m no business genius and I’m no health care She took a job as director of marketing and public genius, but I do know how to hire and keep good peo- relations with Humana Women’s Hospital. There, one ple,” Keel said. “I love what I do and the people here of the hospital executives decided she had the potential know that.” to be a hospital administrator, prodding her to take an The main part of Keel’s job, she said, is keeping assistant executive director position with Humana in everyone focused and moving in the same direction. To 1987. Keel returned to school for a master’s degree in accomplish that, she gets out of the office and into the public health from Tulane University in 1993. hospital. “That CEO almost forced me into taking an admin- “The best part of my day is when I go up on the istrative position,” Keel said. “Certainly,that was one of units and visit with patients and talk to employees,” the turning points of my life.” Keel said. “To me,that is far better than sitting at a desk The career change was right on target for Keel. From signing contracts.” Humana, she rose through several positions in different — Richard Slawsky 28B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Patricia A. Krebs

Position: Partner, King, LeBlanc, & Bland, PLLC Family: husband, David; son, Charlie Green, 36; daughter, Brandy Beck, 33 Education: B.A., history, East Texas State University; M.A., history,Tulane University; Ph.D., European history,Tulane University; J.D.Tulane University

For Patricia Krebs, who jogs along the St. Charles street- three more years of school. I was used to intellectual car track every day at 6 a.m., energy is everything. challenges.” That energy sustained her career for the past 20 years Krebs’ energy drives her to numerous civic activities. as a defense attorney practicing admiralty and maritime She is active in the Louisiana Association for Defense casualty law. Counsel, the New Orleans Bar Association, the New “I love litigation,” she said. “I like the strategies Orleans chapter of Women’s International Shipping and involved and love being in the courtroom. You have to be Trade Association and is the coordinator of Tulane Law able to think fast, adapt and change directions when nec- School’s maritime liaison group. essary.” A Fulbright scholar in Madrid from 1978 to 1979, Her energy allowed Krebs, a teenage mother and for- Krebs today gives back to the cultural exchange program mer high school dropout, to help run a dairy farm while by serving as president of the Louisiana Fulbright driving 90 miles each way to college. Krebs graduated first Association. in her class at East Texas State University. She also sits on the board of directors of the Lighthouse Following the suggestion of one of her professors, she for the Blind,an organization that provides job training for came to New Orleans in 1973 to pursue a master’s degree the 20,000 sight-impaired persons in southeastern in history at Tulane. Louisiana. “I didn’t come from a sophisticated background.I didn’t But it is a pro bono project that captures her spirit in even know what grad school was,” said Krebs. a special way. Krebs monitors children through the She fell in love with the city, however, and in 1980 juvenile courts when parents are unable to provide with Ph.D. in hand, refused the offer of a tenure-track care. “It’s easy for kids to get lost in the system,” she job in New Jersey to stay at Tulane and attend law said. school. Reflecting upon teachers who urged her to keep going “I had developed an interest in law,” she said, but in school, Krebs added, “people can make such a big dif- there was a practical element too. “I was a divorcée ference by little acts of kindness.” with two kids to support. All I had to do was attend — By Jan Fluitt-Dupuy women of the year 29B

2003womenoftheyear

Mary Landrieu

Position: Senator Family: husband, Frank Snellings; son, Connor Snellings; daughter, Mary Shannon Snellings Education: B.A., sociology, Louisiana State University

Mary Landrieu had not planned on a career as a politician. her first foray into the Legislature. She noted that educa- “I thought I’d marry someone who went into politics tion, health care, balancing work and family and environ- and have nine kids,” she said. “Thankfully only half that mental health are now front and center. came true.” “It’s not a coincidence that those issues are issues Landrieu graduated in 1977 and was volunteering on a women care a lot about and, because we are in positions of political campaign when friends suggested she run for the power, those issues naturally come to the forefront.” Legislature. She surprised herself and everybody else She has had many baptisms by fire in her political when she won, making her the youngest woman ever career, but one stands out as particularly challenging. elected to the Legislature. When she was in the Legislature there was an attempt to “There were only three women when I showed up and redistrict her, putting her in direct competition with the none in the Senate,” Landrieu recalled. “I figured I better only African-American woman in the House. The two stay around and get some things done. I figured a group women used the political relationships they had devel- like that could use a little female influence.” oped with both parties to defeat the attempt. She focused on issues affecting children and families It taught Landrieu an important lesson. and eight years later ran for Louisiana State Treasurer, “Because I’d developed good friendships and trust where she served two terms. with senators in both parties, we were able to work that After a failed bid for govenor in 1995, she ran for the situation out.” Senate in 1996. She became the first woman from It is a lesson she has carried to Washington, where she Louisiana elected to a full term in the Senate and was re- is often a bridge between the extremes in each party. elected in 2002. In 1999 she became the first Landrieu hopes she has been a model for other women. Democratic woman to serve on the Senate Armed “I wanted young women to know you can have a fam- Services Committee and has made military issues one of ily and serve in public life,” she said. “If you put the her focal points. right support system together you can do it and I want- She focused on improving Louisiana’s educational ed young women to know they could contribute, not system and co-sponsored the No Child Left Behind leg- only in their early careers and late careers, but in their islation. middle years as well.” She has seen huge changes in politics and policy since — By Megan Kamerick 30B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Janet E. Leigh

Position: Associate Professor of Clinical Dentistry and Oral Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Dentistry Family: single Education: B.D.S., Guy’s Hospital Dental School (London, UK); D.M.D., fellowship of oral medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine; Hospital Externship, University of Louvain (Belgium)

Dr. Janet E. Leigh followed in her father’s career footsteps in my residency,” she said. “I was lucky; the dean offered when she decided to become a dentist. me the right job at the right time.” She had seen enough of the field to know it appealed to But luck only carried Leigh so far; co-operation with her and that it was a flexible career. But, she said, she ulti- researchers at the Wisniewski Center, community out- mately gained a wealth of experience and opportunities reach and procurement of major grants have marked that all related to dentistry.Today she is founder and direc- LSUHSC as a significant force in HIV/AIDS research. tor of the HIV Outpatient Program Dental Clinic at Ted The center was recognized as one of the country’s top Wisniewski Center of Excellence, which treats patients three AIDS research centers at an international AIDS with immunodeficiency diseases. workshop in South Africa. “That’s what’s been so exciting about being here in “It was acknowledged that LSU is considered a serious New Orleans; the opportunities have been phenomenal,” player,” she says. “It was one of those satisfying moments she said. “And I’ve had good support from the school and when you think, wow,what we’re doing is good, it’s right.” from the medical center. It’s allowed me to develop in a Leigh’s clinic also serves as a model for other HIV den- way that I had never anticipated.” tal clinics: Last year the Federal Health Resources and Almost 10 years ago, New Orleans had no dental clinic Services Administration awarded her a $1 million grant to for treating patients with infectious disease, although establish a similar clinic in Alexandria, a rotation for LSU Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School dentistry students. was already interested in establishing one. Leigh had A native of Yorkshire, England, Leigh arrived in New already worked with infectious diseases and oral medi- Orleans in 1994 after practicing general dentistry, serving cine, so her experience matched LSUHSC’s needs. Since fellowships and working as a “flying dentist” in Labrador all antiviral medications are given with food, oral health is on the northeastern Atlantic coast of Canada. There, she important for patients because oral pain can discourage and other dentists provided dental care for underserved eating and interfere with strict medication regiments. populations of Inuit people and others. In 1994, Leigh founded LSU’s HIV dental clinic. From 1999 to 2000, Leigh served as chairwoman for the “It was a perfect fit; HIV was something that I was Louisiana Governor’s Commission on HIV and AIDS. already interested in. I’d done quite a bit of work with that — By Faith Dawson women of the year 31B

2003womenoftheyear

A. Kelton Longwell

Position: Member, McGlinchey Stafford, PLLC Family: single Education: B.S., management,Tulane University; J.D., Louisiana State University; LL.M., taxation, New York University Law School

As an attorney, Kelly Longwell is living out her child- transition from renting to owning can be challenging, hood dream. Longwell said, so the goal is to help the buyer find “a “It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do,” she said. good home in a good area.” But unlike some little girl lawyers-to-be who imagine “You don’t want to get a money pit — something that’s themselves boldly confronting a witness or delivering a destined to fail from the beginning,” she said. dynamic closing argument, Longwell never really pic- One of Longwell’s proudest moments was the Aug. tured herself spending a lot time in a courtroom. Instead, 18, opening of the Renaissance Arts Hotel, a historic with her law degree book-ended by an undergraduate conversion of the old Mintz warehouse at 700 degree in business and a master of law degree in taxation, Tchoupitoulas St. she built a career on negotiating business deals. “It’s spectacular,” said Longwell, who was involved in “I’ve always been more slanted toward business and the project from the beginning. She put together the tax thought that I would enjoy the art of putting the deal credit package that made the development possible. together, of working together with someone to reach an Longwell also stays busy in a variety of community agreement, rather than fighting it out in court,” organizations, including the Neighborhood Development Longwell said. Foundation, the New Orleans Neighborhood At McGlinchey Stafford PLLC, Longwell, whose Development Collaborative, Associated Neighborhood grandfather was a lawyer and real-estate developer, Development, the Chi Omega Fraternity Leadership specializes in tax matters. These include tax credits for Institute and the Junior League of New Orleans. She is a low-income housing, historic rehabilitation, new mar- board member of the New Orleans Center for the Creative kets and the new Louisiana film tax credit. She created Arts and the French Quarter Business Alliance. McGlinchey’s tax credit practice group after joining In her spare time, she is renovating a second home the firm in 1999 following a three-year practice at Uptown — in addition to one in the French Quarter — Elkin, PLC. and enjoys antiquing. But with her calendar, Longwell Longwell said one of the most gratifying aspects of her said, “free time is not real abundant.” job is helping people become first-time homebuyers. The — By Sonya Stinson 32B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Charlotte Connick Mabry

Position: Associate Professor, General Dentistry, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Dentistry Family: husband,Tom Mabry Education: associate’s degree, dental hygiene, LSUHSC; B.S., dentistry, LSUHSC; M.S., dental public health, Henry M. Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry, Boston University

Charlotte Connick Mabry was looking for jobs outside nership award. Last year she was named to the Proctor New Orleans in 1982 when her mentor, Merv Trail, for- & Gamble National Advisory Board of the Crest mer chancellor of the LSU Health Sciences Center, asked Healthy Smiles 2010 Program. her to reconsider. LSU now sends students to developmental centers to “He said ‘I’m tired of educating students and seeing provide care and learn how to treat these populations.The them move away,’” Mabry said. He had a way of figura- efforts got a boost from the Surgeon General’s office, tively “grabbing you by the neck and pulling you down the which released a report on oral health in 2000 emphasiz- hall and you were liking it.” ing its central role in overall health. The way he grabbed her was to tell her there was a need Mabry is not one to rest on her laurels. in Louisiana: getting dental care to the state’s develop- She is developing an interdisciplinary educational mentally disabled population. model between the LSU School of Dentistry and the At first she shied away, but she decided to “face her Orleans Parish Public School System. School nurses will fears”and give it a try.Her specialty in oral health was pub- assist students from LSU in community programming for lic policy,so it was up her alley. inner city schools and in collecting and analyzing data on It’s safe to say it captured her. the status of children in those schools. For the past 20 years, Mabry has coordinated the clinical As a member of a well-known political family, Mabry and preventative dental program for the nine-state develop- learned a few things about taking on big issues. mental centers in Louisiana. She established an oral health “One thing I got from them is the fight for justice for the policy for about 2,000 patients who reside in these centers people,” she said. as well as many others who live in the community. Mabry has another cause to celebrate this year. She She has written a number of articles on delivering recently married Tom Mabry, a dentist, to the delight of care to people with special needs, and was inducted friends and family. into the Academy of Dentistry for Persons with “I’m telling everybody I married on time,” she said. Disabilities in 2001. She speaks often to national audi- “I worked hard to find a mate with the same passion and ences and was honored in 2002 by United Cerebral commitment.” Palsy of Greater New Orleans with its corporate part- — By Megan Kamerick women of the year 33B

2003womenoftheyear

Laura K. Maloney

Position: Executive Director, Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Family: husband, Dan Maloney Education: B.S., secondary education-science,West Virginia University; M.B.A., organizational behavior and management, A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University

Growing up as an only child in rural Maryland, Laura when she was assistant director at Central Park Zoo in Maloney devoted a lot of energy and attention to animals. New York. She enrolled at the A.B. Freeman School of “I was a 4-H kid, basically,” said Maloney. “I showed Business when she and her husband, Dan, vice presi- horses, dogs, cows.” dent and general curator at Audubon Zoo, moved to Her favorite was an Appaloosa horse. “She was my New Orleans. life,” Maloney recalled. “Boys had to come second.” “In the meantime,” Maloney said, “we adopted a dog That passion guided Maloney’s career from manage- from (the SPCA), and I thought, ‘This is what I want to ment positions with the Philadelphia and the Central Park devote my time to.’” Zoos to executive director for the Louisiana Society for Three more dogs and a cat later, Maloney, who began the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. her career as an educator, is helping teach others about the Since taking over in 2001, Maloney chalked up a num- importance of animal welfare. Foremost among her goals ber of accomplishments, including a socialization pro- is a “state-of-the-art adoption center for companion ani- gram for the Japonica Street shelter’s residents. The pro- mals,” she said. While the SPCA’s current location would gram ensures that the animals are walked, talked to, and continue to serve as an animal control center,the new facil- stroked, literally and figuratively. ity would promote animal adoption by presenting them in “If they’re here for even one day, I want them to feel a more homelike setting. emotionally stimulated.” Maloney’s experience with zoos and with the SPCA Maloney has also worked to make the SPCA more differ in at least one respect. responsive when people call to report strays or animal “In zoo work, the long-term goal is wildlife conserva- abuse. She has brought a new sense of fiscal responsi- tion, and you are taking minute steps to get there,” she bility to the organization, cutting costs while boosting said. “With animal welfare, it’s more immediate, because the SPCA’s fundraising by 51% last year. animals die every day. “I don’t feel that I could do this job without my MBA,” “This is my passion,” she added. “It has been the most she said. “The finances are so challenging.” rewarding job I’ve ever had.” Maloney decided to pursue her degree in business — By Russell McCulley 34B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Eve Barrie Masinter

Position: Member, McGlinchey Stafford, PLLC Family: two dogs,Wingolf and Wilhelm Education: B.A., political science, Louisiana State University; J.D. Louisiana State University

When Eve Barrie Masinter, a self-described “homegrown Masinter revels in the diversity of her career, enjoy- lawyer,” looks back over the influences of her 20-year ing writing briefs and arguing motions in the court- career as a litigator the list is lengthy. room. She feels strongly that her work in the health care Her parents are at the top. sector, defending hospitals against suits brought in “My father was an attorney, and I always wanted to be hepatitis C cases, has brought about good changes in one.” Her mother, an artist, helped develop Masinter’s the law. love for the arts, and took her to operas before she was in “Limiting the time period of when people can bring high school. actions protects hospitals and the whole system.It impacts School continued their good work. the costs of health care and insurance.” “My teachers encouraged me in the importance of Masinter’s favorite charity is Odyssey House. She studying and reading and taught me self-discipline,” has been involved with its mission of substance abuse Masinter said. She participated in speech and debate in rehabilitation in a community setting since the late high school and discovered a love for writing and 1980s. research. The influences of her parents coalesced in a “It has that tug on my heart,” she says. She has served paper she wrote on Leonardo da Vinci. She graduated in on its board of directors, twice as president, offers the the top 10% of her class at LSU Law School. organization legal advice, and is helping plan its 30th The city, too, is an influence. “Like all good New anniversary celebration. Orleanians, I came back home. I just love the city.” Masinter is involved in numerous professional activi- The colleagues at her firm are “always supportive and ties. She is the New Orleans liaison for the Pro Bono encouraging,” and have taught her best. From “all the dif- Project. She is also involved with the Louisiana State Bar ferent types of attorneys with different practice styles” she Association, the Bar Association of the Fifth Federal has gleaned techniques to form her own person as a pro- Circuit, the American Bar Association, the Louisiana fessional. Society of Hospital Attorneys, the New Orleans Bar “The culture of the firm and the opportunities offered Association, as well as the International Association of to me have been a wide gambit of things. The atmosphere Defense Counsel. here has nurtured me,” she says. — ByJan Fluitt-Dupuy women of the year 35B

2003womenoftheyear

Elsie Mendez

Position: Chief Operating Officer/Publisher/Editor-in-Chief,Vocero News Family: daughter, Catalina, 26 Education: B.A., communications Hilda Strauss School of Broadcasting and Communication, Bogota, Colombia

Elsie Mendez has a simple desire. She wants her newspa- and accepting the position of vice president of Hispanic per, Vocero News, to be the largest bilingual newspaper in media with publisher MCMedia. the country. In 2002, Mendez founded the Mendez Group, a com- She’s well on the way to realizing that dream. Vocero munications, marketing, media and logistics firm serving News, a biweekly geared toward the Hispanic community, the Hispanic community. has a monthly circulation of 50,000 and she plans to begin Mendez serves on the boards of directors of the New distributing the paper in Tennessee in November. Orleans International Ballet, the Louisiana Hispanic “My driving force has been my passion,” Mendez said. Chamber of Commerce and the New Orleans “I love what I do. This is a fascinating time to be Hispanic Multicultural Tourism network. She’s a member of the in this country,where dreams come true if you work hard Tulane Medical Center Breast Cancer Awareness and pursue them.” Committee and serves on the board of the Council on Mendez was born in Colombia and came to New Alcohol and Drug Abuse of Greater New Orleans. Orleans when she was 12 to attend Mercy Academy. She Mendez was dealt a blow earlier this year when her went back to Colombia after graduation and earned a mother was diagnosed with cancer.The experience taught communications degree,eventually settling in Puerto Rico her the meaning of strength. and starting a television career. “It’s been just so inspiring to see how she’s handled it Mendez has had a successful career in radio and televi- with such class,” Mendez said. “The doctors gave her sion broadcasting. She’s starred in a Latin-American sit- until June, and she’s passed that mark and may be in com, worked as a television and radio producer and has remission. I’m amazed by her will just to get up and get run Spanish-language radio stations in Colombia, Dallas going in the morning.” and New Orleans. In 1998, Mendez was named program- Her father, Mendez said, taught her to go out and take life mer of the year for the U.S. Hispanic market by Radio Y by the horns, and to fly above the clouds. Although he is no Musica magazine. longer living, Mendez has always remembered that, she said. Mendez returned to New Orleans in the late 1990s, “There’s a saying in Spanish that life is like a dance,” working as manager of international sales for the Mendez said. “Either you dance life or it will dance you. I Doubletree Hotel. She maintained an involvement in the prefer to dance life.” media, eventually serving as the publisher of La Prensa — By Richard Slawsky 36B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Eileen F. Powers

Position: Headmistress, Louise S. McGehee School Family: husband, Richard Gid Powers; daughters, Sarah, 32, and Evelyn, 29 Education: B.S., chemistry, Marymount Manhattan College; M.A.T.,teaching chemistry, University of Massachusetts

Eileen Powers learned early on that science was not blind they need more encouragement. They also need to be to gender differences. While a student at Marymount encouraged to take risks. Manhattan College, she attended her first meeting of the The Bradish Johnson house now has a media lab student chapter of the American Chemical Society and where students can plug in laptops. Seven grades are fully was immediately asked to be secretary. She was the only integrated into the school’s wireless laptop program. woman in the room. Powers has also expanded the athletics program, increas- “I couldn’t even type,” Powers said. ing its staff and adding a new weight room. She is also In the past five years as headmistress of Louise S. directing renovation of the school’s Alumnae House. McGehee School she sought to close that gap. Taking the position at McGehee meant some major She transformed the school into a supportive environ- adjusting,including her marriage to historian Richard Gid ment for girls to study math and science. She has overseen Powers, which has turned into a commuter relationship. a $4 million renovation of the school’s physical plant, Powers teaches at City College of New York. Eileen flies to including the historic Bradish Johnson mansion, which New York roughly twice a month to visit, while he comes now serves as a library. to New Orleans on school breaks and holidays. She helped increased enrollment from 320 to more that “It keeps life interesting,” said Powers. 450 students and the private academy now enrolls a large Powers is busy traveling these days to complete the percentage of minority students. She raised the school’s vis- school’s capital campaign for the renovations. But she’s ibility by promoting community service programs, winning already looking toward phase two of a planned three-phase awards from both the National Association of Independent facilities upgrade that will ultimately include a fully reno- Schools and the National Service Learning Center. vated auditorium. In all her endeavors, Powers said, she is Powers’ vision is a single-sex educational experience blessed with a supportive and active board of directors. that strengthens young women’s gifts, including their “I always knew I wanted to teach high school chemistry,” interest in science and math, and a belief that tradition is a said Powers, whose duties now keep her out of the class- good foundation for moving forward. room. “As an administrator, you become a teacher of teach- Powers was a math teacher before moving into school ers and that’s important. You’re still educating, you’re just administration. Girls learn in a different manner, she educating adults.” said. They’re more collaborative and cooperative and — By Lili LeGardeur women of the year 37B

2003womenoftheyear

Tonnette ‘Toni’ Rice

Title: President, New Orleans Multicultural Tourism Network Family: husband,Terrence; sons, Steven, 15, Nicholas, 13 Education: B.A., business administration, Louisiana State University

New Orleans is famous for its rich mix of cultures.Diversity, Multicultural Tourism Network. There was significant however, is not something that happens by chance. It resistance initially,Rice said, but the time had come to bring depends on everyone getting an opportunity to share a Asians and Hispanics into the tourism industry. piece of the pie. “We made so many strides in the African-American com- As president of the New Orleans Multicultural munity we felt it was time to open the door for others.” Tourism Network, a nonprofit organization, Toni Rice The network is responsible for marketing New Orleans makes sure people of color get that opportunity. to multicultural travelers and promoting the services of “A lot of these small and emerging businesses can pro- multicultural businesses to tourists and event planners. vide services but don’t know how to market themselves,” “Once these small businesses learn the ropes and han- Rice said. “Our job is to make sure they get a piece of the dle groups on a small scale they can grow and work on a tourism dollars when they come to the city.” larger scale,” Rice said. Its roots are in the Greater New Orleans Black Tourism Rice points to L&R Security Services as one of her Network, established in 1990 to identify and promote the greatest success stories. L&R, a security firm, began as a cultural diversity of New Orleans and to increase leader- part-time endeavor. But as it worked through the net- ship,career and business opportunities for people of color work, it grew, acquiring work with small conventions. at all levels of the hospitality industry. Today the firm provides security for the U.S. Open on Rice began her career with the network in 1997 as an the PGA Tour. executive assistant. Six years later, she was promoted to For Rice, a native of St. Charles Parish, her work with president. She had worked for two-and-a-half years as a the network means more than promoting small businesses sales manager at the Doubletree Lakeside hotel. or drawing tourists to New Orleans. It is about creating “It allowed me to see the other side of the tourism opportunities for those who want to succeed. And it is industry so that when I returned to the network I felt like about creating an environment in which future genera- I could successfully fill the position of president.” tions, including her two boys and unborn child, can real- One of the more difficult decisions for Rice occurred in ize their full potential. 1999 when the Greater New Orleans Black Tourism — By Richard A. Webster Network officially changed its name to the New Orleans 38B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Deborah B. Rouen

Position: Partner Adams and Reese LLP Family: husband, Rip; daughter,Ashley, 17; sons, Bradley, 14, and Miles, 9 Education: B.A., music therapy, Loyola University; J.D., Loyola University School of Law

Deborah Rouen is a prominent litigation attorney and named to the firm’s executive committee. partner at New Orleans’ largest law firm, but she has a She helped increase participation in the firm’s pro confession. bono program, Caring Adams and Reese Employees, “My real passion in life has always been music.” and its Hope, Understanding, Giving and Support pro- It may seem odd that she could find fulfillment in work gram, which helps more than 50 charities in the New such as toxic torts and product liability, but Rouen Orleans area. One of her own favorite projects is Dress believes there is an art to the practice of law. for Success, which assists low-income women in prepar- “All lawyers solve problems,” Rouen said. “Sometimes ing for new jobs. the bigger the problems, the more creative their solutions Rouen has been married 28 years and has three chil- have to be.” dren. She said the support of her husband, Rip, has been Rouen had a brief career in music therapy before solid throughout her career. deciding she needed a change. “It was emotionally “I was very fortunate that I fell in love with a man who rewarding but I didn’t find it particularly intellectually encouraged me to follow my dreams, and then he went a challenging,” she said. step further and helped me to realize some of those Law school turned out to be a better fit. She graduated dreams,” Rouen said. magna cum laude from the Loyola University School of Rouen often advises young lawyers to assess their Law in 1983 and immediately began working at Adams priorities honestly and strive to maintain a balance in and Reese, where she has practiced ever since. their lives. But, hearkening back to her musical roots, Initially, Rouen specialized in maritime and admiralty she said balance is not so much giving equal time and law, then gravitated toward class action and complex liti- weight to different roles, “but more a matter of harmo- gation cases. In 1988, she became part of the defense team ny: How do you combine those different parts into a in the Shell Norco explosion case. pleasing whole?” In addition to being team leader of the class An accomplished pianist, she added: “Harmony in action/complex litigation practice at Adams and Reese, music is not trying to have the same sound out of both Rouen is a member of the pharmaceuticals/product liabil- hands.” ity team. She recently became one of the first women — By Sonya Stinson women of the year 39B

2003womenoftheyear

Dionne M. Rousseau

Position: Partner, Jones,Walker,Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègré Family: husband, John A. Pojman; son, John Pojman Jr., 2 Education: B.A., history, Georgetown University; J.D. University of Chicago

Dionne Rousseau thought practicing law would be a little associate to being a business generator. less hectic than investment banking. “I don’t think people understand that practicing law, After graduating from college, she worked with Paine even in a big law firm, is quite entrepreneurial because as Webber Capital Markets in New York City. After several a partner at a big law firm you are your own profit center years she opted for a law degree rather than an MBA. In and you’re expected to generate business,”Rousseau said. addition to seeking a less crazy lifestyle, she found her As for that less hectic lifestyle, balancing it all with a curiosity peaked by the legal aspects of her deals. family is a challenge, she said. “I think it’s a work in Although she is from New Orleans,ending up here was progress.” more serendipity than planning. Her husband, who holds Having the support of colleagues and clients is critical a doctorate in chemistry, took a job at Southern in maintaining that balance, she added. “I’ve been fortu- Mississippi University in Hattiesburg. New Orleans was nate to have that.” the closest place for her to practice in her field. She has taught corporate law at Loyola University and “I’m married to a professor and the career path for a would like to return to that some day. professor is pretty much: Go to one place. Establish a “Teaching would allow me to give something back. research program. Get tenure, and live happily ever after. I Also I was proud of being a woman and coming in to teach like the idea of going somewhere and staying there and that class,”she said.“A lot of women approached me after- building a reputation.” ward who said they thought it was cool.” At Jones Walker she works with corporate clients, both She is on the board of directors and the executive com- private and public, doing mergers and acquisitions, ven- mittee for the Bureau of Governmental Research and was ture capital work and securities work. Recently she helped one of three main organizers for the annual Burkenroad Conrad Industries in Morgan City raise $4 million from SEC Conference. She has also been a big sister as part of the sale of industrial revenue bonds to open a new ship- Big Brothers Big Sisters. yard. “I have a theory that when you’re young, any attention “To me that’s very exciting. They’re going out and from an adult makes you feel special and gives you self-con- expanding and raising money,” she said. fidence. I had that and I wanted to do that for someone.” Her biggest challenge has been moving from a good — By Megan Kamerick 40B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Diane M. Roussel

Position: Superintendent, Jefferson Parish Public School System Family: husband, Lawrence McDonald Jr.; daughters, Stephanie McDonald, 20, and Celeste McDonald, 16 Education: B.A., English education, University of New Orleans; M.A., curriculum and instruction, UNO; M.A. Plus 30, curriculum and instruction, UNO; Ph.D., educational administration, UNO

When Jefferson Parish officials interviewed Diane Roussel “As a young teacher I had to be very strict,” she said. for the position of school superintendent, she was blunt. Her youth made working her way up the ladder more “I see myself as a change agent. I said when I was inter- difficult, she said, but she persevered. Roussel has now viewed ‘If you want status quo don’t choose me.’” held every position in Jefferson Parish Schools, from True to her word, Roussel led the push for a new prop- teacher to principal to director of instruction. erty tax increase, narrowly approved in October by voters. She eventually moved into administration because she It was the system’s first tax increase in 12 years and will kept going back to school for more certifications. A pro- bring in about $17 million for increased teacher pay in the fessor at UNO finally told her she would have to decide if first year. she wanted to get a doctoral degree. Since taking over in July, Roussel has begun imple- “At that point, after watching administrators, I felt I menting a number of other changes as well, including could do it,” she said. She is also an adjunct professor at making budget cuts and reorganizing the school system’s UNO and Tulane University. central offices and putting staff there on a performance Roussel was named Louisiana High School Principal review system. of the Year in 1997 and received the outstanding teacher “Jefferson Parish is at a real decision point in what its award from the University of Chicago in 1985. She served school system will look like,”she said.“I’m not an alarmist as one of five members of the U.S. Policy Studies Task but I will tell you if we don’t turn things around we are on Force, a three-year project to look at what was and was not the brink.” working in federal programs, and is involved in many Roussel is only the second female superintendent in national education organizations. Jefferson Parish, but she doesn’t see that as obstacle. Her biggest learning curve came during the campaign “You can do the work or you can’t,” she said. to pass the new tax. “I knew the school system was being She started college when she was 17 and finished in judged through me,” she said. three and a half years. She found herself back in her old Roussel has a long list of objectives for improving all school, Riverdale High School, teaching alongside people aspects of the school system. “With an 18-month contract who had recently taught her. And she wasn’t much older it almost gives you no fear,” she said. than the students. — By Megan Kamerick women of the year 41B

2003womenoftheyear

Kim Ryan

Position: Chief Nursing Officer,Tulane University Hospital and Clinic Family: husband, Rich Ryan; daughter, Cheryl, 22; twin sons, Matthew and Christopher, 15 Education: B.S., nursing, University of New York at Albany; M.S., University of Rochester; M.B.A., George College and State University

In New Orleans,good jobs can be in short supply.But one But perhaps Ryan’s greatest contribution is her help major exception is nursing as the classified section of the in developing the Accelerated Nursing Program, a part- Sunday newspaper will attest. nership with Our Lady of the Lake College in Baton “In New Orleans, we have 1,000 open nursing posi- Rouge. The program, operated through a satellite cam- tions,” said Kim Ryan. She should know: As chief nurs- pus in New Orleans, allows men and women, with ing officer at Tulane University Hospital and Clinic, undergraduate degrees in science, to earn a degree in Ryan’s responsibilities include making the hospital a nursing in just nine months. place where nurses want to work and where they are By next year, the program’s initial class of 33 could be inclined to build a career. working the hospital floor and alleviating the acute short- Ryan herself joined the hospital in 1998, after years of age of nurses. working in academic medical centers. With graduate “Tulane has a very complex patient population so we degrees in science and business, Ryan has developed a need nurses who have this hardcore science background,” model for nursing administration that combines the tradi- Ryan said. But waiting two years — the duration of most tional, nurturing role nurses bring to patient care with an nursing programs — is a long time, she added. effective business approach. In practice, the model pairs Ryan’s leadership and business acumen extend people skilled in nursing with those familiar with the beyond her work at Tulane.As an active member of the workings of business. United Way’s Women’s Leadership Initiative, she helps “Each side teaches the other,” Ryan said. “And what women develop the skills they need to further their we’ve found is that patient satisfaction improves and staff careers. satisfaction improves.” A native of Rochester, N.Y., Ryan said the transition Ryan has also been a strong advocate of nursing from Upstate to Deep South has been smooth. research — applying the same guidelines to nursing that “We love it here. We’re outdoor people, golfers, and I underlie the practice of medicine. “I think we raised the love to garden,”she said. “This is an eclectic city and I feel bar in nursing practice” at Tulane,she said. “The nurs- very much accepted.” es not only know what they do, but why they do it.” — By Russell McCulley ERICKSENKRENTEL & LAPORTE L.L.P.

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2003womenoftheyear

Grace Sheehan

Title: Captain and Commanding Officer, Enlisted Placement Management Center Family: husband, James Lee Jr., Lt. Commander U.S. Navy Education: B.A., psychology, University of Southern California, M.A., strategic studies and national defense, Naval War College

Capt. Grace Sheehan was recently reminded how far of a battalion of 340. She was glad to have her father as women had come in the modern military.She stepped out a reality check. of a car at the National D-Day Museum in full uniform just “When I said I wanted to fly they said women’s lungs as some older veterans were arriving. explode when they experience G (forces),” she said. “These guys said ‘Oh my God! It’s a female captain! They also told her women didn’t have the upper body Are you the only one?’ I said ‘No, there’s a bunch of us.’” strength to fly jets. Her father set her straight. “He would The daughter of a Navy aviator, Sheehan originally say ‘That’s a bunch of crap, Grace,’” she recalled. set her sights on a career as a pilot when she was com- Her career has taken her all over the country, from missioned in 1978. But she wasn’t one of the 15 Hawaii to Virginia. She spent two years as the officer in women chosen for pilot training that year. So she went charge of the Personnel Support Activity Detachment at into intelligence and made a career in training and man- Pearl Harbor. She also served as executive officer of the power. Aegis Training and Readiness Center in Virginia and did Sheehan, a native of Southern California, came to New a command tour at the Great Lakes Naval Base in Illinois. Orleans two years ago and is responsible for the placement She has found it rewarding to help individual sailors of all enlisted personnel throughout the Navy — about throughout her career. 350,000 sailors. She commands 200 military and civilian “Here you have a 19 year old that’s going to go to a ship personnel. that of course have this huge responsibility that other 19 She doesn’t regret that her career took a different path year olds can’t even fathom,”she said.“They do these fab- from landing planes on aircraft carriers — something ulous things that always amaze me.” woman weren’t allowed to do anyway until 1992 when the Outside of work, she is involved with Christ Church combat exclusion law was lifted. Cathedral and Habitat for Humanity. She will retire in “If I had stayed in aviation the opportunities weren’t as June and, despite her insistence she will be “eating bon good,” she said. “The opportunities are better now.” bons and watching Oprah,” Sheehan is exploring other She found more chances for advancement in intelli- opportunities.These include volunteer work and possibly gence, having been a commanding officer twice. When writing. Sheehan entered the Navy, there were three women out — By Megan Kamerick 44B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Andrea Thornton

Position: Director of Sales & Marketing, Hotel Monteleone Family: daughter, Kristine Dunkin, 33 Education: attended University of Mississippi; certified meeting professional

Andrea Thornton has done what she calls the “full Thornton said. Monte.” She left a position at The Hotel Monteleone to But Thornton said she was most impressed by the loy- open her own travel company,worked at other hotels and alty of the returning clients at the Monteleone — and espe- elsewhere in the hospitality industry, then returned to the cially the loyalty of the employees. Monteleone, where she oversees the sales, catering and “The nice thing about the hotel is the employees and reservations departments. their longevity,” she said. “A lot of the people I worked Thornton has worked to reposition the Monteleone, with in the mid ’70s are still there today and they have which is undergoing a $65 million renovation and has never left.”Their attitude made training and preparing for received many awards,including AAA’s four-diamond des- the AAA inspection even easier, she said. ignation, and status as a literary landmark. Since more trav- When she owned Tours by Andrea, a company that elers are taking advantage of Internet specials that offer included a travel agency and conference-planning and cheap rates, Thornton developed new ways of marketing destination-management components, the company grew the property to potential guests. from two to 32 employees and annually pulled in $6 mil- “It’s a challenge, but we have all the appropriate pieces lion in revenue. Thornton also founded Mid-South in place. The fact that we’re both a historic and literary Women in Travel and is president of Hospitality landmark makes us unique. We’re one of only two hotels Education Networking Association and SKAL, a small in the French Quarter that have the four-diamond desig- group of hotel general managers and directors involved nation now. Yes, it is tough, because we’re trying to sell with marketing in the tourism field. value and not just a rate.” She has been a member and an officer in many organi- Since Thornton began her career, technology has zations, including the Hospitality Education Networking changed everything. At first, she said, some employees Association, the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention were reluctant to embrace the changes. It took persuasive- and Visitors Bureau and Meeting Planners International. ness to show them the benefits of technology. She is chairwoman of the WOW Committee with the “You can still keep that wonderful warmth (for Convention and Visitors Bureau, working with VIPs who guests) but at the same time bring the hotel into the 21st visit New Orleans. century through technology and working smarter,” — By Faith Dawson women of the year 45B

2003womenoftheyear

Keeley Williams Verrett

Position: Owner,The Vision Company Family: husband,Troy Education: B.S., biology and chemistry, Xavier University; Doctor of optometry, University of Houston College of Optometry

Keeley Verrett’s philosophy is treat all of her patients the St. in the Central Business District. Her business is inex- same,whether they are millionaires or Medicaid recipients. tricably tied to her community. She does free vision “The neighborhood clinics I worked in were not aes- screenings in her office for children without health insur- thetically nice. To me it said that certain people didn’t ance. Often these children wind up in special education deserve to have a nice place to go.” classes because they can’t see, she said. When she opened her own optometry practice at 1200 She recently became a community partner with the non- Franklin Ave., she made sure it was attractive, her staff was profit The Eyes Have It, which provides eye exams and courteous to everyone and patients didn’t wait all day. glasses in schools. She also offers services to senior citizens It was a natural way of doing business for Verrett, who in conjunction with a Medicare-based organization. grew up in a Gulfport, Miss., grocery store owned by her Verrett also brings in several students from Xavier family. Her grandparents started a water company and a University each semester who want to learn about optometry. credit union. The neighborhood even had its own fire She pairs them with junior high or high school students,who department. The grocery store was where Verrett ate, did are often patients and might be having trouble in school. her homework, and got her first job experience. They do some work around the office and get exposed to She wanted to replicate some of what she had experi- mentors who are college students. Verrett convinced one enced in childhood to serve low- and middle-income peo- young woman to return to school and even got her a uniform. ple with quality care. “Whatever we can do,” she said. “We let them know “That’s very important to me because most of those whatever they need we’ll try to handle it.” people are black folks and there are a lot of places that mis- She will wait to see how her newest location does treat us,” she said. before making more expansion plans. She looked into several different medical professions “I’m just trying to fill my life with all the aspects of before settling on optometry. “I guess the one thing that optometry I love. I love dealing with kids. I love dealing attracted me the most was I felt I would be able to have a fam- with older people who normally get ignored. I like dealing ily and I wouldn’t have to sacrifice my family life for my job.” with corporate folks, too,” she said. “But I definitely don’t She opened a second location at 3840 St. Bernard want to do too much.” Ave.,and will open a third in November at 411 Carondelet — By Megan Kamerick 46B New Orleans CityBusiness • November 10, 2003

2003womenoftheyear

Dawn Wesson

Position: Associate Professor,Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Family: partner, Mary-Jo Webster Education: B.A. biology and Spanish, North Central College; M.S., ecology, University of Illinois at Chicago; Ph.D. medical entomology, Notre Dame University

Known as “mosquito-hunter extraordinaire” by close The West Nile virus made it apparent that individu- friends, Dawn Wesson has been a key player in manag- als trained to do fieldwork like Wesson have virtually ing the West Nile outbreak in southeastern Louisiana. disappeared. The Centers for Disease Control has Wesson became interested in mosquitoes in gradu- funded the training of some 20 graduate students, ate school. Having grown up on a farm, however, she under Wesson’s direction, to meet this need. She also has always had a keen awareness of how insects can recently served as president of the Louisiana Mosquito cause problems. Control Association, which helps train mosquito con- As a medical entomologist and associate professor of trol personnel. tropical medicine at Tulane for the past 10 years, she Wesson has won grant money from the Coypu now divides her time between teaching and research. Foundation, funded in part by the McIlhenny family,to Her Spanish comes in handy for her fieldwork in investigate some types of mosquitoes as invasive Central and South America. species. She has received grants from the Department “Field work is what I enjoy the most,” said Wesson. of Defense, J. Bennett Johnston Foundation, and the “Part of (fieldwork) has to do with seeing what’s going Association of Schools of Public Health and hopes to on in real world. It gives me the chance to enjoy the garner funds soon from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife environment of New Orleans.” Service and the National Park Service. Much of her work over the past few years has been Her most recent award, $2.1 million from the developing surveillance systems for mosquito control. National Institutes of Health to study the breeding Wesson has helped implement an Internet-based habits of mosquitoes in containers, could lead to the reporting system to gather information from all over the development of a device to lure and trap mosquitoes as state and to issue updates to the public. Knowing where they look for a place to lay eggs. She hopes to have a and when mosquitoes occur helps Wesson better pre- prototype ready to test in four years. dict potential outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases. — By Jan Fluitt-Dupuy COUNCILMAN Catherine Dunn OLIVER M.THOMAS,JR. one of CityBusiness’ Congratulates Women of the Year LOLITA

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2003womenoftheyear

Charlee Williamson

Position: Executive Vice President, Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group Family: husband, Richard Education: B.A., advertising, University of Texas

For someone who’s a bigwig with one of New Orleans’ never going to do that,” she said. “It wasn’t as glamorous most famous restaurant groups, Charlee Williamson is as I thought it was going to be.” one picky eater. Six months later, the picky eater ate her words. For starters, she won’t eat anything green or white. Since then, Williamson has helped Brennan expand Foods with names — duck, lamb, deer, rabbit — are all off his restaurant empire, developing Ralph Brennan’s Jazz limits. And cheese? That would be a no. Kitchen at Walt Disney Land in Anaheim, Calif. Now “People seem to think something’s just wrong with me she’s orchestrating the completion of a yet unnamed being in this business,” she said. restaurant at 900 City Park Ave., the former site of Obviously, her boss disagrees. Williamson has Tavern on the Park. worked for the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group for 10 In addition to her job, Williamson is co-chairwoman years, and through her marketing savvy and a mission to of the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing “make people happy,” she’s advanced from marketing Executives Study Group and the state’s coordinator for manager to executive vice president. the International Association of Culinary Her position encompasses five restaurants including Professionals. Outside work, she holds leadership posi- Mr. B’s Bistro, BACCO and Red Fish Grill. tions in the Junior League of New Orleans and has During Williamson’s senior year as an advertising served on the board of directors of the Young major at the University of Texas, she met the man who Leadership Council, the Royal Street Guild and the would steer her career. Her mother’s friend, a member of Advertising Club of New Orleans. the Royal Street Guild, offered to line up some informa- Williamson doesn’t see herself going anywhere else. tional interviews for Williamson at some of the hotels and And as far as Williamson’s finicky food choices go, restaurants in that area. Among the interviews was a meet- Brennan hasn’t given up on her. ing with Ralph Brennan. “He’s gotten me to eat a veal cheek, which I still hate. At the time, the fact he was looking for someone to fill a And I ate a strawberry,” she said. “But I had to ask for a position that hadn’t yet been created or defined didn’t real- breath mint afterward.” ly excite Williamson. —Autumn C. Giusti “I remember going home and telling my mother I was …They always went beyond the call of duty. That’s why we do at the VA Medical Center, New Orleans, LA.

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