Board of directors
Parker Kilgore, chairman
Parker is a native of Baton Rouge and a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Jones Walker LLP. Parker is a commercial litigator who represents energy, construction and business clients in a wide variety of litigation matters and business transactions. He has served as lead counsel on multiple infrastructure projects, advising clients on eminent domain and expropriation issues in the construction of infrastructure and flood control projects. He recently served as the board chair for Habitat of Humanity for Greater Baton Rouge and as an officer in the Downtown Baton Rouge Business Association. He has a B.A. in biology from Hendrix College, where he served as a research assistant on multiple field ecology projects before attending law school at LSU. Parker grew up hunting, fishing and exploring coastal Louisiana, and can often be found in the marsh in Cameron and Vermillion Parish.
John Ross, VICE CHAIRMAN
J.R. is general manager, growth and strategy at PosiGen Solar. He has spent more than 20 years driving growth strategies and digital innovation for global brands. J.R. has helped build numerous digital start-ups and agency services and served as chief of staff and director of global partnerships at PepsiCo. J.R. remains committed to giving back to the communities that have supported him and to take action around coastal erosion, seafood sustainability and promoting the cultural heritage of New Orleans.
Nene Gianfala, treasurer
Nene Glenn Gianfala, CPA/ABV, ASA-BV/IA, is a vice president in the valuations group and a shareholder of Chaffe & Associates, Inc. She joined the firm in 2007 and has over 16 years of experience in accounting, corporate finance and business valuations. She specializes in intellectual property and intangible asset valuations for purchase price allocations, impairment testing, internal intangible asset management, portfolio valuation and litigation support. Nene provides business valuation services to public and private companies for estate, gift and income tax planning, financial reporting, corporate planning, employee stock ownership plans and litigation.
sam miles, Secretary
Sam Miles is vice president, corporate development at IMTT, the largest independent bulk liquids storage and logistics provider in North America. At IMTT, he assists with the company’s corporate development and pursues innovative opportunities in support of the energy transition. Prior to joining IMTT, he held a variety of management roles in the energy investment banking, renewable energy and environmental services industries. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in ecology, Sam spent a summer assisting with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response in Venice, where he developed a passion for the protection and restoration of coastal Louisiana. Sam also holds an MBA from the University of Texas. In his spare time, Sam can be found hunting, fishing and exploring the coastal marshes south of New Orleans.
Mindy Nunez Airhart
Mindy Nunez Airhart is the president and CEO of SSE Steel Fabrication, an AISC-certified structural steel fabrication contractor in St. Bernard Parish. As a federal contractor, SSE has overseen over $36 million of construction on the New Orleans Hurricane & Storm Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS). Airhart, who grew up in St. Bernard Parish, is the outgoing chairwoman of the St. Bernard Parish Chamber of Commerce. She also serves as the vice chairwoman of the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, and on the boards of directors of the St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation, the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute, the First Planning District of the Louisiana Workforce Development Board, and the Fidelity Bank POWER Advisory Board. She holds a bachelor of arts degree from Tulane University and resides Uptown with her husband and two children.
WHITNEY BROUSSARD III
Whitney Broussard, a native of southwest Louisiana, is a coastal ecologist with more than 25 years of experience working at the intersection of science, water and communities along the Gulf Coast and beyond. His work focuses on understanding how coastal landscapes change over time and applying science-based solutions that support healthy ecosystems, resilient communities and sustainable water resources. Whitney has worked as both a university researcher and environmental consultant, contributing to coastal restoration and water management projects across Louisiana, Texas, Florida and the Mid-Atlantic. He has supported multiple iterations of Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan and collaborated with local, state and federal partners on long-term stewardship efforts. He is the Louisiana client service leader for Freese and Nichols.
Steve Chustz
Steve Chustz has more than 30 years of experience in environmental management with the state of Louisiana. A degreed geologist, he spent his first 20 years with the state working at the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality in surface water, groundwater and remediation programs. He then moved to the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, where he served as director of the Atchafalaya Basin Program, assistant secretary of the Office of Coastal Management and secretary of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources until his retirement in 2016. He also worked as part of the Governor’s Unified Command Group on many emergency response cases including hurricanes, floods and oil spills. Since his retirement from the state, he has worked as a consultant with CSRS Inc. in Baton Rouge, advising clients and co-workers on a variety of environmental issues.
Dawn Cole
Dawn is a founding partner of French Cole Strategies, a full-service public affairs firm with more than 20 years experience in lobbying, stakeholder outreach and coalition building, political fundraising/consulting, and initiating and managing major social/branding events for clients. Not only does she represent a diverse roster of clients in the energy, education, economic development, construction and agriculture sectors, Dawn has amassed an impressive bipartisan network of political contacts throughout the state. Dawn is a graduate of Teurlings Catholic High School and LSU with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She sits on the board of LAGCOE and is a graduate of the 2017 class of CABL’s Leadership Louisiana. Residing in Breaux Bridge, Dawn stays busy sharing her experiences of music and the outdoors with her two children, Kate and Parker.
Danny Dehon
Danny is the lead coastal engineer for C.H. Fenstermaker and Associates. He has over 15 years of experience in coastal design and has implemented a variety of coastal restoration projects across Louisiana. He earned both his undergraduate and master’s degrees in biological and agricultural engineering from LSU. His master’s focused on the use of bioengineered oyster reefs for coastal protection. Danny grew up fishing and recreating in the marshes around New Orleans. He now lives in Baton Rouge with his wife and two young boys.
RENE ESCURIEX
Rene Escuriex is a native of New Iberia who lives in rural Acadia Parish. He graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (formerly USL) with a bachelor of science degree in agriculture. Rene has worked in business development, project management and operations management over the years, overseeing multiple projects and initiatives throughout the Gulf Coast. Upon retirement, Rene expanded his ranching activities through Scattered Acres Ranch, LLC, working closely with business partners to support and advance coastal protection and restoration. Beyond his professional life, Rene enjoys spending time with his wife, Liz, composing music and serving as the music director and worship leader at his local church in Evangeline.
Brendan Hughes
Brendan Hughes is an attorney with Galloway who practices in the areas of environmental, maritime, insurance and construction law. His federal litigation experience includes claims under the Clean Water Act, RCRA, CERCLA and the Clean Air Act. Prior to law school at Tulane University, where he was a member of the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic and Tulane Maritime Law Journal, Brendan was a senior project scientist at a national environmental engineering and science firm. He designed and executed environmental remediation projects for federal and private energy industry clients, and his project work also included hazardous waste management and oil spill response, including work on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and NRDA studies for older spills.
Ashley Liuzza
Ashley Liuzza is the chief operating officer and attorney at Stag Liuzza LLC in New Orleans. Her practice centers on litigating complex environmental pollution claims, toxic exposure claims and mineral royalty disputes. Ashley grew up in St. Bernard Parish. Preserving the coast and protecting our communities have always been priorities to her. She spent much of her youth fishing, canoeing and visiting areas along Louisiana’s coast that have changed significantly in the past 30 years.
Jeremy Mipro
Jeremy Mipro is a vice president with Wells Fargo’s commercial bank, where he leads deal teams in structuring and delivering complex financial solutions for clients across Louisiana, New Mexico and South Texas. He oversees underwriting and portfolio management teams responsible for risk mitigation, regulatory compliance and loan originations. Jeremy has worked in the banking industry for over 16 years. He holds a degree in finance from LSU and an MBA from the University of New Orleans. A native New Orleanian, Jeremy lives in Lakeview with his wife and three children. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time outdoors, listening to live music and cooking for family and friends.
Rob Morrow
From 1972 to 2000, Rob held senior positions at Wells Fargo Bank, Merrill Lynch and Bank of America. In 2001, he was appointed assistant head master and chief development officer at the Woodberry Forest School in Virginia. Other career activities include Table Rock Capital, Inflection Point Consulting and Advice Dynamics Partners, where he currently serves as a senior adviser. Rob holds a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a graduate of Stanford University’s Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management, Harvard Business School’s Program for Managerial Development and Columbia Business School’s program for coaching certification. He has previously served on the boards of The Cameo Theater, The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the Asian Museums of San Francisco, Chanticleer, Upper Valley Family Centers and Woodberry Forest School.
Will norman
Will is a strategic growth director with SWCA Environmental Consultants, with more than 20 years of experience in the planning, development and management of multidisciplinary water resource projects and programs. His primary area of focus has been coastal restoration and flood protection along the Gulf Coast, and more recently supporting SWCA’s energy clients as they evaluate and develop environmental sustainability and governance initiatives and consider the energy transition market. Will was born and raised in Vicksburg, Miss., and attended
undergraduate and graduate school at LSU before beginning his professional career with the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources – Coastal Restoration Division. His career took him to Denver and Boston before leading him back to Baton Rouge in 2010, providing a unique perspective and experience understanding our nations complex water resource issues. He and his wife, Misty, reside in Baton Rouge with their two children. He serves on the Our Lady of Mercy School Board and the Board
of Directors for Clean Pelican, a litter advocacy nonprofit in Baton Rouge.
Randy Smith
Randy is a principal and director of first impressions at Wingate Engineers, a New Orleans-based civil engineering and design firm. Randy is primarily responsible for the firm’s strategic growth, development and community/client engagement. Prior to his time in the engineering industry, he served 10 years in the banking industry in various capacities, most recently as a private and business banker.
Kristian Sonnier
Kristian grew up on a rice/crawfish farm and cattle ranch in rural southwest Louisiana, which helped shape his love of the outdoors. A self-taught grill and smoker enthusiast, avid reader, kayaker and fisherman, Kristian also enjoys camping, road-tripping, live music and watching the LSU Tigers play football and baseball. He is the VP of communications and business development at Ryan Gootee General Contractors, a commercial construction company in New Orleans. He and his wife, Emery, have a chocolate Labrador retriever named Scout and enjoy spending time together in Pass Christian, Mississippi.
beau tate
Beau Tate, an engineer at Royal Engineers and Consultants, has 25 years of experience managing and delivering civil, coastal and environmental projects for private as well as governmental organizations. His design experience includes roads, bridges, wastewater treatment facilities, public buildings and associated infrastructure, barrier island restoration, marsh creation, shoreline protection and marine structures. He also has experience in grants management following Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike, Laura and Ida. His previous employers include the Louisiana Department Transportation and Development, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, and Facility Planning and Control. He also holds professional licenses in Texas, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.
MEAGAN WIlliams
Meagan Williams, P.E., M.S., a recognized leader in urban water management and climate resilience, is the deputy chief administrative officer of sustainability and chief resilience officer for the city of New Orleans. A licensed professional civil engineer, she holds a master’s degree in civil engineering with a concentration in water resources from the University of New Orleans and brings nearly a decade of experience advancing innovative infrastructure solutions in flood-prone communities. Meagan has led the design and implementation of high-impact green and gray infrastructure projects and guides citywide stormwater strategy and resilient infrastructure delivery. Her expertise includes hydrologic modeling, large-scale drainage design, and policy development that supports long-term, sustainable urban water systems. She served five years as president of the American Public Works Association’s New Orleans Chapter and continues to help shape the investments and partnerships driving a safer, more water-resilient future for New Orleans.