Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana announces board of directors for 2026

New members are Whitney Broussard, Rene Escuriex, Jeremy Mipro, Meagan Williams

February 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, a statewide nonprofit that advocates for the restoration and protection of coastal wetlands, has announced its board of directors for 2026, with four new members replacing four departing members. The organization, whose mission is to unite people in action to achieve a thriving, sustainable Louisiana coast for all, is known for its volunteer-driven projects building oyster reefs and planting trees and grasses across Louisiana’s coast, as well as for its biennial State of the Coast conference. CRCL also operates a youth education program, Future Coastal Leaders, and the Coastal Leadership Institute for career professionals.

The new members of the CRCL board are Whitney Broussard III, Rene Escuriex, Jeremy Mipro and Meagan Williams. Broussard is from Lafayette. Escuriex lives in Branch, in Acadia Parish. Mipro and Williams are from New Orleans. Leaving the CRCL board are: Sarah Giles, Terrence Lockett, Donald Brinkman and Robert Gardiner.

“The strength of our board reflects the strength of our organization, and we’re grateful to have four distinguished individuals join our team,” said Kim Reyher, CRCL’s executive director. “With their help, our organization will continue to be a leader in advancing large-scale restoration that will benefit everyone who lives, works and plays in south Louisiana.”   

Whitney Broussard, a coastal ecologist who is a native of southwest Louisiana, is the Louisiana client service leader for Freese and Nichols. He has more than 25 years of experience working at the intersection of science, water and communities along the Gulf Coast and beyond.

Rene Escuriex is a native of New Iberia who has worked in business development, project management and operations management, overseeing multiple projects and initiatives throughout the Gulf Coast. Rene is also a rancher through Scattered Acres Ranch, LLC, working closely with business partners to support and advance coastal protection and restoration.

Jeremy Mipro, a native New Orleanian, 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 and other states.

Meagan Williams, P.E., M.S., also a native New Orleanian, is the deputy chief administrative officer of sustainability and chief resilience officer for the city of New Orleans. Meagan guides citywide stormwater strategy and resilient infrastructure delivery.  

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The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to unite people in action to achieve a thriving, sustainable Louisiana coast for all.