CRESCENT CITY FARMERS MARKET - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate Area Agent - LSU Ag Center and Louisiana Sea Grant
- Scientist With the LSU Sea Grant
Rusty is a coastal scientist with the LSU Sea Grant and LSU AgCenter. Rusty's work encompasses the Southeast Region of Louisiana which is composed of a four parish area (Orleans, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles Parishes). His work is focused on fisheries and other coastal issues such as serving as fisheries issues liaison between area stakeholders and government, private, academic and recreational sectors (special emphasis on ethic issues); coastal advisor on area topics concerning restoration, reclamation, mitigation and ecological sustainability of coastal resources; economic development of coastal resources (terrestrial and aquatic); and ecotourism programs to support area natural resource industries.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Amanda is a public health professional specializing in local food systems and the effects of racism and social inequities on health. Graduating from Tulane University, she is a Posse Scholar with a B.S. in Public Health. During Amanda's undergraduate career, she interned with organizations such as the Louisiana Health Department, New Orleans City Council, American Diabetes Association, and NOLA Food Policy Advisory Committee. With over 4+ years of extensive experience in the New Orleans food system, Amanda is dedicated to unpacking structures of inequity and increasing access to nutritionally valuable foods. Alongside joining Market Umbrella's team, she is studying to obtain a Master's degree in Nutrition at Tulane's School of Public Health. Amanda's passion for food access drives her overall career goals to create an equitable food system that is rooted, oriented, and driven by community members, for community members. She believes "it's time to stop blaming the individual and start looking at how the system has failed them.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Treasurer / Principal - Amy Corcoran, CPA, LLC
Amy is a shareholder at Corcoran & Bernard CPAs. She specializes in providing tax and accounting services to individuals, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations. She has been on the board of Market Umbrella since 2018.
Angelina Harrison is originally from a small family dairy farm in Wisconsin. She grew up helping her mom can and preserve from the bounty of a kitchen garden and none of her food came out of a box. After graduating with honors from UC Berkeley with a B.S. in environmental science and policy, she worked in local government in the Bay Area on various climate action plan implementation projects. She's been in New Orleans since 2011, where a search for a local CSA brought her into food systems work, where she has found her calling, helping to make sustainable food choices easy for consumers to make. Angelina has worked to support small-scale, sustainable agriculture, and the producers that comprise it in various facets, and continues to do so as the new Interim Executive Director of Market Umbrella, leading an organization that supports thriving farmers markets, numerous local and statewide nutrition incentive programs, and vendor and food systems support work. She has endless respect for the folks who can coax tomatoes out of this SE LA climate, and works to pull back the veil on the hidden humanitarian, environmental, economic and health costs of conventional food production and delivery, and illuminate the incredible, impossible and essential work that small growers are doing for our state, region, economy, climate and food system. She lives with her husband and their brood of chicks, enjoys eating food that other people make, cooking with produce their family grows, and is driven by a tenacious (some say stubborn) optimism for what is possible.
Job Titles:
- Director of IS Clinical System - Ochsner Health System
Ashley Weber received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Millsaps College and a Master's in Health Administration from Tulane University in 2008. Ashley joined Ochsner Health System in July 2008 as an Administrative Fellow in the New Orleans region. During the Fellowship, Ashley worked at OMC - Kenner, OMC, and the corporate executive team on various projects within the Office of Strategy management. Upon completion of the Administrative Fellowship in 2010, Ashley accepted a full-time role as the Manager of Operations in the Ochsner Sports Medicine Institute and Primary Care. In 2012, Ashley joined the Information Services division on the Physician Academy team specializing in electronic medical record education and support. Over the course of 5 years, Ashley led the team in various system-wide initiatives, projects, and deployments. In 2018, Ashley took on the role of Director of Enterprise Imaging team and Epic Procedural Applications teams. These teams are responsible for all imaging-related applications including the Enterprise Imaging system at Ochsner Health System, Cardiology, Radiology and Gastroenterology documentation.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Retired Healthcare Executive and Registered Nurse
- Vice - President / Vice President of Community Outreach - Ochsner Community Health Systems, Retired
Avery Corenswet is a retired healthcare executive and registered nurse. Her passions lie in public health, health equity, and food access and she is drawn to the work that Market Umbrella does to connect to all populations of our city, particularly those initiatives that serve students and seniors.
Brie graduated from the University of Vermont with a B.S. in Community and International Development. She moved to Arnaudvile, LA in 2019 to help on a small-scale organic farm that sold at the Lafayette Farmers and Artisans Market. Immediately smitten by the food, the climate, and the people in Louisiana, she felt at home. Following Hurricane Laura, Brie worked disaster relief logistics and planning in the AmeriCorps FEMA program. In 2021, she settled permanently in New Orleans and worked in communications and donor management with local nonprofits like lowernine.org and Jericho Road. Brie also volunteers regularly with the Louisiana Red Cross as an Information and Planning Team Supervisor, she proudly drives the emergency vehicle for the parade first aid stations. She is excited to join Market Umbrella to help connect people with resources for health and happiness and to share the stories of the market. In her spare time, she likes to cook in her galley aboard the sailboat she and her partner live in on Lake Pontchartrain.
Job Titles:
- Director of Community Nutrition Programs
Brittani Nelson has over 10 years of public health experience from food safety and regulatory work, to harm reduction and overdose prevention, to community engagement and health promotion. Prior to her role at Market Umbrella, Brittani worked as a Program and Policy Coordinator in the Louisiana Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the LSU Health Sciences Center- New Orleans. Brittani has a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Behavioral Science and Health Education from Saint Louis University. Brittani is an alumna of Tuskegee University, where she studied Animal, Poultry, and Veterinary Sciences. Brittani enjoys hiking, biking, and long walks with her dog, Gotti.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Marketing, Louisiana Fish Fry Products
Caroline Gray has worked in food and beverage marketing for over 10 years and is currently Vice President of Marketing at Louisiana Fish Fry Products. A native of Lafayette, LA, and a resident of Bayou St. John, she shops at the Thursday Mid City market. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Tulane University and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management.
Job Titles:
- Greaux the Good Program Director
Chelsea Triche was born in New Orleans and lived there until Hurricane Katrina. She then relocated just north of Baton Rouge. Chelsea likes to think of herself as a city girl with a farmer's heart. She has a passion for working with people and helping them build capacity. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Sciences with a concentration in Animal Science from Southern University and Agricultural & Mechanical College. Then in 2021 she became a two-time alumna after receiving her Master's in Biology. Chelsea is an experienced produce safety and food safety trainer. She holds multiple certifications from organizations like the Association of Food and Drug Officials and the National Restaurant Association. Her professional experience includes program coordinator for two federally funded projects, food analysis laboratory manager, and programs manager. She has also been able to collaborate on statewide and national projects. Chelsea is excited to embark on this new opportunity with Market Umbrella while continuing to work with the same community of people that she has for the past 3 ½ years. It is the icing on the cake to work for a company back home. Chelsea loves being a daughter, sister, mom, and wife. When she gets free time she loves to relax during a good thunderstorm, watch sci-fi or post-apocalyptic movies/shows, or find a new animal to add to the family.
Job Titles:
- Associate Editor - the Louisiana Weekly
- Writer and Journalist
David Thaddeus Baker is an award-winning writer and journalist based in New Orleans, LA. Baker is a native of the city, where he works as an associate editor for The Louisiana Weekly newspaper, the oldest existing African-American newspaper in the Southeast Louisiana region. In his time as a journalist, his byline has appeared locally in Uptown Buyer's Guide, Stay Local! A Guide to Commerce and Culture, NPN's The Trumpet, Louisiana Life, and nationally for Southern Living magazine's The Daily South. Beyond his professional work, he is committed to the cultural, economic, and social well-being of New Orleans. As part of his service to the community, Baker has served as a Past President of the Board of Directors for Market Umbrella. He has also served on the Board of Directors Executive Committees of the Press Club of New Orleans, Junebug Productions, and the Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans as well as serving on the board of directors of the Young Leadership Council, Neighborhoods Partnership Network, Awesome Foundation (New Orleans), and has chaired Ogden Museum of Southern Art's Magnolia Ball and the Young Aspirations Young Artists' (YaYa) Fall fundraiser "Just Say YaYa." Baker earned a Bachelor of Arts in Literature from Dillard University in 2004 and studied Public Relations at Tulane University's School of Continuing Studies.
Job Titles:
- Client Executive - IBM, Retired
David has been a Crescent City Farmers Market shopper for the last 25 years and has enjoyed watching the Market change and grow over the years. David is also active on the board of New Orleans City Park as well as the New Orleans Botanical Garden Foundation. In his spare time, David enjoys gardening and reading. During his career as a Senior Sales Executive with IBM, David has lived overseas and is awaiting the opportunity to travel internationally again in retirement.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Recording Secretary / Physician Assistant - Ochsner Medical Center
As a Louisiana native, Eleni recently made her way back to New Orleans where she practices digital medicine/chronic disease management as a physician assistant at Ochsner. She is excited to be a part of Market Umbrella's journey towards building an ever more resilient, accessible, and sustainable food system that benefits both people and the ecology of our community. In her free time, Eleni enjoys all manner of playing outside: gardening, birding, bicycling, and hiking with her dogs, but you can occasionally find her indoors attempting to play Philip Glass's piano etudes.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- President / Executive Director - New Orleans Food Policy Action Council
Elisa served as Market Manager for Crescent City Farmers Market from 2011-2015 and has stayed involved with the Market ever since through policy work and shopping for her family. Elisa's life work is ensuring a just and equitable food system for all and she currently does that through policy and systems work. In her free time, Elisa enjoys baking with and for her young son and husband and being crafty.
Job Titles:
- Physician - Children 's Hospital
Esteban is a hospital-based physician (Hospitalist) in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics who has a background in the intersection of how healthcare delivery systems, public health, technology, and communities can be integrated to provide more equitable and quality care. He connected with the Market Umbrella at its inception and in his return to New Orleans four years ago was re-connected through friends to learn of its great expansion since its early beginnings. He is excited about the possibilities of how Market Umbrella can serve to educate and partner with organizations to serve the food insecurity, dietary, and other public health needs of the community. In his free time, Esteban enjoys biking and walking around the city, cooking, having a coffee or bite with friends at an outdoor setting (especially during COVID), taking in the music, food, and art of New Orleans, and spending quality time with family and friends.
A passionate local food systems advocate, Francesca is excited to serve as the Market Manager for the Crescent City Farmers Markets. Having graduated from Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania with a B.A. in both Sustainability Studies and Psychology, she believes her degrees well encompass her two greatest passions - people and the environment! From her very first job working on a small New Jersey family farm to researching and organizing food waste and redistribution efforts in Allentown, Pennsylvania, her work and studies have continuously informed the importance of local food systems as a crucial vector of systemic sustainability. In her free time, Francesca enjoys trying out new recipes for potlucks with friends, basking in the beauty of Audubon Park with a book or sudoku puzzle, and exploring New Orleans. She is overjoyed to call this city home and is excited to support and be a part of the Crescent City Farmers Market community.
Job Titles:
- Partner at the Law Firm of Chehardy Sherman Williams
Jacob Young is a partner at the law firm of Chehardy Sherman Williams. Jacob is a trial attorney whose work and experience stretch across a broad range of clients and disputes, including commercial litigation, insurance, zoning, and real estate. He is a graduate of Tulane University Law School and Louisiana State University. Jacob serves on the board of governors of the Louisiana Association of Justice (formerly Louisiana Trial Lawyers' Association). Jacob is a Louisiana native, growing up in Livingston Parish before moving to New Orleans in 2005. Outside of work, Jacob enjoys hiking trips, biking the city, bookstores, and coffee. He is drawn to Market Umbrella's commitment to increasing the community's access to healthy food and economic opportunities.
Job Titles:
- Director of Healthy Food Access Programs
Kasey Davis is a passionate public health professional originally from Houston, Texas.She holds a B.S. in Health Sciences: Community Health from Stephen F. Austin State University. In 2014, she moved to New Orleans to continue her studies in Community Health and Program Management at Tulane University School of Public Health. After Completing her Master's, she began her career with the American Diabetes Association where she implemented a number of health education programs to various populations across the state. Through that work, inequities around food continue to be a challenge. She is currently working toward a second Bachelors in Food and Nutrition from the University of Alabama. If nothing else, she is committed to being a resource for the community because you "do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."- Maya Angelou. In Kasey's free time, she enjoys everything about New Orleans, spending time with her friends and family, traveling, and eating tacos.
Job Titles:
- Greaux the Good Program Manager
Katie is originally from a small town in central Pennsylvania and her early years were filled with watching her family can vegetables and make ample amounts of sauerkraut and apple butter. She grew up in the heart of Falcons territory and after graduating with a Bachelor's in Business Administration from Georgia State University, she found a love for southern hospitality. She has spent over ten years expanding her knowledge and passion for educating and helping others as well as data collection and analysis within the hospitality field. Since COVID, Katie has further developed a love for sustainability and enhanced access to local foods, and even became a ‘crazy plant lady' in the process. New to New Orleans in 2021, Katie jumped feet-first into learning how local farmers and businesses can better support their communities in her time working with the Abita Springs Art & Farmers Market. She is excited to join the Market Umbrella Team! In her free time, Katie enjoys visiting local coffee, ice cream, and plant shops; spending time with her friends and family; and playing (or lounging around) with her Great Dane Aria, English Mastiff Jackson, and long-haired cat Moe-Moe.
Job Titles:
- Program Manager - Mary Queen of Vietnam Community Development Corporation
Khai Nguyen grew up in New Orleans and graduated from Tulane University with a degree in business. In the aftermath of the BP oil spill, Khai started working with MQVN Community Development Corporation in New Orleans East with its workforce development program to assist affected fishermen. Since 2010, Khai has worked with these Vietnamese fishermen in the VEGGI Farmers Cooperative. Currently, Khai works with VEGGI to continue to provide sustainable jobs and provide healthy food throughout the city.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director - El Centro
- Founder and Executive Director of El Centro Inc
Lindsey Navarro is the Founder and Executive Director of El Centro Inc., a New Orleans based not-for-profit providing financial literacy and business training to the Latino community in south Louisiana in Spanish. Since launching in 2018, El Centro has served nearly 2000 Spanish-speaking individuals. Through her tenure at LiftFund, she helped to deploy more than $1.2 million in microloans to Latino entrepreneurs across Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, and Tennessee. Ms. Navarro holds an MBA from Loyola University of New Orleans and a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from St. Peter's University. She serves as President of the Board of the Crescent City Community Land Trust and Secretary of the Board of the Krewe of Themis. Open-air markets, like the Crescent City Farmers Market, remind Ms. Navarro of her Panamanian heritage and daily grocery shopping in the summer with my grandmother.
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
Maxwell is a New Jersey native who has lived in St. Louis and Chicago before making the great southern migration at the beginning of the pandemic. Their love for year round sun and massive potholes brought them to New Orleans, where they've had the pleasure of working in coffee shops and pottery studios before joining Market Umbrella as the new Communications Specialist. Maxwell has a Marketing degree from Washington University in St. Louis where he began working as a graphic designer and bartender. With most of their experience in graphic design, this is an exciting pivot to a more holistic marketing role. Maxwell is passionate about community building and is excited to be joining a mission driven organization like MU. When not working, you can find Maxwell sitting at home with their cat, frolicking around with friends, or hosting their monthly queer variety show. Oh yeah, she's a drag queen!
A Louisiana native, Reagan is passionate about serving her community and has a particular interest in urban sustainability, food access, and advancing health equity. Reagan graduated from Tulane University in 2022 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Anthropology. Having a genuine interest in and love for people, she hopes to utilize her degree for the betterment of her community. Reagan grew up in both Terrebonne and St. Charles Parish where she spent much of her time in the garden. She experimented with vermicomposting, cover-cropping, and utilizing natural pesticides, and after growing fruits and vegetables organically, she absolutely fell in love with the process. During her undergraduate study, she had the privilege of interning with Sprout Nola where her passion for affecting the local food system and working with local farmers and agriculturalists grew. In her free time, Reagan enjoys trying new recipes, roller-skating around Audubon, adopting plants, and DJing at her college radio station.
Sara is an attorney practicing in the areas of oil and gas, environmental, and commercial litigation, and is a Partner with Wall, Bullington & Cook, LLC. Sara is a Crescent City Farmers' Market shopper and supporter and is eager to bring her environmental and policy experience to assist Market Umbrella in its important work educating and partnering with local organizations to serve the public health needs of our community and providing resources to our local farmers. Sara also serves on the Board of Energy Wise Alliance, the Jewish Federation, and the National Council of Jewish Women.
Shandra Stephens is a New Orleans native who returned to the city in 2015 following Hurricane Katrina. She embodies the ideal customer service representative. She has over 18 years of customer service and business administration expertise. She has a keen eye for visual presentation and takes pride in establishing a customer-focused environment. She attended Southeastern Louisiana University and Delgado Community College to pursue her degree as a Physical Therapist Assistant. Her professional path shifted after her first child in 2022 and now she is excited for what the future holds.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Government Relations - Tulane University
Sharon works with Tulane University as the university's liaison with Louisiana's Congressional Delegation and their staffs where she monitors legislative issues of importance to Tulane and seeks funding for university projects through legislative means by working with Tulane's consultants in Washington, D.C. She also serves as a link between the university and various national higher education organizations such as the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), the Association of American Universities (AAU), and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). As an avid market shopper, Sharon joined the Market Umbrella board in 2019 and currently served as chair of the Development Committee.
Job Titles:
- Director of Markets and Vendor Support
Born on Bayou Terrebonne and reared in southern Mississippi, Stacy has a serious passion for food and its key pathway to connectedness. It took moving to NYC to work in fashion and stumbling upon the Greenmarket brimming with new-to-her fruits, vegetables and herbs to connect Stacy back to her ancestral rural farming roots she had long tried to escape. While in New York City, Stacy's work in kitchens led by Michelin-starred chefs, Dan Barber and Eric Ripert, further shaped her views on food waste, locality, and honoring our growers. Stacy has five seasons of regenerative sustainable farming work under her belt with a focus on rotationally grazed livestock and is also trained as a butcher and charcutier. She has consulted on numerous culinary projects and opened multiple restaurants and specialty grocery stores in the Northeast and down South. Stacy holds BS degrees in Marketing and Fashion Merchandising and Design from University of Southern Mississippi. A champion of connecting local resources and opportunities to build a thriving community, Stacy is excited to reconnect with her roots, nourish people and share her enthusiasm for eating well.
When not advocating for equitable and just food systems, you can find Stacy antiquing at flea markets and estate sales, playing in the woods, working on fiber arts projects, porch sitting with pals, or puttering in her home kitchen and garden. She hopes to see you at the market!