FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW ORLEANS, LA, January 27, 2015— Friends of Lafitte Corridor (FOLC) today announced the election of six new members to its Board of Directors. The new board members include: Amy Allen, Clarence Becknell, Judith Dangerfield, John Hopper, Eric Van Hoven, and Jared Zeller.

"We are delighted to welcome this extraordinary group of individuals to the Friends of Lafitte Corridor's board of directors," said Annalisa Kelly, Interim Chair. "Their wide array of expertise and talent further strengthens FOLC as we retool the organization to serve as the community's partner in the long-term maintenance, programming, and use of the Lafitte Greenway."


Friends of Lafitte Corridor is a non-profit organization that seeks to revitalize New Orleans’ Lafitte Corridor neighborhoods by building, programming, and promoting the Lafitte Greenway as a great public space.

Friends of Lafitte Corridor invites the community to a happy hour this Thursday, January 29th, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Finn McCools’ Irish Pub (3701 Banks Street) to celebrate the start of the Lafitte Greenway’s opening year and welcome the new board members.

The new members of Friends of Lafitte Corridor’s board include: 

Amy Allen is a Property Manager with Stirling Properties. She specializes in the management of Shopping Centers in the New Orleans area, including the Mid-City Market, Old Metairie Village, and the new Magnolia Marketplace on South Claiborne Avenue. Understanding the importance of the Lafitte Greenway to local businesses, Ms. Allen has taken steps to make the Mid-City Market a leader in providing amenities to Greenway users such as adding security cameras and a bike repair station. Ms. Allen is a graduate of LSU.

Clarence A. Becknell, Sr. is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana and has been an active member of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure, Club Inc. since 1981. Mr. Becknell currently serves as Zulu's Historian, Director of Public Relations, Chairman of the Souvenir Booklet Committee, and Zulu Newsletter Chairman. He instituted Zulu Community Programs. Mr. Becknell is a retired elementary school principal of the New Orleans public school system.         

Judith Williams Dangerfield is a Partner of Metro-Source, L.L.C, a local consulting firm located in the Tremé community. In her tenure with Metro Source, Ms. Dangerfield has provided technical assistance and support to numerous government, quasi-government, and community- and faith-based organizations. Specializing in Title VI and Environmental Justice policies and programs for inclusion, she is currently providing technical assistance to the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, the New Orleans International Airport, and the Network for Economic Opportunity. Ms. Dangerfield holds a Master’s of Science in Community Economic Development from Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester New Hampshire.

John Hopper has over twenty-five years of non-profit management experience. He presently serves as the Chief Development Officer and Director of Public Affairs at New Orleans City Park and has been instrumental in raising over $108 million for the park since Hurricane Katrina. Mr. Hopper ran an operating foundation at the American Red Cross National Headquarters with a $93 million endowment, and served as the Executive Director of the Young Leadership Council for seven years. He has a B.S. in Management with a Specialization in Spanish and an MBA.

Eric Van Hoven serves as the Branch Manager and Lender for Gulf Coast Bank & Trust in the Mid-City area, and has worked in community banking since 2009. Mr. Van Hoven previously worked for HSBC for 8 years. He serves as the Vice President of the Greater Mid-City Business Association. Mr. Van Hoven has a degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Southern Mississippi and an MBA from Loyola University.

Jared Zeller is the founder and executive officer of the MotherShip Foundation, host of the Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo. He has spent the last fifteen years promoting and producing entertainment events in the New Orleans area. After receiving a BS in Business Management form the University of New Orleans in 2006, he became an adjunct professor at Delgado Community College teaching Introduction to Music Business and Music Entrepreneurship. In addition to his work in the arts, Mr. Zeller professional expertise includes industrial distribution. He works as a metalworking specialist in the oil patch of Louisiana at MSC Industrial Supply.

Friends of Lafitte Corridor’s board gives special thanks to outgoing director Alli DeJong for her service with the organization. There are now eighteen members on Friends of Lafitte Corridor’s Board of Directors. For a full list of board members, visit folc-nola.org/board.

For more information, visit FOLC-NOLA.org.

###

Contact: Sophie Harris, Executive Director | 504-462-0645 | [email protected]