Board of Directors

Clara Baron-Hyppolite

Field of Work: College Track Site Director

Chantell Clair

Field of Work: Early Education Director/Realtor

Chantell is a native New Orleanian. She uses her enthusiasm for children to continue the exploration of “The Young Child” to become innovative in her profession. She is a Certificate Early Childhood Montessori Teacher and the owner of Einstein Discovery Center of Montessori Learning, where she serves as the facilitator. Along side of Early Education Chantell is also a Licensed Realtor and has a strong connection with all things Real Estate. For the past ten plus
years Chantell has been making a difference in the lives of her community whether by creating new homeowners or nurturing and educating their young child. When she’s not working, she enjoys going to festivals, experiencing the culture of food and spending time with her family.

Steve Cochran

Field of Work: Coastal Protection and Restoration

Areas of expertise: State and federal environmental policy and politics, coastal resilience, coastal restoration and protection, natural infrastructure, rivers and deltas.

As associate vice president for state affairs, Steve Cochran directs the Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) work in priority U.S. states. He has worked for EDF for 25 years.

Most recently in Louisiana, Steve directed Restore the Mississippi River Delta, a coalition of 5 national, state and local advocacy groups supported coastal protection and restoration. Previously in his career, Steve spent two years as the executive director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation in New Orleans, and seven years with Louisiana Congressman and then Governor Buddy Roemer, where he served as legislative director in Washington, D.C., then field director and ultimately chief of staff to the governor. In prior roles at EDF, he managed EDF’s domestic and international efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution, served as the executive vice president of EDF’s 501(c)(4) organization, the Environmental Defense Action Fund (EDAF), was the political director of EDAF’s Political Action Committee, and managed EDF’s media, legislative and Internet advocacy work.

Jessica Dandridge

Field of Work: Non-profit

As the Executive Director of The Water Collaborative, Jessica Dandridge has dedicated her to life to community advocacy and campaign development for organizations seeking to be socially, economically and culturally inclusive.

Tim Gray

Field of Work: Attorney

A phi beta kappa graduate of Millsaps College, Tim received his law degree from Mississippi College School of Law in 1995. He is a partner in the law firm of Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP. Tim is currently the Chair of the Board of Educators for Quality Alternatives. Tim has also served as a member and chair of the boards of Lycee Francais de la Nouvelle Orleans and of Goodwill Industries in Jackson, Mississippi. Tim and his wife Robin have five children.

Gregory Jackson, Jr.

Field of Work: Public Accounting

Gregory is an auditor with the New Orleans KPMG office providing audit services to the businesses in the local and surrounding areas. Gregory has over 4 years of auditing experience, performing integrated and financial statement audits for public and non-public companies. He has provided services in various industries including healthcare, industrial, oil & gas, and not-for-profit.

Mary Jacobs Jones

Field of Work: Education Non-profit

As a managing partner with a national education non-profit, Mary is responsible for managing a diverse portfolio of contracts and provides collaboration and oversight to a large regional team. As part of her work Mary partners with school district and charter management organizations to build and implement talent and academic strategy both in Louisiana and nationally. Mary has a BA from San Francisco State University and an MS from Dominican College. A partially committed swimmer and a fully committed dinner party host, Mary lives in New Orleans with her husband, Matt, and two children.

Kitty Cook Ramsey

Field of Work: Real Estate & Nonprofit Consulting

I am a Mississippi transplant to New Orleans and am passionate about all things New Orleans, especially New Orleans’ art, culture, and architecture. I love to see homes and communities nurtured and brimming with life and love.

I have over 30 years experience in marketing, nonprofit fund-raising and operations, and community activism. I live in the Algiers Point community of New Orleans and enjoy spending time watching the sunsets on the levee with family and friends. I love traveling, silversmithing, and exploring New Orleans’ eclectic restaurants and cuisine.

LaShaunda P. René

Field of Work: Small Business Finance, Education, & Development

LaShaunda René (LPR) is a non-profit, community development professional based in New Orleans. LPR is a graduate of International Business and French Studies from Dillard University of New Orleans and of Public Administration from Walden University of Minneapolis.

LaShaunda is the Manager of Business Services and Program Development for TruFund Financial Services, a National Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). A focal-point for her work is growing and sustaining quality programs and services for small, minority and women-owned businesses. She believes that entrepreneurship, supported by capacity building and access to adequate and affordable capital are critical pathways to prosperity and economic development in rural and urban communities.

LPR loves a good cause and her family, which includes a husband, 3 daughters and a son.  She is a lover of all things natural, travel, art, food, astrology and the unexplored.  In her free time, LaShaunda writes and dreams of a future where all children are born in communities where safety, education and economic security are the rule not the exception.

LaShaunda is passionate about New Harmony because she is a parent and community member who believes in the schools work to support the concept that learning happens everywhere, that learning looks different for everyone and that all students deserve to access education in ways that are meaningful to them and appropriate for their learning styles and educational needs.

Dr. Nancy Turner

Field of Work: Education Non-Profit