Our Board of Directors

Members serve on our Board as individuals, not as representatives of their organizations
or institutions. Board members’ affiliations are listed for identification purposes only.

Executive Committee

Jerry Speir, President
Jerry Speir is an attorney who has lived in the Carrollton-Riverbend neighborhood since 1976. He is active in the Carrollton/Riverbend Residents Association and has a special interest in preservation and development issues.

Tommy Milliner, Vice President
Tommy Milliner is an attorney who has lived in the Carrollton area since 1980. He has been active in neighborhood issues for several years and is President of Maple Area Residents, Inc.

Sheldon Hersh, Secretary
Sheldon Hersh is a physician who has lived in the Riverbend area since 1979. He is President of the Uptown Triangle Neighborhood Association and has a special interest in the Leake Avenue corridor.

John Schackai, Treasurer
John Schackai is a preservation architect, real estate broker and developer who has lived in Carrollton since 1968. He is active in the Carrollton/Riverbend Residents Association and serves on the Architectural Review Committee for the New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission.

Ray Nichols is a retired organization development consultant who has lived in the Maple Street area since moving to New Orleans in 1972. He is chairman of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program for Greater New Orleans and is President of Priestley School of Architecture and Construction, Inc.

Rev. Oliver Duvernay is pastor of Greater St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Carrollton. He is Community Liaison for Carrollton United and Executive Director of People's Action for Community Change. He is interested in the revitalization of Greater Carrollton.

Members of the Board

Paul Baricos has lived in Carrollton for over ten years. He is active in Carrollton United and Peoples Action for Community Change neighborhood groups. He has a special interest in housing and education.

Bruce Caliva operates a shoe store on Oak Street, which his grandfather started in 1921. He is active in the Oak Street Merchants Association and the Carrollton Businessmen’s Association. He has a special interest in making Oak Street a vibrant retail area.

Laurabelle Combre is a housing manager specialist whose family has lived in the Carrollton-Audubon area for almost 100 years. She is active in the Uptown Triangle Neighborhood Association and has a special interest in the Uptown Square neighborhood.

Monica Davidson is a long-term Carrollton resident and homeowner. She is active in the Uptown Neighborhood Triangle Association and is co-owner of a food manufacturing facility.

Joan Exnicios is an archaeologist and anthropologist in the Cultural Resources Management and Historic Preservation field for over 20 years. For the last 14 years she has worked in the Natural and Cultural Resources Section of the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Rev. Rudolph Garrison has lived in Carrollton for 30 years and is pastor of Greater First Pilgrim Church in Treme. He is active in the Carrollton/Riverbend Residents Association and Carrollton United. He has a special interest in public safety and preserving the uniqueness of Carrollton.

Bill Hines is an attorney and community activist. He was co-chairman of the Economic Development Committee for Mayor Nagin’s Bring New Orleans Back Commission. He has held key leadership positions in Greater New Orleans, Inc., MetroVision, United Way, WYES-TV, and Teach for America.

Yvette Jones is Senior Vice President for External Affairs at Tulane University, responsible for all externally-related University activities. A Tulane graduate, she has served on many university boards and advisory councils since joining Tulane’s administration in 1979.

Yvonne Lafleur operates a boutique store in the Riverbend and has lived in the Audubon-Carrollton area since 1969. She is interested in a healthy balance of retail, business, and residential land use in our neighborhood.

Julia McSherry is assistant vice president for marketing and communications at Loyola University. She has worked in the neighborhood at Loyola for 15 years and has lived in the Maple and Pine Street area for eight years.

Larry Rivarde is Senior Vice-President and Managing Director of Audubon Park, Zoo, and Nature Center. He is responsible for Audubon’s operational, financial, and capital investments and has a special interest in neighborhood relations.

Yvette Semmes was born and raised in Uptown New Orleans. She has been a board member of several not-for-profit organizations and is currently Vice President of Security for Upper Audubon Association.

Llewelyn Soniat is a lifelong resident of Carrollton. He is active in the Carrollton/Riverbend Residents Association and many other civic and civil rights organizations. He has a special interest in preserving the history and diversity of Carrollton.

Larry Talerico is Uptown Residential Branch Manager for Latter & Blum and has lived in Carrollton for over ten years. He is a Licensed Instructor with the Louisiana Real Estate Commission and has a special interest in neighborhood preservation and renovation.

Adviser

Stephen Villavaso, FAICP, J.D.
Stephen Villavaso is a nationally recognized attorney and city planner specializing in master planning, land use, and zoning. He is President of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Planning Association and a Fellow of the College of the American Institute of Certified Planners.