New Year’s Day Tragedy Fund Steering Committee

CO-CHAIR DAVID BARKSDALE

Chair, Greater New Orleans Foundation Board of Trustees  

Barksdale is a principal of Alluvian Capital LLC, a privately held company with diverse investments in telecommunications and software. He previously served as the chief executive officer (2009-2014) and co-chairman of Spread Networks, LLC’s board (2014-2018). As CEO, he led the development of a high-speed fiber optic network from Chicago to New York, expanding services across both major markets. Barksdale’s career includes legal expertise as a former attorney at the New York offices of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP. He also served on corporate boards, including as an independent director for Sanderson Farms Inc. and as a board member of the New Orleans-based Servato Corporation. His experience in private equity was honed as a principal of Barksdale Management Corporation, a private equity and philanthropic investment firm. 

A New Orleans resident, Barksdale has a long civic and philanthropic engagement history in the region. He recently rejoined the Board of Tulane University, after previously serving on the board from 2007 to 2020. He is chair of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, past chair of The Idea Village, former trustee of the National World War II Museum, and former trustee of the New Orleans BioInnovation Center. 

CO-CHAIR KIM BOYLE

Managing Partner at Phelps Dunbar and Former Greater New Orleans Foundation Board Member    

Kim Boyle practices in the areas of labor and employment, civil rights, constitutional law, commercial, tort and general litigation. Her employment practice includes representing employers in employment related claims, such as retaliation and discrimination claims as well as workplace harassment. She also handles EEOC charges and other administrative complaints through the administrative and judicial process. Her practice also includes the representation of public and private clients in a variety of commercial disputes, including breach of contract, business torts, misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair trade practices and class actions, as well as representation of a number of governmental entities on an array of legal issues. Kim is known for her persuasive oral argument skills in both trial and appellate courts, and for her ability to take a matter from inception through verdict at trial by jury or judge. Many of the matters Kim handles have been resolved through trial, and she has completed a number of oral arguments before state and federal appellate courts. She speaks often on employment-related topics, litigation and issues of procedure, as well as ethics and professionalism issues. 

Prior to joining the firm, Kim served as Judge Pro Tempore, Division I, for the Civil District Court for Orleans Parish. She is also a former assistant professor of law at Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans. Kim is very active in local, state, and national bar activities, as well as community organizations and initiatives. She served as the first female African-American President of the Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) for the 2009-2010 term and formerly served as Treasurer as well as a member of the LSBA Board of Governors. She also previously served as the first African-American President of the New Orleans Bar Association (NOBA). Kim served as pro bono legal counsel to Covenant House of New Orleans. She was the first African-American woman to serve as Co-Chair of the NO/AIDS Task Force Board of Trustees, and also previously served as a board member of Aids Law Louisiana. She formerly served on the board of trustees for Princeton University, and currently serves on the boards of trustees for Touro Infirmary, Tulane University and Dillard University. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law. In addition, she was a member of the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) and served as Chair of the LRA Healthcare Committee. Kim previously served on the Bring New Orleans Back Commission, which focused upon rebuilding the city post-Katrina, and served as Chair of the Health/Social Services Committee of the Commission. 

DR. JENNIFER AVEGNO

Director of the New Orleans Health Department  

Dr. Jennifer Avegno is a New Orleans native who received her undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Arts in Sociology from Tulane University and her MD from LSU School of Medicine – New Orleans.  She completed her residency at LSU/Charity Hospital Emergency Medicine and joined the faculty at both LSU and Tulane shortly after graduation, where she served as Associate Residency Director and Director of Undergraduate Emergency Medicine Education for both medical schools.  In 2017, she established the Division of Community Health Relations & Engagement in the LSU Section of Emergency Medicine, and as its director worked with institutional, governmental, and other community organizations to facilitate innovative programming, interdisciplinary partnerships, and improved population health outcomes. Her clinical, program, and research interests include the role of social determinants of health, particularly access and barriers to care; health equity; violence intervention/prevention; sexual assault and human trafficking; and homelessness.  In 2018, she was appointed as the Director of the Health Department for the City of New Orleans, where she works with a dedicated team of public health professionals in addressing critical health needs for the community.  Honors include being named to Gambit’s “40 Under 40,” a CityBusiness Healthcare Hero, and several leadership and teaching awards.  

RABBI KATIE BAUMAN

Senior Rabbi, Touro Synagogue  

Born in New Orleans, Rabbi Bauman is overjoyed to have the opportunity to serve the synagogue that has been so important in her family story. Rabbi Bauman attended Washington University in St. Louis and graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Jewish, Islamic, and Near Eastern Studies. She was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2009 where she earned the “Nathan Stern Prize” in 2008 and “Simon Lazarus Prize” in 2009 for highest academic achievement.  She also received a Masters Degree in Education Administration from Xavier University. As a student rabbi, Rabbi Bauman served pulpits in Natchez, Mississippi, Marion, Ohio, and served as cantorial soloist at Northwestern University Hillel and the Rockdale Temple in Cincinnati. 

Rabbi Bauman spent the first ten years of her rabbinate at Temple Israel in Memphis Tennessee, where she focused on worship renewal, youth and adult education, young adult engagement, and counseling and pastoral care as Assistant and then Associate Rabbi. Along with her Temple Israel work, Rabbi Bauman’s passion to serve extends to the larger community. She was the founding Chairperson of MICAH, Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope and a passionate advocate for social justice as described by the Hebrew prophets, frequently called upon to offer a Jewish voice in local media and at community events. Along with her role as the Senior Rabbi of Touro Synagogue, Rabbi Bauman currently serves as a member of both the Central Conference of American Rabbis‘ Peace, Justice and Civil Liberties Committee and the Religious Action Center’s Commission on Social Action.  She served on the founding Executive Committee of Together New Orleans, speaks and teaches regularly around the New Orleans community, and is deeply committed to interfaith dialogue and building bridges across lines of difference. Rabbi Bauman and her family, husband Adam and children Gracie, Morris, and Sammy, have always thought of New Orleans as home, and it is a dream come true to be able to live here and to be a part of the history and vibrancy that is Touro Synagogue.

DR. REGINA BENJAMIN

The 18th Surgeon General of the United States and Endowed Chair in Public Health Sciences, Xavier University of Louisiana  

Regina Benjamin, MD, MBA is the Founder and CEO of BayouClinic, and was the 18th United States Surgeon General (2009-2013). As America’s Doctor, she provided the public with the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and the health of the nation. As chair of the National Prevention Council – 17 cabinet-level Federal Agency Heads, she led the development of the National Prevention Strategy: America’s Plan for Better Health and Wellness. Dr. Benjamin specializes in prevention policies and health promotion among individuals as well as large populations, especially concerning obesity, childhood obesity, and children’s health. She has a special interest in rural health care, health disparities among socio-economic groups, suicide, violence, and mental health. 

From her early days as the founder of a rural health clinic in Alabama to her leadership role in the worldwide advancement of preventive health, Dr. Regina Benjamin has forged a career that has been recognized by a broad spectrum of organizations and publications. In 1995, she was the first physician under the age of 40 and the first African-American woman to be elected to the American Medical Association Board of Trustees. Other past board memberships included the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Kaiser Family Foundation Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, Catholic Health Association, and Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. Benjamin advises or consults with various companies, including technology and healthcare. She currently serves on the boards of Kaiser Hospitals and Health Plan; Ascension Health Alliance; ConvaTec PLC; Computer Technology Systems Inc (CPSI); and the American Heart Association. She is a member of the Institute of Medicine and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. She has been chosen as a Kellogg National Fellow and Rockefeller Next Generation Leader. In 1998 Dr. Benjamin was the United States recipient of the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights. She received the 2000 National Caring Award, which was inspired by Mother Teresa and was recognized with the Papal honor Pro Ecclesia et Ponticifice from Pope Benedict XVI. In 2008, she was honored with a MacArthur Genius Award Fellowship. In 2011, Dr. Benjamin became the recipient of the Chairman’s Award at the 42nd NAACP Image Awards. In May 2013, Reader’s Digest, ranked her #22 of the “100 Most Trusted People in America.  

LYNNE BURKART, CPA

Partner, EisnerAmpner and Board Member and Audit Chair, Greater New Orleans Foundation 

Lynne A. Burkart, CPA, CIA, CGAP, CFSA, CRMA, CGMA, is a Director in the Postlethwaite & Netterville Accounting and Assurance Services Group. Lynne has received the AICPA’s Certificate of Educational Achievement in IFRS. Lynne is committed to philanthropy, as exemplified by her membership in the women’s giving circle Impact 100. Lynne also serves on the board of Crimestoppers, Inc., Southeast Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. Additionally, she is a member of the University of New Orleans Accounting Advisory Council. 

JAMES DABNEY, PhD.

Executive Director of the New Orleans Youth Alliance and former Director and Regional Vice President of Posse Foundation 

Dr. James Dabney serves as the executive director of New Orleans Youth Alliance (NOYA), a healing-centered youth development intermediary that works to cultivate a system of high-quality, well-resourced youth development organizations that center youth leadership, racial equity and intersectional equity in their work with young people. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Policy & Leadership from The Ohio State University, a Master of Science in Higher Education from Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Southern University and A&M College. Dr. Dabney also holds a Certificate in Non-Profit Leadership and Exponential Fundraising from the Harvard Kennedy School.  

A seasoned professional, Dr. Dabney comes with a wealth of experience in and passion for the field of youth development and higher education, his career spans over 25 years working as a K-12 educator, student affairs practitioner, an adjunct professor of education, as an administrator and senior executive leader in educational nonprofits focusing on college access, success, leadership development, policy and advocacy, and organizational effectiveness. Giving back to the greater educational landscape of New Orleans, he serves as a board member of InspireNOLA Charter Schools and served as an advisory member of the Tulane University Admissions Council.

 DAVID F. EDWARDS

Partner, Jones Walker LLP and Former Greater New Orleans Foundation Board Member 

An attorney with Jones Walker for more than 40 years, David Edwards is a partner in the Tax Practice Group who focuses on estate planning and administration. Edwards advises individual clients on wealth transfer at minimum tax cost, in addition to providing traditional estate planning counsel in areas of wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. He also advises clients on marriage contracts and other aspects of property obligations stemming from marriage. 

David’s practice includes the administration of decedents’ estates and settlement of trusts, as well as charitable planning. He is a board-certified estate planning and administration specialist as certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization. David has been particularly active in charitable, educational, and civic institutions. 

CYNTHIA HAYES

President and CEO of Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of New Orleans 

Cynthia T. Hayes is the President and CEO of Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans. An accomplished professional and devout Catholic, Hayes is responsible for managing Catholic Charities, a large multi-program health and human services agency under the auspices of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Since 1924, Catholic Charities has remained steadfast in its commitment to offering life­giving programs, advocating for the voiceless and empowering the vulnerable to foster a just society.  

Hayes brings more than forty years of fundraising experience to Catholic Charities. She most recently served as senior director of medical alumni relations and development in the office of advancement at Tulane University School of Medicine, where she managed an expansive portfolio of major gifts prospects and cultivated strong relationships with school alumni, donors and board members. She has overseen multimillion-dollar budgets throughout her career. Hayes was employed by Tulane University for more than 25 years where she received several recognitions for her achievements and contributions to the Tulane community, including the Yvette Milner Jones Award, Presidential Staff Excellence Award and School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Champion of Public Health Award. Prior to Tulane, she served as president and principal of Cabrini High School.  

TARYN HORTON

Victims Advocate 

Taryn Horton is a mother of 4 and a grandmother of 3. She manages a grooming salon. On June 15, 2021, her husband of 13 years, David Lee Horton was murdered in a mass shooting at the factory he worked at in Albertville, AL. As she grieved, families of previous mass shootings took action and made sure that money was raised for the Albertville survivors. She is grateful for the compassion extended to her family. She wants to help the survivors of New Orleans, just as so many helped her.

CAM JORDAN

Defensive End for the New Orleans Saints, 2025 Bart Starr Award Winner 

Cam Jordan is a defensive end for the New Orleans Saints. He played college football for the California Golden Bears and was selected by the Saints in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft. A member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, Jordan is an eight-time Pro Bowler, a three-time All-Pro selection, and is the Saints’ all-time franchise sack leader. 

One of the Saints’ leading philanthropists, Jordan generously provides his time and significant financial contributions. He was recognized as the 2017 and 2021 club nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year. He is a regular visitor to area schools to discuss topics such as literacy, importance of academics and physical fitness; has hosted annual football camps for youth for 5 years; regularly engages with the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP); and has teamed up with Crescent City Corps and the New Orleans Police Department to further support a program designed to equip police officers with leadership development and community engagement training. As Hurricane Ida hit the Gulf Coast in 2021, Jordan immediately stepped up to pledge a total of $100,000 to various nonprofits. Jordan also pledged a donation of $1,000 for every sack he or a teammate made in 2021 (total of $46,000) to local nonprofits for Hurricane Ida relief including the Greater New Orleans Foundation. 

PASTOR FRED LUTER, JR. 

Senior Pastor, Franklin Avenue Baptist Church and first African American President of the Southern Baptist Convention

Pastor Fred Luter, Jr., the first African American President of the Southern Baptist Convention, is the Senior Pastor at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, Louisiana. Pastor Luter began his ministerial journey on what he refers to as his “Damascus Road Experience.” In 1977, a motorcycle accident seriously injured his body but ultimately saved his soul. As a result of the accident, he made a conscious decision to surrender his life entirely to Christ. Every Saturday, on the street corner of Galvez and Caffin Avenue in the Lower Ninth Ward, Luter would preach the gospel to all who wanted to hear. In 1983, God elevated Luter and equipped him to preach his first sermon at the Law Street Baptist Church in New Orleans, Louisiana. Years later, while preaching at the Greater Liberty Baptist Church, Luter learned of the opening at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church and applied for the pastoral position.

In September of 1986, the small but faithful 65 members of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church elected Fred Luter, Jr. as their pastor. The blessings in the next few years were truly the hand and grace of God upon his life and the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church. By 1989, Pastor Luter had grown FABC to over 300 members. In March of 1997, God rewarded their faithfulness and Pastor Luter moved his growing membership into a 1,700 seat sanctuary. By 2005, prior to Hurricane Katrina, Pastor Luter grew FABC to over 7,000 members. Currently, FABC is still growing and in December 2018, the congregation moved into a brand new 3,500 seat sanctuary with separate areas for children and youth worship services. Pastor Luter says that Franklin Avenue’s mission statement is simple: To spiritually impact our families, neighborhoods, city, and state by Exalting the Savior, Equipping the Saints, and Evangelizing the Sinners. Pastor Luter’s strategy for congregational growth is embedded in his concept he calls “FRANgelism”—the acronym “FRAN” standing for friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors where he encourages his congregation to invite them to come to church with you. Pastor Luter’s passion for the people of God, commitment to his family, and his love for God’s Word led him to be unanimously elected as President of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest protestant organization in America, in June 2012. On June 11, 2013, Pastor Luter was unanimously elected for the second time as President of the Southern Baptist Convention.

RONALD P. MCCLAIN JD, LCSW

Executive Director, Institute of Mental Hygiene

Ronald P. McClain is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), who received a law degree (JD) from Loyola University at New Orleans School of Law in 2004.  Mr. McClain is currently the Executive Director of the Institute of Mental Hygiene of the City of New Orleans (IMH). Mr. McClain is also a Fellow in the Tulane University School of Medicine Early Childhood Policy leadership Institute and the Norman C. Francis Leadership Institute.  He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Family Service of Greater New Orleans for approximately 10 years. Mr. McClain also served, for approximately nine years, as Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Bureau of New Orleans. He also served as the chair of the Long Term Recovery Organization for Orleans parish which was called Crescent Alliance Recovery Effort or CARE, and vice chair of the Greater New Orleans Disaster Recovery Partnership (GNODRP). Mr. McClain has worked with children and families in need for over thirty years. He has been a frequent speaker and trainer in the social services arena. He is past president of the board of directors of Loyola University’s Lindy Boggs National Center for Community Literacy and has served on the board of directors of Agenda for Children. A long-term resident of New Orleans, Mr. McClain has over 30 years of experience in social service administration and university teaching in the social work field. Most recently, Mr. McClain has received recognition for his strategic re-building of the community-based behavioral health agency Family Service of Greater New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. His successes were featured in a social policy textbook by Dr. Bruce Jansson of the University of Southern California, Becoming an Effective Policy Advocate, From Policy Practice to Social Justice.  

 Over the years, Mr. McClain has provided direct services as a psychotherapist in addition to clinical supervision and program management and administration. He has been on the adjunct faculty at Southern University at New Orleans, School of Social Work for approximately 27 years. He was honored by the National Association of Social Workers- New Orleans Region as the 2012 Social Worker of the Year; he was also selected as the NASW–Louisiana Chapter statewide Social Worker of the Year for 2003. Mr. McClain recently was recognized by NASW Louisiana Chapter as the recipient of the 2024 Dorothy Schenthal Leadership Award. Additionally Mr. McClain was the recipient of the New Orleans Association of Black Social Workers “Annual Founders’ Day Award” for 1991.  He is past New Orleans Regional Chair of the National Association of Social Workers-Louisiana Chapter. He has also served as chair of the Research, Advocacy and Policy committee of the New Orleans Fatherhood Consortium. Mr. McClain is a former Commissioner on the City of New Orleans Civil Service Commission, Mr. McClain serves as a member of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation Board of Directors and is also a Board member of WWOZ public radio station.  

Mr. McClain is a member of the Tulane University School of Social Work Dean’s Advisory Council. Mr. McClain was a member of the inaugural class of the Nancy M. Marsiglia Institute for Justice. He also currently serves as a member of the boards of the Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR), Times-Picayune Doll and Toy Fund and is President of the Board of the Pelican Center for Children and Families. 

ALDEN J. MCDONALD JR. 

Chief Executive Officer, Liberty Bank  

Mr. McDonald has held his current position since the bank’s inception in 1972, making him the longest tenured African-American financial executive in the country. With over 50 years of experience in the banking industry, Mr. McDonald’s strategic vision and hard work have been crucial to the success of the bank. Under his leadership, the bank’s assets have grown from a mere $2 million in 1972 to over $1 billion currently. 

MELANIE A. TALIA, J.D.

President & CEO, New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation 

A native of New Orleans, Melanie Talia holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of New Orleans and a Juris Doctorate from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law.  Since 2009, Ms. Talia has served as President and CEO of the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation.  In addition to executing the strategic goals of the Foundation, Ms. Talia oversees a targeted focus on the New Orleans Police Department as the Foundation plays a critical role in advancing constitutional policing, performance-based training, and positive community engagement.  Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Talia was an Assistant District Attorney in Orleans Parish for 17 years where she prosecuted white-collar crimes, public corruption, capital cases, and other violent offenses.  Outside the office, Ms. Talia can be found in the gym, spending time with her dogs, indulging her oenophilia, and enjoying all things New Orleans. 

RET. JUDGE DENNIS J. WALDRON

Retired Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge

  • Born: March 9th, 1947 in New Orleans, La. 
  • Lifelong resident of New Orleans 
  • Married to Pamela L. Waldron 
  • Father of three sons: James, Matthew and Andrew Waldron 

Education: 

  • St. Alphonsus Elementary School (1960) 
  • Redemptorist High School (1964) 
  • University of New Orleans (1969) 
  • Loyola College of Law (1973)—Member of the Loyola Law Review (1970-1973) 

Professional Career: 

  • Assistant District Attorney – Orleans Parish (1974-1982) First Assistant District Attorney – Orleans Parish (1980-1982) Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge – Section “F” (1982-2008) Ad Hoc Judge, as per assignment by the Louisiana Supreme Court (2009-present) 

Adjunct Professor: 

  • Criminal Justice – Loyola University (1976-2003) Criminal Law and Procedure – Loyola College of Law (1985-2003) 

Community Service: 

  • Lifelong member of St. Alphonsus Parish – engaged in various lay ministries  
  • Past President – Sugar Bowl Committee  
  • Past President – Christian Brothers Foundation