The President participates in a Lunch with Community Leaders
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
Event Backgrounder:
The President participates in a Lunch with Community Leaders
BACKGROUND
The President will participate in a Lunch with Community Leaders in New Orleans, Louisiana. During the lunch, the President will receive an update on the rebuilding progress in the Gulf Coast region
BIOGRAPHIES OF PARTICIPANTS
Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Department of Commerce
Secretary Michael Chertoff, Department of Homeland Security
Congressman William Jefferson
Governor Bobby Jindal, State of Louisiana
Mayor Ray Nagin, City of New Orleans
Major General Doug O'Dell, USMCR (Retired), Federal Coordinator, Office of Gulf Coast Rebuilding
On April 18, the President announced the selection of Major General Doug O'Dell as the new Coordinator of Federal Support for the Recovery and Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast. As the Commanding General of the 4th Marine Division in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he managed over 2,700 Marines and Sailors to evacuate thousands of civilians, deliver essential cargo, and restore basic functions in more than 30 buildings. His judgment during Hurricane Rita enabled troops to deliver relief almost immediately after the storm. In 2007, General Doug O'Dell retired from the United States Marine Corps after a distinguished 39-year career, primarily in the Reserve.
Jim Letten, U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Louisiana
Jim Letten is U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana, a position he has held since 2001. In late 2006 and early 2007, the Department of Justice added a number of Federal assets to fight crime in New Orleans, including additional Assistant U.S. Attorneys. This has enabled Letten and his team to lead a more aggressive strategy to try more cases under Federal jurisdiction. Letten has also been instrumental in helping to expedite the restoration of criminal justice facilities, most notably the new crime lab for the New Orleans Police Department, which was funded in part through grants from the Department of Justice. Letten, a New Orleans native, was awarded the 2005 United States Attorney General's Medallion for Distinguished Service, recognizing his leadership for his efforts following Hurricane Katrina.
Arnie Fielkow, President, New Orleans City Council
Arnie Fielkow is the President of the New Orleans City Council, a position he was elected to in May 2006. Fielkow most recently served as Executive Vice President for the New Orleans' Saints, where he was responsible for marketing, sales, and regional development for the team. Fielkow has lived in New Orleans since 2000, and he has chaired numerous meetings and taskforces to address the city's needs in the areas of economic development, housing, and education.
Aaron Broussard, President, Jefferson Parish
In October 2007, Aaron Broussard was elected to serve a second term as the President of Jefferson Parish. Prior to his election as Parish President in 2002, he served two terms as Chairman of the Jefferson Parish Council and four terms as Mayor of Kenner, Louisiana. In March 2007, Broussard announced an electronic emergency alert system to warn first responders and citizens of impending emergencies such as tornadoes and hurricanes. Broussard is credited for his efforts in working in conjunction with FEMA's pilot program to revamp emergency alert response systems.
Billy Nungesser, President, Plaquemines Parish
Billy Nungesser has served as the President of Plaquemines Parish since November 2006. Prior to this, he served as a member of Orleans Parish Levee Board. His election came only 16 months following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Since his election, he has worked closely with Federal, State, and local officials to receive a record amount of State capital outlay money in 2007. Nungesser has established a productive working relationship with FEMA and has been successful in accelerating the flow of funds for public infrastructure repairs in Plaquemines Parish.
Craig Taffaro, President, St. Bernard Parish
Craig Taffaro is the President of St. Bernard Parish, a post he was elected to in November 2007. Prior to his election, Taffaro served as a Parish Councilman from 1996 to 2004. Taffaro was formerly a marriage and family counselor and therapist. A native of St. Bernard Parish, Taffaro established the Mental Health Consortium for St. Bernard following Hurricane Katrina, which serves to address mental health issues in the Parish. Also, Taffaro has worked very closely with FEMA to develop concepts for the potential streamlined use of Federal funds for housing demolitions in St. Bernard. These concepts are currently under review, but Taffaro has taken a proactive approach in pursuing various options for St. Bernard Parish.
Lauren Baum, Director of Marketing, The Idea Village
Lauren Baum is currently the Director of Marketing at The Idea Village. The Idea Village is an economic development organization whose mission is to foster innovation by providing strategy, talent, and resources to entrepreneurial ventures. Baum is a New Orleans native who returned home after Hurricane Katrina with the intention of becoming temporarily involved in rebuilding efforts, but she decided to remain and has since worked for The Idea Village for almost two years.
Bob Brown, Managing Director, New Orleans Business Council; Board President, Preservation Resource Center
Bob Brown is the Managing Director of the New Orleans Business Council. The New Orleans Business Council represents more than 70 businesses in the New Orleans area. In his role as Managing Director, he is responsible for helping facilitate the role of business leaders to work together to assist in the recovery efforts as well as revitalizing the economy in New Orleans. He also serves as Board President for the Preservation Resource Center, a non-profit organization committed to promoting the preservation, restoration, and revitalization of New Orleans' historic architecture and neighborhoods. Brown was recently awarded The Times-Picayune Loving Cup for his record of outstanding community service without expectation of reward or recognition.
Robert A. Cerasoli, Inspector General, City of New Orleans
Robert A. Cerasoli was appointed in September 2007 as the first Inspector General for the City of New Orleans. The office was created in 2006 by a vote of the city council in response to the issues that ensued following the management of the conditions after the storm. The City Council created this office using the Green Book: Principles and Standards for Offices of Inspectors General and of which Cerasoli is a co-author. Since taking office, he worked with Governor Jindal and the State Legislature to strengthen the Inspector General's powers, which is now sanctioned under State law. Cerasoli is creating the office from the ground up. Cerasoli previously served for 10 years as the Inspector General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1991 to 2001.
Karen DeSalvo, MD, MPH, Executive Director, Tulane University Community Health Center at Covenant House
Karen DeSalvo is the Executive Director of the Tulane University Community Health Center at Covenant House. She oversees day-to-day operations of the primary care clinic, which was founded in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to care for the underserved. She has been a leader in the effort to advance health care re-design and build a network of primary care clinics for the city of New Orleans. On May 24, 2007, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services made $100 million available to Louisiana to assist not-for-profit clinics and public health entities that treat the area's neediest residents. Clinics used the money to restore and expand access to outpatient primary care, including professionally delivered medical and mental health services, substance abuse treatment, oral health care, and optometric health care administered in a clinical setting. The Tulane Community Health Center was one of the clinics that received funds from this grant. Dr. DeSalvo is also an Associate Professor of Medicine and Vice Dean of Community Affairs at the Tulane School of Medicine. DeSalvo was featured in People magazine as a "Hero Among Us" for her efforts to provide healthcare to underserved populations after the storm.
Martin Gutierrez, Executive Director, Neighborhood and Community Services, Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of New Orleans
Martin Gutierrez is the Executive Director of the Neighborhood and Community Services and has been employed by the Archdiocese of New Orleans since 1997. He also serves as the Executive Director of the Hispanic Apostolate Pastoral Office for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. In this role, Gutierrez is responsible for outreach to the Hispanic Community. Gutierrez is in charge of overseeing the programs that fall under the umbrella of the Catholic Charities to help them receive the necessary resources and funding. One of the objectives of these collective efforts is to assist the integration of Hispanics and other immigrant groups into the Greater New Orleans community. Born in Nicaragua, Gutierrez graduated from the University of New Orleans and has lived in New Orleans since 1979.
Chairman Don Powell, Former Federal Coordinator, Office of Gulf Coast Rebuilding
Don Powell is the former Federal Coordinator of Gulf Coast Rebuilding. He held that position from 2005 until March 2008. In this role, he led the Federal efforts to support the long-term rebuilding of the region after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Powell is also the former Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Prior to this, Powell served as the President and CEO of the First National Bank of Amarillo, Chairman of the Board of Regents for Texas A&M University System, Advisory Board Member of the George Bush School of Government and Public Service, and Chairman of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce.
Paul Rainwater, Executive Director, Louisiana Recovery Authority
Paul Rainwater is the Executive Director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA), a position to which he was appointed by Governor Jindal in December 2007. In this role, Rainwater is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the LRA. Since his appointment, he has streamlined the process whereby local governments receive public assistance dollars by creating Express Pay, a new mechanism for advancing funds. The Express Pay system disbursed $102 million in its first month of operation to local governments, cutting the wait time to an average of six days, down from the previous processing time of 45 to 60 days. Previously, Rainwater served as the Director of Hazard Mitigation and Intergovernmental Affairs for the LRA from June 2006 to January 2007. Rainwater is also serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Congressional Liaison Office of the Louisiana National Guard. He previously served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserves' 336th Finance Command from August 2005 to May 2007 and was deployed to Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan during his time in the Army Reserves. Rainwater was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Combat Action Badge for his actions.
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