Rebecca Duckert is excited to return to The NOLA Project Board (and her hometown) after several years living in New York, where she owned a New Orleans-style snoball company, started an all-women’s dance group, and hosted an award-winning podcast. Back home in NOLA, she is the designer of her own jewelry line, ODIJUNE, is the Head of Merchandise & Retail at Preservation Hall, and freelances as a fundraising event manager for local non-profits. She received her MBA and BA in History and Visual Arts from Loyola University New Orleans.

Jillian Desirée Oliveras Maldonado made New Orleans home in 2017. Among other things, Jillian is a writer, photographer, filmmaker, and film curator born and raised in Puerto Rico. With a Bachelor's Degree in Photography and minors in Social Work and Graphic Design, along with a Master's in Arts Administration, Jillian firmly believes in the power of art as an agent of change, and their professional experience has centered on highlighting the many ways art and community intersect. 

Louise Saenz has dedicated 28 years to serving the New Orleans nonprofit community, blending her passion for culture, history, and philanthropy. A Tulane University graduate with a degree in Anthropology, she has held leadership positions as Executive Director of Save Our Cemeteries and Tipitina’s Foundation, and is currently the Director of the Lakeview Shepherd Center. Louise is also a seasoned coordinator of fundraising events, festivals, and conferences, with notable clients including the Ruby Bridges Foundation, Tulane School of Science and Engineering, the Wooden Boat Festival, and Tales of the Cocktail. Her work was recognized by Gambit Weekly as one of New Orleans’ “40 Under 40”. And she was selected as a member of Women of the Storm and honored with the Newcomb College Outstanding Alumnae Award for her fundraising efforts post-Hurricane Katrina. Louise's interest in the NOLA Project stems from her appreciation of the performance arts in her life. As a Scottish Highland Dancer since childhood, she enjoyed performing and competing throughout the country and in Scotland, and earned her teaching certificate from the British Association of Teachers of Dance.

​Khiry Armstead is an actor, playwright, and recording artist from New Orleans, Louisiana. Khiry studied Theatre at Loyola University and Tulane University. His NOLA Project credits include MARIE ANTOINETTE (Guard, Coachman), THE WINTER'S TALE (Florizel/Dion) and THE HENCHMAN: A SHAKESPEARE STORY (Sternguilden). He is also a frequent performer for Promethean Theatre Co. where he performed in Pterodactyls and THE FLICK, winning the Big Easy Award for Best Ensemble for the latter.

Natalie Boyd has been a NOLA Project ensemble member since 2010 and is very excited to now also serve on the Board. Some of her favorite NOLA Project acting credits include MR. MARMALADE, A BEHANDING IN SPOKANE, AS YOU LIKE IT, URINETOWN, and THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW. She also really enjoyed directing EVERY BRILLIANT THING. Natalie is the recipient of four Big Easy Entertainment Awards and is a little bummed they no longer exist because it was a good time. As a civilian, Natalie is an esthetician and owner of her new business Hot Wax. She was also the co-creator of a wildly successful pandemic podcast Your Opinion is Trash. Natalie really loves her cats Morty and Beverly.

Leslie Claverie first worked with The NOLA Project in 2014 when she assisted with makeup design for the award-winning production of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST. She went on to design wigs and/or makeup for several more productions including SHINER, CLOWN BAR, SIVE and FLOOD CITY before appearing on stage in the company’s production of DON QUIXOTE. Leslie has worked with many local theatre companies including Le Petit Theatre, Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane, The New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at Tulane, Jefferson Performing Arts Society, Rivertown Theatres and See ‘Em On Stage. Leslie was the recipient of the 2016 Big Easy Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in ONCE UPON A MATTRESS at Summer Lyric and the 2017 Big Easy Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in LIZZIE with See 'Em On Stage. Leslie is a stylist at Paris Parker Prytania.

​Jennifer Collins is thrilled to be joining the Board of The NOLA Project. As a New Orleans native, Jennifer grew up performing musical theatre locally, which instilled in her a lifelong love for the creative community. She believes theatre is where creativity, opportunity, and empowerment align, and she’s honored to support a company that embodies those values and continually pushes the boundaries of artistic expression.

​Jon Greene is a director and theater-maker, performer, writer, producer, and arts educator based out of New Orleans. He is the former Artistic Director of the multi-Big Easy Award Winning New Orleans’ theater company, The Radical Buffoons, and a personal two-time New Orleans Big Easy Best Director recipient. Over his 23-year career he has developed theatrical productions and workshops across the globe (New Orleans, New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Buenos Aires, and Singapore). His work as a producer was featured at the 2012 Berlinale Film Festival, and he was AD on several film shoots across Singapore, Indonesia, and China. As  a writer and educator he has created lessons and led seminars for Young Audiences of Louisiana, Hynes Charter System in New Orleans, Centre Stage School of the Arts in Singapore, 'Friends of The Museum' Docent Workshop in Singapore, The Prague Public High School System, Moleac Pharmaceuticals, and for the Grand Portage Ojibwa Tribe. He currently works with Procore writing about innovation in the construction field.  He holds a BFA from Boston University, trained with Italian Commedia Maestro Antonio Fava, and is a former Kennedy Center Directing Fellow.

​Justin Huertas is an adopted New Orleanian who was seduced by the city’s spirit, charm, and eccentricity 13 years ago. As someone with extensive experience in local hospitality, he is constantly asked by visitors what he loves about living here, and his response is always, “because it is one of the realest places on Earth and the only place in this country where the (super)natural and unseen forces allow us humans to bare our souls and live our truths–agendas and judgments out the damn window.” As a new Board Member, his wish is for audiences to receive what he has from this immensely talented collective–being witness to creatively produced storytelling that resonates with our souls, provides insight to our deep truths, and makes us say, “only in New Orleans.”

Joan Long collaborates with theatre makers throughout the city in all kinds of places and spaces. Recent set designs include THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, TRIBES (Le Petit Theatre),  MACBETH, THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKSEPARE: ABIDGED, TWELFTH NIGHT, ROMEO AND JULIET, AS YOU LIKE IT and HENRY IV, PART 1 (The New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at Tulane), and UNCLE VANYA: QUARTER LIFE CRISIS (Goat in the Road). She holds a BFA from Kent State, an MFA from Tulane, and an MLA from LSU. She is an ensemble member of The NOLA Project and when the opportunity presents, she also enjoys teaching and mentoring design students at Tulane and Loyola Universities.