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Audubon Commission

The Commission is, in effect, a board of trustees. Appointed to a six-year term by the Mayor with the consent of the City Council, the Commission is composed of 24 registered voters of the City of New Orleans. It retains all authority granted to it by Louisiana State Act No.191 of 1914. It has specific authority to approve and control design and development of its projects. All monies from bond or tax revenues, approved by the voters of New Orleans for the Audubon Commission, are administered by the Commission. Title to all improvements, furnishings, and equipment at the facilities remains in the name of the City of New Orleans via the Audubon Commission.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance, please contact Tabitha Dorner at 504-212-5350 describing the assistance that is necessary.

Public comment related to the agenda may be provided up to one hour prior to the start of the meeting by sending comments to: comments@auduboninstitute.org

A bronze sculpture of a lion welcomes guests at the gates of the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans.
Commission Members
J. Kelly Duncan

J. Kelly Duncan

President, Audubon Commission

J. Kelly Duncan

President, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of J. Kelly Duncan, President of the Audubon Commission.

J. Kelly Duncan is a partner in Jones Walker’s Admiralty & Maritime Practice Group and is a member of the firm’s Board of Directors.

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Field Ogden, MD

Field Ogden, MD

1st Vice President, Audubon Commission

Field Ogden, MD

1st Vice President, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Field Ogden, MD, Member of the Audubon Commission.

Field Ogden is a lifelong New Orleanian. He graduated from Isidore Newman High School and Harvard College.

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Gayle Benson

Gayle Benson

Member, Audubon Commission

Gayle Benson

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Gayle Benson, Member of the Audubon Commission.

Gayle Benson, a native of New Orleans and the wife of New Orleans Saints Owner Tom Benson, is an accomplished business professional and philanthropist with strong ties to the local community.

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Ashley Francis

Ashley Francis

Member, Audubon Commission

Ashley Francis

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Ashley Francis, Member of the Audubon Commission.

Ashley M. Francis is the director of Online Learning for Tulane’s A. B. Freeman School of Business.

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Xavier Angel

Xavier Angel

Member, Audubon Commission

Xavier Angel

Member, Audubon Commission
Xavier Angel, Member of the Audubon Commission.

Xavier Angel, ChFC, CLTC is a financial and investment planner at Angel Wealth Strategies, LLC. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University Chicago.

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Storey Charbonnet

Storey Charbonnet

Member, Audubon Commission

Storey Charbonnet

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Storey Charbonnet, Member of the Audubon Commission.

Story Charbonnet earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Virginia. He worked in the Corporate Finance Department at the Robinson-Humphrey Company in Atlanta until 1995.

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Dr. Joe Connelly

Dr. Joe Connelly

Member, Audubon Commission

Dr. Joe Connelly

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Dr. Joe Connelly, Member of Audubon Commission

Dr. Joe Connelly earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Appalachian State University in 1983, a Master of Divinity from Southern Methodist University in 1996, a Doctor of Ministry from McCormick Theological Center in 2003 and a Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center in 2015.

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Daniel O. Conwill IV

Daniel O. Conwill IV

Member, Audubon Commission

Daniel O. Conwill IV

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Daniel O. Conwill IV, First Vice President of the Audubon Commission.

Daniel O. Conwill IV is the Founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO and manages the Investment Banking group at Global Hunter Securities, LLC. 

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Leila Eames

Leila Eames

Member, Audubon Commission

Leila Eames

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Leila Eames, Audubon Commission Member.

Leila Jacobs Eames was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is the wife of 46 years to Louis Lester Eames and the mother of two children, Endya Eames Delpit and Brandon Jacobs Eames.

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Frances Fayard

Frances Fayard

Member, Audubon Commission

Frances Fayard

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Francees Fayard, Audubon Commission Member.

Frances Gray Fayard is a social activist and a philanthropist. Frances served in the Clinton Administration from 1992-1996.

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Bruce R. Hoefer, Jr.

Bruce R. Hoefer, Jr.

Member, Audubon Commission

Bruce R. Hoefer, Jr.

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Bruce R. Hoefer, Jr., Member of the Audubon Commission.

A native of New Orleans, Bruce R. Hoefer, Jr. is an attorney with Adams Hoefer Holwadel, LLC in New Orleans and a founding board member for Reconcile New Orleans, Inc. 

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Victor Jones

Victor Jones

Member, Audubon Commission

Victor Jones

Member, Audubon Commission
Victor Jones, Member of the Audubon Commission.

Victor Jones serves as Educational Special Counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. (LDF). He holds a B.A. in Literature from Xavier University of Louisiana, a Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard University, and a J.D. from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law.

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Alexander Kelso, Jr.

Alexander Kelso, Jr.

Member, Audubon Commission

Alexander Kelso, Jr.

Member, Audubon Commission

Alexander S. Kelso, Jr.

Dolfinette Martin

Dolfinette Martin

Member, Audubon Commission

Dolfinette Martin

Member, Audubon Commission
Dolfinette Martin, Member of the Audubon Commission.

Dolfinette Martin is the housing director for Operation Restoration, a nonprofit that supports women and girls impacted by incarceration to recognize their full potential, restore their lives, and discover new possibilities.

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Reverend Aaron Miller

Reverend Aaron Miller

Member, Audubon Commission

Reverend Aaron Miller

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Aaron Miller, Member of Audubon Commission

Rev. Aaron Miller is a native of New Orleans. An alumnus of St. Augustine High School and a graduate of Dillard University where he received his bachelor's degree in Education.

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Catherine Morrell

Catherine Morrell

Member, Audubon Commission

Catherine Morrell

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Catherine Morrell, Member of the Audubon Commission.

Catherine Mielke Morrell is a former teacher, who has a passion for improving the lives children. She is a student working towards obtaining a graduate degree to work with special needs kids.  

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Minh Thanh Nguyen

Minh Thanh Nguyen

Member, Audubon Commission

Minh Thanh Nguyen

Member, Audubon Commission

Minh Thanh Nguyen

Coleman D. Ridley, Jr.

Coleman D. Ridley, Jr.

Member, Audubon Commission

Coleman D. Ridley, Jr.

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile

Coleman D. Ridley, Jr. is a native of Newport News, Virginia and the managing director of the Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region.

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Sally Shushan

Sally Shushan

Member, Audubon Commission

Sally Shushan

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Sally Shushan, Audubon Commission Member.

Sally Shushan
has been a private civil mediator and legal consultant since August 2016.

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Jermaine Smith

Jermaine Smith

Member, Audubon Commission

Jermaine Smith

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Jermaine Smith, Member of Audubon Commission

Jermaine L. Smith serves as Vice President of Institutional Advancement for the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH), where he is responsible for all fundraising, development, and advancement activities, including advancement communications.

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Emily Vuxton

Emily Vuxton

Member, Audubon Commission

Emily Vuxton

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Emily Vuxton, Member of Audubon Commission

Emily Vuxton is the Director of External Affairs for the Nature Conservancy. She specializes in advancing important conservation priorities for the state of Louisiana.

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Peter Wenstrup

Peter Wenstrup

Member, Audubon Commission

Peter Wenstrup

Member, Audubon Commission
Profile photo of Peter Wenstrup, Member of Audubon Commission

Peter Wenstrup is a teacher for Livingston Collegiate Academy. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Brown University. Peter taught at Lusher Charter School for seven years and Walter L. Cohen High School for three before joining Livingston Collegiate Academy.

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Commission Meetings
Audubon Commission 2023 Meeting Dates:

Wednesday, March 29
4 PM
Location: President's Room, Audubon Zoo

Agenda

Wednesday, May 17
4 PM

Wednesday, September 27
4 PM

Wednesday, November 15
4 PM


*All meeting times will be 4:00 pm. Location details are to be determined and will be shared as we near each meeting.

Community Meetings

Audubon Park Master Plan FINAL DRAFT

Community Meeting Presentation

Full Meeting Video

Minutes

  • Meeting Minutes 4-5-18
  • Meeting Minutes 3-6-18
  • Meeting Minutes 2-5-18
Meeting Minutes

  • Nominating Committee Meeting Minutes  - 2-08-23
  • Meeting Minutes  - 2-08-23
  • Meeting Minutes  - 1-06-23
  • Meeting Minutes  - 11-16-22
  • Joint Commission/Board Meeting Minutes -10-20-22
  • Meeting Minutes - 9-28-22
  • Joint Commission/Board Meeting Minutes - 6-22-22
  • Meeting Minutes - 5-25-22
  • Meeting Minutes - 3-23-22
  • Meeting Minutes - 1-26-22
  • Commission Nominating Meeting Minutes - 1-20-22
  • Meeting Minutes - 11-17-21
  • Joint Commission/Board Meeting Minutes 11-11-21
  • Meeting Minutes - 09-30-21
  • Meeting Minutes - 08-12-21
  • Meeting Minutes - 06-10-21
  • Joint Commission/Board Meeting Minutes 6-3-21
  • Meeting Minutes - 3-25-21
  • Meeting Minutes - 1-28-21
  • Nominating Commitee Meeting Minutes - 1-22-21
  • Meeting Minutes - 11-19-20
  • Joint Commission/Board Meeting Minutes 11-10-20
  • Meeting Minutes - 9-24-2020
  • Zoom Video Meeting 9-24-20
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 7-14-20
    Zoom Video Meeting 7-14-20
  • Joint Commission/Board Meeting Minutes 6-24-20
    Zoom Video Meeting 6-24-20
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 5-7-20
    Meeting Video 5-7-20
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 1-23-20
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 1-16-20
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 11-14-19
  • Joint Commission/Board Meeting Minutes 11-5-19
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 9-19-19
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 6-13-19
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 3-21-19
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 1-24-19
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 11-15-18
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 10-25-18
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 6-27-18
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 4-26-18
  • Commission Meeting Minutes 1-23-18

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