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
Aquarium Renovation Public Information Session
The Audubon Commission hosted a public information session on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 regarding the upcoming renovation of Audubon Aquarium. The meeting was held via Zoom Webinar from 6 – 7 p.m.
Audubon will present information regarding the upcoming renovations to the facility and the move of Audubon Insectarium into the Aquarium. Those interested in the project are welcome to attend and are encouraged to provide input.
View the Aquarium Renovation Session:
FAQS
If you have additional questions, please share via the "Share Your Feedback" button above.
Will there be any updates to the life support systems for the other existing exhibit galleries in the Aquarium?
The main exhibit focus for this project is the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium. We are not looking at any major upgrades to current life support systems in the Aquarium, but are hopeful to add a few new experiences to the Aquarium as part of this prject. We are still in final planning and are always looking at ways to update the facility.
Will the glass be bird safe?
Yes, we are incorporating bird safe glass in alignment with best practices and our mission.
Will you be taking away the personalized name bricks?
We will not be impacting any of the named bricks.
J. Kelly Duncan
J. Kelly Duncan
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.
Field Ogden, MD
Field Ogden, MD
Field Ogden is a lifelong New Orleanian. He graduated from Isidore Newman High School and Harvard College.
Gayle Benson
Gayle Benson
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.
Ashley Francis
Ashley Francis
Ashley M. Francis is the director of Online Learning for Tulane’s A. B. Freeman School of Business.
Xavier Angel
Xavier Angel
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.
Storey Charbonnet
Storey Charbonnet
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.
Dr. Joe Connelly
Dr. Joe Connelly
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.
Daniel O. Conwill IV
Daniel O. Conwill IV
Daniel O. Conwill IV is the Founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO and manages the Investment Banking group at Global Hunter Securities, LLC.
Leila Eames
Leila Eames
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.
Frances Fayard
Frances Fayard
Frances Gray Fayard is a social activist and a philanthropist. Frances served in the Clinton Administration from 1992-1996.
Bruce R. Hoefer, Jr.
Bruce R. Hoefer, Jr.
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.
Victor Jones
Victor Jones
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.
Alexander Kelso, Jr.
Alexander Kelso, Jr.
Alexander S. Kelso, Jr.
Dolfinette Martin
Dolfinette Martin
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.
Reverend Aaron Miller
Reverend Aaron Miller
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.
Catherine Morrell
Catherine Morrell
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.
Minh Thanh Nguyen
Minh Thanh Nguyen
Minh Thanh Nguyen
Coleman D. Ridley, Jr.
Coleman D. Ridley, Jr.
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.
Sally Shushan
Sally Shushan
Jermaine Smith
Jermaine Smith
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.
Emily Vuxton
Emily Vuxton
Emily Vuxton is the Director of External Affairs for the Nature Conservancy. She specializes in advancing important conservation priorities for the state of Louisiana.
Peter Wenstrup
Peter Wenstrup
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.
Audubon Commission 2023 Meeting Dates:
Wednesday, February 8
4 PM
Wednesday, March 29
4 PM
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.
- 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