Baton Rouge, New Orleans area People in Business for Aug. 30, 2020

By Staff

August 31, 2020

New Orleans area

The Bureau of Governmental Research announced the recipients of its 2020 BGR Excellence in Government Awards honoring extraordinary local and state government employees and private citizens in the New Orleans area. The recipients by category:

Merit Award for outstanding performance by public sector employees: John White, former Louisiana Superintendent of Education; a team of Jefferson Parish Juvenile Services employees for its outstanding administration of the Alternatives to Detention program that included Roy L. Juncker Jr., director, Joan Ruiz, probation manager, Matt Villio, juvenile justice reform coordinator, and probation officers Colleen Conley, Lashaunda Thomas, Luis Bustamante, Trista Duplessis and Erin Ronquille; and a team of New Orleans city employees for its outstanding performance in securing state legislative approval for the Fair Share funding initiative that included John Pourciau, chief of staff for the mayor, Monika Gerhart, director of state affairs, Liana Elliott, deputy chief of staff for the mayor, Art Walton, director of intergovernmental affairs, Tara Richard, director of local relations, Josh Zuckerman, director of policy and research, Beau Tidwell, communications director, Ray Bolling, director of the Neighborhood Engagement Office, Sunni LeBeouf, city attorney, Jonathan Harris, assistant city attorney, Joshua Cox, director of strategic initiatives, and Deborah Vivien, former city economist.

Innovation Award for public employees who have implemented creative solutions to pressing problems: Patty Glaser, CEO/head of school for Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy and Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy, for her work to secure construction financing for the two academies.

Lifetime Achievement Award for sustained performance over a career in public service: Ernest Gethers, retired director of business services in the city of New Orleans Office of Economic Development, and Cynthia “Cindy” Connick, CEO of New Orleans Building Corp.

Citizenship Award to private citizens who have worked to improve the quality of government: Melanie Bronfin, founder of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, for her work to improve early childhood care and education in Louisiana.

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