New Orleans & Company is hosting a networking and panel discussion event to entrepreneurship in the hospitality and tourism industry.
Meet the Panelists
Panelist: Linda Baynham, Director of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
As Director of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Linda Baynham establishes companywide sustainability and corporate social responsibility goals through initiatives on new construction projects, recycling, energy and water reductions, and sustainability programs. She is leading the building team through LEED certification, expected in 2022.
Baynham brings more than 20 years of experience in the environmental, energy, and utility sectors. As a consultant for major clients such as Entergy New Orleans, Franklin Energy, Aptim, and CLEAResult, Baynham was able to help businesses and residential customers reduce their energy use through the design and implementation of several energy efficiency programs including the New Orleans City Council and Entergy New Orleans Energy Smart program, Energy Star’s “Change a Light” Program, and more.
Baynham holds an M.B.A. in Finance from Tulane University, an M.S. in Energy Policy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a B.A. in physics from Colorado College. Baynham is a LEED Accredited Professional, a Certified Energy Manager and a GPRO Green Building Operations Trainer. In 2021, she became certified as a TRUE Waste Advisor. She also brings experiences from prestigious state and national organizations such as the White House Office on Environmental Policy, the Louisiana State Governor’s Office of Costal Activities, and the Louisiana Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. A Seattle native, Baynham has also served as a professor for Tulane’s Freeman School of Business and is a 5-year member of the Krewe des Fleurs, an all-female “sustainable” Mardi Gras marching group. She is also a Member of the “Trashformers” – a walking group that collects recycling during Mardi Gras parades.
Panelist: Mark Raymond, Jr., CEO of Split Second Foundation
Mark has a deep-rooted history of serving the community. Building on the legacy of his grandfather, A.P. Tureaud, Mark has played a vital role in advancing various equity-centered efforts across the Greater New Orleans area and beyond. From renaming historic streets and landmarks in New Orleans to creating a more accessible and robust rehabilitative health infrastructure in the Gulf South, Mark’s aptitude for cultivating relationships and driving coordinated, healing-centered change has been vital to the advancement of those most disadvantaged.
Mark’s commitment to fighting for justice and equity started as a child but was intensified following a shallow diving accident in 2016, in which he damaged the vertebrae by the base of his neck and lost the ability to walk. For Mark, this life-changing experience illuminated the reality of disparities in access, and there were very few community resources to turn to for help. His new disability and lack of support ultimately pushed him to advocate for millions of others by transforming the split-second that led to his injury into a life filled with awareness, hope, and action.
He founded Split Second Foundation to make people aware of a growing population of individuals impacted by disability, advocate for their rights, fund cutting-edge research, and provide clear-cut steps to immediately improve their quality of life.
To date, Mark’s impact on inclusive health and human services, as well as justice-driven policy work, has been substantial. Mark was able to open Split Second Fitness, which is the first inclusive gym in Louisiana, with an intentional focus on people living with paralysis, amputation, or other neurological conditions that impact mobility.
He also serves on several federal, state, and local boards and commissions to represent and advocate for people living with disabilities. Notably, Mayor LaToya Cantrell appointed him to the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) New Orleans Board of Commissioners, where he holds the positions of Vice-Chair and Chairman of the Finance Committee overseeing the planning, implementation, and execution of the agency’s $109 million budget.
Recently, RTA introduced the first two Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant streetcars on the historical St. Charles streetcar line.
Mark’s work within the community and through SSF has earned him numerous awards including:
·Gambit’s “40 Under 40”
·New Orleans Magazine’s “Ones to Watch”
·Millennial Change Makers Award
·Xavier University’s “40 Under 40”
Panelists: Jennifer E. Ruley, PE, Mobility and Safety Program Lead, City of New Orleans Department of Public Works
Jennifer Ruley, PE is the Mobility and Safety Division Manager for the City of New Orleans Department of Public Works. The focus of this newly formed division is to ensure multimodal design in street projects that improves mobility options and increases safety for people walking, bicycling, accessing transit, and driving. Her team leads highly collaborative projects including Moving New Orleans Bikes, which will result in the accelerated build-out of connected high quality bikeways, and the 2022 update to the City’s ADA Transition Plan for Public Rights-of-Way. Ms. Ruley brings a diverse background in public, private, and the non-profit sectors and experience in the fields of engineering, public health, and transportation planning. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological and Agricultural Engineering and her Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from LSU.
Panelists: Zach Monroe, External Affairs Manager for the Office of Resilience and Sustainability for the City of New Orleans
Zach Monroe is the External Affairs Manager for the Office of Resilience and Sustainability for the City of New Orleans. His previous work includes the Office of U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, the Florida Democratic Party, and government relations firm Sabiston Consultants. Zach is a native of Metairie, Louisiana and a graduate of Tulane University.
