Leadership

Ann Yoachim
Ann brings experience in building partnerships across campus-community boundaries as well as supporting meaningful change through research and interdisciplinary collaboration. She is focused on facilitating this collaboration to shape built, natural and social environments that impact health and wellness.
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Rashidah Williams
As Assistant Director, Rashidah manages the annual budget, stewards relationships with funders, oversees the RFP process for potential and future projects, and coordinates the communications and engagement strategy for the Small Center.
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Emilie Taylor Welty
Emilie brings experience and praxis in the making and teaching of design. She is a leader in the design/build field, and at Small Center, she focuses on teaching students how to be better designers, makers, and citizens.
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Sue Mobley
Sue comes to Small Center with a decade of experience in New Orleans nonprofit and advocacy sectors. With a background in political science, anthropology, and sociology, Sue pushes design students to think about the context of Small Center’s projects and partners’ work.
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Nick Jenisch
With experience in teaching, project management, and planning across continents, Nick brings a deep understanding of urban scale and the regional context of Small Center’s projects. As a Project Manager, Nick keeps track of project schedules and budgets, and stewards relationships in both the public and private sector.
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Donn Peabody
A native of New Orleans who knows everyone, Donn comes to Small Center with extensive experience in the nonprofit, corporate, and hospitality worlds, with both local and national organizations. As Operations Coordinator, Donn keeps Small Center running smoothly by coordinating the Baronne building’s calendar for community events and classes, organizing 5 different budgets simultaneously, and supervising student workers.
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Former Small Center Staff
Maggie Hansen
Director, 2014–2017
Maggie Hansen is now a visiting professor in the Landscape Architecture department at Penn State University. As Director of Small Center, Maggie shaped Small Center’s work with her passion for public spaces and her commitment to supporting a collaborative approach and strong team. She instituted the Center’s Advisory Council, Faculty Advisory Group, and Strategic Planning process, and helped foster relationships across the private and public sectors. Maggie also worked to establish long-term funding streams, a research-based pedagogy, and oversaw Small Center’s renaming and rebranding process.
Maurice Cox
Director, 2012–2014
Maurice Cox now serves as the director of planning and development for the city of Detroit. As Director of Tulane City Center, Maurice was pivotal in the launch of our Baronne Street facility. He was also the first Associate Dean for Community Engagement in our School’s history, helping to bring together diverse elements of the Tulane School of Architecture’s commitment to create and support positive change in the City of New Orleans.
Scott D. Bernhard
Director, 2007–2012
Scott Bernhard is the Jean and Saul A. Mintz Associate Professor at the Tulane School of Architecture in New Orleans where he has been a member of the faculty for more than 26 years. As Director, Scott was instrumental in establishing the program as Tulane School of Architecture’s primary venue for outreach. He was design lead for numerous projects, including Grow Dat Youth Farm. Scott continues to be an important ally and advisor to the Small Center team.
Alan Lewis
Founding Director, 2005–2006
Alan Lewis is now the Marketing Director and Principal at Hargreaves Associates, Inc. in San Francisco. Alan worked with former Tulane School of Architecture (TSA) Dean Reed Krolof, former TSA Associate Dean Ila Berman, and former TCC Associate Director Dan Etheridge to establish the Center and generate initial funding to support a rapid start-up to begin addressing the myriad difficulties faced by New Orleans at that time.
Dan Etheridge
Founding Associate Director, 2005–2013
Dan Etheridge is now the owner of Pagoda Cafe, a 1920s Chinese laundromat-turned-restaurant on Bayou Road and continues to lead the Design Futures Student Forum, an annual interdisciplinary conference that brings together Public Interest Design student leaders and university faculty from across the country. Dan was instrumental in shaping the Center’s mission and approach to community-engaged design. He continues to be an important ally in the field.
Byron Mouton
URBANbuild Director, 2005–present
UrbanBuild began as a part of Tulane City Center, and is now an independent program at the Tulane School of Architecture, led by Byron Mouton.
Doug Harmon
Director, CityBuild, 2005–2007
Doug Harmon served as director of the CityBuild program, which operated from 2005–2007. Doug continues to collaborate with Small Center and teaches at Tulane School of Architecture as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Architecture, in addition to running his own design practice here in New Orleans.
Shoshana Gordon
Program Assistant, AmeriCorps VISTA, 2015-2018
Dozenia Marshall
Accounting Clerk, 2012–2015
John Coyle
AmeriCorps VISTA, 2014–2015
Carey Clouse
Project Manager, 2011–2012
Alison Popper
Graphic Designer, 2009–2010
Olivia Stinson
Senior Program Coordinator, 2006
Jenga Mwendo
Engagement Coordinator, 2013–2014