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Dear Friends & Partners,
I am thrilled to share some exciting news about the growth of the Office of Resilience & Sustainability (ORS). Over the last 3 months, our team has expanded in ways that will make us stronger, more connected, and better equipped to deliver the resilience and sustainability projects New Orleanians deserve.
First, the Office of Stormwater & Green Infrastructure team has officially integrated into ORS under the leadership of Urban Water Administrator Meagan Williams, P.E. Meagan and her team bring deep expertise and a strong track record of delivering transformative projects like the Pontilly Stormwater Network, St. Roch Drainage Project, and Oak Park Drainage Improvements. Their integration means more coordinated leadership, clearer communications, and stronger accountability as we work to reduce flooding and build water-resilient neighborhoods.
We are also proud to introduce a brand-new role for the City of New Orleans: our first Circular Economy Policy and Program Manager. This new role will help New Orleans divert more waste from our landfill, expand recycling and composting access, and build systems that make it easier for residents and businesses to participate in a cleaner, more sustainable future.
And because community input is essential to ensuring this work is done equitably, our External Affairs team is also growing. With additional capacity in communications and outreach, we can strengthen the ways we listen to residents, share information, and build trust across our neighborhoods.
Together, these expansions reflect a new chapter for ORS: one where expertise, innovation, and community voice come together to deliver results. We are excited about what’s ahead and grateful for your partnership as we continue building a culture of environmental stewardship in New Orleans.
Deputy Chief Resilience Officer
Meet Our New Team Members!
About the Circular Economy Program
The Circular Economy Program is advancing New Orleans’ transition toward zero waste. This work includes managing federal grant funds to expand recycling access, overseeing the development of the City’s Solid Waste Master Plan, and coordinating citywide efforts like Recycle Dat to strengthen recycling and composting. Together, these initiatives aim to reduce waste, increase diversion, and create more sustainable systems for the future.
Christopher Lang, Circular Economy Program and Policy Manager
As a new member of the Office of Resilience and Sustainability, Chris hopes to infuse his passion for community health and earth-centered living into New Orleans’ everyday life through transformative policies, programs, and infrastructures. He is currently a PhD Candidate at University of California Santa Cruz, studying the impacts of pollution on waste workers, community health, and resilience here in New Orleans.
While stationed in Santa Cruz, CA, Chris led programming implementation for the university’s People of Color Sustainability Collective (PoCSC). PoCSC coined the term ‘inclusive sustainability’ as a framework to:
- Disrupt the idea that the university and the formally educated are gatekeepers of environmental knowledge;
- Acknowledge efforts made by people of color to advance sustainability;
- Recognize that many sustainability efforts have historically ignored and discriminated against communities of color; and
- Embrace different cultural approaches of caring for the environment.
Prior to taking this role within ORS, Chris served as a fellow for the National Academy of Science's Gulf Research Program, positioned at the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council. Chris also worked in the City’s Office of Stormwater and Green Infrastructure to implement planning activities in the Gentilly Resilience District, always finding intersections between water and waste management.
Chris is excited to center equitable and integrated approaches to waste diversion and waste reduction through policies, programs, and infrastructures, working alongside communities to address our pollution issues at the root of the problem.
About the External Affairs Team
The External Affairs team is on the ground with communities, ensuring that resilience strategies reflect residents’ needs and priorities. This team helps connect the dots between big-picture planning and how implementation shows up in neighborhoods. Their work spans a wide range of tasks including community meetings, stakeholder engagement, public communications, event coordination, and day-to-day constituent support. Together, these efforts ensure that community input guides the City’s resilience work and that residents have clear, timely information about progress.
Brandon Caples, Communications & Outreach Specialist
Brandon, a New Orleans native, graduated from the University of Tampa with a B.A. in Mass Communication in May 2014. He later earned a master’s degree in legal studies with a concentration in governmental affairs. After receiving his degree, he moved to Baton Rouge to intern with Senator Sharon Weston-Broome, helping with the communication plan for her 2016 mayoral run.
He later worked as a policy and communication intern in New Orleans for the non-profit Equity in All Places, formerly known as Orleans Parish Place Matters. His job there consisted of the advocating for policies that promote safe, healthy learning environments for youth and families and creating a youth-driven policy agenda for at-risk youth. In September 2017, Brandon started working as the Peer Prevention Specialist at Odyssey House Louisiana, where he promoted HIV awareness for youth of color in the New Orleans area.
Tiffany Williams, Communications & Outreach Specialist
Tiffany Williams is a seasoned communications professional with extensive experience in media, public relations, and project management. A New Orleans native and graduate of Nicholls State University with a B.A. in Mass Communication, she later earned her MBA in Project Management from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, strengthening her leadership and organizational skills.
For more than a decade, Tiffany has worked at the intersection of media and civic engagement. She served as Promotions Director for Cumulus Media New Orleans, leading initiatives to expand community outreach and audience engagement. As a Communications Specialist for the City of New Orleans, she deepened her commitment to public service by supporting civic projects, enhancing transparency, and strengthening connections between residents and city leadership.
An active supporter of New Orleans’ arts and culture, Tiffany has been a Recording Academy member since 2023. She also helps manage operations for major cultural events, including the Gentilly Festival and several large-scale celebrations. With additional expertise in photography, hospitality, and event planning, Tiffany brings a multifaceted perspective to every project. Her dedication to collaboration, community, and innovation continues to guide her work across both public and private sectors.
About the Urban Water Division
(formerly the Office of Stormwater & Green Infrastructure)
The Urban Water Division manages the City’s stormwater and green infrastructure portfolio. Current work includes major drainage and green infrastructure projects under construction, as well as ongoing hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) studies that guide neighborhood-level solutions. By combining engineering, planning, and community engagement, the team is helping reduce flooding, restore natural systems, and make New Orleans neighborhoods more resilient.
Meagan Williams, Urban Water Program Administrator
Meagan Williams, P.E., M.S. is an internationally recognized leader in urban water management and climate resilience. Meagan currently serves as the Urban Water Program Administrator for the City of New Orleans. A licensed Professional Civil Engineer, Meagan holds a master’s degree in civil engineering with a concentration in water resources from the University of New Orleans. Meagan brings over a decade of experience advancing innovative infrastructure solutions in flood-prone communities.
Meagan began her career with the City in 2016 as a Green Infrastructure Project Manager in the Department of Public Works where she led the design and implementation of high-impact green and gray infrastructure projects. In 2022, she joined the Office of Resilience and Sustainability (ORS) for which she oversees the strategic implementation of stormwater infrastructure citywide focusing on innovative engineering solutions to balance urban development with ecological sustainability. Her expertise includes hydrologic modeling, large-scale drainage design, and policy development to support resilient urban water systems.
A dedicated professional and community advocate, Meagan is serving her 5th term as President of the American Public Works Association’s New Orleans Chapter. Her work continues to shape citywide policy and infrastructure investments that build a safer, more water-resilient future for New Orleans.
Erika Boerr, Urban Water Senior Project Manager
For the past ten years, Erika Boerr, MBA, PMP has served the City of New Orleans, focusing on stormwater management and green infrastructure. She recently launched construction of DPS 01 Watershed, the City’s largest flood mitigation project, both geographically and financially.
Erika began her disaster recovery work at Dillard University as a FEMA/Capital Funding Analyst, where she managed their Hurricane Katrina recovery program and secured approximately $70M in grant funding. She oversaw the restoration of three historic residence halls and led a campuswide hazard mitigation project to improve drainage and reduce flood risk, coordinating closely with federal, state, and local agencies. That work connected her to the City, where she now manages large-scale resilience projects that reflect her long-standing commitment to New Orleans.
Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Erika has called New Orleans home since 2002, when she first came to teach Spanish at Dillard University. She graduated with honors from both her bachelor’s degree in business management from Dillard and her MBA in Information Systems from the University of New Orleans. A certified PMP, Erika has more than 18 years of program and project management experience. She is passionate about advancing green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, and climate action worldwide.
Sara DeBoer, Urban Water Senior Project Manager
Sara DeBoer is a Senior Project Manager with more than 15 years of experience in engineering, international development, and public infrastructure. Her career began overseas with a nonprofit partnered with the U.S. Army, where she built clinics and schools in post-conflict regions. She later served seven years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq, managing large-scale construction projects for departments including Health, Education, and Transportation.
In 2010, Sara joined the City of Memphis Department of Public Works, advancing to Street Maintenance Administrator, where she managed a $15 million budget, oversaw 148 staff, and led emergency response during major weather events. After relocating to New Orleans, she spent five years with DPW as a capital project manager. For the past three years, Sara has focused on stormwater management and resilience at ORS, leading projects such as the Mirabeau Water Garden, Blue Green Corridors, and Lafitte Cemetery Walkways.
Jonitha Boles-Davis, Urban Water Project Control Specialist
Jonitha Boles-Davis is a New Orleans native. Jonitha has over eight years of dedicated experience in the Stormwater and Green Infrastructure (GI) Department. She has served in a variety of roles spanning from Office Manager, Contracts Document Specialist, Compliance, Liaison. Jonitha is a (GI) Project Controls Specialist optimizing Project Delivery, compliance and project support. As a certified GIS Specialist and Qualified Stormwater Manager she administers, coordinates and oversees stormwater prevention pollution plan implementation including drainage, flood control and water quality initiatives. Jonitha is dedicated to creating healthier, more sustainable communities through effective stormwater management and environmental advocacy.
Stephanie Dreher, Urban Water Senior Project Manager
A passionate public servant and civil engineer, Stephanie Dreher, P.E. has B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering from Auburn University and brings more than 25 years of private and public sector experience in engineering design, permitting, program management, project delivery, and federal grant compliance. She has managed federal grant programs for many dedicated leaders of state agencies, local governments and private organizations in Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida and Texas.
After Hurricane Katrina, Stephanie spent five years embedded with Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, providing technical expertise and grant compliance for nearly one billion Federal dollars obligated for roads and public utilities. As Sr. Technical Advisor, she partnered with stakeholders to create eligible scopes of work and implement notable federally funded infrastructure reconstruction programs in the Cities of Waveland ($60 Million), Pass Christian ($20 Million), Long Beach ($20 Million), Gulfport ($100 Million) and Biloxi ($300 Million). Moving to New Orleans in 2011, Stephanie uses her experience to serve and advocate for the people of New Orleans, initially in the Department of Public Works and now in ORS’s Stormwater and Green Infrastructure unit since 2019. She is managing the design, permitting, and upcoming construction phases of the St. Bernard Neighborhood Campus and St. Anthony Green Streets projects, two major projects in the City’s $144 million National Disaster Resilience Competition Grant.
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Anthony Kendrick, Urban Water Project Manager
Anthony Kendrick is a Project Manager for the Office of Resilience and Sustainability at the City of New Orleans. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology and master’s degree in environmental science from the University of North Texas. Prior to joining the city of New Orleans, he was a Specifications Manager at Construction EcoServices for 8 years and an Environmental Scientist at KJE for 3 years. Currently, Mr. Kendrick lives in New Orleans and is responsible for managing projects that focus on flood mitigation, sustainability, and resiliency using green infrastructure and drainage improvements. He has been involved in various roles on more than 100 green infrastructure projects throughout his career in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Since joining the city in 2023, Anthony has managed the construction of Oak Park and St. Roch Drainage Upgrades as well as completing the Water Monitoring Network. He is currently managing a drainage study in Upper Ninth Ward and two design projects, Hung Dao Heritage Garden in Algiers and West End drainage improvements.
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Rodgerika Medrano, Urban Water Senior Project Manager
Rodgerika Medrano received her B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Southern University A & M University Baton Rouge, LA. Her municipal career began with the City of Baton Rouge, where she spent nine years gaining experience in building inspections, permits, plan review, wastewater project management, SCADA field inspections, and traffic engineering.
Ms. Medrano found her passion in Project Management and took on a role with the City of New Orleans' DPW FEMA Road Rehabilitation $2.4 B Capital Improvement program designed to reconstruct roads and streets after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Today Ms. Medrano is responsible for managing Dillard Wetlands, a 27- acre wooded area in Gentilly , transforming it into a public nature preserve, Dwyer Canal, a 13- acre drainage canal and open space to become an active park and point of connection for residents, and Arts Council, a grant program that supports a variety of projects, from community driven initiatives and local traditions to innovate project spaces by local artists and organizations. These projects focus on hazard flood mitigation, sustainability, and resiliency using green infrastructure and drainage improvements within the city she now calls home.
Khalid Saleh, Urban Water Senior Project Manager
Khalid Saleh has a master’s degree in civil engineering and a PhD in Environmental Science from Tulane University. Khalid is Senior Project Manager for the Office of Resilience and Sustainability’s Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Program. He reviews engineering designs for Green Infrastructure and other ORS projects. Prior to joining the ORS, Khalid was the JIRR Program Administrator for the City’s Department of Public Works where, as the senior engineer for design, he reviewed and managed all Joint Infrastructure Roadwork projects.
For 6 years, he worked as the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans’ Water Line Replacement Manager. He has also taught university classes in engineering and construction management.
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