Just like New Orleans, our team is unique and our approach is different.
our team
The Idea Village team is made up of nuts and nut followers all committed to fostering positive change in New Orleans through entrepreneurship. We are passionate about what we do and love who we do it with.
Board of Directors
Our team captains, who represent some of the nation's most respected business and civic leaders, guide our efforts and elevate entrepreneurial activity in New Orleans.-
Patrick Comer: Chairman
Founder and CEO, Lucid
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David Barksdale: Vice-Chairman
Managing Director, Alluvian Capital
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Lauren Baum
Senior Marketing Director, Apartment List
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Margaret Saer Beer
Marketing Consultant
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Kevin Clifford
Chairman & CEO, American Funds Distributors
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Steve "Sig" Greenebaum
Festival Director, C3 Presents
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Bill Hines
Managing Partner, Jones Walker
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Cathy Isaacson
Director, Middle East Investment Initiative
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Pres Kabacoff
Executive Chairman of the Board, HRI Properties
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Chris Laibe
CEO, inFRONT
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Merritt Lane
President and CEO, Canal Barge Company, Inc.
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Cooper Manning
Principal, AJ Capital Partners
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Ti Adelaide Martin
Co-proprietor, Commander's Palace
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Jen Medbery
Founder, Kickboard
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Amith Nagarajan
Chairman, rasa.io
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John Payne
President and COO, VICI Properties
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Matt Schwartz
Principal, The Domain Companies
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Michael J. Siegel
President, Corporate Realty
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Allen Square
CEO, Square Button
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Warner Thomas
CEO, Ochsner Health System
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Marianne Van Meter
Founder and Managing Director, Legacy Capital
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N. Robbert Vorhoff
Managing Director, Global Head of Healthcare, General Atlantic
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Tim Williamson
Co-founder, The Idea Village
Our Culture
1. No Assholes.
Even when tempted
2. Make the complex simple.
Less can be more.
Brevity is the soul of wit
3. Win the war, not each battle.
Always keep the big picture in mind
It's bigger than you
4. Be humble. Embrace humor.
Mistakes come both before and after success
Positive humor can disarm
5. Support & Empower Each Other.
Coach don't direct
Focus on how important it is to the other person, not just how important it is to you
Push each other to be better
6. Help out & Ask for Help.
Positive interactions
Small gives
Solve the other side's problem
Focus on the success of others
7. Surprise People & Allow Yourself to be Surprised.
Say thank you
Random acts of kindness
Enjoy the "moments"
8. Make the difference.
Be solution oriented
9. Life is about the people you meet.
Every new encounter is a new opportunity
Seek to learn – and to connect in a meaningful way
10. Trust Your Crazy Ideas.
Encourage others to try
Our Space
In 2017, we moved into Domain Companies' co-working space, The Shop at the CAC (Contemporary Arts Center) - the physical manifestation of the "village" originally conceived by The Idea Village to support entrepreneurship and innovation in the New Orleans community.Chairman's Advisory Board
Our honorary advisory committee helps to champion entrepreneurship.-
E. Tiffany Adler
COO, Adler's
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Taylor Beery
Principal, Beery Advisors
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Allen Bell
Partner, TopSide + Co-founder, The Idea Village
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Brian Bordainick
Founder, Dinner Lab
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Andre Champagne
Founder, Hollywood Trucks
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Kirk Coco
Founder, NOLA Brewing Company
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Daryn Dodson
Calvert Funds
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Joel Dondis
Founder, Sucre
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Sally Forman
Author + Co-founder, The Idea Village
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Erik Frank
Founder, Your Nutrition Delivered
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Sam Giberga
Senior VP and General Counsel, Hornbeck Offshore Services + Co-founder, The Idea Village
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Michael Gollner
Managing Partner, Operating Capital Partners, LLP
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David Guidry
President and CEO, Guico Machine Works
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Yvette Jones
Executive VP of University Relations and Development, Tulane University
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Sal LaMartina
Founder, Big Easy Blends
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Brent McCrossen
Founder, Audiosocket
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Suzanne Mestayer
CEO, ThirtyNorth Investments
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Stephen Perry
CEO, New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau
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Kenneth Purcell
CEO, iSeatz
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Mark Romig
CEO, New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation
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David Sylvester
Partner, Fitzgerald & Rhodes LLP
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Jimmy Treuting
CEO, Farm Dog, LLC
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Robbie Vitrano
Co-founder, Trumpet, Naked Pizza, and The Idea Village
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Hugh Weber
President of Business Operations, New Jersey Devils
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Matthew Wisdom
CEO, TurboSquid, Inc.