The Greater Good: News From The Greater New Orleans Foundation- Edition 98

October 28, 2026

Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine Starts Recruiting for Inaugural 2027 Class

Courtesy of NOLA.com

The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine (XOCOM) announced on October 14 that the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) granted it preliminary accreditation, allowing the medical school to begin recruiting its inaugural August 2027 class. When it opens in Benson Tower in the BioDistrict, XOCOM will be the fifth allopathic HBCU medical school in the United States and the only HBCU college of medicine in the Gulf South, bringing new opportunities to communities in Louisiana and across the nation while educating and training future generations of physicians.

XOCOM will bring needed talent, investment, and educational opportunities to a region facing significant healthcare workforce challenges. Louisiana is among the states most affected, with 60 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes federally designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). XOCOM is expected to generate significant economic impact locally and statewide. By 2040, its operations are projected to contribute $152.5 million in economic impact across Louisiana, including $122 million in New Orleans, while supporting more than 1,185 jobs statewide.

The Greater New Orleans Foundation made a generational commitment to catalyzing the growth of a dynamic, job-creating, and equitable biosciences innovation district, beginning with a landmark study that articulated the district’s economic and community development potential. It subsequently led successful efforts to activate the BioDistrict and secure economic development district funding from the City of New Orleans and State of Louisiana to support its work. Foundation President and CEO Andy Kopplin serves as chair of the BioDistrict’s board.

The arrival of XOCOM represents a major milestone in realizing the Foundation’s long-term vision of a thriving biosciences corridor that expands economic opportunity, strengthens the region’s healthcare workforce, and improves health outcomes for Louisiana residents.

Read what people are saying about the XOCOM accreditation:

The Environmental Advisory Committee Sees Lafitte Greenway’s Impact and Future Potential

Members of the Environmental Advisory Committee, a group of Greater New Orleans Foundation board members and community members that helps guide the Foundation’s Environmental Fund grantmaking and program strategy, had the opportunity to see the impact of their work firsthand during a recent tour of the Lafitte Greenway. The Foundation is grateful to our nonprofit partners for providing an engaging and informative look at the Greenway’s evolution and the surrounding neighborhoods it serves.

Opened in 2015, the Lafitte Greenway is a 2.6-mile linear park that will soon grow, with plans to extend an additional half mile, connecting diverse neighborhoods through the heart of New Orleans. The Greenway features a walking and biking path, green space, and a growing collection of amenities that improve quality of life for everyone.

With support from the Foundation and its partners, the Greenway is becoming more than a recreational asset. It is also emerging as an important piece of the region’s resilience infrastructure, helping to manage stormwater, reduce urban heat, and strengthen neighborhood connectivity.

In 2020, the Foundation commissioned research showing that large-scale green infrastructure improvements on the Greenway, in Armstrong Park, and at Duncan Plaza could significantly reduce flooding from the Central Business District to Mid-City and everywhere in between. In 2022, the Foundation’s Environmental Fund supported the Lafitte Greenway Partnership in developing conceptual plans to bring that vision closer to reality.

In 2023, the Lafitte Greenway Partnership, together with Broad Community Connections, Greater Tremé Consortium, Ujamaa Economic Development Corporation, and the City of New Orleans, won a $100,000 grant in the Foundation’s $1.2 million Next 100 Years Challenge to design ambitious stormwater management and green infrastructure projects.

Today, that work continues to build momentum. The Lafitte Greenway Development District convened last month, beginning the effort to develop long-term funding mechanisms to implement green infrastructure projects, improve active transportation, stop displacement of long-time residents, and ensure the Greenway is well-maintained and programmed. Director of Environmental Programs Dan Favre serves as a commissioner.

Regional Adaptation Forum Brings Practitioners Together to Advance Community Resilience in Southeast Louisiana

The Greater New Orleans Foundation and Tulane ByWater Institute hosted the Southeast Louisiana Adaptation Forum Fall 2026 Member Meet-Up on October 14 at Bucktown Harbor Park in Metairie, bringing together practitioners from across sectors working to advance equitable green infrastructure and climate adaptation efforts throughout the region.

This gathering provided an opportunity for participants to learn about Forum’s work, build relationships across sectors and parishes, and celebrate the growing regional collaboration advancing community resilience across Southeast Louisiana.

During the gathering, attendees learned from project partners, including:

  • Michelle Gonzales, Director of Environmental Affairs for Jefferson Parish, who discussed the development and implementation of Bucktown Harbor Park;
  • Representatives of Moffatt & Nichol, who provided an overview of the park’s innovative living shoreline; and
  • Pontchartrain Conservancy, which shared information about the surrounding marsh ecosystem and ongoing restoration efforts.
The Southeast Louisiana Adaptation Forum is led by a broad-based and diverse Organizing Committee and administered by the Greater New Orleans Foundation and Tulane ByWater Institute. Interested in learning more?  Sign up for updates about the Forum here.

New Orleans African American Museum Celebrates 30 Years With Historic Restoration Initiative

Courtesy of the New Orleans African American Museum

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the New Orleans African American Museum (NOAAM) broke ground on a major restoration project that will preserve and revitalize the historic buildings that make up the museum’s main campus in Tremé.

Andy Kopplin, President and CEO of the Foundation, joined museum board members and New Orleans city officials, including Mayor Helena Moreno, on October 20 to celebrate the milestone and the museum’s ongoing work to preserve, interpret, and share the history and culture of Black New Orleanians.

Kopplin said that the Foundation has partnered with NOAAM for many years to strengthen the organization’s long-term sustainability, supporting board development, executive coaching, leadership capacity, and fundraising infrastructure.

Through the Norman C. Francis Endowment for Racial Equity, the Foundation also invests in NOAAM and organizations like it to ensure they have the resources, stability, and power to preserve and tell their own stories.

Gia M. Hamilton, the CEO and Chief Curator of the museum, noted that the groundbreaking represents the next chapter in the museum’s evolution. After a seven-year closure, phase one of the project will restore four of the six historic buildings owned by the museum and further establish the campus as a leading destination for preserving and sharing the stories of Black communities in New Orleans.

The event also highlighted fundraising efforts for the second phase of renovations, which includes the restoration of the historic Villa Meilleur and its former kitchen building. The museum has already reached approximately half of its fundraising goal for Villa Meilleur, while construction on the first phase is expected to be completed in 2027. To learn more, click here.

To learn about other ways the museum is celebrating its anniversary, click here.

Philanthropic Spotlight: Randy Fertel Honored with Edith and Edgar Stern Award

Courtesy of Randy Fertel

On October 12, Longue Vue House & Gardens presented the Stern Award for Leadership in Philanthropy to Tania Hahn and Greater New Orleans Foundation partner, Randy Fertel. The Stern Award recognizes philanthropists who not only give themselves generously but also inspire others to give and invest in their communities and the causes they care about. Named in honor of Edith & Edgar Stern, the award celebrates a philanthropic legacy that continues to shape New Orleans today.

Fertel is the President of The Fertel Foundation, an affiliate of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, as well as of the Ruth U. Fertel Foundation. A writer, educator, business leader, and philanthropist, Fertel has devoted decades to advancing the arts, education, environmental stewardship, civil rights, and civic life, particularly in New Orleans.

Greater New Orleans Foundation President and CEO Andy Kopplin was honored to introduce Fertel, and in particular recognized him for his leadership in bringing the Edible Schoolyard program to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, as well as establishing the Ridenhour Prize that recognizes whistleblowers who have risked their careers, reputations, and sometimes their lives in pursuit of truth and justice.

In his remarks, Kopplin noted, “The best philanthropists, like Randy, focus on what they love. They pursue it with conviction, challenge us to see the world differently, and bring energy and delight to causes that might otherwise be overlooked. But what makes Randy so distinctive is that his generosity defies easy categorization. His giving spans subjects that seem entirely unrelated until you realize they are connected by one thing: Randy himself. He has spent a lifetime collecting people, ideas, causes, questions, and disciplines that have no obvious business belonging together until he shows you why they do.” The full introduction, as well as Fertel’s acceptance speech, are available here.

If you’d like to know more about how the Greater New Orleans Foundation can support private foundations and their grantmaking, please contact Meg Miles, Vice President for Philanthropy, at meg@gnof.org, 504.598.1291.

Foundation’s Paulette and Frank Stewart Board Governance Institute Cohosts Board Governance Intensive on Northshore

The Greater New Orleans Foundation’s Paulette and Frank Stewart Board Governance Institute and the Northshore Community Foundation cohosted a free Board Governance Intensive workshop on October 13 and 14 focused on building impactful and inclusive boards. Designed for board members, executive directors, and senior staff, this intensive focused on strengthening nonprofit governance, building inclusive practices, increasing engagement, and maximizing impact focusing on essential governance topics. Sponsored by JPMorganChase, the Board Governance Intensive provided opportunities for participants to reflect on their board experience and plan concrete action steps.

In the News: Foundation President and CEO Andy Kopplin Charges Leaders in the State to Power the Future with Jobs

Courtesy of Biz New Orleans

Foundation President and CEO Andy Kopplin highlighted the transformational opportunity to create jobs, diversify the regional economy, and strengthen the New Orleans BioDistrict at the Economic and Real Estate Forecast Symposium on October 8, hosted annually by the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of REALTORS (NOMAR).

As the BioDistrict advances health care, education, scientific research, innovation, and small business development, and employment opportunities, the region has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create new jobs, diversify the economy, and strengthen our community. Kopplin, who also serves as chair of the New Orleans BioDistrict’s board, highlighted three catalytic priorities for the district’s future: the redevelopment of Charity Hospital, the launch of the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine, and Louisiana State University’s and LCMC Health’s pursuit of a National Cancer Institute designation.

“It’s up to us to seize this moment,” Kopplin said. “We have the chance to power the future with jobs that have been announced throughout the state, but only if we get the people who are here in Louisiana attached to those jobs with good wages and growth potential.”

The event brought together economists, developers, real estate professionals, and business leaders to examine Greater New Orleans’ economic outlook for 2027. Discussions highlighted growing opportunities in healthcare, maritime and industrial development, along with persistent challenges involving housing affordability, financing costs, insurance and workforce availability. To learn more, click here.