Our Board
Danneka Mitchell, JD
Danneka currently serves as Director of Finance and Operations at KIPP Frederick Douglass High School. She is a native New Orleanian and proud product of our public schools with two Bachelors from University of New Orleans and her JD from the Paul M. Hebert Law School at Louisiana State University. She is firm believer that a great education changes lives and she is committed to being a part of ensuring all kids have access to a great school.
Kieta Mutepfa
Kieta is a native of LA and Chicago respectively. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from Howard University and a Bachelor of Art degree in Psychology/Elementary Education from Fisk University. For over twenty-five years Kieta has had the unique chance of charting a professional path that has allowed her to serve and support communities both domestically and abroad.
Traci Simon MBA, CMA, CNAP
Traci is the Director of Finance and Operations for Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative of New Orleans.
Pepper Roussell, Esq, MSCIT
Pepper Bowen Roussel is the Founding Director of Culinaria Center for Food Law, Policy, and Culture, Chair of the New Orleans Food Policy Advisory Committee, Trustee on the CrescentCare board, and Steering Committee member of Value Louisiana’s Regional Sustainability Committee.
Dr. Bethel Cager
Dr. Bethel Cager, a career educator who has spent more than 29 years in education, has been named the principal of Lake Area High School.
A native of New Orleans, Dr. Cager has impacted student learning from Pre-Kindergarten to the University level. Dr. Cager was born and raised in Gentilly and comes from a family of educators.
Alexina Medley
Alexina Medley recently retired after 40 years in education. She worked as a special education teacher and an administrator, and most recently was the beloved principal of Warren Easton Charter High School for over a decade.
Dr. Mark Lister, MD
Dr. Lister is Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Tulane University and the owner and chief medical officer of House Call Pediatrics, a pediatric medical practice in New Orleans that delivers care within patients’ homes. His work has helped to develop resident curriculum for simulation training and culinary medicine. His research interests are in healthy lifestyle promotion and obesity prevention.
Nakeisha Kyle, MSW
Nakeisha is one of the founding parents of Living School whose son is part of the founding class.
Mandi Lehnherr
Mandi Lehnherr is Director of Special Education at Lycée Francais and is a former instructional designer, program director and co-principal.
Ayodele Odiduro
Ayodele Odiduro is a Licensed Agent with New York Life and is a former Senior Finance Director, Associate Dean, and analyst. His current focus is in helping families create, build, and preserve generational wealth. Originally from Texas, Ayo has lived all over the country. In fact, he has lived on all four US coasts. He is a believer in the benefits of education and is a life-long learner. He has a BS in Psychology from Tennessee State University (Go Big Blue!), a JD & MBA from Case Western Reserve University, and an MA in Anthropology from Tulane. He loves calling New Orleans home!
Dr. Richard Ashmore, PhD
Richard D. Ashmore is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Rutgers University.
Mark Davis, JD, MLT
Professor Davis is the Director of Tulane University’s Bywater Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy.
Britany Holmes-Nick
Britany is one of the founding parents of Living School and our first Family Council Chair and Community Liaison.
Join Our Board!
We are seeking diverse community leaders for the 2020-23 Term!
Living School’s Family Council has two elected representatives on the Board of Directors: one being the Family Council Chair (or another Family Council Officer appointed by the Chair) and the second being a parent/guardian elected by their peers who is not otherwise an officer of the Family Council (to be referred to as the Family Board Member).
Family members looking to join the Board should reach out to the Family Council.
Family member election to the Board shall proceed in the same manner all Board members are elected to the Board in accordance with Living School’s Bylaws and the Board’s Election Policies. All Board nominations and elections are overseen by the Governance Committee of the Board of Directors
Board Meetings & Resources
See the calendar below for all upcoming meetings. All meetings take place at Living School.
All are welcome at Living School Board Meetings. Translation is available with 24 hours notice. Public comment is welcome on any item on the agenda. Members of the public wishing to comment may raise their hand and be recognized by the Board or Committee Chair to speak for up to 2 minutes per person, per agenda item. On any matter up for a vote, public comment must be heard prior to taking the Board’s vote. For members of the public wishing to address the Board for longer than 2 minutes on any given agenda item, please give the Board Chair at least 24 hours notice to be added to the agenda.