Board of Directors

Norman Barnum, Chair - Managing Partner of Obsidienne Consultants, [email protected]

Norman E. Barnum IV is a seasoned business executive with over 30 years of leadership experience across public and private sectors. As Managing Partner of Barnum Group LLC, founded in 1991, he specializes in business acquisition, growth strategies, and exit planning, helping clients build sustainable, wealth-generating enterprises.

Barnum's career began as an IRS agent in New Orleans before transitioning into financial management and economic development in Philadelphia. He has driven major community revitalization efforts, including $140M in commercial reinvestment for Philadelphia’s West Oak Lane and securing $70M in revenue for WYBE Public Television.

Upon moving back to his home city of New Orleans, Barnum served as a business advisor for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program, then later as CFO and CEO of the New Orleans Business Alliance where he led the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, securing over $10M in grants for the city.

A 2021 Leadership Louisiana graduate, Barnum remains active in real estate development and financial consulting. He holds a B.S. from Xavier University of Louisiana and an MBA in Finance from Eastern University. Based in Louisiana where he resides with his wife and close to his daughters and granddaughter, Barnum is dedicated to fostering economic growth and community impact while delivering savage ROI for clients.

Tiffany Harvill, Vice Chair - Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Investments

Tiffany Harvill has worn many hats across several industries and geographies including Entrepreneur, Chief Operating Officer, District Manager, Finance Director, Commercial Lender, Strategy Consultant and Public Accountant. These experiences led Tiffany to her current role as a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones Investments. In this role Tiffany delivers personalized investment solutions to assist clients in achieving their financial goals.

Tiffany is also actively involved in her local community serving as Chair of Liberty’s Kitchen Board of Directors, Advisory Board Member for WWNO/NPR Radio, Membership Chair Women's Professional Council and Board Member of the Faubourg Avart Neighborhood Association. You will also find Tiffany enjoying time with family, traveling and experimenting in the kitchen. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Tiffany is a Certified Public Accountant with a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Michigan State University and a Masters of Business Administration from Columbia University.

Randy Philipson, Treasurer - Vice President for Facilities Management and Campus Development, Tulane University

An LSU graduate, he launched his career in 1998 as the first Event Coordinator at the LSU Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Prior to 1998, the PMAC, in its 25 years of existence, had not had an Event Coordinator. During his tenure at the PMAC, Philipson coordinated the Inaugural Ball for Gov. Mike Foster, LSU Basketball Games, NCAA Women's Basketball Regional Tournaments and LSU Gymnastics.

In 2005 Philipson was named the Director of Event Services at the SMG Managed Baton Rouge River Center. There, he oversaw the Event Services department as well as coordinating events including the Miss Teen USA Beauty Pageant, Hollydays and the Baton Rouge Business Report Biz Tech Expo.

In 2006, Philipson once again returned to the Superdome and New Orleans Arena as Director of Engineering & Operations. In this position, he supervised the Operations, Engineering, Housekeeping, Production, and Technical Services Departments. These departments are responsible for the set-up, tear down, cleanliness, and technical aspects of every event in the facilities. He was also responsible for the safety program, emergency/severe weather planning. FF & E procurement, pest control, preventive maintenance programs, annual inspections, and union negotiations relations.

In 2011, Philipson was named the Regional Director of Operations for SMG, covering the southern region. In this capacity, he oversaw and served as a resource for the Directors of Operations in 30 facilities, Further, he determined the course of the corporate operations initiatives in conjunction with the three other Regional Directors and the Vice President of Operations for SMG.

In July of 2013, Philipson was named Director of Facilities for SMG New Orleans. In this role he worked with the various state owned properties under the jurisdiction of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District as well as on various ŞMG development projects around the country.

In July of 2015, Philipson was hired at Tulane University as the Vice President of Facilities, Campus Development and Services. As Vice President, Randy Philipson oversees the University Planning Office in its mission to support and implement the University's Strategic and Master Plans and its goals for institutional development through the physical environment and building resources of the University. The University Planning Office coordinates and directs campus planning activities for major university construction and campus improvement projects and assists departments and divisions with space and physical facilities planning. This includes oversight of Capital Projects, Real Estate, University Services (Auxiliaries), and Facilities Services.

Annie Phillips, Secretary - Civic Leader

Anne Sarpy Phillips was born and raised in New Orleans. She graduated from Newman High School and the University of Georgia, B.A with a major in History and a minor in Spanish. She received her JD from Loyola New Orleans University School of Law. Admitted to the bar in Georgia and Louisiana, she has practiced in Atlanta and New Orleans in the areas of corporate, securities, real estate, and public utility law as well as matters of commercial litigation.

Her passion for education and the children of New Orleans began when she worked as a teacher and administrator for Summerbridge (now Breakthrough New Orleans) in high school and in college. Since then she has worked extensively for her children’s schools as well as Samuel J. Green Charter School and Lafayette Academy Charter School.

Annie is committed to the New Orleans community and has been active in numerous civic, educational and philanthropic organizations including the Louisiana Children’s Museum, the Preservation Resource Center, the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Audubon Nature Institute, the Herman-Grima and Gallier Historic Houses and the Junior League of New Orleans.

Annie and her husband Nat, also a lifelong New Orleanian, have three children.

Libby Bain - Executive Director of Talent, New Schools for New Orleans

Libby Bain is the Executive Director of Teacher Pipelines. Previously, she served as the Director of Talent at KIPP New Orleans Schools for eight years. She was responsible for leading KIPP’s recruitment efforts and working on their broader talent strategy. During that time, she oversaw a 140% increase in hiring for the network while helping to start their teacher evaluation program and launch a teacher residency. Prior to her role at KIPP, Libby spent four years working on recruitment, staffing, and new teacher training.

Libby was a founding coach with The 18th Ward and spends time coaching girls sports throughout the year. Libby was originally a high-school special education teacher in St. Louis, Missouri. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia.

Arnel Cosey

Luann Dozier – Vice President for Advancement, Constituent Programs, Tulane University

Luann is a creative, innovative, and energetic donor-centered Advancement Professional in higher education with more than 25 years of service to Tulane University. She is a member of Advancement’s Senior Leadership Team, Senior Philanthropic Advisor, and Administrator of the Tulane Educational Fund as member of Tulane’s Administrative Council. As Vice President for Advancement, she serves as a Philanthropic Advisor for principal gifts and leads various teams focused on moving the organization forward with a comprehensive approach to engagement and philanthropy through constituent experience, career exploration and support, professional training and development, Athletics fundraising and revenue and marketing initiatives falling beyond traditional nonprofit philanthropy. Key partnership roles include Capital Projects, Tulane Center for Sport, Tulane Center for Brain Health, Latin American Studies, and the university’s affiliate organizations. Dozier previously served as Vice President for Development where she provided leadership for the Promise & Distinction and Tulane Empowers campaigns and for the development division overall including all fundraising teams, constituent relations, donor relations and stewardship, board and council development and relations and operational services including research, proposal development and writing, and gift accounting, among others. As Director Leadership Giving, she developed and organized the first unit focused on the university’s most impactful constituents to identify and align their primary philanthropic desires to drive strategic priorities and transformative opportunities and dramatically accelerate the growth of the core and foundational areas that define Tulane. As such she developed national volunteer advisory cabinets engaging regional ambassadors to identify and engage constituents, inform advancement strategy and to serve as peer connectors in support of fundraising. She began her tenure at Tulane in 1997 serving as Associate Director of Major Gifts and staffing the Dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

Areas of expertise in both fundraising and advancement include philanthropic advising, strategic planning, campaign planning and execution, board and council development, training and professional development, student career exploration, program and proposal development, event experience design and production. Clifton Strengths include individualization, futuristic, maximizer, strategic, and achiever.

Dozier is a member of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), and the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). She serves on the Board of A Studio in the Woods, is a sustaining member of the Junior League of New Orleans, and past Advisory Council member of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation. Dozier earned the Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia Southwestern University.

Dr. Stephen Jones

Merritt Lane

Meaghan McCormack

Meaghan McCormack is the Chief Executive Officer of the St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation (SBEDF). Her efforts center on business retention, expansion, and attraction, strategic neighborhood development, workforce development, and marketing the parish as a great place to live, work and play. She has previous experience working for the World Trade Center New Orleans and the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program. Meaghan is a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans with Bachelor of Business Administration degrees in Business Management and Marketing with minors in Sociology and Mass Communication.

Brittany Waiters - Operations Coordinator, City of New Orleans – Office of Youth & Families

Brittney Speed Waiters is a proud New Orleans native with a deep commitment to fostering positive outcomes for the city’s youth and families. As the Operations Coordinator for the City of New Orleans’ Office of Youth and Families, she plays a pivotal role in the development and execution of initiatives that aim to improve the lives of the city’s most vulnerable populations. In this capacity, Brittney collaborates with local organizations, government agencies, and community stakeholders to implement programs that address critical issues such as education, health, and economic opportunity, ensuring that New Orleans’ youth are provided with the tools and resources they need to thrive.

Her work focuses on creating pathways for youth engagement by connecting them to meaningful opportunities in education, workforce development, and extracurricular activities. Brittney’s approach is rooted in a belief that youth development is essential to building stronger communities, and she is dedicated to cultivating environments where young people can grow into confident and capable leaders.

With an extensive background in real estate, Brittney brings a unique perspective to her work in public service. Her experience in property management and community relations has equipped her with the skills to navigate complex bureaucratic and social systems, while also developing a keen understanding of how stable housing and community infrastructure can influence family dynamics and youth outcomes. This expertise allows her to advocate effectively for comprehensive solutions that address both the immediate and long-term needs of families across New Orleans.

In addition to her role with the Office of Youth and Families, Brittney is an active member of the Bricolage Community Association, where she serves as the Board Representative. In this role, she works closely with educators, parents, and community leaders to support Bricolage Academy’s mission of creating innovative and inclusive educational environments. Her leadership and dedication to the school and its surrounding community reflect her lifelong commitment to ensuring that all children in New Orleans have the opportunity to reach their full potential.