Community Involvement

The Community Involvement Committee has been working on some new ideas for this year!  In 2012, we will be partnering with Good Work Network to share our business experience and technical expertise with its clients.  In a series of “lunch-n-learns” our members will provide feedback, general advice, and support in a small group setting.  Since the majority of businesses Good Work Network supports are owned by women, this is a great fit for WPC.  

Established as a 501(c) (3) in 2001, Good Work Network is the primary provider of business development services for the small community-based businesses that support families and sustain communities. Good Work Network educates, coaches and supports these smaller businesses to help them improve their skills, realize their full potential and become active participants in the local economy. Through its programs and services, Good Work Network works to expand the local economy by building minority and women owned businesses.

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During the year 2010-2011, WPC adopted the Thurgood Marshall/UNO Early College High School as the focus of its community activities.  Located at 4621 Canal Street, TM is part of the Capital One/UNO Charter School Network.  It is the first New Orleans high school accepted as a member of the Middle College National Consortium(MCNC), a non-profit organization committed to driving educational reform by making college a reality for traditionally under-served youth. It was the school’s fourth year of operation, and its first class of seniors.

Built on the premise of preparing first generation students for college, there are numerous support systems in place, both academic and personal.  WPC’s goal is to supplement these services by serving as role models of successful professional women. Our first project took the form of monthly brown bag seminars, where members of various professions shared information on their jobs and career paths, with ample opportunity for dialog with the students. We also modified our scholarship criteria, and the award to went to a graduating senior for use at the college of her choice.

During the summer of 2011, this school closed at the Canal Street location, moved to a location in New Orleans East, and merged with another school.  WPC involvement was no longer practical, and at the end of 2011 we are still making decisions on how we will be involved in the community this year and in the future.

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RECENT AWARDS &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Jaye Calhoun was selected as one of Louisiana's Top Attorneys by Super Lawyers. She's also been designated one of the top 25 women lawyers in LA by Louisiana Life Magazine
• Patty Riddlebarger was selected as one of New Orleans CityBusiness' Women of the Year 2011. This is Patty's 2nd time receiving this honor.
• Gayle Dellinger was selected for New Orleans CityBusiness' inaugural class of Money Makers. Honorees were introduced during a special event Oct. 7 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Money Makers recognizes the financial professionals whose fiscal work has set the pace for their companies and the region. Honorees were selected based on how their fiscal work and achievements affect their company and impact the metropolitan area.
• Pamela Senatore was honored at Louisiana's Most Powerful & Influential Women's Breakfast by the National Diversity Council.
• Dian Lusher was named “Woman of the Year" by Professional Women of St Tammany for 2011.
• Angela O'Byrne, AIA of Perez received a 2011 Award of Merit from AIA Louisiana for the New Orleans Mission Family Center project. The facility is a 4,400 SF two-story building to house transitionally homeless families in the New Orleans area as they search for permanent homes and jobs. The project was LEED Silver Certified and incorporated various sustainable design features, including a geothermal HVAC system; daylighting strategies to maximize interior natural lighting and minimize glare and heat; and sustainable finishes and fixtures.
• Patty Riddlebarger is one of the 2011 Young Leadership Council Role Models. The YLC has maintained its tradition of highlighting 25 members of the community each year since its inception in 1986. Role Models are selected each year by a committee comprised of past Role Model honorees and members of the YLC's Board of Directors.
• Angela O'Byrne, AIA of Perez has been chosen as #5 on this year's Inner City 100 by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City. Perez was chosen from thousands of nominees, and the company is among the leaders in this distinguished group. These companies have demonstrated rapid growth and job creation, strong and evolving business models and an unwavering commitment to their communities and employees. The firm will be highlighted by Fortune magazine as a catalyst for growth in our country's urban communities.