Simone Maloz, campaign director of the Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coaltion, and Kristi Trail, executive director of the Pontchartrain Conservancy (a member of the coalition) give Biz Talks an update on the state of our coast and what they’re doing, and recommending we do, to save it.
about
Simone Maloz, campaign director of Restore the Mississippi River Delta
Simone’s primary role as campaign director of the four-group coalition, Restore the Mississippi River Delta, is to support the staff’s daily work towards achieving a future Mississippi River delta that includes a just, climate resilient coast where people and nature thrive. Simone’s work centers around implementing the coalition’s goals, which include advancing priority projects, protecting and pursuing critical coastal funding, and working/laying the foundation to secure an equitable, safe and flourishing future coast.
Simone brings more than 16 years of experience in organizational leadership, coastal advocacy, policy work, and outreach to Restore the Mississippi Delta after previously serving as the executive director for Restore or Retreat — a partner organization and nonprofit coastal advocacy group working to identify and expedite the implementation of aggressive, large-scale restoration projects. Through that partnership, she has been directly embedded and working alongside Restore the Mississippi Delta for more than a decade. In 2017, she was awarded the Coastal Stewardship Award by the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana in recognition of her impact on addressing our coastal crisis.
Kristi Trail, executive director of Pontchartrain Conservancy
Kristi Trail leads the Pontchartrain Conservancy, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, as executive director. This nonprofit confronts Louisiana’s crisis of diminishing water quality and land loss by driving environmental sustainability and stewardship through scientific research, education and advocacy. Kristi brought to Pontchartrain Conservancy her 30-years of experience as a professional engineer. She made the decision to shift her focus to the environmental nonprofit sphere. Her childhood experience growing up along the lakefront shaped her mission and goals, namely as the polluted and chemical-laden lakefront put our economy, wildlife and recreational activities at risk. She used this motivation and passion to dedicate her time and effort towards the sustainability of New Orleans’ coastal systems and water quality.
As executive director, Kristi not only leads a team of more than 30 members across several departments, but she also leads the Greater New Orleans region and its citizens in environmental sustainability and advocacy. Pontchartrain Conservancy’s team thoroughly works to educate, improve and advocate for coastal sustainability, water quality and education. On a daily basis, Kristi works to transform the confusion, apathy and fear surrounding Louisiana’s coastal crisis into understanding, advocacy and activism.
