Loren Marino
Port of New Orleans
Chief of Staff and VP of External Affairs
Assumed New Position: March 2025
Loren Marino has had a long history of successes in the legal and governmental arenas. A graduate of Tulane Law School, her legal career began more than 20 years ago as assistant district attorney at the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s office and continued with service as senior assistant parish attorney. Highlights of her legal career including being appointed as an ad hoc judge with the Louisiana Supreme Court and serving as president of the Jefferson Bar Association.
In between legal positions, Marino spent time in local government as director of inspection and code enforcement and the chief administrative assistant for the office of the Jefferson Parish president for five years.
“Through these roles, I came to appreciate the importance of effective governance and efficient public institutions,” Marino said. “These experiences highlighted the critical role that infrastructure and policy play in shaping vibrant, resilient communities.”
In this new role, Marino is bringing her skills to a new industry, overseeing community engagement and communication across both Port NOLA and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad. In addition to leading strategic planning efforts for these institutions, she also oversees human resources, IT, marketing and communications, and procurement.
Marino has three immediate goals in her new position. The first two are to enhance communication by elevating the port’s profile, thereby building trust with key stakeholders, and engage with local, state and private partners on strategic initiatives — including the port’s second container facility, the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) in Violet, Louisiana, the first phase of which is expected to open in 2028.
Marino will also be working to collaborate with educational institutions and industry partners to prepare the local workforce for opportunities within the maritime sector.
“The Port of New Orleans stands at the cusp of transformative growth, particularly with projects like the Louisiana International Terminal. This multibillion-dollar initiative will redefine our ability to handle larger vessels, higher volumes and more complex supply chains. By leveraging my background in law, governance and external affairs, I aim to foster partnerships that align with the port’s strategic objectives and benefit the broader region.”
