The board of directors of Longue Vue House and Gardens Board is pleased to announce Wayne Woods as the new board president, effective January 1, 2018. Woods succeeds Carol McMichael Reese whose leadership has overseen significant restoration of the property, a successful executive director transition, and strategic and vital long-range planning for Longue Vue.
Like Reese, Woods is passionate about Longue Vue and shares her belief that the institution’s legacy of civic philanthropy and social equity places Longue Vue in a unique position to contribute to the New Orleans community.
Woods is a native New Orleanian, was raised in historic Pontchartrain Park, and whose drive for the betterment of our city is evident in his dedication to carrying on the Sterns legacy. Reese says of Woods, “Wayne agreed to join the board with the understanding that he would do so only if he could make a personal contribution to ensuring that Longue Vue continued to
advocate and work for the positive civic change in which the Sterns believed and in which they invested. I have no doubt that under Wayne’s leadership, Longue Vue will carry forward the Sterns’ devotion to community service.”
Woods has devoted most of his professional life to his work as an attorney in the realms of real estate, finance, and construction law. He took a Bachelor of Arts degree from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia in 1987, and he subsequently returned to New Orleans, receiving his Juris Doctorate from Loyola University College of law in 1990. During his decades of professional practice, Woods has honed his expertise in the arenas of housing and real estate development, assisting clients and serving the community.
Longue Vue’s executive director, Maria Pote, is enthusiastic about teaming up with Woods. “Having Wayne Woods as our board president marks a new era for Longue Vue. Not only is he the first African American to hold this position, but his leadership and local community activism exemplify Longue Vue’s purpose—to be a mission-driven cultural center open to all, embracing the needs and talents of the people of New Orleans.”
