Who we Are
The New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute (NORLI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing community leaders the opportunity to identify, collaborate, and address key issues for the betterment of the Greater New Orleans Region. NORLI draws upon a diverse group of stakeholders from around the ten parish region to engage in thought-provoking personal and professional development programs covering topics such as public policy, healthcare, education, diversity and equity, environment and sustainability, economic development, and criminal justice.
2019 NORLI FUSION Panel “Training for the Jobs of Tomorrow: Operation Spark”
“Good leaders are lifelong learners, and for me, NORLI was exactly the transformative educational experience I needed to reach the next step in my career. Each month, we learned from people pioneering the future of our state in a wide variety of sectors including public policy, education, economic development, and environmental work. Without the knowledge gained from each session and connections made with my peers in my cohort, I certainly would not be the civic-minded, engaged citizen I am today.”
Building a Legacy of Leadership
In 1998, a task force was formed to develop a leadership program for the New Orleans region. The task force included representatives of the Metropolitan Area Committee, Young Leadership Council, Jefferson Leadership Institute, Leadership Slidell, West St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce, and Leadership Louisiana (a program of Council for a Better Louisiana). A concerted effort was made to include knowledgeable members from all ten parishes in the metropolitan New Orleans area.
From the beginning, the core values guiding this effort were a dedication to regional cooperation and collaboration and a commitment to diversity and inclusion. These elements were considered essential to economic growth and viability. Building upon this philosophy, the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute was established in 1999. A program was crafted to give local leaders a more thorough understanding of the most pressing issues and an enhanced ability to collaborate for the benefit of the New Orleans Region. The first class of 34 leaders was selected in the fall of 1999 and graduated in the spring of 2000.
Through the support and guidance of GNO Inc, the Regional Economic Development Organization and parent organization to NORLI for many years, NORLI continued to evolve and grow. With hundreds of alumni graduating from the leadership program, NORLI began a process of strategic planning in 2016 that would define the future vision of the organization. Based upon the recommendations of an independent consulting firm, NORLI incorporated as a non-profit corporation, and subsequently was approved and recognized as a 501(c)(3) organization.
Since becoming independent in 2017, NORLI programming has expanded to include several newer initiatives with the Regional Leadership Program continuing to serve at the core of its activities. With over 850 Alumni to date, NORLI continues to increase its presence in the Greater New Orleans Region and serve as the nexus of thought leadership and civic engagement.
