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2007-2008 Members

Isabelle Whitman

Delgado Community College Adult Education

Isabelle, a classic Type-1 Scorpio who shares a birthday with Tiberius of Rome and Martha Plimpton, was born in Alabama to a Shakespearean lit man from the Wiregrass and a French ex-Catholic social worker from the Loire Valley. She spent her childhood in Alabama and France, which made her completely incapable of fitting into any US city but New Orleans. She has survived Hurricane Katrina, exile in Texas, a very bad cold, and an ill-advised year in law school. Her secret dream job is to be a writer, and she was published once, but the editors fatally mangled her work. She hopes to help others further their education so they, too, can have their literary dreams dashed by callous editors.
 

Nola Woodland

NOPLAY

Nola was born in New Orleans - though she only lived here the first six years of her life - and was named after the city, due to her parents' great love for the place and corresponding nostalgia for the golden years. Nola recently graduated from Antioch College, in Ohio, with a degree in Literature and Creative Writing. Upon entering the lost, post-graduate stage of general fear, floundering, and uncertainty, Nola took a cue (she hopes) from the universe and came to New Orleans. She came back because she wanted to rediscover her birth city, work in the nonprofit/social justice arena, particularly in post-Katrina New Orleans, and because she was attracted to New Orleans' rich tradition of writers, as well as the gothic romanticism latent in the atmosphere - from the hanging moss to the above-ground tombs. Nola loves writing, reading, painting, playing and listening to music, people watching, animals, and sitting by the river. She plans to be in New Orleans for at least a year.

 
 

Cherie Smothers

NOPLAY

Cherie is 19 years old, originally from New Orleans, and really loves being from here. Most people would say she's a charming, smart, positive but nosy person. Cherie explains that "the only reason I'm so called 'nosy' is because humans fascinate me and I like to know how we think and why we do certain things." When Cherie makes it to college, she wants to study psychology (it's so much fun!). Later on in life (let's say like 10 years) Cherie sees herself financially stable with a career in psychology. She can see it now: Dr. Cherie Smothers (it sounds so good, doesn't it?).
 

Jillian Sharp

Jefferson Parish Adult Education

Jillian is a full-time member, but has already served a summer term in 2007. She is from Pasadena, California, but moved to New Orleans about four years ago to attend college and to play soccer. Jillian is a recent graduate of Tulane University with a major in Political Science. During her senior year in college, she decided to volunteer with the Hispanic Apostolate, a program that teaches English as a second language. Jillian found the experience to be so rewarding that she looked around for other programs that offered the same service. This led her to Literacy*AmeriCorps. She now teaches English as a second language to adult learners in Jefferson Parish at the Hispanic Resource Center.
 

Doug Sarradet

Urban League of Greater New Orleans

Doug is a flaming Aquarius who has traveled America and Western Europe and plans to go native on every continent on Earth that has natives. Favorite snacks include honey roasted peanuts and preserves. The roster of current pets: 2 cats (Zombies Murderface Murderface Murderface and Nancy Explosion) and 1 gecko named Kunta Kinta. Rock & Roll, current events, and education are particular areas of interest, along with open source software. FTW!
 

Joyce Reed

YES! Reserve

Joyce is a retiree from the CNO and has relocated Post-Katrina to St. John the Baptist Parish. She is excited to be a member of Literacy*AmeriCorps and about working with the great team she has joined. Joyce is located at YES/Reserve, LA in the Leon Godchaux School on River Road. She appreciates this opportunity to be involved in literacy and other services Literacy*AmeriCorps commits to in building communities and changing lives.
 

Kevin Planchet

New Orleans Public Library

Kevin is a native New Orleanian who's picked up some diverse skills while on the 'Mommytrack.' A former television reporter, she now has a very busy home sewing business where she gets to dress the local royalty for several carnival krewes. A mother of three girls, she also coordinated a few non-profit programs such as "Ghosts in the Oaks" for City Park, and the Christmas Bureau for the Volunteer and Information Agency. She has mentored for Each One Save One, and instructed a job search course for women on public assistance. Her real passion is writing fiction for children, and she's been hired by a retired educator in Virginia to collaborate on a fantasy series directed at African American children. Kevin's been married to her husband Tom for nineteen years and their family lives in Algiers.
 

Judith Patrick

New Orleans Public Library

In the past Judith has been acclaimed for her bug killing and providing of comic books to those in need of the weird. Having been known for her abilities of odd conversation, she recently moved to the Big Easy to pursue the joint reclamation of the city's sound gasp of oddities. In her spare time, Judith enjoys the killing of dragons and the exploration of distant galaxies. When she can't find the literature to assuage these needs, she enjoys long walks through the city and flying kites. Samus, the destroyer of worlds and lab-puppy of doom, allows Judith to be her sidekick in her bounty hunter pursuits which include, but are not limited to, running around the block and barking at other dogs.
 

Ted Nathan

New Orleans Public Library

Ted was born and raised in the beautiful lands of New Jersey. It was there that he grew up and learned many lessons. Ted came to New Orleans a year and a half ago and has found it to be very inspirational. He hopes to contribute to the rise of New Orleans and believes Literacy*AmeriCorps is a great way to do that. He is currently a sophomore at Tulane University studying social policy and international development. He enjoys listening to live music and exploring New Orleans. Ted states that he is "encouraged by the team and is confident that we will do big things. Keep up the good work!"
 

Adrian McGrath

St. Vincent DePaul

Born in New Orleans, Adrian McGrath is a graduate of Jesuit High School, Loyola University, and Loyola Law School. With career objectives in education and writing, his avocations are playing Irish traditional musical instruments and cooking traditional New Orleans dishes like jambalaya and gumbo. A Hurricane Katrina survivor, he is dedicated to the rebuilding of his home town.
 

Liz Lichtman

NOPLAY

Liz grew up in NY and came to New Orleans a few months after the storm. She helps run a community bike shop in the upper 9th ward (called RUBARB) in which people come to work on and learn about bikes and youth participate in an earn-a-bike program, art projects and field trips. She also spends time with youth in her neighborhood in the 7th ward, visiting various places and cultural events in the city. She enjoys music, food, laughter, traveling by bike, and her favorite Sunday thing to do is to attend 2nd lines. She admires people who grow their own food, build things, and have creative minds. She's grateful to have the opportunity to work with YEP (the Youth Empowerment Project) and excited for what she will both learn and teach this year.
 

Erin Landry

Delgado Community College Adult Education

Erin Lanelle Landry is a Sagittarius born in lovely Slidell, Louisiana. She enjoys long walks on the beach and impressionist paintings. Sometimes when Erin is really bored she likes to do mental tai chi. Erin has an extensive knowledge of both medical and culinary French. She is also freakishly addicted to all things historical. Erin currently spends her time fantasizing about/avoiding graduate school and being self-righteously indignant about the state of the world.
 

Kimlery Pollard

New Orleans Public Library

Kim was raised here in New Orleans. She received most of her education through the New Orleans Public School System. Currently Kimlery is a nursing student and in most of her spare time, she enjoys helping others, exercising, reading, and watching movies. She is very happy to be a part of Literacy*AmeriCorps and hopes to enjoy herself as she continues to learn and grow from other Corps members. She works at the New Orleans Public Library after school tutoring program located in the MLK Charter School.
 

Noel Hoffman

YES! New Orleans

No stranger to volunteer work, Noel currently serves at the YES! program located at the learning center in the main library and has been described by his peers as approachable, nice, and insightful. He graduated from Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama in the spring of 2006 with a bachelor's degree in International Trade and Spanish. Currently he is a graduate student at the University of New Orleans where he hopes to earn a Master's in Business Administration by the spring of 2009.
 

Jodie Harris

YES! River Parishes

Jodie graduated from Tulane with a degree in business. Most of her work life was in accounting and tax work. She had worked as a volunteer with Barbara Callender in St. Charles Parish teaching ESL and Adult Education for approximately five years. Jodie enjoys writing fiction and belongs to a writer's group. She is active in rebuilding the New Orleans mission through her church. She likes yoga and gardening and has four or five children (depending on how you count them).
 

Gensey Dengal

YES! New Orleans

Virginia, known as Gensey to her friends and co-members, has been committed to helping the New Orleans community for years. She explains, "Reading as a life-long passion continues as a good influence that I pass on to my students has been on my resume missive for some time." Gensey is actively involved in the community and volunteer work, and has a strong love of family. She has lived in Cincinnati, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tulsa, and Louisville. Her travels have been in the United States and abroad.
 

Natalie Bellot

Even Start Family Literacy

Natalie was born in New Orleans and spent a majority of her youth in Hammond and Metairie, LA. After finishing her undergrad in Fine Arts at UNO, she moved away and soon realized how special New Orleans really is. Shortly after returning, Natalie was inspired bu the countless volunteers in New Orleans and found Literacy*AmeriCorps while searching for her contributing role. Natalie's interests include, but are not limited to, yoga, reading, traveling, cooking, film photography, Nina Simone, and learning how to make things. She believes that crafting is the future of fine art and that the Chupacabra does exist! She also believes that knowledge is powerful and volunteering is the greatest gift that you can give to yourself. Alice Walker stated it best in a recent article (Shambhala Sun), "This is the best time to be alive because there is so much work to do - so many poor to house and feed, so much opportunity for self-realization, the earth itself to be saved."