Here's the List of Candidates for DDA Job in Shreveport

SHREVEPORT, LA – Downtown Shreveport will be getting a new leader soon. The Board for the Downtown Development Authority is searching for a new executive director.

Erin McCarty

Liz Swaine recently stepping down to get back into journalism. She had served as DDA Director for more than a dozen years.

Who Has Applied for the Position?

13 people have applied for the job. Most of the applicants are local. But 3 are from outside of the region.

The DDA board has received resumes from:

Lauren Anderson, attorney;

Adam Bailey, community planning and design manager for the Shreveport Metropolitan Planning Commission;

Penny Marie Bennett, sales and management GM at Jon’s Wholesale Cars;

Guy Fortt, contract position with the Department of Children & Family Services;

LeVette Fuller, Realtor with Pinnacle Realty Advisosrs, former Shreveport councilwoman;

Amy Gallien, student life coordinator at Southwest Louisiana Technical College;

Cedric Glover, of King Cooper Development LLC, former state representative and former Shreveport mayor;

Antiska Harris, of Royale Holdings Group LLC;

Tamika Hayden, accounting coordinator at LSU Shreveport;

Nick Huston, former TV station account executive;

Deana Kalmbach, project manager for Brown Builders;

Adrian “Diego” Lopez, executive director of the Save Energy Coalition;

Jonathan Roberson, researcher for legal operations at Wilshire Law Firm;

Phillip Smart, former community and economic development officer at Gibsland Bank & Trust; and,

Erin McCarty

What Happens Now?

The search committee will now review this list and trim it down to a handful of candidates who will move to the interview stage.

The DDA board will make the final choice for a new leader.

The primary job of the DDA Executive Director is to promote downtown Shreveport. But this person will need to be able to build relationships with the Mayor, City Council and many others to be the champion for downtown.

Erin McCarty