Robin A Barnes

As the number two executive at GNO, Inc., the regional economic development organization for Southeast Louisiana, Barnes oversees several major initiatives including the development of the region’s new Emerging Environmental industry sector, the Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan, the Coalition for Coastal Resilience & Economy, the national Economic Protection and Resilience Organization, and other innovative projects designed to create and protect jobs in the region, which is vulnerable to natural and manmade disasters. Barnes serves on the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans and recently served on President Obama’s Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force. Formally, Ms. Barnes was Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Louisiana at Seedco Financial, now called TruFund Financial Services, a national nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution. In 2006, Barnes relocated from New York City to New Orleans to open Seedco Financial’s Louisiana field office and implement the organization’s emergency business and economic recovery response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike. At Seedco Financial, Ms. Barnes deployed Federal funds totaling $30 million for emergency grants and loans to a total of 1,000 small businesses in greater New Orleans. Also, she opened the Seedco Financial Southeast Louisiana Fisheries Assistance Center in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, the only known business assistance center for commercial fisheries. Following 9/11, Ms. Barnes managed small business recovery programs for Seedco. Ms. Barnes co-chairs the Sustainable Industries Industry Council of ProsperityNOLA: A Plan to Drive Economic Growth for 2018 for the City of New Orleans; and is a member of the marketumbrella.org Community Advisory Board and the Local Advisory Board for Education Pioneers.