Champions of NPI

Our Board of Directors is made up of passionate, dedicated individuals who bring experience and expertise to the Native Plant Initiative. Each member of our board plays a vital role in guiding our organization’s mission to promote the use of native plants, support biodiversity, and educate our community on native plants and gardening practices. With diverse backgrounds in horticulture, conservation, education, and business, our board members work collaboratively to shape the strategic vision of NPI and ensure our programs and initiatives have a lasting, positive impact. Get to know the leaders who are driving our mission forward and learn more about their commitment to creating a greener, healthier environment for all. Board elections take place each year in November.

Meet Our Board of Directors

President, Max Bowen-Koonse

works as a Botanical Horticulturist at the New Orleans Botanical Gardens while making time for personal landscaping projects. They aim to improve the urban ecosystem not just through native plants, but also by selecting more sustainable hardscape materials. As an NPI Board Member, they hope to make native garden design more exciting and accessible to timid beginners and skeptical landscape professionals. They are eager to point any aspiring horticulturists in the right direction and hope to encourage more people, especially women and LGBTQ people, to pursue green jobs.

Favorite Native Plant: Possumhaw, Ilex decidua

Vice President, Dexter Ellis

is a science communicator with a background in ecology, environmental science, and storytelling. He is passionate about sharing the world of native plants with others to protect and create biodiverse habitats. As part of the NPI board, Dexter assists in grant-writing, organizing membership activities, merch development, plant giveaways, and heads the Social Media Subcommittee where he is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives to inspire environmental stewardship.

Favorite Native Plant: Clasping Coneflower, Dracopis amplexicaulis

Secretary, Holly Shawhan

is an IT director and a non-native, non-invasive transplant. She is passionate about the city of New Orleans and bettering it in all ways; from volunteering to teach children to read, to encouraging native planting with NPI, to growing her run club, to joining leadership forums addressing the unique issues New Orleans faces. On the NPI board, Holly serves as notetaker, website updater, and resident IT wiz. As a recent homeowner, she’s excited to evolve from a plant mom to a pollinator garden guru.

Favorite Native Plant: American Holly, Ilex opaca

Treasurer, Michele Mire

is a native plant enthusiast and partner in a small CPA firm. Her favorite plant is Solidago sempervirens, Seaside Goldenrod – the seeds came from a fellow enthusiast at the initial meeting of NPI. From a wad of puff in my pocket to the most visited plant in my garden. Michele is also a certified Louisiana Master Naturalist and enjoys all aspects of the local ecosystem.

Favorite Native Plant: Seaside Goldenrod, Solidago sempervirens

Director, Helen Sierminski

has lived in New Orleans since 2017 and has fallen in love with the beautiful trees and gardens that populate the city. She runs an Instagram page called Nola Sidewalk Gardens and Forests, which is a homage to these trees and gardens. She also guides Urban Nature Walks through the neighborhoods of New Orleans. This inspired her to pursue her Master Naturalist certification. She has her Bachelor’s and her Master’s degrees in Sociology, as well as a history of management and social media curation. She maintains her own nature-based spiritual practice as The Crimson Cadaveress, offering Tarot and Astrology Readings that draw on nature symbolism. She is a practicing Augur, which is a form of bird divination which dates back to Etruscan times. She believes strongly that everything is connected, knowing that native plants support native bird and insect populations that in turn support healthy ecosystems for us all.

Favorite Native Plant: Bald Cypress, Taxodium distichum

Director, Liz Langlois

is a higher education administrator, manager and advisor. She has over 20 years as research scientist and project manager at the Tulane University Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health working in the fields of environmental and occupational health, data management and analysis, GIS, maternal and child health, curriculum development, outreach, and evaluation. She is a certified Louisiana Master Gardner.

Favorite Native Plant: Virginia Saltmarsh Mallow Kosteletzkya pentacarpos

Director, Ann Hijuelos

is an ecologist with experience leading water management and ecosystem restoration initiatives across federal, state, and nonprofit sectors. As part of the NPI board, Ann assists with grant management, budgeting, volunteer coordination, maintaining NPI’s community gardens, and engaging with city government. She aims to expand NPI’s partnerships to promote the use of native plants in public and private gardens across the city of New Orleans. Ann may not be the person you ask to identify plants, but she brings a love of learning and passion for digging in the mud.

Favorite Native Plant: Texas coneflower, Rudbeckia texana

Support native plants and local ecosystems.

Join Us in Making a Difference

As an NPI member, you’ll help restore native landscapes, access exclusive resources, and connect with a like-minded community. Join us today and make a lasting impact!

NPI’s Diversity Statement

The Native Plant Initiative of Greater New Orleans is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization. We recognize that the success of our mission depends on the full participation of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. We will continually work to cultivate an inclusive environment that respects diversity and is free from discrimination based on age, sexual orientation, gender and gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, and disability. Membership is open to anyone with a sincere interest in our mission. View our corporate bylaws here.