504.335.5452 / 504.201.3178
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Leadership
DAVEN LEWIS
Executive Director
DIONNE LEWIS
President
Hi! I’m Dionne Lewis, President and one of the founding members of Azalia’s Heart, The Azalia Walker Edwards Foundation. For more than 25 years, I have been committed to serving and uplifting the New Orleans Metropolitan community. Throughout this journey, I’ve had the honor of assisting more than 7,500 citizens through direct outreach, compassion, and a steadfast dedication to meeting people where they are.
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With the support of family, friends, and community partners, Azalia’s Heart has provided thousands of meals, toiletry kits, and essential supplies to individuals experiencing homelessness. Our outreach has also extended to battered women’s shelters, where we’ve delivered gifts, clothing, and household necessities to women and children rebuilding their lives.
In times of crisis, Azalia’s Heart has stepped in to serve our neighbors when they needed it most. We assisted families affected by the New Orleans East tornado of February 2017, ensuring they received food, support, and relief supplies. Following Hurricane Ida in October 2021, we continued our mission by providing meals, water, cleaning supplies, and essentials to residents across the hardest-hit communities.
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Over the years, I have also partnered with Garden Hope Ministries and REJOICE, Inc., working across Kenner, New Orleans, Lafourche Parish, St. Charles Parish, St. John the Baptist, and the Westbank of Jefferson Parish to distribute food, water, clothing, school supplies, cleaning items, and other necessities to families in need.
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My heart has always been drawn to serving those less fortunate. No one chooses hardship, life simply happens. I believe it is my moral obligation to support my brothers and sisters as they navigate difficult moments. When we are in a position to help, we must. My greatest hope is that the work we do through Azalia’s Heart continues to bring comfort, stability, and a brighter future to those we serve.
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MICHAEL DESJARDINS
VICE-PRESIDENT
Michael Desjardins is a retiree who had two careers. First in ministry as a Pastor, and a second career as a Claim Representative with a major insurer. Over the course of these two careers, Michael has participated in many service related endeavors to help the poor and struggling. As a pastor he established a program in his church to give emergency food and financial assistance to people in need. He served on the board of an organization dedicated to advancing rights for the LGBT community in New Orleans. He also served on the board and later became chair of the neighborhood organization where he resides, after Katrina, to help bring back the neighborhood from the damages many families faced. Michael is very happy now to serve with Azalia's Heart to help further the good work of Azalia's family.
GENEVA LEWIS
SECRETARY/FINANCIAL OFFICER
I am a retired educator whose passion for service has guided my life’s work. One of my greatest joys was serving at the New Orleans Job Corps Center, where I worked with students striving to earn their G.E.D. and complete a trade that would help them build brighter futures.
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For many years, I have devoted my time to volunteering and providing hands-on assistance to families, students, and individuals experiencing homelessness. My heart has always been rooted in helping those in need, and I am grateful to continue that mission through Azalia’s Heart.
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Supporting others especially during their most challenging moments, remains at the center of who I am. Through Azalia’s Heart, I am honored to help extend compassion, dignity, and hope throughout our community.
HAKIM LEWIS
PUBLIC RELATIONS
BIO COMING SOON
KEVIN "KJ" JACKSON
FUND DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
BIO COMING SOON
ALLISON REINHARDT
Outreach
Allison Reinhardt is the co-founder of Roots of Music (with Derrick Tabb). She is a New York/New Jersey native and Loyola graduate who stayed in New Orleans to work as a marketing agent with local musicians. In addition to ongoing work with Roots, most recently she served as marketing director for Putumayo Music. She has been instrumental in assisting nearly 30 musicians in completing their applications for KNOMA--many of whom had no Internet access, no cell phone, and no computers on which to apply. She recorded the required videos for many of their applications, and has been diligent about following up with KNOMA about other potential musician applicants who may fall by the wayside due to disabilities and other barriers. She is an authentic ambassador of local culture bearers who has overcome her own significant personal adversity in recent years, as the victim of the unfortunately very public accident on the Endymion route in 2017. She is still living with the effects of those injuries, which makes her dedication and generosity to others all the more incredible. Her empathy for anyone with hardships is unending, and musicians are at the top of her list.
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