BOARD OF TRUSTEES

René J.L. Fransen — President

René J. L. Fransen is a renowned landscape architect specializing in high end residential homes, estates, and luxury commercial properties. His firm’s philosophy is “It can be done” and his clients can be found from New Orleans to the Texas Hill Country; Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; Buckhead, Atlanta; The Hamptons, NY; Cape Cod, MA; Pensacola, FL; and the Bahamas. In 2005, René was inducted as a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects for his body of work. He was featured in HGTV’s “ Homes Across America” series and has been published in many national and regional magazines and books. 

He served on the board of the Friends of the Cabildo for 8 years before returning years later to serve as Vice President of Membership. He served many years on the board of Save Our Cemeteries where he served as Board President before being named Board Emeritus. René also served many years on the Longue Vue House and Gardens Board before serving as President. His residency in the Vieux Carré since 1978 led to him being named a board member of French Quarter Citizens. He served on the site committee for The Louisiana Nature and Science Center and Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane Steering Committee for over 20 years. He is currently serving as a Trustee of the New Orleans Botanical Garden Foundation for a second time and is on the Livability Committee of the French Quarter Management District. He also served on The State of Louisiana Landscape Architectural Selection Board as well as being an advisor to The Robert S. Reich School of Landscape Architecture at LSU.

Michael Mancuso — 1st Vice President

Michael Mancuso represents developers in a wide variety of real estate transactions, including the acquisition, ownership, and development of multifamily rental projects, residential and commercial condominiums, hotels, retail, office, warehouse and industrial buildings, and mixed use developments. Additionally, he counsels clients in real estate transactions using a variety of financing sources, including federal tax incentives such as the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, façade donations, and mixed public/private financing, and loan programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae. He negotiates and documents a variety of commercial and residential lease transactions, entity formation, construction contract, and governmental approvals. Michael is a licensed title agent of First American Title Insurance Company, Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation, Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Corporation, and Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, and is President of the title insurance agency, St. Charles Title Corporation, affiliated with the Elkins law firm. He has examined titles and issued title insurance policies having a total amount of insurance over $900,000,000.00. Michael joined Elkins, PLC in 1997. Prior to joining Elkins, PLC, Michael served as a clerk for the Louisiana Supreme Court.

Anthony “Tony” Marino — 2nd Vice President

Anthony Marino is a shareholder in the firm Slattery, Marino & Roberts. His work involves a wide range of energy related transactions. He concentrates his practice generally in mineral title examination, the acquisition and divestiture of mineral properties, regulatory matters relating to onshore leases and offshore leases, including state waters and federal waters on the Outer Continental Shelf, and energy related financing transactions involving the negotiation and performance of exploration, development, operating and joint venture agreements. 

Mr. Marino has represented numerous energy producing companies before the State of Louisiana, Office of Mineral Resources, State Mineral and Energy Board, Office of Conservation and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, (formerly known as the Minerals Management Service) in the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska OCS Regions, Department of the Interior, Interior Board of Land Appeals, and other regulatory agencies concerning a variety of matters such as plugging and abandonment liability, bonding, oil spill financial responsibility, royalty valuation, royalty relief, incidents of non-compliance, unitization, unit agreements and commingling agreements, gas sales, processing and marketing agreements, production handling agreements, onshore and offshore facilities use agreements, rights-of-way, pipelines, servitudes, surface and subsurface agreements. He was formerly with the law firm of Gordon, Arata, McCollam & Duplantis.

Harry Barkerding — Treasurer

He worked for a local CPA firm as a consultant advising clients on business information systems. He later started his own firm implementing accounting and information systems for a wide variety of businesses. In 1997, following a consulting engagement with Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Harry was hired full time as the company’s first IT director and became a member of the executive management team. While there, Harry and his team developed the first electronic gift card system used by a national restaurant chain. 

In May of 2000, Harry started a software development company to provide accounting and information systems exclusively to the restaurant industry. The growing company had a national customer base and moved to Austin, Texas following Hurricane Katrina. There, the company continued to grow. Harry ultimately sold the company to private equity in March 2015. He returned to New Orleans in the summer of that year. 

Married for nearly 26 years, Harry lives with his wife Mary Ann in Old Metairie. They have a son, who is 20. Harry is an avid sailor and a 46 year member of Southern Yacht Club and a current Board member. He also has a hobby restoring old British cars and nearly finished a 3 year restoration of a 1962 MGB. Harry also is a Public Member of the Office of Disciplinary Council and provides occasional advisory assistance to established and startup ventures.

Keith Hardie — Recording Secretary

Keith Hardie, a New Orleans native, is a civic advocate, preservationist and practicing attorney. Keith holds a PhD. in Literature from the University of Oregon and a law degree from LSU. A long-time member and former chairman of the Advocacy Committee of Louisiana Landmarks, Keith has also served several other organizations, including Parks for All, Save Audubon Park, and the Maple Area Residents, which he also served as president. His support and hard work on behalf of preserving public parks has been a hallmark of his career, along with his drafting of zoning legislation and his zealous representation of the broad public interest in numerous lawsuits seeking to prevent commercialization of residential neighborhoods and to protect historic landmarks. Keith has long been a consistent, reliable, generous and important contributor to parks advocacy, historic preservation and neighborhood protection in New Orleans and seeks to continue his valued service with Louisiana Landmarks.

Theodore “Teddy” Pierre, Jr. — Corresponding Secretary

Teddy is an Architectural Master Mason and Historic Brick & Mortar Specialist, and holds a master’s degree in Architecture from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. Inspired by the exceptional craftsmanship of his father, he has continued his rare family tradition of practicing & preserving the lost art of the mason. For over 37 years, his experience, passion and excellence in architectural masonry have brought much local & national recognition to his work, and his desire to build community & educate the next generation is an inspiration to many.

William “Bill” Barry, Jr.

Drawing on over thirty-five years of diverse architectural and planning experience, Bill Barry offers strategic thinking and creative planning for the successful revitalization, restoration and management of historic structures. His consulting practice Heritage Planning & Design advises building owners and sometimes their architects and builders on how to confidently engage built heritage. He is successful at balancing creative conviction with respect, reconciling the ideal with the practical and integrating the new with the old. Bill is a native of New Orleans and a graduate of Tulane University School of Architecture. After over thirty years of practice in the Boston area, he has returned to Louisiana, and is now a resident of Mandeville, where he serves on the Historic Preservation District Commission.

John “Jeff” Bernard

Jeff is a New Orleans native (multi-generational) and graduate of De La Salle High with a B.A., English Literature from LSU and Master of Urban and Regional Planning from UNO. He is a retired banker with 39 yrs. in the industry. Jeff was elected to the Mandeville City Council in 2008 and coordinated Mandeville’s rescue and preservation of the Jean Baptiste Lang House in 2011. He also helped initiate the establishment of the Mandeville Historic Preservation District and is currently serving as Mandeville Historic Preservation District Commissioner. Jeff also serves as the Mandeville HPDC Chairman and has been Vice President/ Relationship Manager at State-Investors Bank and a Biloxi Marsh Lands Corporation director since 2003. He served as the President of Lake Eugenie Land and Development, Inc. as well as\ on the Board of Managers of Lake Eugenie, LLC, and 50196, LLC.

Edward “Ed” Deano

Edward Deano Jr. is a lifelong resident of Mandeville, Louisiana. For almost 50 years he has been active in environmental and preservation efforts in St. Tammany Parish. In 1977 he helped lead the fight to save the historic Oak Grove at Chinchuba, where Adrian Rouquette, America’s first native missionary, preached. The grove was destroyed, despite assurances to the contrary, by the Louisiana Department of Transportation, on Mardi Gras morning in 1977.

Quickly thereafter, political jurisdictions in St. Tammany Parish commenced to adopt tree ordinances. Today every city in the parish and the parish itself has adopted a tree ordinance which protects live oak trees. The following year he was a leader in the opposition to removing the Saint Tammany Parish courthouse from Covington, the parish seat for 160 years. This move would have devastated the historic Covington downtown and would have accelerated the suburban sprawl in the area of the proposed new site. The measure was defeated at the polls despite its being supported by virtually every political figure and business organization.

Margot Hammond

Margot is a lifelong resident of New Orleans. Margot was an Attorney Supervisor with the Mental Health Advocacy Service until she retired in June of 2011. Margot graduated from Southeastern La. University with a B.A. She received a M.S. in Recreation Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1984, she received her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law. She has served on La. State Bar Association committees and a Louisiana Law Institute committee. Margot has been a volunteer docent for the Historic New Orleans Collection since 2012. She has worked with the Landmarks Society on multiple committees and events including the Fete du Jardin, Vino on the Bayou and the Education Committee. Margot has been a Pitot House docent for many events, especially the school tours.

Susan Johnson

Susan Johnson advocates for historic preservation throughout New Orleans, with a particular interest in monitoring bad-actor developers and tracking demolitions in historic neighborhoods. She is principal of the not-for-profit entities Town of Carrollton Watch, LLC, and Historic New Orleans Neighborhoods, LLC. A native of Carrollton, she holds an M.A. in Classics from the City University of New York.

Ouida Laudumiey

A native New Orleanian, Ouida Laudumiey has been involved with historic preservation and restoration throughout her life. She is a board member of Felicity Redevelopment, Inc. and has been involved for many years with the organization including fundraising and assisting in the mission of buying and selling historic properties to revitalize the Lower St. Charles Corridor. Her mother, Louise Martin, was a Harnett Kane award winner in 2003, and she instilled her love of historic preservation in all of her children. 

Ouida has a BA in History from Smith College and an MBA from Tulane University. She currently works as a residential real estate agent with Hill Riddle & Associates. She lives in Uptown with her husband and 2 children and is involved in local neighborhood issues and is the Vice President of the Upper Hurstville Residents Association and Security District.

Nicholas “Nick” Matulich

Nick is a native New Orleanian and a graduate of Jesuit High School. He is married to Nancy for 45 years and lives in Old Metairie. Their daughter married a Frenchman, and they now live within walking distance to their two grandchildren. With more than 35 years of experience in the financial services industry, Nicholas joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1986 and continues to advise clients today. He received his bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of New Orleans and his bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from Xavier University of Louisiana. Nick served for years as the Vice President of the Farnham Place Association, and served on the Finance Committee at Metairie Country Club.

Nick enjoys gardening, sailing, and wine collecting. He is an active member of SYC and several other clubs. Nick’s growing passion for historic preservation has developed out of a landmark nomination of a building in the Treme district which holds personal significance to him.  The building was once owned by his grandfather, Chris Matulich, founder of the original Chris Steaks.  Nick’s dedication to promoting to the community greater education regarding the importance of historic preservation has evolved from his experience as a community member interacting with the City of New Orleans’ City Council and Historic District Landmark Commission. He was invited to join the Louisiana Landmarks Society Board of Directors in 2023, and now seeks to advocate the necessity of education for the community with emphasis on the importance of historic preservation and its impact on the future of the City.

Michael Reid

Originally from Chicago, Michael is a seasoned architect. Michael’s journey began many years ago, near the Chicago land area, when he first started to play with K/NEX as a 12 year old boy. He began to realize the limitless possibilities design and building held; from then on, he set out to become an architect. After receiving his Associate’s degree from the College of Lake County in a year, Michael attended architecture classes at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale where he received his Bachelor of Architecture degree, followed by a Masters of Architecture degree from the University of Louisiana. While attending graduate school, he worked for several firms in the Lafayette area and upon graduation, began to work for Barry Fox. At Barry Fox and Associates, Michael handled jobs as large as 10 million dollars in construction value and learned the art of historic preservation after being taken under Mr. Fox’s wing.

Currently, Michael runs Classical Roots Architecture with his wife Gretchen. Providing architectural services to the Greater New Orleans area, they specialize in residential design with an updated approach to classical and traditional architecture. Their unique ability to render historic detailing by utilizing modern 3-d visualization technology sets them apart. Through his extensive knowledge of technical details, Michael is able to envision creative solutions and efficient solutions with ease.

Louise Saenz

Louise is a seventh generation New Orleanian who has worked in the New Orleans nonprofit sector for 27 years. After earning a degree in anthropology from Newcomb, she began her career as a field archaeologist, working on several Louisiana plantation excavation sites. She quickly moved on to historic preservation and spent 11 years with Save Our Cemeteries, serving for eight years as Executive Director advocating, locally and regionally, for the preservation of these essential iconic cemeteries.

She began working as an independent consultant in 2007, where she has coordinated a broad range of fundraising events, festivals and conferences as well as providing grant writing services. Her clients have included the Ruby Bridges Foundation, Tulane School of Architecture, the Wooden Boat Festival, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum, Tales of the Cocktail, the New Orleans Children’s Book Festival, Tulane School of Science and Engineering, French Quarter Citizens and the NOLA VFW. With decades of experience in management, development, organization, and event planning, the positive impact of her work has benefited numerous nonprofit, educational, and cultural institutions in Louisiana and the Greater New Orleans area.

Louise is currently Director of the Lakeview Shepherd Center while continuing her consulting work. She and her husband, Ruben have three children, a son and two daughters. She cherishes family tradition and has a personal love for genealogical research. She was selected as a member of Women of the Storm following Hurricane Katrina and the BP Oil spill. She has been honored with the Newcomb College Outstanding Alumnae Award and was recognized by Gambit Weekly as one of New Orleans’ “40 Under 40.” She also served as a Governor appointee on the Louisiana State Cemetery Board for 8 years.

Lloyd “Sonny” Shields

A member of the firm Shields Law Partners, L.L.P., Sonny Shields has over 40 years of experience in construction industry contracts and litigation; constitutional law; surety law (construction contract bonds); insurance defense (including architects' and engineers' errors and omissions coverage); products liability; zoning and planning law and practice, and historic commission matters, including administrative hearings; real estate title research; patent, trademark and copyright prosecution and litigation; and general litigation, including appeals. 

Mr. Shields has served on the national board of directors of the American Arbitration Association, as the head of its Louisiana construction industry panel and as a member of its panel of arbitrators (including its limited list of arbitrators for its Large, Complex Case Program). He was a member of the Louisiana Supreme Court committee to establish the Civil District Court pilot mediation program. For over 30 years he has been an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School on the subject of the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure and for nearly 30 at Tulane Law School on the subject of Historic Preservation Law. He has delivered more than 200 papers on subjects ranging from arbitration, negotiation and mediation skills and practices, to numerous aspects of construction and surety law, in Louisiana and elsewhere. He served as board president of the Preservation Resource Center for several terms and as chairman of the New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission.

Peter M. Wolf

Peter Wolf, a graduate of Yale (BA), Tulane (MA), and New York University’s Institute of Fine Art (PhD), and a New Orleans native, is a professional planner, urbanists, preservationists, and urban policy authority. He is founder and first chairman of The Thomas Moran Trust, Chairman of the Godchaux Reserve House Fund, and a trustee of the Village Preservation Society in East Hampton, New York. He has authored award winning books on land use, planning and preservation and served as a consultant to towns and cities as well as corporations and private owners of sensitive lands.