Meet Our Staff

Executive Director

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Emily graduated from Rockhurst University in Kansas City and later obtained her LMSW from LSU. She was a Jesuit Volunteer at the HTC in 2004-2005, after which she returned to St. Louis with her family. Emily kept in touch with us and when plans were made to reopen the HTC after Katrina, Emily moved back to New Orleans to serve as our Assistant Director, a position she held from 2007 until 2020 when she was appointed the HTC’s Executive Director. Emily is well-known among our community of guests and volunteers and is a beloved leader amongst the HTC team.

Assistant Director

Eva has 14 years of experience working with community development and nonprofit initiatives that promote the dignified treatment of marginalized communities. Her experience working with people experiencing homelessness inspired her to pursue her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Southern University in New Orleans.

While in school, Eva interned at the Rebuild Center with the Harry Tompson Center and Depaul USA New Orleans and focused her studies on understanding the complexities of homelessness. In her role as Assistant Director, Eva oversees the daily operation of our courtyard, assessing and assisting nearly 100 individuals to receive the care they need.

Program Director

Kip, a New Orleans native, joined the HTC team in August of 2013. He has worked in various social service agencies in the New Orleans area helping the unhoused and other underserved populations for 12 years including Odyssey House and ARC. Prior to this, he was a Respiratory Specialist at Charity Hospital. Kip provides case management services to vulnerable guests frequenting the Harry Tompson Center and helps them secure permanent housing.

Case Manager

Katey was our Jesuit Volunteer for the 2017-2018 year. Serving in this capacity fortified Katey’s desire to turn her natural gift for helping people into a career. After Katey graduated from Loyola Chicago with a BA in Anthropology, she began working full time as a Case Manager for HTC. She is most excited about her work having a lasting impact on our guests as she helps navigate them back into a more comfortable and sustainable lifestyle.

Communications Director

Paisleigh is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and holds a Master’s degree in Communication. She’s always felt compelled to work in a service-oriented role and is thrilled that her background in education and non-profit administration led her to the Harry Tompson Center. Her favorite part about working at the HTC is interacting with the guests and articulating their stories to our supporters.

CRRC Site Coordinator

Dion Campbell is a lifelong resident of New Orleans and first learned about the HTC working as a receptionist for the Travelers Aid Society where she regularly interfaced with HTC CRRC staff and guests. Married for 28 years, mother of three, and grandmother of ten, Dion’s heart knows no bounds, which is part of what drew her to the role of Site Coordinator at the CRRC. Her goal is to change the lives of our guests for the better. Important in this mission is also maintaining a positive work environment for the CRRC staff so that everyone feels their best and can do their best in service of the guests.

Center Assistant

Once unhoused herself, Carla spent two years living on the streets of New Orleans before discovering the Rebuild Center. She was soon housed through the Rapid Rehousing for Chronically Homeless Individuals Program (RRCHI), a service provided by collaborating partner, Depaul USA. Carla’s big heart and giving nature made her a staple among the volunteers at the Rebuild Center until she began working for the HTC at our CRRC extension site as a Center Assistant.

Jesuit Volunteer, 2024-2025

We are delighted to have Emma Talken as our Hygiene Coordinator through Jesuit Volunteer Corps. Emma graduated in May 2024 with a bachelor’s in sociology from Missouri State University. Having studied various dimensions of social inequality, she was drawn to JVC because she saw it as an actionable way to spend a year after college being part of the solution. Early in the interview process, she connected with HTC’s mission of building community and treating people with dignity and compassion. She loves the hands-on, face paced nature of her role, and getting to know our guests’ names, stories, and preferences. When not at the Center, she loves thrifting, live music, and listening to audiobooks. In the future, she plans to stay in the nonprofit sector and is considering graduate school.