Date: April 27, 2015

Committee for a Better New Orleans

4902 Canal Street, Suite 300
New Orleans, La 70119
Dear Mr. Twitchell:
It has been amazing to work with you and learn about Committee For A Better New Orleans this
semester. My plan for CBNOs 50th anniversary is to help it appeal to younger audiences and
draw people in. It is important for your media to be evolving and constantly updated so your
audience is reached.
In my media kit, I have included a rack card, a media release about the 50th anniversary, a fact
sheet about the Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum, a media contact list, a PSA for print
and broadcast, a communication audit, biography, backgrounder and blog post.
You can use the blog and social media posts any time leading up to the 50th Anniversary.

The blog post is unique to your page because it has short facts about CBNO and it
includes pictures in between each detail. This increases readability because it has less
text.
The press release should be sent out at least three months before the event takes place and
can be embedded in your website for easy access.
The backgrounder is a concise overview of CBNOs history. It can be uploaded on the
website at any time.
The rack card is a 4x9 sheet that is best suited for print. It has minimal text but still
include important information about CBNO and how to volunteer, donate and get
involved. I used gold, navy and gray for my color scheme, basing it off of CBNOs logo.
I recommend using the Twomey print shop on Loyola University New Orleans campus
for the best prices and quickest turn around. They will print 175 rack cards for $200 and
have them ready in two days.
The fact sheet is like an online version of the rack card. It presents important information
about the Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum in a reader friendly way without the
text overload.
Please take advantage of the media contact list. I have included contacts in radio, print
and online.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks,

Shea Hermann
smherman@loyno.edu

MISSION
CBNO works to create equity and
opportunity for all New Orleanians by
developing community leaders, fostering
civic engagement, and advocating for
open, effective, accountable government.

DONATE
On-line contributions to our work may be
made at PayPal using the email address
contributions@cbno.org. Your support is
greatly appreciated.

CONTACT
Keith G.C. Twitchell, President
keithgct@aol.com
(504) 430-2258
Twitter: @CBNOnola
Facebook: Committee For A
Better New Orleans
For more information please visit www.cbno.org.

Media Contact:
Shea Hermann
smherman@loyno.edu
985-232-8900
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 5, 2015
Committee For A Better New Orleans Celebrates 50th Anniversary in 2016
Committee members look back on the past 50 years and forward the future of the organization
NEW ORLEANS, La.- Committee For A Better New Orleans is celebrating its 50th anniversary
in New Orleans this Fall. The organization has a vast history of making New Orleans a better and
safer place for people to live.
One of the most important parts of CBNOs history was its merger with Metropolitan Area
Committee in 2001.
Keith Twitchell, CBNO president said, The Metropolitan Area Committee was founded in
1966. We proudly and unequivocally carry forth that legacy through CBNO.
Over the past 50 years, CBNO has worked to improve public education, create more open and
effective government and inform and engage members of the community.
Anthony Carter, CBNO Co-Chair said, "It is amazing to look back at fifty years of community
service by the Metropolitan Area Committee and CBNO. We are very proud of the work we
have done.
Carter has big ideas for the future of CBNO. He plans to make it an organization that actively
cares for the community and its needs. He said, We can improve health outcomes for some of
our most disadvantaged residents. Most of all, we can create a comprehensive, inclusive,
permanent structure for community participation that will bring all voices together to
collectively chart the course for our future. This will truly fulfill CBNO's overarching goal of
returning New Orleans to its rightful place among the great cities of the world."
Twitchell and Carter are only looking forward. They both have big plans for what CBNO can do
to make New Orleans thrive economically and become worldwide leaders in civic engagement.
Their first focus, as always, is the community.
For more information about CBNO please visit www.cbno.org.
About Committee For A Better New Orleans
The Committee for a Better New Orleans is the result of the 2002 merger of two New Orleans
nonprofit organizations, the Metropolitan Area Committee and the Committee for a Better New
Orleans. CBNOs vision is nothing less than seeing New Orleans returned to its rightful place
among the great cities of the world. Visit www.cbno.org for more information.
###

Fact Sheet
Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum
Contact
Keith Twitchell
Committee For A Better New Orleans
4902 Canal Street, Suite 300
New Orleans, La 70119
Email: info@cbno.org
Phone: (504) 267-4666

Mission
CBNOs vision is nothing less than seeing New
Orleans returned to its rightful place among the
great cities of the world. A fundamental principle
of all CBNOs work is to engage the greatest
possible number of people, organizations and
decision-makers in the processes of designing
and implementing systemic changes. There
are many great places on our planet. But none
combine the culture, the history, the joie de
vivre, the aromas and flavors, the music and
food, the entrepreneurial spirit and welcoming
attitude, the sheer humanity of the people, the
way we do in New Orleans. Our opportunity,
our responsibility and our privilege is to do
everything we can to polish this treasure up to its
full measure of beauty.

History
Since 1968, the Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership
Forum, a program for the Committee for a Better New
Orleans, has given a diverse class of emerging New
Orleans leaders insight into critical issues facing the city
and equipped them with tools to be effective leaders who
engage a broad cross section of citizens, work systemically, and understand connections across issues. In 2015,
CBNO will put on its 50th Leadership Forum.

BBMLF sessions include:

Human Relations
Housing
Education
Economic Development
City Management
Public Safety
Health Care
Transportation and Regionalism
Environmental and Coastal Issues

BBMLF Alumni
Elected officials: Mayor Mitch
Landrieu, Sen. David Vitter,
State Sen. Karen Carter Peterson
and City Council member Jared
Brossett
Business leaders: Roger Ogden,
Pres Kabacoff and Greg Rusovich
Education Leaders: Dr. Tim Ryan,
Dr. Tony Recasner and Dr.
Brian Riedlinger

How to be a part of the Forum

Participants in the Leadership
Forum are selected through an open
nomination and review process.
Self-nominations are welcome.
Nominations are usually accepted in
June and July of each year, with the
Forum itself taking place September
to November with one session each
week.

The Advocate

USA Today

Gambit

Times Picayune

WDSU Channel 6

WWL

Fox 8

WGNO

B97

WWNO

OUTLET

Desiree

Charlene

Brian

Alex

Desiree

Connie

Weezie

Heidi

Linda

Kellie

Eve

CONTACT

Gillespie

Forsyth

Robert

Jones

Woodward

Forsyth

Brown

Porter

Hoffmeister

Anderson

Kelley

Abrams

LAST NAME

Sandys@gambitweekly.com

desiree_forsyth@nola.com

crobert@theadvocate.com

adinquiries@usatoday.com

Sandys@gambitweekly.com

desiree_forsyth@nola.com

cebrown@hearst.com

pressrelease@wwltv.com

hhoffmeister@fox8live.com

twist@wgno.com

kidkradick@b97.com

eve@eveabrams.com

EMAIL

(504) 483-3150

(504) 756-7219

(225) 388-0352

(212) 715-2020

(504) 486-5900

(504) 756-7219

(504) 679-0646

(504) 529-6298

(504) 486-6161

(504) 569-0964

(504) 593-6376

(504) 280-7000

PHONE

3923 Bienville St. New

Orleans, LA 70119

365 Canal St.New Orleans,

LA 70117

1010 Common St. Suite 3030

New Orleans, LA 70112

7950 Jones Branch Dr.

McLean, VA 22108

3923 Bienville St. New

Orleans, LA 70119

365 Canal St.New Orleans,

LA 70117

846 Howard Avenue, New

Orleans, LA 70113

1024 N. Rampart St. New

Orleans, LA 70116

1025 S. Jefferson Davis Pkway.

New Orleans, LA 70125

1 Galleria Blvd., Suite 850

Metarie, LA 70001

ADDRESS

100,000 monthly

41,000,000 yearly

40,000 weekly

67,000 weekly

400 Poydras St. New Orleans

LA 70130
1 million

University of New Orleans

2000 Lakeshore Dr. New
Orleans, LA 70148

230,000 monthly

1.5 million

CIRCULATION

75,000

60,000

85,000

60,000

100,000

ww.nola.com

Tyler

MEDIA CONTACT LIST Shea Hermann

MEDIA
RADIO

TELEVISION

PRINT

ONLINE

bestofneworleans.com

Committee for a Better New Orleans

50th Anniversary
15 SEC. (50 words)
COMMITTEE FOR A BETTER NEW ORLEANS WILL CELEBRATE ITS FIFTIETH
ANNIVERSARY ON MAY FIFTEENTH TWO THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN. COME HELP US
CELEBRATE ALL OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT THE ASHE CULTURAL CENTER.
THE AWARDS CEREMONY WILL BEGIN AT 7 P.M. RECEPTION TO FOLLOW. FOR
MORE INFORMATION VISIT W-W-W-D-O-T-C-B-N-O-D-O-T-ORG.

Committee For A Better New Orleans Communication Audit

Committee For A Better New Orleans is active online through the presence of their
website, and a Facebook and Twitter account. CBNOs website has eight pages total. The
homepage is colorful and easy to navigate. It has all of the main events that CBNO hosts with
additional tabs at the top that navigate to other pages.
The tabs at the tops should be rearranged with the Mission and History tabs first. Then
the Programs, Accomplishments, Events, and Contact Us. The images on the homepage capture
the culture of New Orleans well. Although the colors are nice, it might be beneficial to stick with
the colors on the logo for a more cohesive professional look. The information is very easy to find
and understand. CBNO should use bullet points for important information when possible.
People do not want to read pages and pages. There are links to other pages on the website on this
page which makes it easier for people to navigate. Some of the links do not work; CBNO should
keep up website maintenance and make sure the links work at lease once a month. CBNO has
linked its email address to multiple places around the website which is convenient for people
needing more information. The Donate Now tab in the upper right corner is strategically placed
on every page. Sponsors are included on the bottom of every page as well.
The Twitter and Facebook pages are updated frequently. Keith Twitchell posts at least
three times a month on both pages. The Twitter only has 283 followers. He mostly tweets about
other events happening around the city, which is great to keep the profile active, but he should be
focusing on boosting CBNOs presence. Overall they get one to two retweets and favorites if any.
He should change the Twitter name form Keith Twitchell to CBNO. The Facebook page has 361
likes. It focuses a lot on CBNO alumni accomplishments and events they attend. The Facebook
is used in a better way to promote CBNO. It has content about fundraisers and media coverage.
Overall, CBNO should start using hashtags. Hashtags help create similar communities on social
media. For links on Twitter and Facebook CBNO should use the website bitly.com. It shortens
links and takes away clutter.
Something that seems incongruent is the logo text and the website text. The website
should reflect the logos capitalization of Committee For A Better New Orleans.
Social Media Posts:
1. Interested in city management, public safety and health care? Apply today for the Bryan
Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum! {cbno.org} #BBMLF #Leadership #CBNO
2. Celebrate with us! The 50th Anniversary of #CBNO is this year at the Ashe Cultural
Center and we want to see you there! {May 15, 2016 at 7p.m.}
3. Calling all CBNO alum! Use #CBNO50 and show us what youre up to around the city!
4. Calling all CBNO alum! Use #CBNO50 and show us what youve been up to since you
graduated! #CBNO #Leadership
5. Here is our alum of the week! (name) graduated in (year) and is currently (doing,
working, etc) #CBNO #CBNO50 #Better50
6. Help us be better in our next 50 years! Donate today {cbno.org} #Better50 #CBNO
7. Stay tuned today to WWL radio and hear Councilwoman {name} talk about her
experience with BBMFL #StayTuned #CBNO50

8. We care about Environment and Coastal Issues and you should too! Donate today to
make these next 50 years better than the last! #CBNO50 #Better50 #CBNO
9. We would like to recognize AT&T as our sponsor of the week! Click the link below to see
all AT&T has helped us to accomplish! #CBNO50 #CBNO
10. For more information about our 50th anniversary check out our website! {cbno.org}
#Better50 #Leadership #CBNO

Shea Hermann
smherman@loyno.edu
(985) 232-8900
Dr. Allison Padilla-Goodman Biography
Dr. Allison Padilla-Goodman, who serves on the Board of Directors for Committee For A Better New Orleans,
is a sociologist who completed her doctoral dissertation in 2014 at the City University of New York Graduate
Center. She also attended Middlebury College in Vermont, spent a semester abroad in Florence, Italy, and Tulane
Universitys Stone Center for Latin American Studies for her masters degree.
Her passion for social justice began with Breakthrough Collaborative, a summer program for underserved
middle school children. She worked as the dean of faculty for the program in New Orleans and in Hong Kong.
She served as a director of youth programs for SilenceIsViolence whose mission is to call upon both citizens and
public officials to achieve a safe New Orleans. She has a deep love of education and scholarship and has a history
of service in New Orleans, New York and Hong Kong, though she will always consider New Orleans home.
The fourth-generation New Orleanian currently serves as the fifth community director of the Anti-Defamation
Leagues South Central Region.

Shea Hermann
smherman@loyno.edu
(985) 232-8900
4290 Canal St., Suite 300
New Orleans, LA 70119

Committee for a Better New Orleans

Backgrounder

info@cbno.org
(504) 267-4666

The Committee for a Better New Orleans is the result of the 2002 merger of two New Orleans nonprofit organizations, the Metropolitan Area Committee and the Committee for a Better New Orleans.
The Metropolitan Area Committee was founded in 1966 as the first major community organization in New
Orleans to reach across race and class lines. Over the years, its primary areas of focus were public education and
good government issues, as well as putting on the annual Metropolitan Leadership Forum. The Committee for a
Better New Orleans was founded in 2000 with a similar commitment to comprehensive diversity, and with Task
Forces in the areas of City Management, Economic Development, Education, Housing, Public Safety, and Transportation. Its initial objective was to create a citizen platform for the 2002 mayoral and city council elections,
producing the highly regarded Blueprint for a Better New Orleans.
Today, CBNO fills a unique role in New Orleans. With the most broad-based, diverse representation of any organization in the city and a focus on change at systemic levels, CBNO serves as a powerful catalyst and convener,
bringing diverse interests to the table to comprehensively address and resolve the most critical issues. Its board
is representative of the full spectrum of race, class, age, sector and geography in New Orleans. Priority projects
at present include providing a framework for the people of New Orleans to come together to develop and implement a permanent, formal mechanism for citizen participation; working with NOCOG partners to promote
open governance in areas such as city budgets, public records and open meetings and processes; and working
with a coalition of partners to lead a community-wide conversation on the future of public education in New
Orleans, with a focus on excellence, equity and sustainability.
In addition, the Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum, first conducted in 1968, continues to be a highly
acclaimed training ground for the leaders of today and tomorrow. In 2001 the two organizations, sharing similar
philosophies and a number of board members, decided to merge. The resulting Committee for a Better New
Orleans is a diverse community organization, a catalyst and convener, working to bring all voices to the table to
build a better future for all New Orleanians.
The Committee for a Better New Orleans always seeks to engage and to listen, to build coalitions, to seek the
voice of the people, and to effect meaningful, lasting change at systemic levels. It leads when called upon; it
happily serves and supports when others demonstrate leadership. And always, it works to build a better New
Orleans.
For additional information on the history and accomplishments of CBNO, visit www.cbno.org.

The Committee for a Better New Orleans is Celebrating 50 years in the Metropolitan New
Orleans area. To celebrate, lets walk through the history of how they became CBNO and
to reach across race and class lines. Here are the top 12 reasons to celebrate the 50th
Anniversary:
1. The Metropolitan Area Committee began in 1966 with Mr. Richard W. Freeman.

2. CBNO was formed with the purpose of exploring critical issues facing New Orleans through
honest and creative discussion.

3. In 1968, the Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum was created to identify emerging
community leaders.

People who have graduated from BBMLF include Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Sen. David Vitter,
and State Sen. Karen Carter Peterson.