Responding to trends and opportunities and to member feedback, the slate of Executive Officers has been expanded to include a Vice President and an Outreach and Advocacy Officer. This is based on revisions to our Chapter bylaws adopted October 20, 2017.

We are keenly aware from TV news, social media and conversations with friends and family that Hurricane Harvey brought "old testament" style flooding to Texas and southwest Louisina. Lynn Dupont, who serves as the principal planner and GIS coordinator at the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission, has shared several links to online GIS web maps and data portals which provide documentation of the damage. This may be of use to public sector planners in the Lake Charles region and to private-sector practicioners who find themselves involved in disaster recovery work.

Members and Friends of APA Louisiana,
New Orleans is again hosting APA's National Planning Conference April 21-24, 2018 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.  As hosts we can both enrich the conference with our unique perspectives as well as provide our membership an excellent opportunity to grow professionally by becoming involved with the premier annual professional planning event.