Author Profile
Biography
Erika McConduit, Esq. currently serves as the President and CEO of the Urban League of Louisiana. In her role, she oversees growth, operations, strategic planning, partnership development, and policy initiatives of the agency, whose mission is to Empower Communities and Change Lives. Dedicated to ensuring economic equity, Ms. McConduit works deeply in workforce and economic development, and has served as a member of Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards’ economic development transition team. Ms. McConduit is also heavily engaged in education, providing direct service and advocacy in quality early learning, K-12, and post-secondary opportunities. In this capacity, she was appointed to the Board of Supervisors for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, and has served on numerous committees including Mayor Landrieu’s Education Task Force, Louisiana State Superintendent of Education John White’s Student Task Force as co-chair, the LDOE Alternative Education Committee, and the Recovery School District’s Charter Application Task Force. Additionally, Ms. McConduit served as Co-Chair of the National Urban League’s Education Task Force.
Committed to education, Ms. McConduit has served as an adjunct faculty member of Dillard University and Monroe College in New York, teaching courses such as Criminal Law, Introduction to the American Legal System, Public Health Law and Media Law.
Prior to joining the Urban League, Ms. McConduit was the Chief Operating Officer of the YWCA of White Plains and Central Westchester, New York. Due to her unyielding commitment to social justice and racial equity, she was selected as the delegate for the northeast region of YWCAs at the World Council meeting in Kenya, Africa, has served as a National Urban League delegate on a friendship mission to China, and as a fellow for the American Israel Education Fund on a trip to Israel.
A pioneering and committed civic leader, Ms. McConduit’s current and past service extends to serving on the governing boards of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute, The New Orleans Advocate, New Schools New Orleans, NOCCA Institute, KID smART, the New Orleans Kids Partnership as Vice Chair, African American Women of Purpose and Power as Vice Chair, Orleans Public Education Network, the New Orleans Crime Coalition, the Opportunity Youth Coalition, United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council, the EMPLOY Collaborative Leadership Team, and she is a member of the Crescent City Chapter of Links, Inc.
An avid supporter of professional and leadership development, Ms. McConduit has completed the National Urban League’s Emerging Leader Institute, New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute, Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum, and the Norman C. Francis Leadership Institute. She is currently a Pahara-Aspen Institute fellow.
Ms. McConduit is a mother of three children, a New Orleans native and a Louisiana licensed attorney. She holds a valuable private sector background through her work with Frilot, Partridge, Kohnke & Clements, L.C. law firm, MTV Networks, Nickelodeon and VH1.
Ms. McConduit graduated summa cum laude from Howard University, and cum laude from Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Author's Essays
As small businesses and startups continue to drive economic growth, the Urban League of Louisiana Women’s Business Resource and Entrepreneurship Center (WBR & EC), as well as our extension, the Contractor’s Resource Center (CRC), continue to provide access to education, capital, and…