Board Member Biographies
Sean Blondell
Secretary
Sean Blondell is the managing member and lead attorney at Sean Blondell Law Firm LLC in New Orleans. Mr. Blondell is a graduate of Howard University’s School of Business in Washington, D.C., and received a Bachelor of Business Administration in International Business and Marketing. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge where he was vice president of the Sports Law Association, treasurer of Black Law Students Association, and a member of the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Team and the Recruitment Committee. In addition to his work with AAEE, he regularly volunteers his personal time serving as the president of the board for the New Orleans Hoopz; on the board for College Beyond, an educational nonprofit; and a sponsor to many organizations and initiatives in the Greater New Orleans community. He and his wife, Laci, are the proud parents of four children, two of which are Franklin students.
Jill E. Condon
Jill Condon is a certified public accountant with over 25 years of experience in public accounting and CFO roles in the New Orleans area. She is currently the AVP of Retail Pharmacy at Ochsner Health System and holds a B.S.M. from Tulane University. Ms. Condon also serves as the chair of the Audit Committee at Ben Franklin. She is the mother of three girls, two Franklin graduates and a future Franklin student.
Charmaine Cooper Hussain
Charmaine Cooper Hussain, is the owner of Apostrophe Catastrophe, LLC. Ms. Cooper Hussain specializes in the application of Associated Press style in technical and corporate communications for clients such as Texas Instruments and ExxonMobil. She is the mother of a Franklin graduate.
Alea M. Cot
President
Alea M. Cot, Board President, recently retired as the assistant provost for international education at the University of New Orleans after 34 years of service. In this role she was responsible for study abroad and exchange programs, international student support and the Intensive English Language Program. She holds an M.A. in International Relations from Tulane University.
Ms. Cot is a 2020 New Orleans CityBusiness Women of the Year Honoree as well as a graduate of the Charter Board Leadership Academy of the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools. Ms. Cot is the parent of a Franklin graduate.
Shaneika Dabney-Henderson
Shaneika Dabney-Henderson is 4-time Emmy nominee from New Orleans. She graduated from Loyola University with a BA in Mass Communications and worked in television news for 15 years at both the local and network levels before transitioning to sports journalism in 2015. She was the first black, female Coordinating Producer at the NFL Network before taking the role as VP of production for the Saints and Pelicans, becoming the first black woman to join the VP ranks in Saints franchise history. Ms. Dabney-Henderson is currently the Chairperson of the HBCU Legacy Bowl’s planning committee and serves on the boards for both YouthForce NOLA, LEDE NOLA and the New Orleans Urban League.
Liz Faul
Elizabeth Sullivan Faul is from New Orleans and is an alumnus of the class of 1988. After graduating from Emory University, Liz worked in the Education Department at The New Orleans Museum of Art. Her interest in nutrition and health led her to a Masters in Public Health and employment at the Old Charity Hospital and Ochsner Hospital. In 2001, she earned her juris doctor degree from LSU Law School. Ms. Faul is the parent of two Franklin students. Liz writes, "I am happy to serve on the board and do what I can to contribute to the success of Ben Franklin High School."
Dominique Lang '06
Dominique Lang Verner '06 is the Alumni Association representative on the AAEE Board. She manages Lang Law, LLC, a private law practice where she represents a diverse group of clients in civil litigation and criminal matters, with an emphasis on family law, personal injury, estate planning, and DUI/DWI defense. She earned her J.D. from Louisiana State University's Paul M. Hebert Law Center and her B.B.A. in Economics from Southeastern Louisiana University. She holds memberships in several professional and civic organizations and currently serves on the Executive Board of the New Orleans Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Jonathan L. Levy '03
Jonathan Levy '03 is the Managing Member of JLN Properties, a local real estate management and development company. In addition to real estate, he also has extensive experience in consulting, partnership development, and building new business lines across the various business units of American Express and also working with a number of startups. He holds a B.S. in Economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and is a proud Franklin graduate.
Dolly Malik
Dolly Malik worked with New Orleans Public Schools for nearly 30 years, first as a special education teacher, and later as an administrator. She earned a B.S. in Education with a minor in Special Education from State University College at Buffalo, New York and Master’s degrees in both Early Childhood Education and Educational Administration from the University of New Orleans. She is the Past President of the Ben Franklin Athletic Association the mother of two Franklin graduates.
Brian Mora
Brian Mora is a partner at the regional accounting firm Pedelahore & Co., LLP. He has over 18 years of accounting experience. He is a Past President of the CFA Society of Louisiana, Past President of the Rotary Club of New Orleans, and is a member of the New Orleans Estate Planning Council and the NOLA Angel Network.
Mr. Mora is a CPA, ABV, and is a Charter Financial Analyst. He graduated from the University of Georgia. He grew up in the New Orleans area, and resides in New Orleans with his wife and three children.
Kim Nguyen
Kim Nguyen is a founding partner of Hoffman, Nguyen & Kuehl, and has maintained an active litigation practice since 2004. She is a member of the Federal, American, and Louisiana Bar Associations. She is also a founding member of both the Louisiana Asian Pacific American and Vietnamese American Bar Associations.
She graduated from the University of New Orleans and Loyola University.
She also actively supports the Junior League of New Orleans, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and Second Harvest Food Bank.
Dr. John W. Nicklow
John W. Nicklow, Ph. D., is president of the University of New Orleans. He is a registered professional engineer who holds bachelor's and master's degrees in civil engineering from Bucknell University and a doctorate in civil engineering from Arizona State University. He is a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a diplomate of the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers. Dr. Nicklow is the parent of a Franklin graduate.
Dr. Alexis Parent-Ferrouillet '96
Dr. Alexis Parent-Ferrouillet '96 works in higher education at Delgado Community College. She holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Howard University, an MPH from Tulane University, and an Ed.L.D. from Xavier University. She is active in educational outreach and reform. Dr. Parent-Ferrouillet is also a Franklin graduate.
Todd Ragusa
Todd Ragusa is the founder of Ragusa Consulting, a public relations firm specializing in senior-level counsel for clients facing dynamic issues pertaining to their public images. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola University New Orleans and an M.A. in International Studies from the University of Denver. He is a fellow of the Loyola University Institute of Politics in New Orleans. Mr. Ragusa is married to a Franklin alumna.
Allen Square, Jr.
Allen Square, Jr., is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Square Button Consulting, LLC. With over 20 years of experience in both public and private sectors, Mr. Square has worked with and led teams to deliver value to projects and organizations. Mr. Square's experience is deep and varied, covering several industries such as engineering, construction, consulting, and technology. After completing an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Square worked as a consultant with Bain & Company, Inc., and as the chief information officer of the city of New Orleans. Mr. Square also holds engineering degrees from Tulane University (B.S., Electrical Engineering) and Southern Methodist University (Master's of Science in Telecommunications).
Mitchell Turnbough
Mitchell Turnbough has over 30 years experience in the industry designing homes across the United States and in the Caribbean. Mr. Turnbough studied at Ringling College of Art and Design mentoring under Benjamin Baldwin (the man whom architect Louis Kahn called "The Dean of American Interior Design"). His work has been published in Architectural Digest and he has been inducted into Architectural Digest's "AD 100 Top Designers". Mr. Turnbough's work has also been published in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times Magazine, Vogue, House & Garden, Coastal Living, and Departures. Mr. Turnbough was born and raised on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, then worked and lived in the metropolitan NYC area before relocating to New Orleans in 2018. His daughter is a current student at Ben Franklin High School.