About The MissionNOLA
Our Mission
The MissionNOLA, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping youth and families in the New Orleans metropolitan area with financial literacy, professional development, and community connection... building a foundation for generational wealth and well-being.
Our Foundation
The MissionNOLA was formally organized in July 2023 to address a critical gap in community engagement and youth development programming in the Lower Ninth Ward. Drawing on more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership and business consulting experience, we structured MissionNOLA as an independent 501(c)(3) positioned to build deep community partnerships while maintaining operational independence and professional governance.
Since our founding, we have developed three years of credible programming, established trust within the neighborhood, and demonstrated measurable outcomes. Now, as the city prioritizes equitable development in historically overlooked communities, we are scaling our impact through expanded governance, board development, and program depth. We remain rooted in the Lower Ninth Ward, grounded in the relationships we've built, and committed to the long-term transformation of this community.
Our Leadership
Lawrence Jackson, Jr., M.Ed., Ed.D. (abd), CFEI®
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Lawrence Jackson, Jr., M.Ed., Ed.D. (abd), CFEI® is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The MissionNOLA, Inc. As a Certified Financial Education Instructor, he brings specialized expertise in financial literacy curriculum design and community-centered financial empowerment alongside more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership and business consulting experience to his role of building equitable community development in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans.
His executive-level experience in non-profit management spans over 12 years, as he has served as key leader in management of a multi-million dollar construction project, managed a multi-million dollar grant and sponsorship portfolio, served in key executive leadership roles guiding institutional growth across more than 22 cities, and cultivated strategic partnerships with foundations, corporations, and government agencies. His consulting practice specializes in business formation, governance, and trust architecture for families and organizations.
Lawrence holds a Master of Education and has completed all coursework in pursuit of a Doctor of Education degree, specializing in Education Technology. He is deeply invested in the long-term transformation of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans — the neighborhood where he spent a lot of time growing up and remains committed to serving.
Program Directors
Dr. Valerie Anne Jones Francis
Director of Vocal Music
Associate Professor of Music · Vocal Music Education
Dr. Valerie Anne Jones Francis brings over a decade of transformative vocal music education to MissionNOLA. As Associate Professor of Music and longtime director of the Opera Workshop at Nicholls State University, she has built a nationally recognized program from the ground up — one rooted in community, inclusion, and artistic excellence.
Her teaching philosophy centers on access and innovation. She expanded Nicholls State's vocal curriculum to include Gospel Choir, Class Voice for Non-Majors, and Opera Workshop — opening the door to students of all majors, alumni, and community members. In 2015, she produced the university's first fully staged opera in over 25 years, and has since directed celebrated productions including Porgy and Bess, The Magic Flute, and a historic 2023 performance of Hansel and Gretel featuring members of the Louisiana Philharmonic and Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestras.
A proven grant writer and program builder, Dr. Francis has secured funding from Entergy, Healthy Blue, and institutional sources to sustain and grow vocal programming at every level. Her students have competed at NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing), the National Association of Negro Musicians, and the African American Art Song Alliance — earning recognition regionally and nationally. Many have gone on to careers in K–12 education and graduate study in vocal performance.
At MissionNOLA, Dr. Francis channels that same commitment into the next generation of young voices in the Lower Ninth Ward — giving youth the stage, the training, and the confidence to discover who they are through music.
Team information coming soon.
Board of Directors
Board information coming soon.
Partners & Funders
