Staff

The YLC is a volunteer-led organization and employs only four full-time staff members.

Executive Director

Curry W. Smith 

curry@ylcnola.org
Curry currently serves as Executive Director of the Young Leadership Council (YLC), a nonprofit organization focused on leadership development opportunities for young professionals through community service. 

Curry joined YLC from Greater New Orleans, Inc., where he most recently served as Senior Business Development Associate and previously handled communications and marketing efforts for the regional economic development organization.  Prior to employment with GNO, Inc., he worked for several years at local public relations and advertising agency Peter A. Mayer.

A native of Lafayette, La., he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy from the Murphy Institute at Tulane University.  He is a founding member and former board member for Emerging Philanthropists of New Orleans (EPNO); he currently serves on the board of Prelude—a young professional organization affiliated with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra—and is an active member of 504ward.

Also an avid sports fan, Curry has been a season ticket holder for the New Orleans Hornets since the 2007-08 season.  On most mornings, you can find him running along the streets of Uptown; on most evenings, you can find him at any bar with a good beer selection (hence the early morning runs).

Finance & Administration Director 

Larissa Muetzel

larissa@ylcnola.org
Originally from a small town near Moscow in Russia, Larissa Muetzel moved to the United States in 2001. Larissa received a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Timiryazev Agricultural Academy in Moscow. After living in Iowa for a few years, she moved to New Orleans in 2003. Larissa worked for MBS Management Services, Inc. in Metairie, La., starting in 2004. After several promotions at MBS Management Services, Inc., she became the director of financial planning in 2006.

Larissa joined the YLC as a staff member in August 2008. As the finance & administration director, Larissa manages financial transactions and records, as well as office management. Larissa also acts as the treasurer for the Toledano Place Condominium Owners Association, a position she has held since May 2005.

Membership Coordinator

Jonnie Honse

jonnie@ylcnola.org
Jonnie comes to us from Arkansas, a small town named Mena. Before joining the YLC, Jonnie was a membership coordinator for the Little Rock Realtors Association. She moved to New Orleans in June 2009 and now thinks she’s found the best place on Earth. Her responsibilities as the membership coordinator include recruiting and retaining members, managing a database of volunteer information, coordinating meetings and supporting project leaders.

Development & Communications Manager

Juliana Wilkins

juliana@ylcnola.org
Juliana joined the YLC staff in December 2010. A native of Iowa, Juliana worked in development at the Greater New Orleans Foundation and Kent State University prior to coming on board.

As Development & Communications Manager, Juliana works with YLC board members and staff to develop the fundraising base of the YLC through events, grants, and individual donations as well as handles all of our community outreach communications.

Membership Communications Intern

Isma Shahien

intern@ylcnola.org
Isma is native to New Orleans and attended St. Martin’s Episcopal School in Metairie, LA. 

She has recently graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a Liberal Arts degree. Currently, she is a regular volunteer for the New Orleans Museum of Art. Isma hopes to gain experience by interning and becoming more involved in the community, cultural and young professional networking events in New Orleans.