Get a glimpse at the candidates that will help lead our neighborhood.
Mark Kosiara
I was born and raised in Michigan, but I moved to New Orleans in 1989 to start my career with Shell Oil Company after graduating from Michigan Tech with an engineering degree. Initially, I lived in Metairie, but one Mardi Gras, a friend invited me to the Rectangle for the festivities. He didn’t want me to drive home after drinking, so I spent the entire weekend at his place on Dauphine. After that, I was hooked. The neighborhood was so eclectic, and the homes and people had such character. I rented a room from my friend until I bought my own home a couple of years later across from the Hubig Pies factory.
Over the years, my job has taken me to assignments in Houston, Anchorage, and Amsterdam, and I have traveled to over 60 countries in various roles with Shell. However, I was always drawn back to this neighborhood. I am passionate about helping to preserve the character of this walkable neighborhood while managing the necessities of growth and development that have always been a challenge over the last 30-some years I’ve lived here.
I have served as a Board member of a neighborhood association in Houston for over five years, and several of my roles at Shell included stakeholder engagement responsibilities in Louisiana, Texas, and Alaska. I would like to bring this experience to the FMIA and explore what else we might be able to do to preserve this neighborhood’s many positive attributes while minimizing the negative impacts of new developments.
To be completely transparent, retirement allows me to split my time between my homes in New Orleans and Houston, and I also spend time with my parents, and sibling’s families in Michigan when the heat gets at its worst in South. This has been manageable with my Houston Board position, and I hope it will be manageable for the FMIA as well.
Cory McGraw
Originally from Texas, I came to New Orleans to attend Tulane University School of Engineering and decided to stay in New Orleans after graduation. After living Uptown while attending school, I felt a better fit for me was Faubourg Marigny for its historic homes, eclectic vibe, and proximity to the French Quarter. I initially joined FMIA in search of support for tackling various issues within my neighborhood. I quickly learned it is an organization dedicated to maintaining the historic and cultural significance, while ensuring that change enhances our community. I hope to support this effort by lending my time to help preserve the various aspects of the Marigny that continue to appeal to both residents and visitors alike.
Jeremiah Johnson
I moved to New Orleans in early 2006 to volunteer at an inflection point in my own life. I was engaged with Common Ground, a grassroots organization born out of Hurricane Katrina, for nearly one year. After my time with Common Ground, I briefly returned to my hometown, Hendersonville, NC, and worked as an electrician's helper for about a month before returning to New Orleans. That limited experience allowed me to join a local company, Jack's Electric Service, Inc., as a helper and begin my journey in the construction industry. Within two years, I had advanced to become a Project Manager and self-taught tradesman and had obtained a state-wide master electrical license. Shortly thereafter, I returned to Harvard College, in Cambridge, MA, to complete my bachelor's in government before returning to NOLA, yet again, to start a company, Ready Power, which I still co-own and run today. I specialize in installing backup generators for residential and commercial clients across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, as well as throughout the United States for federal and state entities.
I lived in the Bywater for approximately six years before relocating to the Marigny in 2019, when I purchased a house on Spain St. I had long enjoyed the Marigny and aspired to live in such a great community. My wife, Ariel, and I became active members of FMIA in mid-2023 to invest in, participate in, and help steer our community towards a better future for us all. We now regularly attend meetings with our two sons, Xander and Kai.
I hope my board service will help the neighborhood in three main ways:
1) Creating and supporting an inviting and sustainable environment for businesses to succeed in and support the neighborhood.
2) Participate in the reduction of open drug use through both actively discouraging illicit behavior and encouraging support networks.
3) Pursuing alternative and proactive responses to blighted and out-of-commerce properties to help them transform into assets, not liabilities, for us all.
I most enjoy the Marigny because my family can walk and explore our great city, with each venture expecting a new surprise.
Margo Moss
Jesse Paige
I have a deep interest in improving the neighborhood and have lived and worked on the street since 2003. I bought the Blue Nile in 2016 after developing it as the manager for over a decade.
