NEW ORLEANS — The NOCCA Foundation has announced five new members to its board of directors for the 2025-26 school year: Anne H. Candies, Anna Donnell, Ashley Floyd, Ulla Gaudin, and Dr. Christy Valentine Theard. Among them, one is a NOCCA alum (Floyd, Dance 1999), three are parents of NOCCA alumni (Candies, Gaudin, and Theard), and one is a NOCCA faculty member (Donnell). They fill spots left by departing board members, including David Hecht, Reid Martin, Lauren Chisesi May, and Sally Shushan. May continues to serve on the Foundation’s Select Advisory Board.
New NOCCA Foundation Board Members
Anna Donnell
Anna Donnell has served for the past three years in the Entertainment Production Design Department as NOCCA’s Costume Design Instructor. She is a professional film costumer as a proud union member of IATSE Local 478 in New Orleans. Before becoming a New Orleanian, she was a theatre-maker and accessibility designer in Chicago.
There she worked as a founding member of Chimera Ensemble and a facilitator for Global Hive Laboratories, which allowed her to focus on devised productions internationally. She is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf, The Academy at Black Box Acting, and the BFA Acting Studio at The University of Mississippi. Her grandmother and mother taught her how to sew.
Ashley Floyd
Ashley Floyd is the Major Gifts Officer at the Greater New Orleans Foundation. Prior to this role, she served as the Director of Development (Major Gifts) at the LSU Foundation, leading philanthropic priorities for the College of Business in the North Texas markets. Ashley spent 10 years in Chicago, fundraising for STEM education, arts and culture, and leadership development programs.
She was the Senior Associate Director of Major Gifts at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, leading the school’s West Coast Initiatives. Focusing on entrepreneurship, technology, and entertainment, she worked with companies and law firm partners to create new philanthropic opportunities for diverse groups of students and alumni.
Prior to her career in fundraising, she completed her certificate in dance from The Ailey School and danced for professional companies in New York and Chicago. Ashley has a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance/Choreography, Master of Arts, and Master of Business Administration.
Ulla Gaudin
Ulla Gaudin is a Finnish-born makeup artist and wig master with decades of experience in film and television. Having lived in the United States for 25 years, she has established herself as a respected craftsperson in the entertainment industry, earning award nominations for her transformative work. Gaudin’s expertise spans both makeup artistry and wig mastery, bringing characters to life through her skilled attention to detail and creative vision.
A proud NOCCA parent, her son graduated from NOCCA Culinary Arts program in 2024. She brings valuable industry experience and a personal commitment to nurturing young artistic talent to her new role on the board.
Dr. Christy Valentine Theard
A proud Louisiana native, Dr. Christy Valentine Theard is President and CEO of Healthy Blue Louisiana, recognized for her leadership and commitment to clinical excellence. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Xavier University of Louisiana and a medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Completing a dual residency in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at Tulane University provided a strong foundation for her career.
To further her expertise, she achieved an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Following Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Valentine Theard founded primary care practices, significantly contributing to the region’s recovery.
With 15 years as Commissioner for New Orleans East Hospital and service on the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, her leadership has been positively transformative. She now serves as Chair-Elect of the Federation of State Medical Boards, exemplifying her dedication to improving health outcomes and access.
About the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA)
The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (better known as NOCCA) was founded in 1973 and opened its doors to students in 1974. Today, NOCCA is Louisiana’s arts conservatory for high school students, offering intensive instruction in Classical Music, Creative Writing, Culinary Arts, Dance, Drama, Entertainment Production Design, Jazz, Media Arts, Musical Theatre, Vocal Music, Visual Arts, and academics.
Students come from across Louisiana, attending via full-day, afternoon, and after-school sessions. Admission to NOCCA is by audition, and there is no tuition.
About the NOCCA Foundation
The NOCCA Foundation is NOCCA’s nonprofit partner, providing supplemental funding for NOCCA and advocacy for its world-class program. Some of the Foundation’s more notable endeavors include:
- a Student Support Program that pays for students’ classroom supplies as well as fees associated with important summer training programs across the country;
- an Artists-in-Residence Program that brings more than 100 professional visiting artists into NOCCA’s classrooms each year;
- the capital campaign for NOCCA’s current home and expansion projects like Press Street Gardens;
- a wide array of arts classes for adults; and
- concert, gallery, and literary events for the community.
The Foundation also oversees rentals of the NOCCA campus, making it available to arts organizations, individuals, corporations, and other groups.