Sandy Rosenthal – Founder of Levees.org
1421 Soniat Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70115

AUTHORSHIPS

• Words Whispered in Water; Why the Levees Broke in Hurricane Katrina (Mango, 2020) 
• New Orleans Levee Breach Sites – nomination to National Register of Historic Places 
• Times-Picayune, guest columnist 2007-2018
• Huffington Post, featured columnist 2009-2017

NATIONAL MEDIA
Click here for recent national media coverage.

BOARD POSITIONS
President – Levees.org, 2005 to present
Member – Tulane University, Center for Public Service, Advisory Council, 2024 to present
Member – Global New Orleans, 2022 to present
Vice President – Louisiana Center for Women in Government & Business, 2011 to present

RECOGNITIONS
Featured at New Orleans Book Festival, Mar 2022
Rosenthal’s debut book “Words Whispered” receives seven awards in 2021. 
Rosenthal’s debut book “Words Whispered” reviewed by Publishers Weekly. Nov 2020
Featured author, 2020 Louisiana Book Festival, Baton Rouge, LA. Oct 2020
Selected by Mount Holyoke College, “Alum to Know About,”. Spring 2020
Flooded House Museum featured in the Secret New Orleans Guide. Apr 2020
Featured in RECKONING; award-winning podcast ‘Floodlines’. Mar 2020
Featured and photographed in Cherchez la Femme (University Press of Mississippi, 2020) 
Certificate of Recognition from Mayor LaToya Cantrell for Flooded House Museum. Apr 2019
Proclamation from New Orleans City Council for Levee Exhibit Hall & Garden. Aug 2015
Work of Levees.org cited in book Catastrophe in the Making (Island Press, 2009)
Inductee, Hall of Fame, Louisiana Center for Women & Government. Mar 2008
Recognition from US Sen Russell Feingold for raising awareness of USACE’s flaws. Dec 2006

AWARDS / HONORS
“Outstanding Social Entrepreneur of the Year” Tulane University, Apr 2018
“Pioneer of Purpose” Award, Dillard University, Apr 2016
Award, Diana Lewis Citizen Participation, Committee for a Better N.O., Aug 2015
Honoree, one of ten Heroes of the Recovery, New Orleans Magazine, Aug 2015
Honoree, Avodah Partner in Justice, Apr 2015
Outstanding Citizen Diplomat, New Orleans Citizen Diplomacy Council, 2012
Most Influential Woman, Mount Holyoke College, 2012
Honoree 

First Responder Post Katrina, Southern Dominican Province, 2012
Role Model, Young Leadership Council, 2012
Preservation Award, Louisiana Colonials Preservation, 2010
Award of Merit, Victims & Citizens Against Crime, Inc. June 2009
Award, Service Above Self, The Rotary Club of New Orleans, May 2009
Alumnae Loyalty Award, Mount Holyoke College, March 2009
Prix d’Elegance honoree, Women of Fashion, April 2008
Honoree, Women of the Year, City Business, Nov 2006

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Guest lecturer, “Big Easy Politics,” Tulane University. April 9, 2021
Featured on Finding Genius Podcast hosted by Richard Jacobs, Mar 17, 2021
Featured author, interviewed by NPR’s John Burnett at the Miami Book Fair, Nov 21, 2020. 
“Book Talk” featured guest, Regenhard Center at JJ College in New York City, Oct 9, 2020.
Golden Gate Breakfast Club, San Francisco. Featured speaker. Oct 7, 2020.
Featured panelist, Tulane U, moderated by Walter Isaacson, New Orleans, Sept 14, 2020
Louisiana State Museum, presenter Second Thursday Lecture, Sept 10, 2020
Bay East, California Tri-Cities Marketing Council, Sept 10, 2020
Guest speaker, Santa Clara Water District, California. March 10, 2020
Panelist speaker, “Women Making Waves“, Tulane University. March 7, 2020 
US Dept of State Internat’l Leadership Program via New Orleans Citizen Diplomacy Council, several times annually, 2008 to present
“The Politics of Hurricane Katrina”, Tulane University, October 8, 2018
Humanities Action Lab, University of New Orleans, Sept 25, 2018
NFIP Reauthorization Conference, Washington DC Sept 2017
Politics of Hurricane Katrina, Tulane University, Mar 2017
Tulane Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy, 2010, 2012, 2016
American Business Women’s Association, Heritage Grill, Apr 7, 2016
“The Katrina Disaster Now”, Tulane University, Nov 17, 2015
Women Leading in Public Service Summit, Mount Holyoke College, Nov 2015
“The Politics of Hurricane Katrina”, Tulane University, Oct 2015
Bankruptcy Lawyers Participating Group, Liskow & Lewis, Apr 2015
Society of Environmental Journalists, Annual Conference, Sep 2014
Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA, Feb 2013
American Mensa, New Orleans Chapter, Dec 2012
Whistleblower Tour Event, panelist, Feb 2012
Society of Professional Journalists annual conference, Sept 2011
Loyola Institute of Politics, January 2011
National Association of Environmental Law Conference, March 2010
The Great Mississippi River: Restoring Balance Symposium, October 2009
NMC Regional Conference, Tulane University, November 2007
Featured in HBO Comic Relief 2006 starring Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal
Speaker NMC Regional Conference, Tulane University, November 2007

CONTRIBUTING EXPERT
National Geographic
The Science Channel
The Discovery Channel

COMMITTEE POSITIONS
Pontchartrain Conservancy, advisor 2018 to present
New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell’s Coastal Communications Campaign, advisor 2018-2019
Women Making Waves leadership conference 2019, advisor
Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s Tricentennial Committee 2018
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s Women in Public Service Project, invited guest 2011
Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s Transition Team Task Force on Flood Protection, member 2009
Gulf Coast Partners, chaired by Secty Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Secty of Housing & Urban Dev Shaun Donovan, 2009
Transition Team member, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, 2007

PROFESSIONAL
Executive Director, Levees.Org, flood protection advocacy non-profit, Nov 2005 – present
Advertising Director, Strategic Comp Insurance, Oct 2000 – Oct 2007
Marketing, New Orleans Orthopaedic Clinic, 1987 – 1994
Advertising, Vision Plaza, 1982 – 1987
Fitness Instructor, Tulane University and Jewish Community Center, 1989 – 2009



EDUCATION

• BA, Mount Holyoke College, S. Hadley, MA, 1979
• MBA, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 1981
• Certificate, Nancy Marsiglia Institute of Justice, 2019

VOLUNTEER
The GREENArmy, 2013 to present
Officer, Mount Holyoke College Club of Louisiana, 1986 – 2014
Oncology unit volunteer, Touro Hospital, New Orleans 2005 – 2010
Volunteer Teacher, Public Schools, New Orleans Charter Middle School 1998 – 2005
Volunteer Teacher, Public Schools, New Orleans Middle School (Lewis Ext) 1995 – 1998
Laurel Eagles Mentoring, Laurel Elementary School 1984 – 1995

HOBBIES
Tennis, yoga, zydeco dancing

PERSONAL
Born: Sandra Fulton, Attleboro, Massachusetts, May 16, 1957
Married, August 26, 1979 to Stephen Rosenthal
Three children
Two grandchildren
One dog named Cupcake