May 14, 2025
“Where Entrepreneurs Come to Grow” is the tagline of Propeller, a nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs grow their small businesses and nonprofits to tackle social and environmental disparities in New Orleans. It’s only fitting that an organization committed to growing self-starters has promoted a long-time team member from within to be its next leader.
Jessica Allen, a nearly eight-year veteran of the social innovation incubator, has been appointed CEO at Propeller, effective May 1, 2025. Allen joined Propeller in 2017 as Senior Health Program Manager and advanced through roles as Chief of Staff, COO, and Co-CEO.
“I’m filled with deep gratitude to lead an organization that has played such a vital role in my own growth as a leader over the past seven and half years,” Allen said. “It’s a privilege to step into this role with a strong understanding of Propeller’s history and a clear vision of the impact we hope to make moving forward.”
Allen transitioned into the leadership role after serving as Co-CEO for the past year alongside Andrea Chen, Co-Founder of Propeller. Chen has moved into an advisory role.
“We are fortunate to have had the benefit of the talents of two great leaders as Co-CEOs,” said Cedric S. Grant, Board Chairman of Propeller. “Our succession plan and transition to the appointment of Jessica Allen has been seamless and a testament to the leadership of Andrea and Jessica. My thanks to our Board of Directors and staff for their support in making this transition successful while remaining focused on our mission and programs.”
Since the nonprofit was founded in 2009, Chen helped grow Propeller from an idea into an organization that has accelerated nearly 300 ventures generating more than $290 million in revenue and financing. Propeller has provided financing to entrepreneurs through seed investments and the Propeller Social Venture Fund, and these ventures impacted by Propeller have created close to 500 jobs for the local New Orleans workforce.
“Partnering with Andrea to lead Propeller over the past several years has been incredibly rewarding,” Allen said. “What excites me most is how our team continues to grow our shared vision, keeping Propeller flexible and responsive to the evolving needs of entrepreneurs in New Orleans.”
Propeller’s New Orleans headquarters on Washington Ave. has 10,000 square feet available of co-working space for businesses and nonprofits to rent workspace and have access to printing/scanning, meeting rooms, WiFi, a community kitchen, among other amenities. The headquarters is also a hub for Propeller to offer free programs on business acceleration, inclusive procurement, debt, and equity capital access, among other entrepreneurial needs.
“While our core strategies remain focused on providing critical support to help entrepreneurs access capital, scale their businesses, thrive in our coworking community, and secure contracts that open doors to new opportunities, we are equally committed to adapting as their challenges and opportunities shift,” Allen said. “I am energized to keep doing this work with such a dedicated team.”
Before joining Propeller, Allen worked for nearly a decade in public health and healthcare workforce development fields. She earned her Master of Public Health (MPH) in Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences from the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Allen received her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Sociology from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania.
Q&A interview with Jessica Allen, CEO, Propeller:
Building on your experience with Propeller, what are your top priorities for the nonprofit under your leadership?
My top priority is ensuring Propeller remains nimble and responsive to the evolving needs of entrepreneurs. That means addressing short-term challenges while seizing long-term opportunities to help build an entrepreneurial ecosystem in New Orleans that allows every entrepreneur and small business to thrive.
Strategically, this includes expanding access to both debt and equity capital, supporting our Impact Accelerator alumni as they scale, and continuing to grow our inclusive procurement initiatives. Our overarching goal is to increase revenue and job creation, while centering on the needs of Black and native New Orleanian entrepreneurs. Success in this work will depend not only on our dedicated team, but on deeper collaboration across the ecosystem to drive lasting, collective impact.
Why does assisting entrepreneurs tackling social and environmental disparities inspire you?
I came to Propeller after a decade working in public health and healthcare workforce development fields focused on improving the experience of those delivering care and the outcomes for those receiving it. That mission-driven work continues to guide me, especially since often the disparities present in the healthcare field are mimicked in the small business community.
What excites me most about Propeller is the opportunity to support entrepreneurs who are not only building businesses but also shaping a better New Orleans. They are intentionally addressing systemic issues in the areas of education, food, water, community economic development, and health. It’s an honor to be part of their journey, as they create solutions rooted in community improvement.
Can you share a recent success story or two on how Propeller has helped a local entrepreneur or company through your nonprofit mission?
Dalton Honoré III launched Dreamland Koffucha in 2020, offering a line of lightly fermented cold brew beverages that are easier to digest than traditional coffee. When he joined our Impact Accelerator in 2021, Dreamland had just two flavors sold in a single retail location — the New Orleans Food Co-Op. Since then, Dalton has steadily grown his retail presence to include local grocery stores like Breaux Mart, Canseco’s, Dorignac’s, Langenstein’s, and Robert Fresh Market. In March 2024, he attended Expo West and generated strong interest from national retailers and distributors — but lacked the capital to meet that demand.
Dalton applied for an equity investment from our Propeller Impact Fund II, which supports BIPOC-owned consumer packaged goods businesses. Through the program, we connected him with industry investors and provided 25 hours of technical assistance to help him build a strong case for investment. Just six weeks after applying, Dalton was approved for a $50,000 equity investment. Thanks to this seed capital, Dreamland Koffucha is now preparing for regional and national expansion, partnering with co-packers across the Gulf South to meet new demand and scale efficiently.
Can you provide a specific example of how Propeller has recently shifted its strategies or programs to address a new challenge or opportunity faced by local entrepreneurs?
As many local nonprofits face declining and uncertain funding, we recently launched the Catalyst Collective, a new program to help our nonprofit alumni from the Impact Accelerator strengthen their individual giving strategies. The program combines peer learning, cohort-based workshops, tailored coaching, and technical assistance to help each organization grow their donor base. Since its launch this spring, we’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback, not just on the content, but on how timely and relevant the support has been.”
Propeller Co-Founder Andrea Chen will transition to an advisory role. How do you envision collaborating with her in her new capacity to benefit Propeller and the entrepreneurs you serve?
Andrea has been a mentor to so many individuals and organizations in New Orleans’ entrepreneurial ecosystem, and I’ve been incredibly fortunate to learn from her over the years. I’m thrilled she’ll remain involved in an advisory capacity, with a focus on strategic initiatives that support our economic and entrepreneurial impact. Her vision and experience will continue to be invaluable to Propeller and the entrepreneurs we serve.
What is the biggest lesson you may have learned in your co-CEO position with Andrea that you can apply to your leadership role?
Our partnership worked so well because of the different experiences and perspectives we each brought to the table. While Andrea focused on external initiatives, I specialized in the internal operations of the organization. One of the biggest takeaways for me is the power of collaborative problem-solving. It not only leads to stronger outcomes, it makes the process more energizing and creative. While I’ll miss working side-by-side with Andrea day to day, I’m excited to build on what we’ve accomplished together alongside our incredible Propeller team.
Propeller’s core strategies include supporting entrepreneurs in areas like capital access, scaling, coworking, and securing contracts. Looking ahead, are there any of these areas where you see significant opportunities for growth or innovation under your leadership?
I see enormous potential in our inclusive procurement initiatives. This program helps BIPOC entrepreneurs navigate certifications, build competitive bids, and access transformative contract opportunities. At the same time, we’re working with anchor institutions and government agencies to increase transparency and accountability in their procurement processes. In 2024, our pilot year, the 14 businesses we supported secured 72 contracts totaling more than $9.6 million. That’s a powerful start, I believe, with stronger commitments from institutional partners, we can significantly grow those numbers and deepen local economic impact. Beyond procurement, we’re also focused on scaling access to capital.
Through our $3 million Propeller Impact Fund II, we’re investing in BIPOC-owned food CPG companies and food CPG companies owned by other socially/economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs, and we’re working to help entrepreneurs secure $2 million annually in debt capital across industries. In 2025, we’re launching two new tracks within our Impact Accelerator, one for early-stage companies working toward a major milestone and another for more established businesses scaling revenue and job creation. Lastly, we’re continuing to grow our coworking community and forging new partnerships with organizations that share our commitment to increasing receipts for Black-owned, native New Orleanian businesses.
What is your overarching vision for the future of Propeller and its role in the New Orleans entrepreneurial ecosystem over the next 3-5 years?
Business ownership is one of the most effective pathways to wealth generation for Black Americans, and Black-owned businesses contribute significantly to our local economy through job creation and reinvestment in community. Right now, in New Orleans, even though Black people make up almost 60% of our population, that same community only accounts for 2% of business receipts.
My vision is for Propeller to continue evolving alongside the needs of Black, BIPOC, and under-resourced entrepreneurs. We want to be both a catalyst for business success and a trusted partner to ecosystem collaborators. By staying grounded in our mission and responsive to change, I believe we can help shape a more inclusive, resilient, and prosperous economy for New Orleans.
Read the original article here: https://neworleanscitybusiness.com/blog/2025/05/14/jessica-allen-propeller-ceo-new-orleans/
