May 1, 2025
Thank you so very much for your partnership and support of Propeller since our founding. Because you have been a part of Propeller’s journey and evolution to expand support for entrepreneurs in New Orleans and across our region, we wanted to share an important update with you today.
Due to the positive progression of our succession plan following our board of directors’ announcement of Jessica Allen as sole CEO of Propeller effective Summer 2025, we are accelerating our timeline and Jessica will begin her tenure on May 1, 2025. At that time, Andrea will be stepping into an advisory role.
We are fortunate to have had the benefit of the talents of two great leaders as Co-CEO’s. Our succession plan and transition to the appointment of Jessica Allen has been seamless and a testament to the leadership of Andrea Chen and Jessica Allen. 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. – Cedric S. Grant, Board Chairman
To celebrate Propeller’s successful leadership transition, we hope that you will be able to join us for an upcoming Hello Goodbye party at Propeller to share warm wishes to Andrea for her next chapter and to Jess as she takes on this new leadership opportunity. Click the registration link below to register for the Open House that works best with your schedule.
Partnering with Andrea to lead Propeller over the past several years has been incredibly rewarding. 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. 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. I am energized to keep doing this work with such a dedicated team. – Jessica Allen, CEO, Propeller
When we set out to lead the organization through a shared leadership model, we hoped to be an example of how effective, collaborative leadership can expand the impact of an organization and for the entrepreneurs we serve. We believe we are set up to continue to be a beacon of support for entrepreneurs in New Orleans, particularly through this current environment.
Warmly,
Jess Allen (CEO), Andrea Chen (Co-Founder), Cedric Grant (Board Chairman)
