Nolan V. Rollins, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater New Orleans has been selected to participate in the British-American Project (BAP), a highly-regarded transatlantic leadership group which has been attracting prominent young American and British members for the past quarter century. Each year, BAP selects 40 new members, known as Delegates, to join its ranks. The 20 US Delegates, are between the ages of 28 to 40, and are selected based on proven leadership in their professions and in their communities. Each Delegate brings impressive credentials, a hunger to share ideas and a spirit of adventure.
"It is humbling to be chosen as one of 20 young leaders throughout the United States," said Rollins. "This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Urban League staff; it is their dedication that empowers communities and changes lives."
BAP was founded by Sir Charles Villiers, Lewis Van Dusen, and Isadore and Joan Scott in 1985 in order to make a distinctive contribution to transatlantic relations by bringing together young leaders in diverse fields to exchange ideas and develop lasting and constructive relationships. Since then BAP has grown into one of the most influential organizations on the international scene, enabling all those associated with it to benefit from the friendship and experience of a unique group of leaders in fields as varied as business, education, government, media, medicine, non-profit organizations and the armed forces.
Rollins will be representing young leadership of the United States this winter in London at the 26th British American Project Conference entitled "Choice: Tyranny or Liberation?"
At his core, Rollins is a builder. He believes that the key to stabilizing institutions, communities, and neighborhoods is the development of a solid foundation on which an operational platform can rest.
As President and CEO, Urban League of Greater New Orleans since 2007, Mr. Rollins has spearheaded the revitalization of the Urban League by balancing tradition with the need to innovate. In September 2007, he streamed lined the direct services model of the Urban League to produce programming that is more sustainable and impactful. Rollins increased the agency's staff from 12 to 32 employees and increased its budget for $1 million to over $6 million. Within his first one hundred days on the job, he secured $4.1 million to provide critical support to more than 3000 Katrina-affected families.
Mr. Rollins secured a donation of land valued at $1.1 million from the Housing Authority of New Orleans to build a Head start and Community Development Facility in the 9th Ward and facilitated a New Markets Tax Credit transaction that yielded over $2 million for its construction. He is the architect of the agency's Economic Inclusion efforts, which help to ensure the usage of minority, local and disadvantaged businesses. Currently through this effort the agency is contracted to monitoring over $2 billion in public sector spending. Rollins led the founding of the Urban League Young Professionals Chapter. In its inaugural event, Rollins drew more than 500 young professionals committed to public and community service.
Mr. Rollins has a deeply rooted history with the Urban League, having served the 100-year-old civil rights organization in numerous capacities. From 2004-2007 he served as Executive Vice President/Sr VP of Economic and Community Development Greater Baltimore Urban League. In his role Mr. Rollins developed, directed and implemented all economic and community development strategies for the agency. These strategies allowed the agency to monitor over $3 billion in development projects to ensure local, minority and small business participation. As well as implementing an employment strategy to help stabilize local communities. Mr. Rollins developed business and financing opportunities for local and minority owned firms with Fortune Five Hundred Companies. Mr. Rollins also oversaw all programmatic and operational functions of the agency.
From 2002-2004 he held the position of Policy/ Facility Auditor for Maryland's Department of Public Safety. Mr. Rollins audited and wrote correctional policy. He also audited and investigated state and local correctional facilities policies, procedures, and physical plants for state and constitutional compliance. Mr. Rollins licensed, monitored and audited state Home Detention firms. He also provided technical assistance to correctional personnel, and wrote published reports.
Rollins earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from Virginia State University and was honored with the Community Service Award and the Outstanding Public Administrators Award. He earned his Master of Arts degree in Legal Ethics and Historical Studies from the University of Baltimore, and received his Juris Doctor degree from Florida Coastal School of Law. During law school, Rollins was Associate Justice of the Honor Court, a member of the Judicial Review Board and a Student Bar Association representative.
For over 70 years, Urban League of Greater New Orleans has focused on empowering the community and changing lives through a myriad of services to the Greater New Orleans region.
Vincent Sylvain is publisher of The New Orleans Agenda.com, the leading local alternative for information on News, Arts, Culture & Entertainment in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast Region.
Images courtesy of Urban League GNO.
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