Meet the Team
Executive DirectorLaToya Papillion
With more than a decade of experience at the intersection of community engagement, education, advocacy, and entrepreneurship, LaToya Papillion brings a relationship-centered, justice-driven approach to leadership as the Executive Director of DUENOLA. Native to Louisiana and shaped by her Black Creole and Indigenous heritage, her work has consistently focused on creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, loved, and empowered to thrive.
Her professional background spans strategic partnerships, program development, communications, and spiritual counseling work that uplifts historically underserved communities. Throughout her career, she remains committed to supporting Black and brown families, with a particular passion for advocating for mothers navigating systems that too often fail to prioritize dignity, safety, and culturally responsive care.
As a homeschooling mom herself, LaToya maintains a leadership philosophy that stands on the belief that community care is not supplemental — it is essential to life and the safety of Black and brown families. Through her work, she has created and led collaborative projects that integrate education, storytelling, advocacy, and direct support to improve outcomes for her communities. As Executive Director, she is committed to expanding DUENOLA’s mission of reproductive justice, maternal advocacy, and holistic support for Black and brown birthing people across the Greater New Orleans area and beyond.
Intake CoordinatorChanel Moore
Chanel Moore is DUENOLA’s Intake Coordinator and a full-spectrum Doula trained through Chicago Volunteer Doulas. Since beginning her Doula work in 2022, she has supported more than 20 births and brings a grounded mix of lived experience, community care, and wellness knowledge to her work.
Originally from Chicago and now based in New Orleans, Chanel is committed to supporting growing families and helping end maternal deaths. Her work includes birth support, leadership development, community education, and wellness-centered workshops on topics such as spiritual home cleansing, herbal bath washes, and holistic self-care.
Through DUENOLA, Chanel helps connect families and community members to care, resources, and culturally rooted support.
Outreach CoordinatorDianne Jones
Di Jones is an Outreach Coordinator for DUENOLA and a lifelong New Orleans community member with deep roots in birth work, advocacy, and community care. Coming from a family lineage of birth workers and midwives, Di carries forward a legacy of supporting women, children, and families through vulnerable and transformative moments.
Her passion for Reproductive Justice is grounded in lived experience. As a young mother who navigated pregnancy, birth, housing instability, incarceration, and systems that did not provide the support she needed, Di understands why DUENOLA’s work matters. She brings that understanding into every part of her outreach.
Since 2016, Di has been involved in Reproductive Justice organizing and has built a reputation as a hands-on, community-rooted advocate. She believes outreach means meeting people where they are — not from behind a desk, but in the streets, neighborhoods, and spaces where families need support most.
Through DUENOLA, Di is committed to helping ensure that no woman or birthing person is left without care, housing, or dignity after having a baby.
FounderLakeesha J. Harris
Lakeesha Harris is the founder of DUENOLA and a longtime Black feminist, abolitionist, and Reproductive Justice leader. With more than 20 years of experience in birth justice, abortion access, LGBTQ+ advocacy, sex worker rights, and community-centered care, Lakeesha’s work has consistently focused on people most impacted by systemic neglect, criminalization, and medical harm.
Her organizing roots include deep work in Chicago, where she advocated for LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive health, and gender-affirming care, and served at Chicago Women’s Health Center providing support to sex workers, women, trans people, and gender-nonconforming communities. She later continued this work in New Orleans and across Louisiana through leadership roles with Women With A Vision, Inc. and Lift Louisiana, helping advance major efforts around abortion access, sex work decriminalization, and reproductive freedom.
Lakeesha currently serves as Executive Director of Chicago Volunteer Doulas. Her advocacy has been recognized by Bitch Media and featured by The New York Times, Democracy Now!, The Advocate, and Rewire News. Through DUENOLA, she continues her commitment to building care, safety, and liberation for families and communities.