Tori Bush is an arts administrator and freelance writer. She is currently a development officer at the National WWII Museum. Tori worked as New Orleans Airlift’s Program Director from 2012 - 2015 having previously worked as the Programs Director for the Creative Alliance of New Orleans. Her commitment to Airlift’s programming has led to her staying on with the organization as a board member.

Tori also works as a freelance arts consultant. She has worked with Joan Mitchell Center in 2013 as a community connector and 2014 as a consultant on individual artist grants. Tori is a contributing writer for arts publications such as ArtVoices, Daily Serving and Pelican Bomb, and has an upcoming piece in the October issue of Art in America. She has sat on multiple artist roundtables and panels such as the Southeastern College Arts Conference Panel “Art Criticism in the South” and Shreveport Regional Arts Council’s “Covering the Arts:Regional and National Issues.” Tori has an M.A. in Arts Administration from the University of New Orleans and is currently completing a M.A. in Creative Nonfiction from the same university.

Jay is a music producer, cultural-connector, artist manager, writer, event producer, curator.
Airlift is a concept that originated in his attempt to find purpose and retain community in the aftermath of post-Katrina New Orleans. Jay left full time duties at Airlift in 2022 to pursue personal work in music and event production.

Elizabeth Shannon is from Louisiana and has lived in New Orleans since obtaining a degree from a consortium program: St Mary’s Dominican College, Loyola and Xavier Universities. The artist has contributed to the community as a founding and board member of the Contemporary Arts Center; worked with the LA Craft Council; is an active organizer; consultant; fundraiser; neighborhood activist and advocate for art in education. The artist has received grants, awards and honors through the years and has exhibited in galleries, museums and art centers in the US and internationally; education residencies, curatorial, multi-media productions, promotion of cultural tourism and worked in the Louisiana film, video and print industry.

Christian Repaal (b. 1971 in LaPlata, Maryland), an art fabricator, bass player, building contractor, and sometimes art teacher, has lived in New Orleans since 1994. In his many years here Christian has forged deep ties into the local communities of visual artists, musicians, tradespeople, and educators. Both a mason and a carpenter he has been in the trades for nearly 25 years. In the last ten years, since attending UNO for history and fine art (1999- 2003), Christian has built quite a reputation as an art fabricator. Camille Henrot, Christopher Saucedo, and dozens of other museums and artists have utilized and appreciated his ability to communicate their visions through his handiwork. Most recently he has worked closely with celebrated artist Swoon to help her realize some of her more complex three dimensional pieces. Christian has, in his time, trained many young carpenters, masons, and would be sculptors in the proper and safe use of tools, building techniques, and use of materials; both on the job and in the classroom. For the past seven summers he has taught at Lusher Charter Schoolʼs Summer Arts Intensive Program, helping young artists gain new skills.