LaToya Cantrell is the 62nd mayor of the City of New Orleans, Louisiana and the first woman to hold the position. Prior to her election in 2017, Cantrell, a Democrat, served two terms on the New Orleans City Council, representing District B. A native of California, Cantrell moved to New Orleans in 1990 to attend Xavier University of Louisiana, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. Cantrell's leadership as president of the Broadmoor Neighborhood Association in the aftermath of the failure of the federal levee system following Hurricane Katrina earned her widespread acclaim and a reputation as one of the city's most effective community organizers, propelling her entrance into elective office after a successful grassroots campaign against a well-funded opponent in 2012. She and her husband Jason continue to live in Broodmoor, along with their daughter RayAnn.
