Meet Our Team

Ashlye Keaton has practiced law for more than 20 years in the arts, culture and entertainment sectors with a focus on intellectual property.  Ashlye is an adjunct professor at Tulane Law School, where she has received recognition for distinguished teaching, in addition to the University of New Orleans Graduate School in Arts Administration.  Along with other legal successes, Ashlye helped the Mardi Gras Indians by arguing that their elaborate suits qualified for copyright protection as works of sculpture. She is also noted for her work around the New Orleans municipal noise ordinance and other regulations, policies and programs that impact arts and culture. Ashlye co-founded and is an emeritus board member for Music Policy Forum, a North American organization dedicated to providing resources and strengthening networks within the music sector.  Ashlye is the Chair of the community advisory board for WWOZ 90.7FM and the Vice-President of the Tchoupitoulas Art Corridor.  She has served on numerous boards for arts and culture related organizations, including the Recording Academy, OffBeat Music and Cultural Arts Foundation, the New Orleans Fringe Festival, NOVAC and the Jazzy Hideaway.  Beyond New Orleans, Ashlye has convened stakeholders and presented at conferences at the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Georgetown University, Canadian Music Week, the NoncomMusic Alliance, National Endowment for the Arts, South Arts, and other organizations steeped in conversations around developing best practices focused on fairness and equity in promoting thriving creative industries and cultural ecosystems. Ashlye has been recognized with numerous accolades for her commitment to arts and culture, including Avenue Magazine’s 2022 Activists of the Year; OffBeat Magazine’s Best Music Attorney/Resource for 11 years; The Advocate’s Forty under 40; New Orleans CityBusiness Leadership in Law; and the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame Legal Eagle Award for her work with Mardi Gras Indians. Ashlye was a ballet/tap instructor and choreographer until 2020 and still enjoys dancing in her free time. Ashlye lives in New Orleans with her husband Joel, who is an artist/woodworker with a PhD in media and cultural studies, along with their spirited dog Django.

Email: ashlye@ellanola.org

Gene Meneray is Co-Founder of The Ella Project, a pro bono legal, business development, and cultural advocacy organization. A native New Orleanian and graduate of Tulane University, Gene worked for more than a decade as Director of Artist Services at the Arts Council of New Orleans. He has also worked for Thomas Mann Design and for Young Aspirations/Young Artists (YAYA). From 2011-2017, he taught Arts Business in the Graduate School at the University of New Orleans Arts Administration program.  He has been a panelist and moderator for events including the World Cultural Economic Forum, American Bar Association Conference on Pro Bono, the Music Cities Summit in Toronto, and the Sociable City Summit. Gene is also the former Executive Director of the Louisiana Crafts Guild, and serves as the Chair of the Louisiana State Arts Council and as a Board Member for the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. He lives in the Carrollton neighborhood of New Orleans with his wife Elizabeth, a domestic hearting officer and volunteer DJ on WWOZ, and son Campbell. 

Email: gene@ellanola.org
Phone 504-250-0429