Celebrate Canal Coalition receives Cutting Edge’s 2025 Trumpet Award for cultural leadership

Written By Alicia Vial

NEW ORLEANS – The Celebrate Canal Coalition, a citizen led nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing Canal Street, was awarded the 2025 Trumpet Award for Cultural Leadership by Cutting Edge Conferences and Events (Cutting Edge CE) during their three-day national conference held in New Orleans this past weekend.

Sandra Thompson Herman founded Celebrate Canal! in 2024 and serves as the organization’s President and CEO. In accepting the award, she touted the coalition’s upcoming Action Plan designed to spur outside investment on New Orleans iconic boulevard, Canal Street.

“We are honored to receive this Trumpet Award from Cutting Edge CE on behalf of New Orleanians who cherish memories of strolling down Canal Street, holding their parents' hands, peering into storefront windows and enjoying Mardi Gras parades,” said Herman.  “We realize that the original streetcars and beloved stores like Maison Blanche, D.H. Holmes, Godchaux's, Gus Meyers, Werlein's and Rubensteins evoke a sense of nostalgia. As time passed, we have seen many iconic buildings along Canal Street fall into neglect. This neglect serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving and cherishing our history as we strive for a brighter future.”

Herman quickly united a team of influential women leaders, including Karen Nabonne Coaxum (Board Chair), Katelyn Reagan Denty (Executive Director) and Laurie Guimont (Chief Strategist) to transform Canal Street into a world-renowned vibrant, diverse and pedestrian-friendly hub that celebrates its rich cultural heritage, fosters economic growth and creates a welcoming experience for residents and visitors alike.

Through Celebrate Canal’s recent project entitled “Windows on Canal”, the coalition celebrated the vibrancy of the local culture with the goal of bringing families back to Canal Street. Seven Canal Street businesses participated by displaying art installations from local artists that honored the flora and fauna of New Orleans. Beloved runaway dog Scrim served as a guide, and local legend Ivan Neville offered his voice to tell the story of each location’s art.

During the three-month event, there were three additional events that also brought local families back to Canal Street. The Champagne Stroll encouraged locals to view the art early, the Children’s Scavenger Hunt encouraged kids to find Scrim in all seven art displays and the Art and Architecture tour dove deeper into the history of Canal Street on an open-air bus. The tour sold out within weeks, leading Celebrate Canal! to bring the tour back as a more permanent fixture.

Previous Trumpet Award winners include Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and Representative Walt Leger.

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About Celebrate Canal!
Formed by the New Orleans Entertainment Coalition, Celebrate Canal! is a citizen-led coalition dedicated to the revitalization of Canal Street as a historic, cultural and economic cornerstone of life in New Orleans. The coalition brings together a cross section of citizens, business owners and city leaders to restore Canal Street to attract visitors and locals alike, boost the economy and create a vibrant and bustling atmosphere reflective of the world-famous city of New Orleans.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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