Amy F. Stelly
Amy Stelly is an artist, designer, and planner. She rose to prominence as a freeway fighter when President Biden cited the Claiborne Expressway in New Orleans as an example of infrastructure that has divided and harmed communities. She is also a preservationist and land use expert who has led some of the city’s most powerful advocacy groups.
Stelly is a co-founder of the Claiborne Avenue Alliance, a coalition of residents, business owners, and professionals dedicated to the restoration of the Claiborne Corridor. She is the founder and executive director of the Claiborne Avenue Alliance Design Studio, a non-profit design studio that was born out of the advocacy work of the Alliance. The studio, founded in 2022, is a New Orleans, community-based architectural and urban design firm that is committed to providing access to the languages of design and land use for all.
Stelly has written about land use and zoning, the value of community engagement, and public accountability. She is also a contributor to the recently published Justice and the Interstates. Stelly is an avid swimmer and advocate for water safety and environmental stewardship.