Helena Moreno
American politician (born 1977)

Helena Moreno
Moreno in 2017
Mayor of New Orleans
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 12, 2026
Preceded byLaToya Cantrell
President of the New Orleans City Council
In office
June 2019 – January 5, 2023
Preceded byJason Williams
Succeeded byJean-Paul Morrell
Member of the New Orleans City Council
from the at-large district
Position 1
In office
June 2018 – January 12, 2026
Preceded byStacy Head
Succeeded byMatthew Willard (elect)
Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from the 93rd district
In office
May 2010 – April 9, 2018
Preceded byKaren Carter Peterson
Succeeded byRoyce Duplessis
Personal details
BornHelena Nancy Moreno
(1977-09-30) September 30, 1977 (age 48)
Veracruz, Mexico
PartyDemocratic
SpouseChris Meeks
EducationSouthern Methodist University (BA)

Helena Nancy Moreno (born September 30, 1977) is a Mexican-born American politician and former journalist and realtor who is the mayor of New Orleans. She previously served as an at-large member of the New Orleans City Council since 2017 until her inauguration as mayor. Moreno was formerly a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, where she served District 93 from 2010 to 2018.[1] She then served as New Orleans City Council president from 2019 to 2023.

On October 8, 2024, Moreno filed paperwork to run for mayor of New Orleans in the 2025 election.[2] Moreno avoided a runoff and was elected mayor of New Orleans in October 2025 with 55% of the vote. Moreno is the city's first Hispanic mayor and second female mayor.[3]

Early life and education

Helena Moreno was born in Veracruz, Mexico, to oil executive Felix Moreno and academic Nancy Pearson Moreno.[4] Her family later moved to Houston, Texas, where she graduated from Episcopal High School in 1995.[citation needed] In 1999, she earned a bachelor of arts degree in mass communications from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. While at SMU, she wrote for the Daily Campus newspaper[5] and became an exchange student at American University in Washington, D.C., where she interned at the White House for First Lady Hillary Clinton.[6]

Career

Journalism

Moreno completed internships with KTRK-TV and KHOU-TV in Houston during her undergraduate years at SMU.[citation needed] After graduation, she worked as a reporter for WTOC-TV in Savannah, Georgia.[citation needed] In 2001, she was recruited by the Hearst-Argyle Broadcasting Corporation to work at WDSU-TV in New Orleans.[7] There, she became anchor for the morning news. Moreno received a Broadcaster of the Year award from the Louisiana Federation of Teachers for her reporting on Hurricane Katrina in 2005.[citation needed] She was also voted best television reporter by Gambit readers for four years and won a local Emmy Award for her Hurricane Katrina coverage.[citation needed]

Moreno left her career in broadcasting in 2008 to pursue public service.[8]

Politics

In March 2008, Moreno resigned from her position at WDSU-TV to challenge then-incumbent U.S. Representative William J. Jefferson in Louisiana's 2nd congressional district Democratic primary election.[9] She received sufficient votes to force the incumbent into a runoff election, which she lost.[10] Jefferson was subsequently defeated in the general election by Republican Joseph Cao, whom Moreno endorsed along with other Democrats such as New Orleans City Council members Jackie Clarkson and Stacy Head.[11]

In 2010, after the election of Karen Carter Peterson to the Louisiana State Senate, Moreno became a candidate for Peterson's vacated District 93 seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives.[12] The special election primary took place on May 1, 2010,[13] with Moreno obtaining 27% of the vote and entering a runoff election with James Perry, who had garnered 38%.[14] Her runoff campaign was overshadowed by personal controversies, including an allegation of a major traffic violation, which became a central focus.[15] However, the Perry campaign's questionable handling of the allegation two weeks before the runoff led the New Orleans Times-Picayune to withdraw its endorsement of Perry. (The newspaper endorsed neither candidate in the race.)[16] Moreno won the election on May 29, 2010[17] and was unopposed for reelection in 2011.

On October 14, 2017, Moreno won the Division 1 at-large seat on the New Orleans City Council, defeating two opponents by nearly a 2-to-1 margin and avoiding a runoff.[18][1] She served as city council president from 2019 to 2023, after which she became vice president.[19]

Mayor of New Orleans

On October 8, 2024, Moreno filed paperwork to run for mayor of New Orleans.[2] On October 11, 2025, she was elected mayor, avoiding a runoff by winning 55% of the vote over Royce Duplessis and Oliver Thomas who came second and third respectively.[20] On January 12, 2026, Moreno was sworn into office by former U.S. Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.[21][22]

Personal life

Moreno is also a realtor with Talbot Realty Group in New Orleans and resides in Uptown, New Orleans with her husband, Chris Meeks.[23] Fluent in English and Spanish, she spent six months studying in Madrid as an undergraduate.

Involvement in fatal car crash

On October 14, 2002, a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Moreno was struck by a car that had run a red light at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Carondelet Street, according to a police report. A passenger in the other car died. According to the report, Moreno admitted to driving 35 in a 25 mph zone, and the investigator determined that the other car ran the red light. The police report notes that Moreno was taken to the Ochsner Foundation Hospital by police officers before investigators arrived. At the hospital, she answered authorities' questions and submitted to blood and urine tests. The report states that Moreno "did not display any signs of impairment ... or the odor of alcoholic beverages on her breath," and concludes that if the driver of the other vehicle had "not disregarded the traffic signal, the crash may not have occurred."[24]

In 2010, her involvement in the fatal traffic accident was publicly scrutinized, with opponents raising allegations of negligent homicide and preferential treatment by law enforcement.[25]

References

  1. ^ a b Ramon Antonio Vargas (October 14, 2017). "Helena Moreno wins New Orleans City Council At-Large Division 1 seat, will succeed Stacy Head". New Orleans Advocate. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
  2. ^ a b Finn, James (November 8, 2024). "Helena Moreno is officially running for New Orleans mayor, documents show". Times-Picayune. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  3. ^ Katie Jane Fernelius, Verite (October 12, 2025). "Helena Moreno elected next mayor of New Orleans". Louisiana Illuminator. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
  4. ^ Nancy Pearson Moreno on Peoplefinders.com, Felix Moreno on Peoplefinders.com. Felix Moreno is a Texas oilman, and Nancy Pearson Moreno, who holds a Ph.D. in botany from Rice University, is employed by Baylor College of Medicine.
  5. ^ "The Daily Campus, Vol. 82, No. 115". The Daily Campus. Southern Methodist University. April 22, 1997. p. 1. Archived from the original on January 1, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  6. ^ "Helena Moreno About Helena". Vote Smart. Vote Smart. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  7. ^ Villafañe, Veronica (March 4, 2008). "Moreno leaves anchor desk for Congress? - Media Moves". Retrieved July 27, 2025.
  8. ^ Alongi, Allen (March 29, 2017). "The Ladies Advocate: Helena Moreno". festigals. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  9. ^ 2nd District Congressional race: Helena Moreno vows honesty, change, Times-Picayune (New Orleans), 2008 August 22.
  10. ^ LA-02 Democratic runoff election map. Archived February 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Louisiana generally requires a runoff election between the two candidates obtaining the highest number of total votes if no candidate received a majority in the general election.
  11. ^ Krupa, Michelle; Donze, Frank (December 6, 2008). "Anh 'Joseph' Cao beats Rep. William Jefferson in 2nd Congressional District". Times-Picayune. Retrieved December 20, 2008. Cao had already inherited the preponderance of Moreno's volunteers (Jeff Crouere, Joseph Cao getting support Archived July 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine on Ringsidepolitics.com [accessed 2009 May 02]). On August 5, 2009, Jefferson was convicted on 11 of 16 felony counts (details and sources in William J. Jefferson#Indictment and Trial).
  12. ^ "Moreno Today" in Times-Picayune, May 1, 2010 Saint Tammany Edition, p. A6 (print version only).
  13. ^ Proclamation of special election Archived December 24, 2016, at the Wayback Machine by Jim Tucker, Speaker of the House, dated March 11, for primary election May 1, 2010 (accessed May 1, 2010).
  14. ^ David Hammer, James Perry, Helena Moreno to meet in state 93rd House District runoff, in Times-Picayune, Nay 2, 2010 (accessed May 2, 2010). Perry had previously run fifth in the primary election for mayor of New Orleans in 2010.
  15. ^ The allegations came from both sides. House runoff decided today, Times-Picayune, May 29, 2010 (accessed May 30, 2010).
  16. ^ No endorsement in House District 93 election: An editorial Times-Picayune, May 12, 2010 May (accessed May 30, 2010). Perry himself had accumulated more than 100 traffic tickets since 2006.
  17. ^ Moreno wins seat in the state House in Times-Picayune, May 30, 2010, Metro Edition, p. B1 (accessed May 30, 2010) James Perry in a special election runoff. She received 56% (1,274 votes) to Perry's 44% (1,011 votes); voter turnout in the election was 8.8% (Election returns Archived February 10, 2010, at the Wayback Machine from the Louisiana Secretary of State, May 29, 2010) Retrieved June 1, 2010.
  18. ^ Greg LaRose (October 14, 2017). "Helena Moreno takes at-large seat on New Orleans City Council". New Orleans Times-Picayune. Retrieved November 10, 2017.
  19. ^ Team, WDSU Digital (January 5, 2023). New Orleans council voted for new president. Retrieved July 25, 2025 – via www.wdsu.com.
  20. ^ Carroll, Metia (October 12, 2025). "Helena Moreno claims victory in New Orleans mayor's race". WDSU. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  21. ^ Brooks, Jesse (January 12, 2026). "Helena Moreno sworn-in as 63rd mayor of New Orleans". fox8live.com. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
  22. ^ Brooks, Jesse (January 12, 2026). "Helena Moreno sworn in as 63rd mayor of New Orleans". https://www.fox8live.com. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  23. ^ Williams, Jessica (March 9, 2017). "Why Louisiana state Rep. Helena Moreno is seeking New Orleans City Council at-large seat". NOLA.com. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  24. ^ "State of Louisiana - Uniform motor vehicle traffic crash report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 27, 2012.
  25. ^ "James Perry goes on attack against rival Helena Moreno with fatal traffic accident report". May 21, 2010.
  • Media related to Helena Moreno at Wikimedia Commons
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