The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts’ nonprofit partner, The NOCCA Institute, has hired Rachel Swan as its first Director of Alumni Relations.
A NOCCA alum herself (Drama, class of 2002), Rachel’s biggest task will be strengthening and formalizing the network of NOCCA alumni living around the globe. Though NOCCA’s former students are frequently in touch with one another through online channels like Facebook, there’s no official alumni organization at the high school. That’s largely because, for much of its history, students attended NOCCA on a half-day basis, receiving a high school diploma from their sending school and a certificate of attendance from NOCCA. NOCCA began offering a full-day option in 2011, and with that change came a heightened need for a true alumni network.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Rachel onboard, and her timing couldn’t be better,” said Sally Perry, executive director of The NOCCA Institute. “In 2023-24, we’ll celebrate NOCCA’s 50th anniversary, and we hope to mark that milestone with 50 years of alumni by our side. With Rachel helming the creation of a NOCCA alumni network, we’re poised to meet our goal.”
Rachel will also help identify future alumni by aiding NOCCA with its annual student recruitment efforts.
After graduating from NOCCA, Rachel attended the University of Evansville in Indiana, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Studies, with Associated Studies in Religion and History. She then worked for seven years in theatrical nonprofits in New York and Washington DC, including Arena Stage. Born and raised in New Orleans, Rachel returned home to obtain her Masters in Arts Administration, graduating with honors from the University of New Orleans. Most recently, Rachel was the Grants Manager at the Greater New Orleans Foundation, where she co-led GiveNOLA Day for the last four years. Rachel lives Uptown with her husband, Daniel Pruksarnukul (a teacher in NOCCA’s Musical Theatre Department), and their son, Westley.