Jessica Ragusa-Nunes

Deputy Director of Governmental Affairs

Jessica Ragusa-Nunes was recently promoted to the Deputy Director of Governmental Affairs for the Port of New Orleans. In this capacity she will develop comprehensive strategies around legislation locally, statewide and federally, focus on grant funding opportunities and work toward maritime success for the region and entire state of Louisiana. Prior to her current role, Ragusa-Nunes served the Port of New Orleans as their Communications Manager for the last three years and as their official media spokesperson. Her job responsibilities included developing and implementing communications and public relations strategies, and serving as the primary point of contact for all media personnel, working as an intermediary between executive management and the media. She also maintained Port NOLA and Rail NOLA social media and web presences and constantly honed her stakeholder engagement skills and awareness. Ragusa-Nunes previously served as an Account Manager for a local public relations firm, working closely to craft public relations strategies with several local businesses across an array of industries from health care to hospitality. For three years, she served as the Deputy Communications Director for the Lieutenant Governor’s Office of Louisiana. There Ragusa-Nunes served as the primary speech writer for the Lt. Governor and had a key role in statewide tourism efforts including messaging, presentations, advertising and trade missions. She has a passion for politics, government and communications having worked on several elected officials’ campaigns and in the state legislature throughout her college career. Ragusa-Nunes is a 2018 graduate of the Louisiana Tourism Leadership Academy. She also currently serves on the Academy of Our Lady High School Advisory Board and acts as the Chair of the Marketing and Institutional Advancement Committee. Ragusa-Nunes graduated from Louisiana State University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications with a concentration in Political Communications.