ABOUT
Why
How
Future
CEO: Mark Raymond, Jr.
Mark has a deep-rooted history of serving the community. Building on the legacy of his grandfather, A.P. Tureaud, Mark has played a vital role in advancing various equity-centered efforts across the Greater New Orleans area and beyond. From renaming historic streets and landmarks in New Orleans to creating a more accessible and robust rehabilitative health infrastructure in the Gulf South, Mark’s aptitude for cultivating relationships and driving coordinated, healing-centered change has been vital to the advancement of those most disadvantaged.
Mark’s commitment to fighting for justice and equity started as a child but was intensified following a shallow diving accident in 2016, in which he damaged the vertebrae by the base of his neck and lost the ability to walk. For Mark, this life-changing experience illuminated the reality of disparities in access, and there were very few community resources to turn to for help. His new disability and lack of support ultimately pushed him to advocate for millions of others by transforming the split-second that led to his injury into a life filled with awareness, hope, and action.
He founded Split Second Foundation to make people aware of a growing population of individuals impacted by disability, advocate for their rights, fund cutting-edge research, and provide clear-cut steps to immediately improve their quality of life.
To date, Mark’s impact on inclusive health and human services, as well as justice-driven policy work, has been substantial. Mark was able to open Split Second Fitness, which is the first inclusive gym in Louisiana, with an intentional focus on people living with paralysis, amputation, or other neurological conditions that impact mobility.
He also serves on several federal, state, and local boards and commissions to represent and advocate for people living with disabilities. Notably, Mayor LaToya Cantrell appointed him to the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) New Orleans Board of Commissioners, where he holds the positions of Vice-Chair and Chairman of the Finance Committee overseeing the planning, implementation, and execution of the agency’s $109 million budget.
Recently, RTA introduced the first two Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant streetcars on the historical St. Charles streetcar line.
Mark’s work within the community and through SSF has earned him numerous awards including:
·Gambit’s “40 Under 40”
·New Orleans Magazine’s “Ones to Watch”
·Millennial Change Makers Award
·Xavier University’s “40 Under 40”
Director of Split Second Fitness:
Quanteria 'Q ' Williams-Porche
It might be impossible to curb Quanteria ‘Q’ Williams-Porche’s enthusiasm. She wakes up in the morning energized, knowing that her purpose is to help someone each day. As Q puts it, “I love having an impact on someone’s life and making it better.”
A native New Orleanian, Q knew she was destined for a healthcare career. She wanted to combine her love for science with her strong desire to work with people. She graduated from LSU with a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences in 2003 and then earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from LSU’s Health Sciences Center in 2009. An experienced therapist, Q has spent much of career dedicated to patients with spinal cord injuries, amputations, multiple sclerosis or CVAs (i.e. strokes). As a staff therapist for Touro Infirmary’s inpatient physical therapy department, Q has written many exercise programs for patients with neurological conditions for more than 13 years.
Q says that her position with Split Second Fitness is a culmination of her job and life experience. She considers herself to be a “natural caretaker” and that extends to her family. Quanteria absolutely loves her job. The only thing that she loves more are her husband and her 3 kids.
Director of Split Second Cares:
Dr. Mary Delahoussaye
A peek inside Mary’s resource library would show a huge assortment of files she has carefully curated over her 17 years as an occupational therapist. “I love connecting people with what they need to make their life a little bit brighter or easier. A huge part of this is listening to understand what each person needs as an individual in their own lived experience.”
Mary was born and raised in Lake Charles, La, and moved to New Orleans in 1999 to attend Loyola University with a plan to pursue a career in psychology. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Loyola University. Along the way found a better fit in occupational therapy and went on to obtain her Master’s in Occupational Therapy at LSU Health Sciences Center and her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy through the University of Alabama at Birmingham while residing in New Orleans. Mary has worked in every adult rehab setting, including the rehab continuum of care at Touro Infirmary specializing in brain injury and spinal cord injury rehabilitation. She also served on the faculty at LSU Health Sciences Center in the Occupational Therapy Department from 2019-2022 teaching mental health content and community-based practice.
