The Walls Project names a new co-executive director

The Baton Rouge nonprofit Walls Project has a new co-executive director, with Ashlyn Harrison, former senior director of programs for the organization, moving into that role. Casey Phillips, CEO and co-executive director of the Walls Project is relocating to Dallas, where the organization has been expanding since 2019. While he still plans to lead the local nonprofit from Texas, Harrison will continue expanding the organization’s Baton Rouge programs.

“I trust Ashlyn not only to steer the ship, but to take it into outer space,” Phillips tells Daily Report. “She’s going to take the organization and the programs much further than I could. The demand in Dallas requires a lot more work than I can give on a part-time basis.”

Since being founded in 2012, the Walls Project has expanded with offices in Baton Rouge, Denver and Dallas. The organization has been a vital player in citywide beautification and economic development, especially in north Baton Rouge, downtown and Mid City. 

“Casey’s enthusiasm, optimism and tenacity paved the way for the many murals we now see in downtown,” says Downtown Development District Executive Director Whitney Hoffman Sayal. “Through his leadership, the organization transformed several downtown walls and structures into a living gallery that attracts visitors and residents.”

Phillips says he was inspired by Raymond Jetson and Sherreta Harrison of Metromorphosis to implement a co-leadership model for the Walls Project. Other roles in the organization also have co-leads. Harrison says co-leadership enhances the organization’s strategic growth, diversifies expertise, encourages collaboration, expands the organization’s reach and prevents burnout. 

“Our city is in a place where it’s hungry for the next generation of leadership in all the organizations,” Phillips tells Daily Report. “I’m glad to see a lot of new faces coming into the top of organizations. I think it’s really healthy for the Baton Rouge ecosystem.”