INFORM   INSPIRE   ENGAGE   EMPOWER

Our Story: You Go, Girl!

Geaux Girl! was inspired by a teen magazine that executive director Heide Winston grew up with in her native Germany. Concerned about the lack of comprehensive sex education in New Orleans, Heide approached her friend Danielle Del Sol in 2016 with the idea to start a teen girl magazine that features adolescent reproductive health information in every issue. They spent the next almost two years (when they weren’t taking care of their young children, working their day jobs, or welcoming new babies into the world) reaching out to potential contributors and developing the concept for what would become Geaux Girl!, a local nonprofit print and online magazine created for and with New Orleans teen girls. Heide officially launched Geaux Girl! in early 2018 and the GG family has been growing ever since.

Geaux Girl! is about building a sense of community among local girls and women while celebrating individuality and diversity. With a mission to inform, inspire, engage, and empower, Geaux Girl! serves as a unique resource and platform for teen girls all across New Orleans.

Our Team

Heide Winston

Executive Director & Editor in Chief

Born and raised in Germany, Heide moved to New Orleans in 2009 after falling in love with a New Orleanian. In addition to running Geaux Girl!, Heide works as director of communications and civic engagement in the office of the president emeritus at Tulane University, where she also teaches on leadership and higher education as an adjunct instructor. One of her favorite experiences that solidified her passion for youth engagement was working with high school students on an international newspaper that promoted tolerance and media literacy. Heide is a participant in Loyola University’s Women’s Leadership Academy, a graduate of the Jewish Federation’s Katz-Phillips Leadership Development Program as well as the Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum and serves on the board of the Anti-Defamation League South Central Region. She holds a master’s in cultural anthropology from the University of Hamburg.

Liz Jurey

Creative Director

Liz is a born-and-raised Louisianan. She lived in Baton Rouge until receiving her BFA with a focus in graphic design from Louisiana State University. Although she is now a designer and photographer with the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans, many of her former jobs have been centered around youth. She worked in a children’s bookstore, taught English in South Korea, and was an Au Pair in Paris, France. Liz has designed work for The New Orleans Human Trafficking Group, Covenant House New Orleans, Belle Journal, Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights, The American Library in Paris and more.

Courtney Pellegrini

Social Media & Brand Management Volunteer

After graduating from Tulane University in 2018 with a degree in evolutionary biology and social innovation/social entrepreneurship, Courtney stayed in New Orleans to begin her career in the technology startup sector. She currently works in marketing at a healthcare tech startup. Courtney has always been passionate about youth empowerment and reproductive health education, and she loves doing social media and brand management for Geaux Girl! In her spare time, Courtney enjoys traveling, yoga, cooking, and playing with her sweet beagle lab mix, Beau.

Y’vonne Antoine

Teen Engagement Volunteer

Y’vonne, born and raised in New Orleans, is a graduate of Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies and is currently a student and Posse Scholar at Tulane University. Y’vonne started her Geaux Girl! involvement as a member of the Teen Advisory Council. In her spare time, Y’vonne loves to dance on Tulane’s Dance Team, spend time with family and friends, and read Geaux Girl! magazine.

Erin Zimmer Strenio

Community Outreach Volunteer

Originally from Southern California, Erin spent her college and early professional years in DC and NYC and is now proud to call New Orleans home. A lifelong lover of food, she was the managing editor of James Beard Award-winning website Serious Eats, the marketing maven for online marketplace Good Eggs, and recipe tester for La Petite Grocery’s cookbook. She’s been a jill-of-all-trades consultant for many mission-driven organizations, and now works for a small government agency that helps make public services more accessible to all people. She loves being part of the Geaux Girl! community and also coaches for Girls on the Run. Erin studied English and Theology at Georgetown University.

Our Board

Web Development

Stan Dark

Stan is the owner of Stan Dark Creative with over 35 years of corporate image and branding experience. His design firm has twice been named Design Firm of the Year in the Baton Rouge Pinnacle Awards. He wears many hats including designer, art director, illustrator, and consultant as well as fine artist. Stan has worked in branding large corporations, created art exhibits, produced books, promoted major training and social events, developed product packaging, and even created a health and wellness program. Stan has worked with a lot of companies and programs including the National Endowment for the Humanities, The Louisiana World Exposition, the National Park Service, the Senior Olympics, Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation, Dow, Exxon, the General Hospital System, and Woman’s Hospital.

Support Geaux Girl!

Geaux Girl Media is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We rely on the generosity of passionate individuals and engaged organizations to fulfill our mission. Thank you for supporting us so we can inform, inspire, engage, and empower girls in our community.