Simone Maloz didn’t start her career in coastal restoration, but it is the one that has shaped her life.
“I was fortunate to be approached about applying to a regional nonprofit coastal organization, Restore or Retreat, after a public speaking engagement,” says Simone.
“Coming from a background in health care and a stint at the American Cancer Society, coastal restoration was a completely new world for me — but one I was excited to learn and grow in.”
Little did Simone know when she started at Restore or Retreat in January 2005, that eight months later two devastating Category 3 hurricanes would hit the Louisiana coast: Katrina (Aug. 29) and Rita (Sept. 24) and make her job even that more vital.
“Hurricanes Katrina and Rita reshaped everything. Those events fundamentally changed how we thought about the future of our coast — and galvanized the public’s will to demand meaningful action,” she says.
Simone is now the campaign director for Restore The Mississippi River Delta, a coalition of local and national nonprofits that work to restore and protect coastal Louisiana. She also serves on the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration and Conservation.
Restore The Mississippi River Delta “takes large-scale projects that can restore or imitate the river’s natural processes. This involves the reintroduction of fresh water and sediment to the coastal system while preparing for future conditions of the delta ecosystem. Through principled management of site-specific projects, we can rebuild the delta in a way that is sustainable for both communities and ecosystems,” says its website.
One of the major projects it had been working on was the Mid Barataria Sediment Diversion, which was a cornerstone project of the state’s comprehensive coastal plan. “It was going to use the power of the Mississippi River to reconnect to the Barataria marshes, building land and further protecting the Greater New Orleans area,” says Simone.
The project, which started in 2023, was canceled by the state on July 17, 2025.
As Louisiana residents know all too well, the alteration of the river system has contributed to the delta’s subsiding, with the significant reduction of land on the Louisiana coast. According to the organization, since the 1930s, Louisiana has lost about 1,900 square miles of land to open water. Hurricanes, tropical storms and other elements have sped up the destruction, and as the delta disappears, so does the natural protection.
Simone, who is from Houma, knows this story all too well.
“There’s a saying: if you’re not growing, you’re dying. In many ways, New Orleans and south Louisiana must recognize that our future — especially environmentally — is fragile,” says Simone.
“We need the courage to take bold, forward-looking steps and implement solutions that truly match the scale of the challenges we face. Hurricanes will still come, waters will rise, rains will intensify and our muddy marshes will continue to sink. We have to meet these realities head-on if we want to preserve our unique culture.”
Simone says everything they do at the organization is rooted in supporting the communities, staying connected, listening, showing up and “understanding what matters to people.”
Simone grew up in a household where giving back to the community was both modeled and encouraged — from helping at the food bank to calling bingo at the nursing home. “My parents were early examples of giving their time, talent and treasure,” Simone says, adding that she’s grateful for that example and hopes to instill the same values in her own children.
“It’s probably one of the reasons I’ve always been drawn to working in the nonprofit world,” she says.
“Growing up in south Louisiana, I never imagined this would become my career, much less that I’d be able to work with so many smart and talented people,” says Simone, who lives in Metairie with her husband and two teenage children.
“Although this is my day-to-day work, I’m continually inspired by my colleagues who contribute to this effort in their own unique and meaningful ways,” she adds.
True Confession
I hosted a radio show in college and another radio show that eventually became a podcast — before podcasting was cool.
Restore The Mississippi River Delta: mississippiriverdelta.org
