mom about town
AMY BOYLE COLLINS BY MADISON VOORHIES PHOTO BY BLINK PHOTOGRAPHY
Husband: Sherwood Collins Children: Liam, 14, and Wesley, 13 Occupation: CEO of Gambel Communications Hobbies: All things New Orleans: festivals, music, eating, and sports— especially the Saints
14 NOVEMBER 2024 | NOLAFAMILY.COM spectrum, and Wesley, an ambitious scout with dreams of running Beignet Fest one day. Through the ups and downs of raising teenagers, Amy reflects on how motherhood has enriched her life and shaped her leadership style, reminding us all of the beauty in slowing down and being present. A my Boyle Collins is a passionate community leader and dedicated mother. As the Chair of the Beignet Fest Foundation and a board member of both the Jefferson Chamber and New Orleans Chamber, Amy has made significant contributions to the cultural fabric of our city. Her journey into nonprofit leadership began in the wake of Hurricane Katrina when her desire to give back led her to become the executive director of the Young Leadership Council, where she famously met her husband while working on community events. Today, Amy embraces the joys and challenges of parenting two dynamic boys—Liam, who is on the autism
WHAT DOES A NORMAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? AMY: [I’m an] early riser; 5 a.m. is ideal. I like to go to the gym a couple days a week, then get the kids up and moving, [and] get ready for the day. [We’re] out the door by 7:15 a.m., one hour commute to bring Liam to school and get to my office. My husband brings Wesley to school and gets to his office. [I’m] very busy juggling Gambel, Beignet Fest, and other civic engagements. I love that I can stop at 2:30 p.m., pick up Liam from school, and finish my day at home. Usually, [I] log off for dinner and family time about 6 p.m. Bed by 9 p.m.! Early to bed, early to rise. WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR CAREER? AMY: The ability to shape so much in our community. We work with some of the most impactful organizations in the community from Children’s Hospital to Historic New Orleans Collection to the
New Orleans Women and Children’s Shelter to my very own Beignet Fest Foundation. WHAT ARE SOME JOYS AND CHALLENGES OF BEING A MOM? AMY: Joys–seeing them grow, achieve, seeing their personalities. Challenges– watching them struggle and fail, dealing with them not being me–they are very different in the way they approach their life, and I can’t force them to do it my way. That’s really hard for me. I’m a control freak! HOW HAS YOUR PARENTING STYLE EVOLVED TO SUPPORT YOUR CHILD’S INDIVIDUAL NEEDS? AMY: I was raised where you earned what you got, you picked yourself up when you fell, [and] only the best was good enough. I tried parenting that way [with a] “fear of God” mentality– and
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