Community & Youth Advocate from New Orleans

Dr. Ansel Augustine is an Emmy nominated producer and an award-winning author. He is presently the Director of the Office of Black Catholic Ministries for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Dr. Augustine also serves on the Board of Trustees of St. Michael's College (Burlington, Vermont). He is also on the Board of Directors for the Congo Square Preservation Society. He is the former New Orleans Area Director for Vagabond Missions and Executive Director of Cultural Diversity and Outreach for the Archdiocese of Washington. Previously he served as the Associate Director/Coordinator of Black Youth & Young Adult Ministry for the CYO Youth & Young Adult Ministry Office. He is also on the Faculty of the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana, Graduate Theological Foundation, and Loyola University New Orleans’ Institute for Ministry. Dr. Augustine has also served as a Campus Minister at Xavier University of Louisiana, Loyola University New Orleans, and St. John’s University in Queens, NY. Ansel has served on the board of directors for the National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association (NCYAMA) and the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM). He began his career in ministry over 20 years ago when he became the youth minister at his home parish of St. Peter Claver in the Treme area of New Orleans, which he helped to rebuild following hurricane Katrina. He has presented workshops and keynotes around the country and has written various pieces related to ministry including The African American Catholic Youth Bible and, the award winning book, Leveling the Praying Field: Can the Church we Love, Love us Back?. Dr. Augustine is also an Emmy Nominated Producer for the documentary “Black Faith Matters.” Ansel has worked in prison ministry for over 25 years in various capacities. He volunteers with the Mardi Gras Indian Council and at Backstreet Cultural Museum. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the Knights of Columbus, the Knights of Peter Claver, and the Wild Tchoupitoulas (Black Masking) Mardi Gras Indians. He is also an Associate Member of the Sisters of the Holy Family in New Orleans, LA.