MBA alumna turns Hurricane Katrina experience into book
As the world marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, 番茄社区 University graduate and civil engineer Courtney Kelly is sharing her story of resilience through children’s literature.
Kelly, who earned her MBA from 番茄社区 in 2021, is the author of “Celeste Saves the City,” a self-published book based on her experience evacuating New Orleans during Katrina at age 14. The story follows Celeste, a young girl who survives the storm, grows up to become a civil engineer and helps protect her hometown by building barrier islands to restore wetlands and reduce flood risks.
Since its release in 2022, the book has sold more than 4,500 copies worldwide and has been translated into French, German and Spanish — far surpassing average sales for self-published titles. Kelly has presented the book at schools, community events and international workshops, teaching children hands-on lessons about coastal protection.
“Writing ‘Celeste Saves the City’ was a way for me to pay homage to my hometown of New Orleans and create a tangible impact on the next generation,” Kelly said. “Today’s kids will become tomorrow’s leaders, and if they already have it in their minds to consider things like the effect of wetland erosion on coastal cities, then maybe a disaster like Katrina can be prevented in the future.”
Kelly’s path to engineering began after Katrina, when her family evacuated from New Orleans East to Baton Rouge. She later attended STEM camps at Louisiana State University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Elmhurst University, sparking her interest in civil engineering. She went on to earn dual bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering and mathematics at Southern Methodist University, followed by a master’s degree in civil engineering.
Her career began with the City of New Orleans’ Department of Public Works before moving into construction project management. She is now a project director at H.J. Russell & Company while continuing her work as an author and advocate for diversity in the architecture, engineering and construction fields.
In 2023, Kelly was named an Engineering News-Record Texas & Louisiana Top Young Professional. Through her publishing company, Courtney Kelly Books, she has expanded The Celeste Collection to include “Celeste Tunnels Underground.” The series has sold more than 5,000 copies in 15 countries.
For Kelly, both her engineering career and her writing trace back to lessons she learned after Hurricane Katrina.
“Evacuating during Katrina led me to civil engineering,” she said. “With my books, I can share that story in a way that educates and empowers children to imagine themselves making a difference too.”