René Pastorek, AICP, serves as Chief Economic Development Officer for the Downtown Development District of New Orleans, where he leads economic development and marketing efforts focused on strengthening Downtown as a center for business, investment, and innovation.
A certified urban planner with more than a decade of public and private sector experience, René’s work spans economic development, real estate, strategic planning, public investment, and community revitalization. Prior to joining the DDD, he worked as a planning consultant on transportation and capital investment initiatives across the Gulf Coast and served as Planning and Zoning Director for St. John the Baptist Parish.
René has presented at national and regional conferences and has held leadership roles with the American Planning Association Louisiana Chapter, including serving as Chapter President. He holds a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of New Orleans and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Louisiana State University.
A lifelong New Orleanian, René’s connection to Downtown began as a child taking the ferry from Algiers to Canal Street to explore the city.