Darlene Cusanza has served the past 30 years as the President and CEO of the nonprofit Crimestoppers of the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area and the surrounding River Parishes. She has earned an excellent reputation within the law enforcement arena, both on a federal, state, and local level and is considered a “go to” person to facilitate change. Under Darlene’s leadership, Crimestoppers has more than doubled its call volume and crimes solved and expanded its community hotline operations to ten parishes, with Crimestoppers GNO being called upon as a “best practice” organization. Since their inception, tipsters have solved over 20,000 felonies with over $2,900,000 million paid in cash rewards.

The Crimestoppers organization has also worked under her direction to become proactive in providing crime prevention information to the community, specifically to our youth. In 2020, Crimestoppers expanded its student anonymous reporting and educational program “Safe Schools Louisiana” statewide under an agreement with the Louisiana State Police.  As of July 2025, 743 schools statewide are active on the anonymous reporting app and fifty-four public school districts plus parochial schools have received training with our educational presentations.

 Darlene also serves as an advocate for crime victim’s families, lending her expertise to help them through their traumatic events. As the agency Spokeswomen, she has become a “crime and community outreach” expert and is a regular guest on television stations and media outlets. Through her leadership, Crimestoppers has received numerous awards for their proactive work in crime prevention, education, and leadership training specifically to our youth.  She is an advocate, liaison, and speaker between other not for profits and governmental agencies working on behalf of victims’ rights, specifically with Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking and families who have lost loved ones to violent crime.

With over 40 years of professional management experience in the nonprofit arena, previous employment experience includes serving for 13 years as the statewide Director of Continuing Professional Education and Member Services, Society of Louisiana CPAs and State Director of Patient Services, Multiple Sclerosis Society

Darlene also serves on multiple boards including the Crime Stoppers USA National Board as an At Large Director and has received numerous local, state and national awards.

Ms. Cusanza holds a bachelor’s degree from L.S.U.M.C.-School of Allied Health Professions Rehabilitation Counseling, New Orleans. The daughter of a WWII and Korean War veteran and a retired New Orleans Fire Department Assistant Supervisor for Fire Prevention, she prides her commitment to public service to her 98-year-old father, by following in his footsteps of community service. A life-time resident of New Orleans, proud graduate of New Orleans Public Schools, attended University of New Orleans prior to transferring to L.S.U.M.C – School of Allied Health Professions and she currently resides in Metairie with her family.