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2025 Royal Court

Introducing the

Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. of the 2nd Congressional District, chair of the 76th Washington Mardi Gras, has announced that Lt. Colonel (Ret.) Roderick “Rico” Alvendia, a New Orleans attorney and founding partner of the firm Alvendia, Kelly and Demarest will reign as King of the 2025 ball. Kendall Williams, a recent graduate of Louise S. McGehee School, will be Queen of the celebration.

TROY A. CARTER SR.

2025 Chairman

Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. represents Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and as the Ranking Member on the Homeland Security Committee's Emergency Management and Technology subcommittee. He has a rich background in public service, including roles on the Small Business Committee, the Louisiana House of Representatives, the New Orleans City Council, and the Louisiana State Senate. Congressman Carter holds degrees from Xavier University, Holy Cross University, and has studied at Harvard and Carnegie Mellon. He has been honored with honorary doctorates from Xavier University and Southern University at New Orleans. Known for his advocacy in criminal justice reform, healthcare, civil rights, education, environmental justice, and mental health, Congressman Carter is also a dedicated family man, married to Brigadier General Ana Carter, with two sons, Troy Jr., and Joshua. They reside on the Westbank in New Orleans.

Congressman

RICO ALVENDIA

2025 King

Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Roderick “Rico” Alvendia is an Iraq War veteran, an accomplished Louisiana Attorney, and serves proudly on the Board of Visitors at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

 

Rico was born and raised in Louisiana and studied at Jesuit High School in the Philippines when his Father served abroad as a Diplomat. He is a 1998 graduate of Loyola Law School in New Orleans, where in 2008 he was named the Loyola Law
Distinguished Alumni of the Year. He is the founding partner of the Alvendia, Kelly & Demarest Law Firm in New Orleans, which has successfully represented Louisiana Businesses, Clients and Municipalities for over 20 years.

 

Rico served honorably for 25 years as an Officer in the U.S. Army JAG Corps and deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in 2004 with the Louisiana 256th Infantry “Tiger” Brigade. In Baghdad, Rico led a multi-national team of lawyers that successfully prosecuted enemy combatants who conducted fatal attacks on U.S. Soldiers and civilians. Rico was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his meritorious service during Combat Operations.

 

Rico continues to serve our Nation as a U.S. Presidential Appointee on the West Point Academy Board of Visitors. Additionally, in 2012 together with other Combat veterans, Rico co-founded the “Legion of Mars Mardi Krewe”, the first New Orleans Carnival Organization dedicated to honoring and assisting veterans and first responders. Rico and the “Mars Hero Fund” (a Non-profit Organization) have helped thousands of military veterans and their families throughout Louisiana during their financial hardships and while deployed in service to our Country. Rico is married to Kristin Alvendia, a devout LSU Alumni and advocate for Mental Health awareness. Above all, Rico’s greatest accomplishment is being a Father to his son Noah
Alvendia, who attends Jesuit High School in New Orleans.

KENDALL WILLIAMS

2025 Queen

Kendall Elizabeth Williams is a 2024 graduate of Louise S. McGehee School. She is a proud member of the National Honor Society and Beta Club. She received the Daughters of the American Revolution award for outstanding students in the field of history. While at McGehee, she was awarded a scholarship by the division heads of her school for outstanding personal qualities, characterized by her enthusiasm for learning and natural leadership skills. She was also selected by the faculty and her peers for the honor of being named a “Citizenship Girl” - which is the school’s highest honor. Recipients of this high honor display the core values of McGehee school as well as loyalty, respect, enthusiasm and a positive demeanor.

 

Kendall’s dedication to bettering her community is evident through her participation in various service projects. Kendall has generously donated her time to Second Harvest Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, Grace at the Greenlight and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. 

 

Kendall also held several leadership roles during her time at McGehee. Kendall was selected to serve as a Student Ambassador and a Peer Support Leader. She was also voted Junior Class President, Senior Class Representative, Concert Choir President, and Diversity Club President. As Diversity Club President, Kendall transformed the club from an organization for just the minority students to one of the larges clubs on campus open to and enjoyed by the whole school. The faculty selected her on multiple occasions to represent McGehee school at the annual Student Diversity Leadership Conference held by the National Association of Independent Schools. One of Kendall’s proudest moments was when she hosted the entire high school at her home for Thanksgiving dinner in 2023.  The highly successful event was planned, organized, and executed by Kendall and demonstrated her incredible leadership and commitment to inclusivity.  

 

Kendall is an accomplished athlete. Kendall played on the varsity volleyball, basketball, softball, and track teams. Kendall won a State Championship with the track team her Senior year and her volleyball team made it to the State Championship semi-finals three consecutive years. She served as captain of both the basketball and softball teams. She was named by the LHSAA to the All-District Softball First Team her Junior year. In her senior year, she won a basketball award and was named to the LHSAA All-Academic Team for maintaining a six-semester cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 or better based on a 4.0 scale.

 

Outside of school, Kendall worked as a summer camp counselor for four years, leading younger students throughout the summer in numerous camp activities. She has also worked as an intern for The Trial Team – Special Litigation Division of Chehardy Sherman Williams law firm where she hopes to gain valuable experience for her future career as a lawyer.  She has been a member of “Jack and Jill of America” for 15 years. She is also a member of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church.  

 

In her spare time, Kendall loves to travel with her family and friends. She is the proud daughter of Elizabeth M. Williams and James M. Williams (King of the Mystic Krewe of Louisianians 2016) and sister to Jordan (Princess 2022), James Jr. and Mac, the family dog.

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2025 Theme

"Duty, Honor, Louisiana"

2025 Official Poster

By New Orleans Artist: Terrence Osborne

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