The King and Queen of Rex 2023 are a power pair of people to keep our eyes on.
King of Carnival, Ludovico Feoli is a top flight political scientist.
He’s also a researcher and director of Tulane University’s Center for Inter-American Policy and Research.
As if that was enough, he’s also an active contributor to charitable giving and philanthropy as chair of the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
Feoli is also co-chair of the Zemurray Foundation, a private foundation established by his wife Stephanie’s family which is one of the largest private foundations in the city. Feoli oversees the giving to charitable grants to organizations in education, arts and culture, social services and the environment.
As Rex, Feoli celebrates the krewe’s Pro Bono Publico Foundation. This year they raised $1.6 million for local schools and education organizations.
“While recognizing the importance of Carnival and the pageantry and what it means, I think Rex does a wonderful job of also raising consciousness about the importance of being philanthropically and civically engaged,” Feoli tells WWL-TV. “What’s done though the Pro Bono Publico Foundation is exemplary. Public education is perhaps one of the most important things in a city’s life.”
The Queen of Carnival is Evaline Gomila. Her curriculum vitae is just as impressive. A summa cum laude graduate of Groton. Dean’s List at UVA. And a resume that includes a summer internship with the Saints and Pelicans.
“I think nothing brings the city together more than Saints games and Mardi Gras,” she told she broadcaster. “Interning for the Saints was such a unique and special experience to me because they were such a huge part of my childhood and they’ve given so much to the city. Being able to work for them and see what the inside of that looks like has been really awesome.”
Evy joins a group of several family members who have served Rex over the years.
“I’ve gotten to see the rest of my family participate in the ball and I’m excited to get to do that now,” she said. “It feels so surreal.
It’s something I feel like every girl in New Orleans grows up dreaming about, but it’s so far from anything you ever expect to happen to you. And now that this is my reality, it really is something I can’t explain.”