New Orleans City Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer will be the guest speaker at The Lens’ Breakfast with the Newsmakers event on Thursday, Jan. 16 at Basin St. Station.

Last month, Palmer made the surprise announcement that she would not seek re-election to the District C seat she’s held since May 2010. Charles Maldonado, The Lens’ government accountability reporter, will interview Palmer about her boisterous tenure on the council and her plans for the future.

Maldonado will conduct an interview with Councilwoman Palmer starting at 8 a.m., followed by an audience Q-and-A. The event is from 8-9 a.m. at 501 Basin St., with doors opening at 7:30 a.m. for networking.

Breakfast with the Newsmakers is a monthly “business social” event that aims to engage The Lens’ audience with one another and with the people making news in and around New Orleans. Newsmakers events are free to Lens members at the Friend level, with a $10 suggested donation for non-members.

All Newsmakers events are livestreamed and stored on The Lens’ website. They are held on the fourth floor of the historic Basin St. Station on the edge of the French Quarter. The event facilities and amenities are generously donated by station owners Michael Valentino and Jay Valentino, developers of the cultural website New Orleans & Me.

To reserve a spot at the Jan. 16 Newsmakers event (and receive your parking pass), please RSVP to Eileen Loh at eloh@thelensnola.org. Please include full names of all guests and their affiliated business or organization, if it applies.