2027 Board of Directors

Dr. Markey W. Pierré’s lifetime commitment to professional excellence, community service, and good public policy has led to substantive progress for the State of Louisiana in many areas, including K-12 and higher education, construction, health care, maritime law, and municipal government. During her 20-plus-year career as a successful business owner and executive, author, thought leader, motivational speaker, lobbyist, and adjunct professor, Dr. Pierré’s philosophy of inclusive leadership resulted in pioneering legislation that has had far-reaching positive consequences for generations to come.

As a former lobbyist and governmental affairs professional, Dr. Pierré championed the interest of her clients as the President and Managing partner of Southern Strategy Group of North Louisiana, a full-service governmental consulting firm based in Shreveport, Louisiana. Pierré has been extremely successful in building partnerships across different ideologies, sometimes bridging deep divides to drive public policies that benefit everyone involved. Her client list ran the gambit from Fortune 500 corporations to school boards to gaming and entertainment venues, municipal entities, and professional and trade associations. In this role, Dr. Pierré cemented her reputation as a powerful force and highly effective advocate. As the Vice Chancellor for External Affairs and Chief of Staff for Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Dr. Pierré is the point of contact for critical initiatives and is responsible for the development and implementation of the strategic agenda to represent both organizational and operational initiatives as well as ensure there is diversity and inclusion in recruitment and retention of groups underrepresented in healthcare.

Throughout her professional career, Dr. Pierré has earned numerous honors for her professional excellence and her unwavering commitment to community service. But beyond all of her honors and accomplishments what she says really matters most is in all that you have done, were you able to help someone in the process, did you make a difference. As a 35-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, she passionately engages in the international program initiatives and actively works at the local and regional levels. Dr. Pierré funds two annual college scholarships in the amount of $1,000/semester. One in her grandmother’s name, The Essie Mae Winfield “Pursuit of Excellence” scholarship award and one in her deceased husband's name, Louis Tramell Pierre’ Kappa Alpha Psi annual scholarship award. These scholarships allow students from traditionally underserved populations to attend college and pursue their dreams. Pierre received her Bachelor of Science in General Studies with a focus in business and finance from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, LA, a Master of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and a Doctor of Business Administration for Walden University in Minneapolis, MN. She is also certified in diversity, equity and inclusion through Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.

Kathy Kliebert is retired as the representative of the Louisiana Medicaid Managed Care Organization Association providing legislative and consulting services for the five Medicaid health plans in Louisiana.  Prior to this role she served as Secretary of the state’s Department of Health and Hospitals from March 2013 to January 2016 after a long-term career in public service in Louisiana. She was been a leader in the Department for more than 28 years, where she led efforts to promote independent living for individuals with developmental disabilities and transform behavioral health care services for hundreds of thousands of Louisiana residents. Prior to her appointment as Secretary, Kliebert served as the Department’s Deputy Secretary, where she provided leadership to the agency’s program offices, including the Offices for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, Behavioral Health, Public Health, and Aging and Adult Services.

She has over 26 years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker and has a master's degree in social work. She  currently serves as  chair of the Bridge Center for Hope, serves as  past chair of the Louisiana Educational Television Board.

Ms. Kliebert has been married for 41 years, has three children and seven grandchildren.

Dr. Lanier is a Professor of Management at the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University, her Masters in Business Administration from the Hankamar School of Business at Baylor University and her Doctorate in Management from Louisiana Tech University. She is a SPHR and SHRM – SCP certified human resources professional.
 
Dr. Lanier currently holds the Van Eaton and Romero Professorship in Business, the Professional Women in Business Professorship, and the Home Bank Professorship in Management. 
 
In her time at ULL, she has led more than 30 MBA teams in conducting strategic analyses for area non-profits, including the City of Youngsville.  The 2015 executive MBA team developed a detailed Growth Guidance Plan that is still being used to provide strategic recommendations to our Youngsville community leaders.
 
Dr. Lanier also served on several boards of directors including Goodwill Industries of Acadiana, the Girl Scouts of Louisiana, Pines to the Gulf, the Youngsville Chamber of Commerce, and the Southern Management Association. She has had her research published in numerous notable academic journals including the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Management History, Management Decision, and Personality and Individual Differences. 
 
Prior to teaching, Dr. Lanier worked as a financial analyst for Entergy Corporation. She has been a human resource and strategic management consultant for the past 24 years using her unique combination of practical knowledge and research to advance the work of many local organizations.
 
She is a graduate of the Leadership Youngsville Class I and the Council for a Better Louisiana 2021 Leadership Louisiana Class.  Patricia was recently appointed as the Department Chair of the Department of Management in B.I. Moody College of Business Administration.

Charmaine serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the United Way of Southeast Louisiana and oversees United Way’s Governmental Relations department. She is responsible for the development and implementation of the government relations strategies related to United Way’s three goal areas, including education, income and health, through the development of relationships with key internal and external constituents.

From 2005 to 2013, Mrs. Caccioppi served as the first President of the Louisiana Association of United Ways (LAUW). During her tenure as President of LAUW, she partnered with the Louisiana Association of Non-Profits to publish “Community Solutions” which provided evidence-based policy research on how to combat long-term systemic poverty. She established a relationship with The George Rodrigue Foundation allowing $1 million in funding to be secured for United Ways statewide. She also assisted with securing funding for The George RodrigueFoundation of the Arts (GRFA), an Art Emerging Therapy for Children A+ School Education Curriculum to help children in trauma after Hurricane Isaac. Her many other accomplishments, include, but are not limited to, securing a $90,000 United Way Worldwide grant for the purpose of establishing a United Ways of the Gulf Coast and championing state legislation that ensured High Quality Childcare Standards, School Readiness Tax Credits, the establishment of the Child Poverty Prevention Council and the first refundable Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in the South.

In 2014, Charmaine advocated for the successful historical passage of Domestic Violence bills signed into Louisiana law aimed at stopping domestic abuse and in 2016 is featured in the award winning Five Awake –Domestic Violence documentary film. Historical passage of domestic violence bills was made again in 2017 and in 2018 including gun divesture!

Charmaine was inducted into the Louisiana Center for Women in Government and Business Hall of Fame in 2014. She received the Libby Milton Champion for Children Award in 2016 and Crimestoppers’ George Loker Community Service Award in 2017. She was a founding member of the Ready Louisiana Coalition in 2018. Charmaine established the Nancy M. Marsiglia Institute of Justice in 2018, between United Way of Southeast Louisiana and Loyola University College of Law.  In 2020, she was recognized as one of CityBusiness Women of the Year.  She is currently serving a second term as Chair of the Louisiana Women’s Policy & Research Commission, and serves as a board member for the New Orleans Family Justice Center, and Ellevate Louisiana.  

In 2022, Charmaine was instrumental in the successful passage of a New Orleans Early Childhood proposition, YES for NOLA Kids.  The revenue from this tax, which will begin on January 1, 2023, will go towards providing funding for an additional 1,000 seats for New Orleans students through the City Seats program, which serves economically disadvantaged children ages 0 to 3. In this same year, as a founding member of the Ready Louisiana Coalition, she also helped secure $84 million for early care and education during the Louisiana Regular Legislative session.  These funds will help low-income families afford quality child care, provide a match on local early childhood education investments, and more.

During her 20 years of service with the United States Senate, Mrs. Caccioppi served Senators J. Bennett Johnston then Mary Landrieu, working on major economic development projects throughout Louisiana and Nationwide, including: transportation infrastructure development for ports, airport, highways and railroads; defense and university research projects; flood control and hurricane protection projects; natural resources research; major federal procurement for several federal agencies.

Founder + President at Shoreline Strategies LLC | Managing Partner at #Amplified 

Mary Caswell “Cassie” Alsfeld is an award-winning copywriter, digital marketing strategist, and online fundraising specialist. She founded Shoreline Strategies LLC—a digital marketing, messaging, and fundraising firm—in 2015 after spending over a decade working in national politics.

Through Shoreline Strategies, Cassie has worked with presidential, senate, gubernatorial, and congressional campaigns; international political parties; leading non-profits, advocacy groups, and issue organizations; small businesses; and tech start-ups and companies venturing into new markets.

She works with several women’s organizations, including several dedicated to getting more women in office, and is passionate about advocating for issues affecting all women. She won an AAPC Pollie Award for her advocacy work to protect independent contractors, and helped get price transparency in healthcare.

Cassie is also the Managing Partner of #Amplified, an AI-powered, people-driven digital agency that specializes in influencer marketing strategies, combating dis- and misinformation campaigns, identifying and cultivating prospective supporters and advocates, and building education and advocacy campaigns to strengthen democracy and restore civility to politics. She has an exclusive suite of top AI technologies.

Through #Amplified, she is building a partner network of top industry experts and thought leaders, and bringing unique technologies and holistic strategies to the political, political-adjacent, government, association, and corporate spaces to maximize efficiencies and effectiveness. #Amplified works with campaigns, government agencies, political and advocacy organizations, think tanks, trade associations, lobbying and government relations firms, PR and public affairs firms, civic engagement and democracy orgs, startups, and more.

She is also an Advisor for top AI technology startups, including Soar and CitizenPortal.ai, built by the founder of Ancestry.com, and Upstart Factory. Through these businesses, Cassie advises and delivers go-to-market strategies, digital marketing, branding, storytelling, copywriting and editing, market research, business development, public affairs, etc. She identifies and pitches thought leadership opportunities, develops revenue generating models, researches prospective funding sources, builds lists and outreach strategies, creates crowdfunding campaigns, establishes partnership opportunities, and consults on social media, marketing, and list-building campaigns.

Known as "the door opener, a "walking LinkedIn," or a "unicorn" in the world of civic-tech and digital-politics, Cassie connects principals with key influencers, investors, industry leaders, thought leaders, partners, and more.

Through Shoreline Strategies, Cassie specializes in copywriting and editing; strategic planning; message development; email marketing; digital marketing, engagement, and advocacy campaigns; political communication; and online fundraising. She also provides coaching services to organizations and businesses looking to train or support their staff in any of the above.

A copywriter by trade, Cassie believes in the power of words to drive actions and deliver results. She has led dozens of workshops, training sessions, seminars, and webinars, as well as served on and moderated panels at leading industry events and college classes.

Cassie was the first digital copywriter and one of the first digital hires in Republican politics. She helped build the digital fundraising, email marketing, and copywriting programs for the Romney presidential campaign, Republican National Committee, and National Republican Congressional Committee from scratch. Cassie also served as the speechwriter for the NRCC Chairman and directed all of the messaging for the largest fundraiser of the year.

She has a proven track record of setting and smashing fundraising records, crafting award-winning copy, transforming how organizations operate and communicate, increasing engagement and enthusiasm among supporters, and putting organizations on the map. She has a unique approach to communications, fundraising, and marketing, given her background and experiences.

Prior to working in national politics, Cassie spent time on Capitol Hill as a legislative staffer for Congressman Cao of New Orleans, handling everything from Hurricane Katrina and BP oil spill recovery to healthcare issues. She got postal services restored in Gentilly after they sat idle for several years post-Katrina. She also worked as a lobbyist and consultant with Carmen Group, most notably getting Congress to forgive loans for hurricane-affected HBCUs. Cassie got her start in DC working for a top fundraiser, where she fundraised for the Republican National Convention, Gov. Haley Barbour, and others. Prior to DC, she interned with Congressman Steve Scalise and worked in N.O. City Hall before, during, and after Katrina.

Cassie is a Co-Founder and Board of Directors member of Ellevate Louisiana, International Women’s Forum-Louisiana Chapter Member, Co-Founder and Past President of the St. Mary's Dominican High School Alumnae Association in DC, Board Member of Boy Scouts of Southeast Louisiana, Founder + Member of the Spirit of Scouting Fundraising Committee, Member of the Pillars of Scouting Fundraising Committee, and Alumni Advisory Board member of Louisiana Youth Seminar.

She is an active member of American Association of Political Consultants, Kappa Delta Sorority, LSU Alumni Association, PAC PALS, and Association of Past Presidents of the LSU Student Body. Cassie built the networking, professional development, and alumnae programs for The Madison of DC. And she recently helped craft the strategic plan for St. Mary’s Dominican High School,  serving as the Chair of the Advancement and Marketing Committee on the School Strategic Planning Committee.

An active alumna and supporter of St. Mary’s Dominican High School, LSU, and the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication, Cassie spent 13 years in DC before moving home to New Orleans. She is a former Student Body President of LSU and elected Student Board Member of the LSU Board of Supervisors. She also served on the Louisiana Tuition and Trust Authority.

Cassie just moved to Old Metairie, where she resides with her rescue dog Flora. For more information or to connect with Cassie, visit: www.shorelinestrategies.co.

Rebecca F. Boniol, Esq. is Vice President and partner in Mark Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram in Lake Charles, LA. Mark Dodge is the largest volume Ram dealership in the world and the largest volume automotive dealership in Louisiana.

Rebecca’s community and philanthropic focus centers on education. She has been appointed to the LSU Board of Supervisors by Governor Jeff Landry. She is Vice President of the Lake Charles Charter Academy Foundation which owns three schools.  She and her husband, Mark, provide hundreds of scholarships to students in the Lake Charles area.  She is a trustee of the SOWELA Technical Community College Foundation.  She serves on the Business Advisory Counsel for McNeese State University.  She is Chair of the Women’s Health Counsel for CHRISTUS Ochsner Southwestern Louisiana.  Rebecca was co-chair of Governor Elect Jeff Landry’s K-12 Transitional Council. She is a member of the Republican Women of SWLA and Ellevate.

Rebecca graduated from McNeese State University in 1995 and from LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 1998. Upon graduation, she served as a law clerk at the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.  As an attorney, Rebecca handled asbestos litigation class action and mass tort litigation including drug, medical devices, and automotive litigation. 

Kristen is President and majority owner of Brown Builders, Inc., a Louisiana general contractor and design builder with more than fifty years of fulfilling client dreams of a place to do their work using a painless construction process.  She has a passion for her home community and the communities she is privileged to provide places to live, work and play. 

She has worn many Brown Builders hats throughout her career.  Today, her responsibilities include overall strategic planning and business development as well as oversight of construction of a variety of projects which include hospitality, retail, multi-family residential, healthcare, and commercial and residential land development. 

• BA/BS Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia
• JD, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Affiliations:
  • Louisiana State Licensing Board For Contractors
  • Board of Directors, Ellevate Louisiana
  • Chair of Economic Development Subcommittee, Committee of One Hundred Shreveport
  • Louisiana Associated General Contractors, first female President of AGC Shreveport
  • AGC America
  • Board Member, General Contractors Insurance Captive
  • Rotary Club of Shreveport, Paul Harris Fellow
  • First Baptist Church, Shreveport

Jennifer Dixon(Realtor, ABR, SRS, RENE, HHS)

Jennifer brings extensive knowledge, strategic insight, and a client-first approach to real estate transactions throughout New Orleans and the surrounding parishes. As a top-producing REALTOR® specializing in both single-family and multi-family homes, Jennifer has built a reputation for exceptional service, skilled negotiation, and delivering outstanding results.

Her professional designations include Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®), Seller Representative Specialist (SRS®), Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE®), and Historic House Specialist, reflecting her commitment to education and excellence. For more than a decade, Jennifer has expertly guided buyers and sellers through every stage of the real estate process—from preparing a home for market and negotiating contracts to inspections, financing, and closing—ensuring each client feels informed, confident, and supported.

Jennifer's background in business, art sales, and marketing gives her a unique perspective on property presentation, pricing strategy, and client relationships. Her creativity, professionalism, and attention to detail have made her a trusted advisor and valued member of Rêve Realtors.

Beyond real estate, Jennifer is a proud member of Ellevate Network, where she serves as a Regional Ambassador, supporting and connecting professional women while fostering leadership, collaboration, and community throughout the region.

Pamela Matassa Haindel is Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Ascension Parish Government and an award-winning communications executive with more than 30 years of experience in government, media, public relations, and strategic communications.

Throughout her career, Pam has led communications and public engagement efforts at both the state and local levels, helping connect citizens with government through innovative storytelling, transparency, and community outreach. She serves as Executive Producer of Ascension21, Ascension Parish Government's television and digital communications platform, which she helped build into a multi-Telly Award-winning operation recognized for excellence in public information and community engagement.

In her current role, Pam helps lead legislative and strategic initiatives for one of Louisiana's fastest-growing parishes, supporting economic development, infrastructure investment, workforce development, and quality-of-life projects that impact residents across the community.

A member of the Leadership Louisiana Class of 2026, Pam is deeply committed to civic engagement and leadership development. She serves as Vice Chair of the Ochsner Baton Rouge Advisory Board, Club Administration Chair of East Ascension Rotary, Public Relations Chair for the Kiwanis Club of Greater Baton Rouge, and is a founding leader of the LSU Golden Girl Alumni Association. She is also an active mentor through Ellevate Louisiana, where she enjoys helping women build confidence, expand their leadership skills, and pursue professional growth opportunities.

Pam is passionate about public service, mentorship, and creating meaningful connections that strengthen communities throughout Louisiana.

Cindy N. Munn is the Chief Executive Officer of the Louisiana Health Care Quality Forum, where she leads statewide initiatives to improve healthcare quality, affordability, and patient engagement through the strategic use of health information technology. With more than 30 years of leadership experience across clinical, technical, and organizational settings, she brings a unique perspective on population health management, care coordination, and data-driven transformation.

Under her direction, the Quality Forum has launched Louisiana’s statewide health information exchange—now encompassing more than 300 participants and 485 million patient records—and established the Employer Coalition of Louisiana to enhance healthcare value and outcomes. She has successfully guided statewide strategies in health IT adoption, quality measurement, and clinical improvement, helping thousands of providers and facilities achieve meaningful use of electronic health records and generating tens of millions in incentives to advance digital health transformation.

Prior to her current role, Cindy served as Vice President of Care Management at Baton Rouge General Medical Center, where she provided executive oversight for multiple clinical and administrative departments, including respiratory care, laboratory services, quality and emergency management. She led systemwide initiatives to strengthen patient safety, regulatory compliance, and quality improvement, and directed the hospital’s emergency preparedness and disaster response efforts during Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Gustav.

Cindy has served on national health care boards and currently serves on the executive committees of the National POLST Collaborative and the Baton Rouge-based Bridge Center for Hope Boards of Directors. Cindy is co-chair of Ellevate Louisiana’s Health and Wellness Committee and a member of the Cancer Advocacy Committee.

Cindy is a Rotary Club of Baton Rouge member and has been a CASA volunteer for over four years.

Cindy earned a Master of Science in Health Services Administration from the University of St. Francis, where she developed expertise in healthcare systems management and strategic leadership, and a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from Louisiana State University, A Patient Safety Leadership Fellow, she continues to champion collaborative approaches that advance quality and improve outcomes across the healthcare continuum.

Dr. Janet Pope was selected by the Louisiana School Boards Association as their Executive Director in July 2018 after serving five years as their Board Development/Legislative Specialist. Pope’s appointment marked a notable milestone in both the association’s and the state’s history as she the first and only woman to be selected to serve as the full-time Executive Director of one of the major associations representing Louisiana local government.

Prior to joining LSBA Dr. Pope, a Lafayette native, served nineteen years in a large, traditional public school system in south Louisiana where she held various teaching and administrative positions. Dr. Pope is an advocate of continuing education and professional development who believes in leading by example. She is National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certified and has passed the School Superintendent Assessment. Pope was awarded a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Anita Raj is the Executive Director of the Newcomb Institute, holds the Nancy Reeves Dreux Endowed Chair, and is a Professor in the Celia Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University. A developmental psychologist and public health researcher, she is internationally recognized for her interdisciplinary work on gender equity in global health and development. She has led numerous federally and foundation-funded studies on gender theory and measurement, sexual and reproductive health, maternal and adolescent health, women’s empowerment, and gender inequalities, including gender-based violence and child marriage. She has authored approximately 375 peer-reviewed publications and is among the most cited social scientists globally.

She founded and directs EMERGE, an open-access platform providing evidence-based measures of gender equality and empowerment, and developed indicators used in national surveys for global tracking of Sustainable Development Goal 5. She also leads the Violence EXperiences (VEX) Study, which collects state-level data in California and Louisiana on violence, discrimination, and mental health to inform policy and prevention efforts. 

Dr. Raj has served as an advisor to UN Women, UNFPA, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, and the David and Lucille Packard Foundation on issues of gender equity, women’s health, and empowerment. She has been an invited speaker at the United Nations General Assembly on child, early, and forced marriage, serves on the International Advisory Board of The Lancet Global Health. She was previously a Steering Committee Member of The Lancet Commission on Gender and Social Norms, previously co-chaired the Committee on Gender Empowerment, Sociodemographic Development, and Population Dynamics for the National Academy of Sciences, and was on the leadership team for an NIH supported special issue on “Gender, power, and health: Modifiable factors and opportunities for intervention,” published in the journal Social Science and Medicine. 

Based on her unique and impactful contributions to understanding and addressing gender inequities in health and development using rigorous social science and other advanced methodologies, she was recently elected to be a member of the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in the fields of health and science, recognizing individuals who have made outstanding contributions to medical and public health research, policy, and leadership.

Robert brings a wealth of leadership, legal, and community development experience to her current role. Most recently serving as Director of State Operations for the country at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Agency, she has overseen national economic development initiatives, infrastructure investment, and community revitalization efforts. Her prior experience includes serving as State Director for USDA Rural Development in Louisiana, Executive Counsel at the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, General Counsel for the Southern University System, and Deputy Director of the Litigation and Public Protection Division(s) at the Louisiana Attorney General's Office. With deep expertise in public-private partnerships, economic development, and strategic planning, Robert is well-positioned to guide BBR’s efforts to create more equitable and vibrant communities throughout East Baton Rouge.

Jessica Starns is a founding Partner at Starns Kenny & Easterling, LLC, where she maintains a niche practice providing governmental affairs (lobbying), business formation and licensing, regulatory compliance, and legal services to breweries, distilleries, CBD producers, wholesalers, e-commerce platforms, hotels, special event organizers, and alcohol, tobacco, CBD, and vape retailers. Jessica’s clients enjoy the benefit of her expertise in navigating state and local legislative processes, and federal, state, and local regulatory processes. She is an active member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and numerous industry organizations including, the National Association of State Liquor Administrators, the National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals, and the Association of Louisiana Lobbyists. She is a member of the board of directors for Ellevate Louisiana.

Jessica served as the managing partner of Jessica Starns Attorney at Law, LLC, a boutique governmental affairs and law firm, for six years prior to forming Starns Kenny & Easterling, LLC. She has also previously served as the executive counsel for the Louisiana Office of Alcohol & Tobacco Control, special counsel to the commissioner of the Louisiana Division of Administration, and special counsel to the governor of Louisiana on budget, tax, commerce, and alcoholic beverage legislation. Jessica frequently speaks on alcohol and tobacco policy at national industry association conferences and has drafted and played an instrumental role in the passage of numerous legislative instruments.

During her time of government service, Jessica played a vital role in converting a $500,000 agency deficit to over a $1.2M surplus by developing and implementing solutions to increase productivity and initiating technological advancements. She also successfully developed and implemented methods to enhance customer service and maximize resources by establishing sound policies and training programs, simplifying bureaucratic processes, eliminating wasteful practices, and leading initiatives to work with various state and local departments to combine duplicative regulatory procedures. She was honored as "Division Star" out of hundreds of employees for demonstrating exceptional personal performance standards.

Jessica is obtained her Juris Doctorate from Chapman University, Dale E. Fowler School of Law where she was appointed to the Honor Council, was a research assistant in the area of administrative law and was a member of the Tax Law Society and Public Interest Law Foundation. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from Tulane University with a double major in sociology and mass communications. Jessica resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with her husband Brian, a firefighter, and their son Dax.

Pilar Blanco Eble, Ed.D. is the Vice Chancellor of Advancement and Executive Director of the Baton Rouge Community College Foundation. Dr. Eble has over 20 years of higher education experience. Prior to BRCC, she served as the Senior Director of Donor and External Relations at the University of Louisiana. Dr. Eble previously served as the Associate Director of International Programs at the University of Minnesota, Morris. Her career in advancement includes stints at the University of Mississippi and Tulane University in New Orleans. Dr. Eble’s experience in university advancement has been dynamic, involving comprehensive campaigns, external and donor relations, major gifts, principal gifts, annual giving, and alumni engagement. 

Dr. Eble earned her doctorate in higher education administration and bachelor's degree from the University of Louisiana, and her master’s degree from the University of Mississippi.  She is married to Michael Eble and has four children, Ben Michael, Eli, Miles, and Oliver. Dr. Eble is an active member of her community and currently serves as Vice Chair for Ellevate Louisiana. She is a member of the Episcopal School of Acadiana’s Parent’s Club. She is also a Board member of the Lafayette Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

A Lake Charles native, Willie Landry Mount is proud to call Southwest Louisiana home. She is a graduate of McNeese State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. In 2016 she was awarded a Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by McNeese State University.

In 1993, Willie was elected the first female Mayor of Lake Charles. After serving over 6 and a half years as Mayor, Willie became the first woman elected as a Louisiana State Senator from District 27 in 1999.

Willie currently serves on the Library Board of Control for the Calcasieu Parish Public Library, Lakeside Bank Board of Directors, Louisiana Community and Technical College System Board of Supervisors, Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana Board of Directors, Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Board of Directors, McNeese State University Foundation Board of Directors, President of the Boy Scouts of America-Calcasieu Area Council and Chair of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Board of Directors.