Diverse group continues tradition of preparing region’s next cohort of leaders
Baton Rouge, LA (August 8, 2017) – The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) today announced the members of the Baton Rouge Area Leadership Class of 2018. The selected participants represent a cross section of the Capital Region’s business, civic and non-profit communities.
Members of the 2018 class include:
Matthew Lane Adams
Assistant Commissioner for Policy &
Legislative Affairs
Louisiana Board of Regents
Pranjal Lalwani Banthia
Business Operations Manager
Cox Communications
Melissa Lindsey Bezet
Compliance & Regulatory Affairs
AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana
Brittni Diane Blankenship
Director of Marketing
Quality Engineering & Surveying
Franz Nicholas Borghardt
Attorney
Borghardt Law Firm
Eric S. Borne
Engineering Alliance Group Head
ExxonMobil
Jeffrey Wayne Boykin
Chief Administrative Officer
Boykin Brothers LLC, LA Concrete Products
Bridgette B. Coleman
Owner
Coleman Consulting Group
Eugene Lawerence Collins
Director of Prevention
HAART Inc.
Tokesha Collins-Wright
Partner
Kean Miller
Melissa Kay Curtis
Director of Marketing & Development
HOPE Ministries of Baton Rouge
Lynda Alyssa Daigle
Commercial Sales & Leasing
Latter & Blum, Inc.
Karmen Rochelle Davis
Senior Training Specialist
LED FastStart
Corey Brian Dinkel
Project Controls Manager
Performance Contractors, Inc.
Kyle J. Finke
Director
Louisiana Resource Center for Educators
Heather Allyson Folks-Givens
Human Resource Consultant
Guarantee Restoration Services
Hien Dang Fontenot
Manager, Marketing Operations & Business Development
Blue Cross Blue Shield of LA
Ryan Christopher Gisclair
Owner
Capital South Wealth Management, LLC
Nathalie Nicole Godfrey
Asst. Commissioner for Public Affairs
Louisiana Board of Regents
Melissa M. Grand
Attorney
McGlinchey Stafford
Michelle Flemming Hardy
Corporate Resource Coordinator
Turner Industries
Timothy Emile Johnson
Program Manager-PBI/Project ROAR
Baton Rouge Community College
Theresa Broussard Jones
President & Founder
Theresa B. Jones Consulting
Brandon Lacey Kelly
VP, Community Reinvestment Act Officer
Home Bank
Megan Howard Kelly
Creative Director
Treygan Productions
Sara Landreneau Kleinpeter
Coordinator of Board Services
Louisiana’s Community & Technical College System
Emily May Kline
Major and Annual Giving Officer
Woman’s Hospital
William Dunnica Lampton
Partner
Jones Walker LLP
Eric B. Landry
Partner
Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson
Christen Mae Losey-Gregg
Principal
Losey Insurance and Financial Services
Heather Nicole Maturin
Director of Pharmacy
Ochsner Health System
Jeff David Mosely
VP of Facilities & Construction
Our Lady of the Lake
William S. Mulina
Arts Coordinator/Teacher
WBR Schools/Brusly High School
Kenny Khiem Nguyen
CEO
ThreeSixtyEight
Adrian Annette Owen
Director of Prospect Management
LSU Foundation
Marie Brewer Powell
Principal/Brand Strategist/Creative Director
Brew Agency
Erik Thomas Showalter
Major & Planned Gifts Officer
Baton Rouge General Foundation
Kimberly Ming-Gee Tang
Director/Teacher Leadership Development
Teach for America
Frederick Link Thomas
Commander/Scotlandville Substation
East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office
Melissa Meghan Thompson
Director of Talent Development
Baton Rouge Area Chamber
George Wilton Town
Senior Vice President
Capital One Bank
Dawn Rube Vick
Pediatrician
The Baton Rouge Clinic
Chloe Constance Wiley
Founder/School Director
Baton Rouge Bridge Academy
The Baton Rouge Area Leadership Program was founded in 1985 to prepare a diverse group of professionals for leadership positions in the community. The program’s goals are:
- to seek out, train, and promote high achievers for positions of voluntary responsibility in the community;
- to provide these developing leaders with practical information concerning community issues and problems;
- to establish a communication network among the existing and emerging leaders of the community; and
- to challenge these leaders to increase their involvement in community affairs.
The program focuses on topic areas such as education, diversity and inclusivity, city and state government, health care and social issues, economic development, the arts and culture, and the criminal justice system. Graduates leave the program with first-hand knowledge of the issues facing our region and the potential for a positive community experience through volunteerism.
The program commences nine months of training with a two-day retreat in August. From September to April, the class devotes an entire day each month for lectures, discussions, field trips and practical exercises pertinent to community issues. To conclude the program, a two-day retreat is held in May, followed by a graduation dinner in June. The program is led by Emily Stich.
About the Baton Rouge Area Leadership Program
The Baton Rouge Area Leadership Program was founded as a program of BRAC to prepare a diverse group of professionals for leadership positions in the community. There are now more than 1,000 graduates of the program, many of whom serve in leadership positions on boards, commissions, and hold local, state, or federal elected offices. More information is available at https://brac.org/investors/become-involved/#brleadership.
About the Baton Rouge Area Chamber
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) leads economic development in the nine-parish Baton Rouge Area, working to grow jobs and wealth and to improve the business climate and competitiveness in the region. Today, BRAC investors include more than 1,500 small businesses, midsize firms, large industry and entrepreneurial startups, as well as individuals and organizations that support business and economic development. In this capacity, BRAC serves as the voice of the business community, providing knowledge, access, services and advocacy. More information is available at www.brac.org.
###