Meet Angelle Lavergne Terry
Occupation: Senior Project Architect
Organization: WHLC Architecture
Tell us a little about your Baton Rouge Story. What brought you to Baton Rouge?
Baton Rouge has been home for the majority of my life. I was born in Lake Charles and moved to Baton Rouge when I was in second grade. I attended elementary school at St. George School, high school at St. Joseph’s Academy, and college at LSU School of Architecture. Following graduation, I was hired at WHLC Architecture.
Tell us more about how you’re involved in Baton Rouge.
I am a Senior Project Architect at WHLC Architecture. My professional and volunteer work allows me several opportunities to be involved in the Baton Rouge community and to make it a better place.
I am a founding member and past president of the Rotaract Professionals of Baton Rouge, which is a young professionals’ organization affiliated with the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge. Our motto is ‘Learn. Engage. Serve’, and all our events revolve around this motto. We feature unique speakers to learn about our community, host social events to engage with other professionals, and participate in regular service projects to serve the community. Since the club’s formation in 2012, I have had the opportunity to continually serve on the board and meet wonderful people.
I am a graduate of BRAC’s Leadership Baton Rouge Program. The program strives to create leaders who will make Baton Rouge a better place to live, work, and play. I now serve as the representative from my class on the Leadership Baton Rouge Alumni Board.
I am a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Previously I served on the local AIA Baton Rouge board as the Associate Liaison and was an AIA Baton Rouge Rose Award committee member for multiple years.
What is your favorite thing about Baton Rouge?
My favorite thing about Baton Rouge is the people. There are so many fantastic people working hard to create a better place for us all.
What is your dream for Baton Rouge?
My dream for Baton Rouge is for it to be more inclusive, be safer for all citizens, and have a better education system. I believe this will help us keep our current talent IN Baton Rouge and attract new talent to the area.
How are young professionals like yourself shaping Baton Rouge?
Young professionals are working every day to better the quality of life for Baton Rouge residents. They are actively working to create a more vibrant place that current and future residents would be happy to call home. They are opening new businesses, serving on boards, creating new programs/events, and developing interesting places for the community.
What would you say to someone considering a move to Baton Rouge?
Baton Rouge is a great place to be. The people are wonderful, food is delicious, football is fun, and we welcome new people to help create it into an even better place to be!
What is your Baton Rouge favorite?
- Place to eat: Nino’s. The food is absolutely amazing every time! You can’t go wrong with fresh pasta and local ingredients.
- Place to hang out: I love grabbing coffee, a drink, or a meal with friends and family. A few of my favorite places include coffee at Magpie, drinks at Olive or Twist, and a meal at Nino’s.
- Place to capture the perfect Instagram pic: Downtown Baton Rouge! You have the beautiful oaks in Capitol Park, quirky houses in Spanish Town, and the vibrant murals throughout downtown.
- Place to people watch: LSU football tailgating is my favorite! It is always entertaining to watch the LSU and visiting team’s fans having a good time before the game. Seeing their tailgating set up and what is on their tailgating menu is always interesting.
- Place to network: The Alliance quarterly gatherings are my favorite. The group was founded by Julie Laperouse, and it is a fantastic place to network with women in Baton Rouge who are actively working to make it a better place! It also doesn’t hurt that you can get a cocktail while making wonderful connections.
- Way to give back: Last summer I was part of a team who coordinated the Thrive Academy Beautification Weekend. The goal of the project was to landscape their existing campus, create outdoor gathering space for the students, add planters for fruits and vegetables, and paint their existing classrooms. It felt great to help a wonderful school and do a small part in beautifying the campus for the students to enjoy in the future. Volunteering time and resources to the local food bank and St. Vincent de Paul is also very rewarding.
- Event: Wearing of the Green St Patrick’s Day Parade – it is impressive to see how the parade gets bigger and bigger each year!
With significant job growth, a bustling arts scene, delectable cuisine, abundant outdoor activities and more, the Capital Region attracts talent of all ages, including young professionals. Whether straight out of college or looking to establish their own business, more and more young professionals are choosing to lay their roots in Baton Rouge.
Each month, BRAC highlights one of these young Baton Rouge Area movers and shakers in the Young Professional Spotlight.