Baton Rouge, La. (June 5, 2019) — The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) concluded its 33rd year of the Leadership Baton Rouge program on Tuesday, June 4, graduating 39 participants from the 2019 class into its alumni base of more than 1,100.
The program focuses on key areas such as education, diversity, city and state government, health care and social concerns, economic development, the arts and culture, and the criminal justice system. Graduates leave the program with first-hand knowledge of the resources, assets and issues facing the Capital Region and the potential for a positive community experience through servant leadership.
Participants are competitively selected from public and private agencies, corporations, civic and other organizations, and individual nominators. Participants are accepted on demonstrated leadership ability through career or community achievements, concern for the future of the Baton Rouge Area, and commitment to the program.
The graduates of the 2019 class are:
| · Aaron Bayham | Celtic Studios |
| · Jonathan D. Blake | Hammonds, Sills, Adkins and Guice, LLP |
| · LaMiesa D. Bonton | Bonton Associates |
| · Em Cooper | Louisiana Department of Education |
| · Adonica Pelichet Duggan | New Schools for Baton Rouge |
| · Alsie Dunbar | SGS Oil & Gas North America |
| · Chrissy Dupuy | Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center |
| · Bryan Fontenot | Brown & Brown Insurance |
| · Tommy Freel | LaPorte CPAs & Business Advisors |
| · Lance Glaser | Performance Contractors, Inc. |
| · Brace B. “Trey” Godfrey III | 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge |
| · Carissa Graves | Cristo Rey Baton Rouge Franciscan High School |
| · LaDonna B. Green | Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group |
| · Druit Gremillion, Jr. | Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, LLP |
| · AnnaBeth Guillory | Ochsner Health System |
| · Sarah C. Haneline | BASF |
| · Stuart D. Helo | CSRS, Inc. |
| · Joshua G. Hollins | LA Department of Transportation |
| · Monica Hughes | Baton Rouge Area Chamber |
| · Seth Irby | Emergent Method |
| · Dorothy Kemp | LSU Cox Communications Academic Center for Student Athletes |
| · Elizabeth Howard Kline | Woman’s Hospital Foundation for Woman’s |
| · Matthew LaBruyere | Louisiana Board of Regents |
| · Mandy B. LaCerte | University View Academy |
| · Anne Segura Manint | General Health System / Baton Rouge General |
| · Kristy Mayes | Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation |
| · Elizabeth Minton | Teach for America |
| · Antoinette Patterson | American Dream Realty |
| · Pheriche Perkins | Louisiana Department of Education |
| · Rawlston D. Phillips III | Sun Plus, Inc. |
| · Kathryn Pittman | Postlethwaite & Netterville |
| · Brandis Rawls | Springhill Suites Baton Rouge North |
| · Daniel Richard | Louisiana Scrap Metal Recycling |
| · J. Tracy Rutledge | Red River Bank |
| · Mardrah Starks-Robinson | Louisiana Department of Health |
| · Brittany Sykes | Urban League of Louisiana |
| · Eric Troutman | Troutman Insurance Agency |
| · Katie Valenciano | St. Joseph’s Academy |
| · Todd Weldy | Placid Refining Company, LLC
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The graduation event was sponsored by Acadian Ambulance Service, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, Neighbors Federal Credit Union, and the Leadership Baton Rouge Alumni.
About the Leadership Baton Rouge program
Leadership Baton Rouge was founded in 1985 as a program of BRAC to prepare a diverse group of professionals for leadership positions in the community. There are now more than 1,100 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 brac.org/leadership.
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 brac.org.
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