The Baton Rouge Area Chamber has named the members of its Leadership Baton Rouge class of 2023. The selected participants represent a cross section of the capital region's business, civic and nonprofit communities.
Members of the 2023 class are:
Adam Beary, Bear Process Safety; Allie Diefendorf, The Baton Rouge Youth Coalition; Amanda Stout, McGlinchey Stafford; Anna Johnson, West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce; Anthony B. O'Connor, Cadence Insurance; Beau Bourgeois, Kean Miller; Brandi Simmons, LSU Communication across the Curriculum; Brian Cordasco, Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital; Casey Meyer, Kuvare; Chrisdelin Lyles, East Baton Rouge Parish School System; Chynsia Robertson, b1Bank; Allison Smith, Louisiana Board of Regents; Ed Halphen, Woman's Hospital; Elizabeth Beckham, Turner Industries; Elizabeth Liner, Baker Donelson; Erica A. Johnson, community volunteer; Gibbons Addison, Jones Walker; Jaleesa Thompson, Coach on the Geaux Consulting; James Mack, Baton Rouge City-Parish Employees' Retirement System, Jesse Watson, Discovery Schools; Jessica Guinn Johnson, E Pluribus Unum Institute; Jonathan Grimes, Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge; Jordan Gleason, Cornerstone Government Affairs; Kimberly Littlefield, Keyfinders Team Realty; Lizzie Cossé, Watershed Advisors; Luz Randolph, City Year Baton Rouge; Marie Mullen, Teach for America; Mathilde Silverberg, The Louisiana Public Health Institute; Morgan Almeida, Baton Rouge Area Chamber; Niles Haymer, Criminal Justice Coordinating Council; Paula-Marie Mensah, BASF Corporation; Paxson Guest, Phelps Dunbar; Perryn Keys, The Advocate; Rachel Carroccio, Emergent Method; Shawn Zeringue, LWCC; Sinella Aghasi, Kids' Orchestra; Taylor LeDuff, Adams and Reese; Terri Ricks, Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services; Trisha Guidry, Baton Rouge General Medical Center; Viveca Johnson, Forward Moving Counseling and Consulting Services; and Wendy Daniels, Beechwood Residential.
Leadership Baton Rouge was founded in 1985 to prepare a diverse group of professionals for leadership positions in the community.
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Ursula White, assistant professor at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, has been selected by The Obesity Society to the Society of Behavioral Medicine Leadership Institute.
The purpose of the leadership institute is to make participants effective leaders by fostering self-awareness and the development of leadership skills. The yearlong training will help participants assess and deepen inherent leadership qualities.
She earned a doctorate in biological sciences from LSU. Her laboratory at Pennington Biomedical focuses on the impact of changes in nutrition and exercise on obesity and related diseases.
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The Young Leadership Council has announced its 2023 Role Model class.
The class is made up of outstanding New Orleanians who serve as role models by actively contributing to the betterment of the region.
The group includes: Davon Barbour, Downtown Development District; Rashain Carriere-Williams, Boys Town Louisiana; Tiffany Delcour, NOLA Public Schools; Kathy Hebert, KRH Consulting; Deacon John Moore, musician; Rachel G. Shields, Greater New Orleans, Inc.; Scott Sternberg, Sternberg Naccari & White; Ron Stone, Shell; Isaac Toups; Toups' Meatery; and Melissa A. Weber, performer and historian.
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Dr. Kevin DiBenedetto, co-founder and chief medical officer of Premier Health, was honored with the 2023 Outstanding Achievement Award from the Urgent Care Foundation.
DiBenedetto was recognized for advancing Urgent Care Foundation initiatives, such as an industrywide antibiotic stewardship program and opioid prescribing guidelines.
DiBenedetto and Dr. Graham Tujague opened their first clinic in 1999 as part of a joint venture with Our Lady of the Lake Health. It was one of the country's first doctor-health system urgent care partnerships.
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William Wainwright, chancellor of Northshore Technical Community College, has been named president of the St. Tammany Parish Development District Board.
Wainwright has served on the board since 2018. He replaces Marty Mayer as president.
Mike Gambrell, senior vice president for commercial banking at Resource Bank, was named vice president of the development board. Gambrell, who had served as treasurer, replaces Mike Tillman.
Scott Day, chief financial officer at Kent Design Build, is the new treasurer.