Dean's Advisory Council

Elaine Abell

Attorney in private practice

 

Sadie Blanchard

Associate Professor of Law, University of Notre Dame 

Why Sadie serves: My experience in the Honors College was formative. I credit it for much of my professional success, and I want to contribute to continuing the OHC tradition for current and future students.  

 

Michael Blue

Credit Risk Executive, Bank of America

Why Michael serves:  The OHC is an outstanding representation of the best Louisiana and its flagship University have to offer. OHC is helping make students better citizens of the world and I’m wanting to contribute to its mission in any way possible. 

 

Lisa Brandes

Asst. Dean for Grad Student Affairs, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Yale University (retired); currently consultant & community volunteer

Why Lisa serves: I am pleased to serve on the OHC Advisory Council to help support current Honors efforts and current and future students. My LSU Honors experience gave me a broad education in the arts and sciences which I used in my work with university students and faculty, and appreciate in my travels, reading and lifelong learning. I enjoyed the very small classes, engaging faculty, unique research opprtunities, and creative classmates. 

 

 

James Brown

Shareholder, Liskow & Lewis, PLC 

Why James serves: Love of the Honors College 

Anita Byrne

Partner, SSA Consultants

Paula Davis

Legislator, State of Louisiana 

Why Paula serves: To aid the LSU Honors College to continue to be a competitive institution and aid in keeping Louisiana kids in Louisiana.

Jason El Koubi

President & CEO, Virginia Economic Development Partnership 

Why Jason serves: As a proud alumnus of the Ogden Honors College, I want to give back and support the next generation of talented students as well as the dedicated faculty and staff of LSU.  

 

Carmen Escalante

Department of General Internal Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center

Larry Franceski

Larry Franceski
Retired Partner/Of Counsel, Norton Rose Fulbright

Why Larry serves: The Honors Division (the forerunner of the Ogden Honors College) was a transformative force in my life.  The program introduced me to academic mentors and lifelong friends.  My LSU Honors education led to opportunities and prepared me to pursue them.    Serving on the

Advisory Council is a privilege.  It gives me the chance to help “pay it forward” so that future students have similar opportunities.  It also makes me happy to be able to play a small part in shaping the course of an institution that is so important to me.

 

Barbara Freiberg

State Representative, State of Louisiana

Why Barbara serves: I serve in an effort to make LSU’s academic programs among the best in the nation. The Honor’s College is extremely important. To this effort. 

 

Greg Guidry

Greg Guidry
Senior Advisor/Director, Oaktree Capital 

Why Greg serves: Having an impact on the flagship university for the state of La. in terms of attracting, developing and sourcing its future leaders.

 

 

James Gulotta

   Jay Gulotta
Attorney, Stone Pigman Law Firm 

Why Jay serves: My experience as a student in the Honors Division from 1969-73 was one of the best experiences of my life--certainly my best educational experience; though Mrs. Haydel, my 4th grade teacher, rates a close second. My hopes for the current Ogden Honors College are two: 1. that the undergraduates matriculating in the college today and in the future are rewarded as richly as I was; and 2. that a well-resourced, credible program matching well-qualified and highly motivated students with dedicated faculty members will produce a national beacon of educational excellence attracting the best students from Louisiana, the Gulf South, and beyond, thereby inspiring our state's citizens to identify LSU with educational achievement in addition to athletic achievement. 

Brian Haymon

    Brian Haymon
CEO, Loadstar Product Handling Services, LLC 

Why Brian serves: I founded the Advisory Council more than 20 years ago because I strongly believe in the mission of the Ogden Honors College, which is to recruit, educate, and provide Louisiana with the next generation of leaders. The Advisory Council has been instrumental to the growth and success of the College. Its members include some of the most talented, interesting, and dedicated people I have ever met. Many have become lifelong friends. We share a passion for excellence and see the Ogden Honors College as a means to help transform Louisiana for the good of its people. 

Thomas Henley

     Thomas Henley
Managing Director,  Bernhard Capital Partners 

Why Thomas serves: To provide a value added impact on the students at LSU specifically, and LSU more broadly, in better positioning the entire state as a strong economic engine throughout the Gulf Coast Region, and nationally. 

 

 

Steve Horton

Steve Horton
Executive Director, Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA)

Why Steve serves: I am representing the unique school setting I direct; so many of our students funnel through the Honors College due to the strong relations between the two institutions. 

LeRoy Lambert

Arbitrator/Mediator, Lambert Alternative Dispute Resolution LLC 

Why LeRoy serves: To give back to LSU and the state, to keep abreast of what's happening in higher education, and to have the opportunity to socialize with old friends and those whose company I've come to enjoy since becoming a member.  

Victor Lashley

Director, Originations - Global Receivables & Trade Finance, Wells Fargo

Why Victor serves: My Honors College and LASAL experience at LSU were pivotally instrumental in my professional trajectory, especially as a first-generation undergraduate. 

Walt Leger

President & CEO, New Orleans & Company

Why Walt serves:

I believe deeply in LSU as a essential component and foundational institution to the future economic vitality of the State. I see the Ogden Honor's College as a critical component to helping LSU to be the greatest institution that it can be and a tool to keep our best and brightest in Louisiana and attract talent from around the nation and the globe.

I also credit the Honor's college with being central to attracting me to LSU and providing me with ammunition to defend my decision to attend LSU rather than other more "prestigious" out of state colleges in the years before TOPS existed.

 

 

Cynthia Mabry

Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher

 

Roger “Field” Hadfield Ogden II, MD

Partner, Southern Orthopaedic Specialists

 

Sally Perry

Executive Director, New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) Foundation 

Why Sally serves: To support our flagship university's best and brightest students with a highly rated/performing Honors College 

 

Allen Richey

Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Chief of Staff to the CEO, Lumen Technologies

Why Allen serves: LSU's Ogden Honors College is one of the best assets in LSU's portfolio, which is one of the best assets in the State of Louisiana. I'm excited to contribute to supporting the Ogden Honors College to change lives of students, improve the State's economic competitiveness, and enhance the quality of life for Louisiana residents.  

Elizabeth Ronn

Board Member, Health2047

Why Elizabeth serves: I came to LSU because of the Honors program, so I want it to continue to flourish and attract great students to LSU. 

 

Laura Scott

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Keith Short

President, Urban Partnerships Community Development Corporation (UP-CDC) 

Why James serves: My commitment to LSU inspires me to find and serve the Honors College students and programs.

 

Lawrence "Larry" Simon, MD

Medical Director, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana 

Why Larry serves: To give back to and promote the University and program that did so much for me. 

 

Carrie Steakley

Head of School, Episcopal School of Baton Rouge

Why Carrie serves: I hope to provide expertise from the independent school sector to assist the honors college in attracting the best and the brightest students from secondary schools nationwide.

David Stern

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, The University of Tampa

Why David serves: I am a 1977 graduate of what was then the Honors Division. The experience I had in Honors was decisive in my career, and I made good friends with whom I am still connected. Serving on the OHC Advisory Council is a way of giving back in gratitude.  

Deborah Sternberg

Chair, Young Entrepreneurs Academy of Baton Rouge 

 

Why Deborah serves: The success of the Honors College is integral to moving Louisiana forward.

Michael Tipton

President, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation 

Why Michael serves: I attended LSU, in large part, due to the promise of the Honors College. I built great friendships, was pushed to think differently and to lead in different ways. My career - first as a teacher then non-profit leader - sprang from these experiences and the one thing I've seen again and again throughout the years since is that power of talented people to change the trajectory of a problem, an organization and a state. That is what I believe we see in the promise of honors students and why I support the Honors college and am glad to serve on the Advisory Council. 

Anita Warner

Retired attorney

Why Anita serves: Because I believe in the Honors College mission. 

Mary Leach Werner

Director and Vice President of The Sweet Lake Land & Oil Company and The North American Land Company

Pat Widhalm

Head of School, Benjamin Franklin High School 

Why Pat serves: I recognize the value of OHC both as an appropriate educational opportunity for high ability students, but also as a community. Learning, creativity, personal expression, finding a vocation - it all occurs in a safe, inclusive, diverse environment that thrives in the classroom, the dorm room, and every place in between.