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On this episode of Discover Lafayette, we welcome Nancy Landry, Louisiana’s 45th Secretary of State and the state’s chief elections officer. A Lafayette native and former State Representative for District 31, Landry brings both institutional knowledge and a deep personal connection to Acadiana as she returns home to discuss a pivotal moment in Louisiana’s election landscape. Landry opens with a reminder that while most people associate her office with elections, its responsibilities extend far beyond the ballot box. “We administer all the elections in the state,” she explains, “but we also are in charge of registering businesses, we administer and run nine museums, and we’re in charge of keeping and preserving the state’s archives.” She emphasizes the office’s goal of providing “a one-stop shop” for businesses, with accessible and largely free public records, a resource many, including those in the legal community, rely upon daily. The heart of the conversation centers on significant changes to Louisiana’s election system. Beginning with the May 16 primary, the state will implement a partially closed party primary for five specific races: U.S. House, U.S. Senate, Louisiana Supreme Court, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), and the Public Service Commission. Landry explains clearly: “If you are a registered Republican, you will get a Republican ballot and if you’re a Democrat, you’ll get the Democrat ballot. And if you are an unaffiliated “No Party” voter, you will get to choose which primary you participate in when you arrive at your precinct to vote.” She stresses that this selection of Democrat or Republican, once made, carries through any runoff election. This shift marks a notable departure from Louisiana’s long-standing “jungle primary” system and introduces new responsibilities for voters. Landry underscores the importance of awareness: “Even though you’ve been voting a certain way your whole life, if you’ve not officially changed your party registration, that official registration is what determines which ballot you get.” The deadline to update voter registration or party affiliation for the upcoming May 16 primary election is April 25. She strongly encourages voters to verify their party status using the Secretary of State’s GeauxVote webpage or mobile app. The conversation also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the complexity of administering elections across Louisiana’s 64 parishes. Landry describes a highly coordinated system of training, logistics, and oversight, calling poll workers “the backbone of elections.” She candidly shares that election days are rarely without incident—“There is a fire somewhere at some precinct in almost every single election,” highlighting the adaptability required to ensure voting continues uninterrupted. Louisiana’s election system, she notes, is nationally recognized for its integrity. “We’re ranked number four in the nation in election integrity,” Landry says, pointing to what she calls the “four P’s”: people, policies, procedures, and physical security. Among those safeguards: voting machines that are never connected to the internet, public testing and sealing procedures, and strict enforcement of election laws. Looking ahead, Landry discusses efforts to modernize Louisiana’s voting infrastructure. The current system is more than 30 years old, and the state is working toward a new model that combines efficiency with accountability. “We want the speed and accuracy that we’re used to, but we also want to have that paper ballot to provide a check and balance,” she explains, describing plans for risk-limiting audits as the “gold standard” for verifying election results. Photo of Secretary of State Nancy Landry by Javier Gallegos of Nola.com Beyond policy and process, Landry speaks passionately about civic engagement. From serving as a poll worker to contacting elected officials, she encourages citizens to take an active role in shaping their communities. “The number one people that we listen to are our constituents,” she says, reflecting on her own experience as a legislator. She also reminds listeners that even local elections, often overlooked, can have the most direct impact on daily life. At its core, this conversation is a timely and practical guide for Louisiana voters navigating meaningful change. Landry’s message is clear: stay informed, verify your registration, and most importantly—show up. We thank Secretary of State Nancy Landry for her service to our state and devotion to making her office the best in the U. S.

Recorded on March 19, 2026 at Vermilionville during the LFT Fiber Powered by Connectivity Summit, this episode of Discover Lafayette captures a powerful conversation about leadership, innovation, and the role of connectivity in shaping Acadiana’s future. The summit’s theme, Growth Powered by Fiber – Where Technology Meets Community, comes to life through the perspective of Dr. Ramesh Kolluru, newly appointed seventh president of University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Dr. Kolluru’s story is deeply intertwined with Lafayette itself. Reflecting on his journey from India to Acadiana, he shares, “This is not where I was born. I grew up in India. But I chose to grow old in Acadiana, and here at this university that I came to as a graduate student back in 1992.” What began as a practical decision, “Mom and Dad decided that I was going to go where my brother was,” evolved into a lifelong commitment to the region. His early impressions of Lafayette shifted quickly as he immersed himself in research and community, ultimately “falling in love with this place.” A defining moment in his journey came through an unexpected mentor: former university president Dr. Ray Authement. Kolluru recalls how Dr. Authement would quietly visit his lab, asking about his work and future plans. “Here was the president of a university of 16,000 students checking in on an international graduate student; the president was checking in on me.” That experience shaped his philosophy of leadership, instilling a belief in visibility, belonging, and personal impact. As he puts it, “Here was the president of the university that made me feel like I mattered. I was visible and I counted.” Now leading the university himself, Kolluru emphasizes that his success is inseparable from the institution’s influence on him. “This university poured itself into me. It made me who I am today.” His presidency builds on decades of service, including his tenure as Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Economic Development, where he helped guide UL Lafayette to its prestigious Carnegie R1 designation, placing it among the top 3% of research universities in the nation. Research at UL Lafayette spans a wide range of critical fields, from artificial intelligence and energy to biotechnology. Kolluru highlights the university’s national leadership in data science and AI, noting, “Artificial intelligence and machine learning will continue to inform our society and our economy and our national competitiveness.” He also points to groundbreaking work at the New Iberia Research Center, the country’s largest primate research station, where “the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was proven to be safe and effective on nonhuman primates before the vaccines were available for public use.” These efforts reflect a broader vision of positioning Louisiana as a major player in biotech and advanced manufacturing. Central to this vision is the connection between research and real-world impact. Kolluru has long championed aligning academic innovation with economic development, ensuring students have pathways to meaningful careers. “We wanted to make sure that what we were doing in research translated into jobs here in our community.” That strategy has helped Acadiana retain its talent, with 82% of graduates staying in the region one year after graduation. “That number drops from 82% to 77% five years later and a decade later, from 82% to 72%.” Student success remains at the heart of his leadership. Recognizing the unique challenges facing today’s students, particularly in the wake of COVID-19, Kolluru has made wellness a top priority. “Students are our mission, students are our first business,” he says, emphasizing a holistic approach that addresses mental health, financial hardship, and basic needs. Initiatives like food pantries and career closets are essential supports, ensuring “food scarcity is not the reason why they have to drop out of school.” The conversation also addresses the financial challenges currently facing the university. Upon stepping into leadership, Kolluru confronted a $50 million deficit. Through disciplined measures, that gap has been significantly reduced. “At this point, we’ve dug our way out of the hole; we have covered $38 million.” While difficult decisions have been required and another $12 million must be covered before the end of this fiscal year on June 30, 2026, his focus remains on protecting the university’s core mission and people, describing the work as “my opportunity to nurture this university back to good health.” A recurring theme throughout the discussion is the power of community vision, particularly in Lafayette’s long history of investing in its own future. From early electrification to today’s municipally owned LFT Fiber network, Kolluru sees a direct line of leadership and innovation. “That’s in the DNA of the community, that’s in the water that we drink.” He credits this legacy for enabling UL Lafayette’s current success and future potential. Connectivity, especially through LFT Fiber, is a cornerstone of that future. Kolluru underscores its importance not just for convenience, but for global competitiveness. “Without this enabling capability, we would not be a university that would be leading the nation’s next center of excellence in the area of artificial intelligence.” The infrastructure supports data-intensive research and positions Lafayette as a leader on the national stage. “We are poised to take advantage of all of these, and I couldn’t be more excited about that.” Ultimately, this episode paints a compelling picture of a university and a community growing together, driven by leadership, sustained by innovation, and connected through a shared vision for the future. Discover Lafayette thanks Dr. Ramesh Kolluru for leading our hometown university to its next level of greatness. We also thank the educators and administrators at the university for all they have done to put Lafayette LA on the map. We are grateful for those who have gone before us and for those who continue to serve!

Destin Ortego, Executive Director of the Opportunity Machine, known as the “OM,” joined Discover Lafayette to discuss the OM’s role as a driving force behind Lafayette’s growing tech and startup ecosystem. This special edition of Discover Lafayette was recorded at LFT Fiber’s Powered by Connectivity Summit hosted at Vermilionville on March 19, 2026. Set against the theme of “Growth Powered by Fiber—Where Technology Meets Community,” Destin offers a candid and insightful look into how connectivity, relationships, and resilience are shaping the future of entrepreneurship in Acadiana. From the outset, Destin emphasizes that success isn’t about launching a business, it’s about sustaining the business. Endurance, not just an idea, defines success. Destin has been with the Opportunity Machine since 2013, guiding its evolution into a focused hub for high-growth, tech-enabled startups. Founded in 2010, OM is a nonprofit accelerator based in downtown Lafayette that provides mentorship, programming, and access to investors and business leaders. Today, it supports approximately 50 startup teams “in the tech space or doing very heavy Research and Development ranging from early idea stage to growth.” Destin Ortego outside of the Opportunity Machine at 314 Jefferson St. in Downtown Lafayette. Photo by Brad Kemp of the Acadiana Advocate. A key distinction Destin draws is between traditional small businesses and scalable, tech-driven startups. “Startups don’t necessarily need the exact same resources, their funding pathways are different, their strategies to launch and scale are different.” By narrowing its focus, OM has made it easier for entrepreneurs to understand when to engage with it, and just as importantly, when to connect with other organizations like LEDA, SBDC, or One Acadiana that can provide more appropriate assistance. That spirit of collaboration defines the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Destin’s approach to mentorship is both practical and empathetic. Rather than dismissing ideas outright, he helps founders test them in the real world. “It’s not my job to tell people their baby’s ugly; it’s my job to help them figure that out for themselves.” Entrepreneurs are encouraged to validate their concepts early by talking to potential customers before investing significant time or money. This disciplined approach helps prevent the all-too-common scenario of founders exhausting their resources on products no one wants or needs. The Opportunity Machine meets entrepreneurs where they are, even if that’s just an idea “on a napkin.” From there, OM helps founders de-risk their journey by setting milestones and validating assumptions before scaling. Many participants are balancing startups with full-time jobs and family responsibilities, making this structured support essential. Located at 314 Jefferson Street in downtown Lafayette, OM’s three-story space reflects the entrepreneurial journey itself: early-stage founders on the first floor, growing teams on the second, and revenue-generating companies on the third. Membership is intentionally accessible, starting at $100 per month, with additional resources available as companies grow. The Opportunity Machine’s downstairs space, photo by Brad Kemp of the Acadiana Advocate. Beyond physical space, OM’s real value lies in connection. As Destin explains, “The health of any startup ecosystem is connectivity—how well entrepreneurs know each other, how well they know investors, how plugged in they are to talent.” In an era where remote work is increasingly common, OM provides a place where those vital in-person relationships can form and flourish. The conversation highlights several success stories that underscore Lafayette’s emergence as a tech hub. Such an example is FlyGuys, now a national drone services provider, which has roots in the OM ecosystem with several of its team members having been affiliated with Waitr in its early growth stage. (Waitr was a restaurant food delivery system started by Chris Meaux and whose growth was helped by the assistance of the OM and its resources.) Destin shared, “Even though Waitr may not be around anymore, its overall impact on the entire community was over $1 billion.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEixV3f1pME Destin also shares “homecoming” stories of startups like Mallard Bay (an online platform that connects people who want outdoor adventures, like hunting or fishing, with trusted guides and outfitters) and Keepers (a locally founded startup that automates the entire housekeeping process for short-term rental property hosts and managers), which returned to Louisiana after stints in larger markets like Houston and Austin. Their reason? The strength and responsiveness of Acadiana’s support network. As one founder told him, “If I wait three or four weeks for help, I’ll be dead by then.” This speaks to a broader shift: Lafayette is no longer just nurturing startups, it’s attracting them back. Increased access to capital, talent, and infrastructure, especially through LFT Fiber, has made the region more competitive than ever. Reliable, high-speed internet is not a luxury for these companies; it’s essential. “Any disruption at all, for even for a few minutes, they notice,” Destin says, praising LFT Fiber’s reliability and community commitment. The conversation also explores the growing role of artificial intelligence in business. While AI is accelerating productivity, Destin offers a clear warning: “Garbage in is garbage out.” He stresses that founders must still apply critical thinking and quality control, noting that while AI can increase output, it doesn’t replace sound judgment, a point that resonates across all industries. At its core, this episode is about people. Technology may enable growth, but relationships drive it. As Destin puts it, “The internet and AI give us access, but people are still the endpoints.” A native of Parks, Louisiana, Destin is deeply committed to Acadiana’s future. His “why” is personal: “Do I leave Louisiana to find opportunity, or stay and create it?” Through his work at OM, he’s chosen the latter, helping build a future where the next generation won’t feel they have to leave to succeed. This conversation is a powerful reminder that Lafayette’s story is still being written, and thanks to leaders like Destin Ortego and organizations like the Opportunity Machine, that story is one of innovation, resilience, and connection. For more information about the Opportunity Machine’s resources, please visit https://opportunitymachine.org/.

Today on Discover Lafayette, we welcome Dale Clark, Ursula Quoyeser, and Kelly Viator to talk about the upcoming fifth annual Fin Feather Fur Food Festival, known as F5, benefiting Team Gleason Foundation. The event will be held April 30, 2026, at Blackham Coliseum, and if you’ve ever attended, you already know it’s one of those rare gatherings where incredible food, community spirit, and a powerful mission all come together. This conversation brings us to the heart of why F5 matters, and why this cause continues to resonate so deeply across Acadiana. Team Gleason is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by former New Orleans Saints safety Steve Gleason following his ALS diagnosis in 2011. Known for his iconic blocked punt in the Superdome that symbolized hope for a recovering New Orleans, Gleason has carried that same spirit into his life’s work. His message, “No White Flags,” has become a rallying cry for those facing ALS. Today, Team Gleason is recognized as one of the largest nonprofit providers of equipment and technology to the ALS community. Their mission is focused on helping individuals not just survive, but truly live, through access to communication devices, mobility equipment, care services, and even “adventures” that allow families to create lasting memories together. In the past two years alone, requests for care services, equipment, technology, and experiences have increased by 70%, reflecting both the growing need and the trust families place in this organization. As Kelly Viator of the Team Gleason Founation explains, their work begins with listening: “visit persons in their homes, to understand the environment that they’re living in and what technology would best suit them and at what time.” https://youtu.be/ID6gZ85BEeE?si=TuyJG7igU2CupkHp That level of care extends beyond equipment. It includes advocacy, helping families navigate systems that are often confusing and overwhelming, and creating connection through support networks. Kelly shared that their local virtual gatherings offer a space where “sometimes we cry, but mostly we laugh,” a reminder that even in the face of ALS, community remains essential. For Ursula Quoyeser, that community has made a profound difference. She describes how her symptoms began subtly during COVID, with what she thought was a minor issue. “I started getting dropfoot, and little things just kept happening.” After a long wait to see specialists and ultimately receiving her diagnosis, her mobility declined to the point where she now relies on a wheelchair and adaptive equipment. Through Team Gleason, Ursula continues to receive critical support, including a specially equipped van that came at exactly the right moment. “I was pulling into the driveway of the dealership to buy a van when I got the call.” That kind of intervention restores independence. As Ursula shares, “I can still go places and do things.” Ursula Quoyeser, known to many as Coach Q, attended Lafayette High and played volleyball and softball at USL, now known as UL of Lafayette. She was the first female athlete inducted into the UL Lafayette Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992. Dale Clark’s journey with ALS led him to channel that same spirit of resilience into action. Diagnosed in October 2020, Dale very quickly began asking what he could do to make a difference. Over breakfast with friends right after his diagnosis, the idea for F5 was born. “They said, what can we do for ALS? Then we saw an article by Team Gleason and I said, we need to talk to them.” From that moment, the Fin Feather Fur Food Festival took shape, rooted in Louisiana culture and driven by purpose. Teams compete by cooking fish, wild game, or fowl; “You either cook a fish, an animal or a feather. Or perhaps a dessert!” F5 is a cooking competition where teams compete for winner status in the Fin, Feather, and Fur or Dessert division. Awards will be presented to each team winning their respective category. Dale Clark, pictured far left, with his buddies from the Florence Club at the 1st annual F5 on April 28, 2022. What started as a grassroots effort has grown into a signature Acadiana event. F5 now draws roughly 1,500 attendees each year and has raised more than $750,000 over the past four years. This year’s goal is clear: reach $1 million total raised in its five years of existence. It takes a village to make that happen. Dale is quick to credit the cook teams and volunteers who fuel the event’s success: “I can’t thank the cook teams enough because without the cook teams, we don’t have an event.” And for those attending, the experience is unforgettable with unlimited food tastings, drinks, live energy, silent auctions, and a packed room filled with purpose. But what stays with you isn’t just the food. Ursula says her favorite part is seeing all the people. “Friends and family show up in big groups.” And Dale shares what matters most to him: “Meeting all the people with ALS, and their spouse coming up and giving me a hug. I really appreciate that.” Those moments are what this event is really about. Because at the end of the day, Team Gleason’s mission is simple but powerful: with the support of caring individuals, people living with ALS can experience greater independence, a higher quality of life, and the dignity they deserve. F5 is how Acadiana shows up to make that happen. General admission tickets may be purchased for only $45.00 and many sponsorship opportunities are available. Visit https://teamgleason.org/f5/ or Team Gleason’s website: https://teamgleason.org/. You can also just purchase tickets on April 30 at the door. Once you understand what’s behind this event, it becomes very clear. This is something you definitely want to be part of.

At the historic grounds of Vermilionville, beneath the oaks and along the bayou that so vividly reflect our region’s living history, this special episode of Discover Lafayette was recorded during the second annual LFT Fiber Powered by Connectivity Summit on March 19th, 2026. The summit’s theme, Growth Powered by Fiber, Where Technology Meets Community, comes to life in a conversation with Whitney Savoie, Chief Marketing Officer of FlyGuys, a Lafayette-based technology company operating at the intersection of innovation, safety, and cultural preservation. This LFT summit showcased local leaders and gathered their thoughts on the power of connectivity in shaping our community, businesses and the economy. Whitney brings more than 15 years of experience in marketing, brand development, and customer acquisition, much of it rooted in high-growth tech startups. Her journey includes early work with Waitr, where she says she was “in the first 1% of employees,” helping scale what was then a groundbreaking on-demand food delivery platform. Reflecting on those years traveling across the country launching markets, she shared a perspective that would later shape her appreciation for home: “What that taught me then, and I have an appreciation for now, is in every small to medium community that I went into, you couldn’t feel the culture like you can feel in Acadiana.” That deep connection to place is central to Whitney’s story. Raised along the bayous near Morgan City, she recalls a childhood that feels quintessentially South Louisiana. “In high school, my dad would take me crawfishing to make extra money, in the marsh in a pirogue lifting traps.” Today, as she reflects on culture through the lens of technology, she sees opportunity in preserving those moments. “I need to go back out with my dad and take pictures, even maybe put a drone up because I want to preserve that memory.” That idea, technology as a tool to preserve, not replace, human experience, runs throughout this conversation. FlyGuys itself is a powerful example of how innovation can serve real-world needs. Headquartered in downtown Lafayette and operating nationwide, the company provides drone-based data capture services across industries ranging from infrastructure and construction to agriculture. As Whitney explains, “FlyGuys is a reality data capture platform. We match data seekers with data providers.” Those providers include a network of approximately 20,000 FAA Part 107 certified drone pilots across the country. The concept is deceptively simple but highly impactful. When a company needs critical visual or analytical data, whether inspecting a cell tower, surveying farmland, or assessing storm damage, FlyGuys deploys a pilot to capture that data safely and efficiently. “Instead of having a human climb that cell tower, a drone can do it safer, faster, more efficiently.” The data is then processed and analyzed through FlyGuys’ platform, delivering actionable insights to clients. The applications are vast. In agriculture, drones can identify disease at the level of a single plant, reducing the need for widespread pesticide use. In infrastructure, they allow for safer inspections of bridges, roofs, and aging structures. In cultural settings like Vermilionville, FlyGuys has even created “digital twins,” highly detailed 3D models, using advanced ground scanning technology to document and preserve historic spaces. Underlying all of this is an immense reliance on connectivity. FlyGuys processes thousands of missions each month, each generating massive amounts of data. “One mission could produce 10,000 files,” Whitney explains. “We do about 8,000 missions a month.” The ability to upload, process, and analyze that data in real time depends entirely on robust, high-speed internet infrastructure, making events like the LFT Fiber Connectivity Summit especially relevant. But for Whitney, the conversation ultimately comes back to people. In one of the most memorable moments of the interview, she reflects on hosting FlyGuys team members from Colombia in Lafayette. A crawfish boil at Moncus Park turned into an impromptu cultural exchange, blending zydeco dancing with salsa. “It was like this beautiful marriage of both cultures coming together… It was the picture of what we’re trying to preserve.” That spirit, connection across cultures, generations, and technologies, is exactly what she hopes people take away from the summit. “My hope is that people really understand what the LFT fiber team is trying to do here. They’re trying to bring us together. It’s really not about the technology. It’s about the fact that we’re all connecting and human. The beauty of the whole conference to me is that tech isn’t the hero, it’s the people that are the heroes and the things that we’re doing with the tech. In this age of technology, with AI, where there is some fear and trepidation, I believe that humans are going to really start leaning into that human connection.” In a time when artificial intelligence and automation are rapidly reshaping how we live and work, Whitney offers a grounded reminder of what matters most. “We need to preserve the human connection through all of it because that is what matters at the end of the day.” From the bayous of her childhood to the cutting edge of drone technology, Whitney Savoie’s story is one of honoring where we come from while building thoughtfully toward the future. And in Acadiana, where culture runs as deep as the waters that shape it, that balance may be our greatest strength.

On this episode of Discover Lafayette, we welcome Deb and Paul Lindsay, the enthusiastic co-chairs of the Books Along the Teche Literary Festival, which celebrates its 10th anniversary April 10–12, 2026 in downtown New Iberia. Centered around the Sliman Theater, Shadows-on-the-Teche, and other historic sites, this year’s festival brings together literature, music, food, history, and community for a full weekend of programming. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Rick Bragg is being celebrated as the 2026 Great Southern Writer, with sessions, book signings, museum tours, a book fair, and more planned throughout the weekend. Deb and Paul’s story is, in many ways, a love letter to Acadiana. They were living in Guanajuato, Mexico when Deb’s health concerns prompted them to consider returning to the United States. As Paul explains, they began researching Acadiana after learning Lafayette had been named “the happiest city in the USA.” Deb knew what she wanted: “I want to go someplace where there’s nice people, kind people. I want to go someplace where they have great food, and I want to go someplace where they have great music, great culture.” Their conclusion? “We hit a trifecta.” Deb and Paul LIndsey are pictured in Guanajuato, Mexico in 2019. The couple had no roots in the region and no contacts here when they first began exploring south Louisiana. But a chance stop on Main Street in New Iberia on June 25, 2022, changed everything. While reading the trilingual plaque near the Bayou Teche Museum, they were approached by Cathy Indest of the Iberia Cultural Resources Association, who asked, “Y’all aren’t from around here, are you?” That unexpected conversation led to an invitation to come back for the literary festival, and eventually to a much bigger decision. Back in Mexico, the Lindsays decided to do more than simply visit. They would return to volunteer and sponsor the festival as part of what Paul called an exploratory trip. They came for the 2023 festival, met local leaders and volunteers, and quickly found themselves embraced by the community. A memorable and funny festival incident sealed the deal. While attempting Cajun dance lessons, Deb became so dizzy that she had to be helped to a chair and then to an ambulance for evaluation. Paul, not yet realizing how serious things were, responded to a warning from a concerned helper who said, “Your wife is bad,” with the now legendary line: “I’m sorry, but she’s always been a bad dancer.” What stayed with them most was not the scare, but the care. Paul recalls that neighbors and new friends, including Wyatt and Becky Collins, immediately stepped in to help, offering to follow him to the hospital and even opening their home if needed. Others checked on Deb throughout the night. “To me, that sealed the deal,” Paul says, “because those are the kind of people I want to be around now.” Deb adds that Acadiana’s warmth is more than politeness: “I’m not sure that people in Acadiana fully appreciate just how special the culture of caring for others really is. It is endemic here. It is just part of how people are.” That sense of belonging deepened quickly. The Lindsays moved to New Iberia in October 2023 and were immediately drawn into the life of the community, volunteering at local events and building friendships that made them feel at home. Deb notes, “We have chosen to be here because, as Paul said, we feel like we hit the trifecta.” Their affection for New Iberia and the wider Acadiana region comes through clearly in this conversation, as does their gratitude for the people who welcomed them in. That spirit of welcome is central to the mission of the Books Along the Teche Literary Festival, which Deb describes as preserving “the legacy of Southern storytelling through literature, culture, and community.” The 2026 schedule reflects just how broad that vision has become: guided tours at the Bayou Teche Museum and Shadows-on-the-Teche, free literary sessions at the Sliman Theater, a children’s book fair, a Main Street book fair, and multiple ticketed food-and-music experiences designed to bring people together. A major draw this year is Rick Bragg, the festival’s 2026 Great Southern Writer. The festival describes Bragg as a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author whose writing captures “the struggles and strength of Southern life,” and notes that he continues to teach at the University of Alabama. Paul shares that he reached Bragg personally after recognizing in his writing a deep connection to family, resilience, and Southern roots. That conversation led Bragg to accept the invitation, telling Paul, “You’ve made me laugh more in the last 40 minutes than I have in probably a year.” Bragg will appear for both a symposium and a special book club-style event during the weekend. Deb speaks beautifully about why Bragg matters. Though memoir was not previously her preferred genre, she says his storytelling changed that. His books about family and ordinary Southern people, she says, “remind us of our shared humanity, something especially needed in these divided times.” That human-centered view of literature runs through the entire festival. Jane and Scott Wolfe of Melba’s Po Boys in New Orleans The opening Friday session features Jane and Scott Wolfe of the infamouse Melba’s Po Boys in New Orleans, who will discuss entrepreneurship, perseverance, literacy, and community. Festival listings describe their presentation as “Building Perseverance and Community: How Two Teenagers Created a Life Inside Small Business in New Orleans.” Deb and Paul highlight Jane Wolfe’s remarkable path from earning her GED to studying at Tulane and later Harvard Divinity School, as well as her role in literacy work through Melba’s. Published sources confirm that Jane Wolfe received the 2024 Light Up for Literacy Award from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities for her work with Eat and Read at Melba’s, and that she is a graduate of both Tulane and Harvard Divinity School. The 2026 schedule also reflects the festival’s wide-ranging curiosity. Friday includes a session on the Creole lineage of Pope Leo XIV, a discussion with romance author Juliette Cross, and a closing session on Carville and Hansen’s disease. Saturday brings the Dave Robicheaux Readers Theater, a Rick Bragg book club, a session on Louisiana Black Creole Trail Riders, a program on Black female jazz singers, a Swamp Pop-themed session, and Bragg’s major symposium and signing. The Children’s Book Fair and the Main Street Book Fair, making the festival accessible to readers of all ages. Beyond the literary sessions, the weekend is intentionally immersive. Friday night’s ticketed event, “A Novel Evening in Prose and Pours,” unfolds beneath the oaks at Shadows-on-the-Teche and includes food, drink, music, and time for festivalgoers to mingle with authors in a relaxed setting. Saturday morning introduces “Beignets & Beats, A Cajun Breakfast Jam” at Bambino’s, while Saturday night has been reimagined as “Swamp Sounds: A Swamp Pop Revival,” complete with dance lessons and live music from The Revelers. The weekend closes with Symphony Sunday in the Park, a free outdoor performance by the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra in New Iberia’s City Park on Sunday, April 12 at 3:00 p.m. It is a free concert under the oaks, continuing a long-running partnership between the Symphony and New Iberia. What makes this interview especially meaningful is hearing why Deb and Paul have poured themselves into the festival. Deb says the literary festival “has a special place in my heart, just because it’s what brought us to Louisiana in the first place.” She sees their work as “a way of saying ‘we feel like we’re a part of the community. We owe the community.” Paul echoes that sentiment and says what he loves most is that books can bring people together across differences: “It doesn’t matter who you voted for; it’s about coming together with common bonds and trying to learn from each other and listen to each other.” Their vision extends beyond one April weekend. They are exploring interim events throughout the year and building stronger partnerships with other Louisiana book festivals, including those in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, with the goal of strengthening audiences and collaboration rather than competing against one another. That cooperative spirit feels very much in keeping with what they have come to love about this region. As Deb and Paul make clear, the Books Along the Teche Literary Festival is about far more than books alone. It is about story, hospitality, history, music, place, and the kind of human connection that turns visitors into neighbors. Or, as Deb puts it, “It’s a terrific place to be.” For festival details, schedules, and tickets, the primary website is BooksAlongTheTecheLiteraryFestival.com; BayouBookFest.com also redirects there. The festival is largely free, with select ticketed food and music events available through the website. Published festival and tourism pages confirm the event dates, venues, and the weekend’s featured programming. Thanks to Deb and Paul Lindsey for their commitment to the arts, culture and community! They are eloquent spokespersons for their new home, Acadiana!

On this episode of Discover Lafayette, we visit with Maureen Dugas Foster, founder of Designing Women of Acadiana, a collaborative network that has spent the past decade bringing together women interested in architecture, design, creativity, and community. What began as a simple idea during a challenging personal moment has grown into a vibrant organization that has hosted more than 100 events across Acadiana, connecting creative professionals and curious minds while highlighting the role design plays in our everyday lives. Maureen’s inspiration for launching the organization came in 2016 during a time when she found herself unexpectedly unemployed and questioning the direction of her career. Having spent years working in architecture, she felt somewhat isolated in the local professional community. “I felt really alone in the architecture community in Lafayette,” she says. Women represent only about 20 percent of licensed architects nationwide, and she was seeking both connection and encouragement within the profession. Instead of waiting for someone else to create that community, Maureen decided to build one herself. “Thanks to a bottle of wine and courage, one night I made a Facebook page,” she laughs. She set a date for an informal meet-up at Pamplona Tapas Bar in downtown Lafayette, inviting women in architecture and design to gather for drinks and conversation. The response was immediate and surprising. “It was amazing because we had over 20 women show up.” Even today, she admits she still gets a little nervous before each event, but that first evening proved there was real interest in building a supportive creative network in Acadiana. In those early days, Designing Women of Acadiana focused largely on architects and interior designers. Over time, however, the organization evolved as more people expressed interest in participating—even those who didn’t work directly in design fields. Maureen began to realize that creativity extends far beyond professional labels. “Everyone’s creative,” she says. “It just gets like smacked out of you during regular schooling when you’re young.” That philosophy led the group to broaden its mission to welcome creative women of all backgrounds. Today the membership includes professionals across many fields, from artists and entrepreneurs to healthcare professionals and business owners who simply enjoy engaging with creative ideas and spaces. As Maureen explains, sometimes the greatest benefit of attending an event is simply the energy that comes from connecting with others. “Show up if you’re interested. You’re going to get something out of it, whether it’s new connections, deep conversation with some new person, or just energized with creativity.” Over the past ten years, Designing Women of Acadiana has hosted more than 100 gatherings, typically meeting once per month outside of the pandemic years. Events have ranged from architectural tours and home visits to creative workshops, networking socials, and community projects. One of the organization’s most popular activities has been home tours featuring architect-designed residences. Early members, including local architect Lisa Bourque, opened the doors of newly completed homes so participants could see contemporary design up close. Homeowners would welcome the group with wine and snacks while sharing the story behind their home’s design. For Maureen, those experiences illustrate how architecture can be deeply personal. “For the homeowner to show off this piece of architecture that they spent a lot of time on, it’s like you’re living in a piece of art that was made just for you.” Beyond residential tours, DWA members have also visited commercial spaces and historic buildings around Acadiana. When Bottle Art Lofts was developed in downtown Lafayette, the group toured the property to explore how historic structures can be transformed for modern use. Maureen notes that good architecture often involves re-imagining existing spaces rather than starting from scratch. “You can take any piece of architecture that’s already there and scrape out all the insides and do something new,” she explains. “That’s what you use your architect for because they’ve got the mind to do that.” Education has always been another important goal of the organization. Many events are designed to help people understand the value of thoughtful design, particularly for those outside architecture and construction. Maureen emphasizes that the spaces we inhabit every day, from homes to offices, have a direct impact on our mental and emotional well-being. In addition to tours and educational events, Designing Women of Acadiana has also participated in creative civic initiatives. One memorable project was Lafayette Consolidated Government’s Parking Day, an international urban design event where participants temporarily transform parking spaces into miniature parks or gathering areas. DWA created parklets in downtown Lafayette that invited pedestrians to sit, draw, and interact with art installations. Their installations were so well received that they won awards both years they participated. These types of projects highlight another important element of DWA: fostering community connections. Over the years, the organization has collaborated with local businesses, artists, and property owners to create pop-up experiences and events that celebrate Lafayette’s evolving cultural landscape. For Maureen personally, the organization has also become a source of mentorship and encouragement. Early in her career she often sought advice from mentors like UL architecture professor Michael McClure, who encouraged her to stay committed to her path even during uncertain times. Looking back, she realizes that Designing Women of Acadiana became the supportive professional network she had once been searching for. “I didn’t even realize that’s what I was looking for,” she says. “Starting DWA, I empowered myself and then created this community of other women who empowered one another.” Outside of her volunteer work with DWA, Maureen’s own career has taken several interesting turns over the years. She earned her degree in architecture at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She worked in commercial architecture firms for many years, gaining experience in the field even though she ultimately chose not to pursue full architectural licensure. 2017 Sunset at the Less Pay Motel – “I got to tour the Less Pay Motel with Stephanie & Greg Cornay when they were trying to come up with better ideas for Four Corners. Aileen Bennett came with me and snapped this photo.“ Today she works in commercial lighting sales with Lighting and Electrical Associates (LEA), collaborating with architects, interior designers, and engineers on building projects. Her role often involves helping teams think carefully about how lighting shapes the experience of a space—from aesthetics to mental health. “Lighting can make or break a space,” she says. “If you go into a place and you’re feeling icky, look around—it’s probably 80 percent due to the lighting.” In 2026, Designing Women of Acadiana celebrates its 10th anniversary, marking a decade of creativity, friendship, and professional collaboration. The milestone will be celebrated at the group’s annual anniversary party on March 26 at Basin Arts, where guests can enjoy art, raffle prizes from local artists and businesses, and interactive experiences designed to showcase the creativity of the community. Membership in DWA remains intentionally accessible. Individual memberships are $75 per year, corporate memberships are $150 for three participants, and student memberships are available for $25. Most monthly events are free or low-cost, making it easy for anyone curious about creativity and design to participate. For those interested in joining or attending an event, the best place to stay connected is through Designing Women of Acadiana’s Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn pages, where the group regularly posts upcoming gatherings and announcements. As Designing Women of Acadiana enters its second decade, Maureen and her board are continuing to expand the organization’s mission to embrace an even broader range of creative voices across Acadiana. The goal remains the same as it was on that first night at Pamplona: create a welcoming space where ideas flourish, friendships form, and creativity is celebrated. “Designing Women of Acadiana is a bold and collaborative network of women shaping the creative and professional landscape of Acadiana,” Maureen says. “Rooted in design and driven by connection, we create curated experiences that cultivate confidence, spark inspiration, and ensure women feel seen in their industries and communities.”

For more than six decades, LARC has quietly served one of the most important missions in Acadiana—supporting individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities and helping them live meaningful, independent lives. On this episode of Discover Lafayette, we sit down with Nicole Harrison, Chief Operating Officer and Interim CEO of LARC, along with Karon Davis, Marketing Director, to learn how this remarkable nonprofit touches hundreds of lives every day. Founded over 60 years ago by parents who wanted better opportunities for their children with disabilities, LARC has grown into a multifaceted organization providing day programs, residential services, community support, and employment opportunities. Today, more than 150 individuals participate in LARC’s day program on any given day, building life skills, forming friendships, and engaging in activities that bring meaning and joy to their lives. Nicole Harrison’s own journey with LARC began 13 years ago when she started as a Direct Support Worker, working directly with individuals in their homes. A Lafayette native and graduate of Comeaux High School, Nicole says the organization’s mission is deeply personal. “LARC is dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to live a meaningful, independent and fulfilling life.” Participants attend weekday programs where they choose activities that match their interests and abilities. The campus features ten different classrooms and activity spaces, including a movie room, music room, recreation room, computer lab, and two bingo rooms—because as Nicole notes, “Everyone loves bingo. So we actually had to convert one of our other rooms into a bingo room. So now we have two bingo rooms.” The day begins with transportation provided by LARC, bringing participants to campus where they check into their “homeroom” before exploring the activities they enjoy most. A hot meal is available through the St. Ann’s cafeteria, where individuals can choose among several lunch options before continuing with afternoon activities or relaxing outdoors under the gazebo, often dancing to music and enjoying time with friends. LARC serves individuals across the full spectrum of intellectual disability, from mild to profound, and staff members work with each participant to promote independence through personalized goals. Even small achievements can represent powerful milestones. “Once they complete it at 100%, that’s like a huge milestone for them… it’s a satisfaction for them.” Beyond the day program, LARC also provides community support services, helping individuals who live independently or with family members by assisting with transportation, appointments, and daily living needs. The organization operates ten group homes, including four in Lafayette and six in the Zachary area, where staff provide 24-hour care and support. “We have individuals with mild intellectual disabilities that may hold a job in the community… and others who may need assistance with activities of daily living,” Nicole explained. One of the most visible parts of LARC’s mission is its employment programs. The organization partners with local businesses to provide supported jobs for participants. In addition, LARC operates Mardi Gras Beads-N-More, where donated parade beads are sorted and resold. providing both employment and income for the program. “When the parade goers donate their beads back, it provides our individuals with the opportunity for employment. It gives them employment and empowerment and independence because they can earn their own paycheck.” Visitors often encounter LARC’s work at Acadian Village, the historic cultural site owned and operated by the organization. The village serves as a major fundraising arm for LARC and hosts weddings, events, tours, and the beloved Noel Acadien au Village Christmas celebration, which draws more than 50,000 visitors each year. Karon Davis explains that Acadian Village exists thanks to community generosity. The land was donated by a local couple raising a niece with special needs, while historic homes were moved to the site to preserve Acadiana’s heritage. “At the core of this are parents that back over 60 years ago; the only option they had was to institutionalize their child. They got together, formed a group.” The village now serves as both a cultural destination and a critical source of support for LARC’s programs. LARC’s Acadian Village offers New Hope Chapel as a wedding venue to help create a magical moment. The New Hope Chapel is a non-denominational facility and a stunning replica of an 1850s Acadian-style church, with seating for up to 95 guests. The Bridal Suite at Acadian Village offers the perfect private space for the bride and her bridal party to relax, laugh, sip champagne, and get dolled up before walking down the aisle. Contact [email protected] or 337-981-2364 opt. 8 to learn more. Pictured: the LeBlanc House One of the popular homes to visit onsite at Acadian Village is the LeBlanc House, built between 1821 and 1856 near Youngsville. The LeBlanc house is the birthplace of Sen. Dudley J. LeBlanc. Cajun politician and entrepreneur. “Couzan Dud” LeBlanc was born on August 16, 1894. In 1924, LeBlanc was elected a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, Public Service Commissioner, and served as State Senator from 1940 to 1944, 1948 to 1952, and in 1964. In 1945 he established the Happy Day Company, which manufactured the popular Hadacol brand health tonic; with 12 percent alcohol, it guaranteed to cure all ills. LeBlanc promoted Hadacol extensively, sometimes using major entertainers as spokespersons. An active Cajun culture preservationist, LeBlanc served as president of the Association of Louisiana Acadians, and in the late 1960s helped to establish CODOFIL (Council for the Development of French in Louisiana). He authored three books: The True Story of the Acadians (1927); The Improved Version (1932); and The Acadian Miracle (1966, a revised and expanded version of his first book). LeBlanc appealed to political supporters via radio in Cajun French, at a time when Cajun French was rarely heard on radio. He died on October 22, 1971, and was buried in Abbeville. The LeBlanc exhibit contains memorabilia from the life and times of “Couzan Dud.” Throughout the conversation, Nicole and Karon emphasize that the organization is sustained not only by staff but also by volunteers, donors, and the broader community. LARC welcomes donations of art supplies, office materials, clothing, and even cardboard for creative classroom projects. Volunteers also help with gardening, events, and special activities for participants. Nicole says the most rewarding part of her work is advocating for the people LARC serves. “The most fulfilling part of what I do is being an advocate for them, because when they can’t speak or defend themselves, I can.” Karon Davis echoes the deep sense of purpose that motivates everyone involved with the organization: “As a parent, I think I would I would like to know that my children would be taken care of. And I think that’s the most important part of our mission, caring for people that can’t take care of themselves, but also giving those parents peace of mind that they’re going to be okay. And we love them. I mean, they would they give us is much more than we give them. But they’re well taken care of and they’re well loved.” And perhaps the most powerful lesson LARC teaches is about love, community, and human connection. “Everything is beautiful to them. It’s truly unconditional love. They just don’t care what you look like.” From employment programs to residential care, from the bead shop to Acadian Village’s Christmas lights, LARC continues to demonstrate what happens when a community comes together to support its most vulnerable members. As Karon puts it simply: “There’s no other place like it.” Learn more about LARC: Noel Acadien au Village is family-friendly and wheelchair-accessible. LARC’s Acadian Village is located at 200 Greenleaf Drive in Lafayette. Visit www.lafayettelarc.org for ticket information and more details. Facebook: LARC Lafayette | Acadian Village | Noel Acadien au Village LARC welcomes volunteers, donations, and community engagement. Businesses and organizations interested in tours, partnerships, or service projects are encouraged to reach out.

From a volunteer-run initiative in the 1980s to a regional continuum of care in 2026: On this episode of Discover Lafayette, we sit down with Claude Martin, CEO of AcadianaCares, to talk about what it looks like when a community builds an institution out of necessity, and then keeps rebuilding it for four decades. AcadianaCares began (originally as “Lafayette CARES”) in 1985, during the earliest, scariest years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, when fear and stigma shut down many traditional systems of response. “CARES” stood for “Concern for AIDS Relief, Education and Support.” Claude remembers those first years in deeply personal terms: “I got involved with this work, HIV work in the early 80s when our community started to get sick.” He describes a time when an HIV diagnosis in Louisiana carried a terrifying prognosis saying, “the life expectancy was about nine months.” The uncertainty felt like a public-health free fall. When we talk about how frightening those early days were, Claude agrees without hesitation: “Very similar to the fear and confusion many of us felt during COVID. Who’s going to get it? and what do we do now?” Claude explains that what became AcadianaCares wasn’t a government-created program; it was community members stepping in when institutions froze. “It was a groundswell of people saying, I have to do something. We have to do something.” For years, it ran on sheer willpower. “We were volunteers, running it out of our houses. We all had full-time jobs.” Claude’s own job then was far from nonprofit administration as he worked as a landscaper. And while the organization was being built, people were dying. Claude doesn’t sanitize that reality. “Sometimes they came to a couple of meetings and then they were in the hospital; within a month they were dead. They were gone.” In those first ten years, he says, “We really were concentrating on helping people to die. We were there.” He describes practical, human-scale solutions built by ordinary people: a hotline routed into volunteers’ homes, partnerships for training, and a “Buddy program” where volunteers went into homes to help with the basic tasks of living: cleaning an apartment, getting to appointments, answering desperate late-night questions from people who felt helpless. From there, the story becomes one of evolution, not away from HIV care, but outward from it. Claude explains that in the early 2000s, AcadianaCares started asking a different question: if HIV is the core mission, what are the destabilizing forces that make people more vulnerable in the first place? In his words: “Mental illness, homelessness, substance abuse are three of the big areas that really do destabilize people’s lives.” That mindset shaped the modern AcadianaCares model: a system designed so that someone can enter through one doorway to have access to housing, clinic, and recovery, and then be “wrapped around” with the rest. The medical reality has changed — and AcadianaCares is trying to reach the whole community Claude also walks us through the medical transformation he’s witnessed across the decades. “The pharmaceutical industry has developed all of these medications so that now life expectancy is open ended.” He explains how viral load suppression changes both individual health and transmission risk. When treatment is working, people are no longer infectious. He points to PrEP as a powerful prevention tool: “PrEP is about 99%” effective in preventing acquisition. The goal he lays out is ambitious and clear: get people living with HIV to an undetectable viral load and get people at risk onto PrEP. “Conceivably, we will get to the point where we have no new infections.” Claude shares the regional scope, then and now. He remembers: “There were 11 people in Lafayette Parish that were living with HIV in 85.” Today, he says, “we have 2000 people that are living with HIV in our region,” with about 75 to 100 new infections every year in the seven parish area. Expansion on the northside: “whole-person care in one place” We also discuss AcadianaCares’ expansion of clinical services on Lafayette’s northside. Claude explains that the clinic model exists because they were seeing people newly diagnosed with HIV struggling to get into care quickly. “We were having a really hard time getting people into care once we found out that they were positive.” So they built a system where patients could be seen and started on care faster. AcadianaCares purchased and renovated Pride Plaza at Willow and Pierce, turning it into a primary care clinic open to the public. The clinic has a staff of 32 in its 8,900 square-foot space offers a full spectrum of primary care and mental health services available to both insured and non-insured patients. Dr. Clinton Young is at the clinic specializing in sleep medicine and complex sleep-related disorders. Moving clinic services into Pride Plaza also created room on the main campus for expanded substance-abuse programming. AcadianaCares developed Seasons of Serenity (SOS), a network of residential, outpatient, and sober living recovery programs. Clients in SOS transition from dependency to self-sufficiency through structured phases in a safe and caring environment that is free from discrimination. AcadianaCares celebrating its 40th anniversary and opening of the new Primary Care Mental Care and Pharmacy in February 2026. In our conversation, Claude describes the wraparound approach inside the clinic, not just medical appointments, but navigation help: “Our clinic patients have access to navigators who help them apply for insurance… everything from food stamps to finding other agencies.” He contrasts that with many healthcare settings: “A lot of people go to a provider, but they don’t have the social services support or the wraparound support.” The MLK campus: housing + recovery, built over time One of the most substantive parts of our conversation is Claude’s description of the Acadiana CARES campus on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in North Lafayette: housing and recovery programs built through long-term planning, grants, and renovation. The site is located at 809 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. in North Lafayette. “We have housing there and about 80 people live on the property.” The site originally housed the Lafayette Guest House, formerly a 206-bed nursing facility with an inpatient psychiatric hospital, Oceans Behavior Healthcare, was donated to AcadianaCares by its owners, Jerrine Harrell, Donna McPherson, and John Wright. The owners made the decision to donate the property, valued at approximately $3.5 million, in order to do something good for the community and also be able to claim a charitable donation on taxes. Catholic Charities of Acadiana’s Kim Boudreaux James is the niece of Wright and she helped identify AcadianaCares as the best fit for the donation. (For a comprehensive story of the background of this donation and how it transformed AcadianaCares, see https://theind.com/articles/842/. ) He walks through the arc of development: a major donated property, then years of grants and fundraising to renovate and convert spaces into apartments, and then major investments in addiction treatment. He explains that their Seasons of recovery program now offers “the whole continuum of care,” describing transitions from detox, to a 28-day program, to a 90-day residential program, then outpatient services, and supportive apartment options designed to help people stabilize, work, save money, and re-enter independent life. Claude shares one of the concrete, practical details people often want to know: the outpatient apartment option is “$416” and includes “three meals a day, seven days a week.” He explains the program design goal plainly: “in six months, you ought to be able to save enough money to be independent.” AcadianaCares’ Seasons of Serenity receive referrals statewide: “We get referrals from all over the state,” and adds, “we get probably 7 to 10 referrals a day.” The reality is capacity: “All of our programs are usually at capacity.” Growth that still comes back to one measuring stick Claude has led AcadianaCares through extraordinary growth. He recalls the first state grant: “$34,000.” Today, he says, “our board just approved a $34 million budget.” He notes scale: “We have about 100 employees here, and we help an average of 4000 people a year.” In 2025, 2,495 unique patients received care through its wellness clinic. Its reach is across 25 zip codes in Lafayette, Acadiana, Evangeline, Iberia, St. Landry, St. Martin, and Vermilion parishes. Claude Martin joined AcadianaCares in 1998, after serving as an original volunteer in its early days. “I felt called to do the work. In the early 90s, I went back to school and got a graduate degree in rehabilitation therapy. All my work was focused on getting people living with HIV and having that treated as the same thing that’s a head injury or a substance abuse issue or a mental health issue that would debilitate someone. That degree is designed to help as a life changing experience. to move them through that process and get them back into this life.” But one of the most telling moments in our conversation is his personal standard for quality and dignity. The question he asks himself when planning services and facilities: “Would I let my mother or my sister receive services here?” He connects that directly to the mission: bringing high-quality care to people who often don’t have choices, and who may have been neglected for years. Advice for families facing addiction Near the end, Claude offers direct advice to families navigating substance use disorder. His first recommendation is simple and specific: “Join an Al-Anon group.” He explains why: “It’s realizing that it’s a family disease,” and stre

On this episode of Discover Lafayette, we welcome Charles Boustany, a retired cardiovascular surgeon who served as the U.S. Representative for Louisiana’s Third Congressional District from 2005 to 2017. Most recently, he earned a Master’s degree in history from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Dr. Boustany was honored with the Richard G. Neiheisel (Phi Beta Kappa) Graduate Award, recognizing the graduate student with the highest academic accomplishment in a classical arts and sciences degree. Dr. Boustany reflects on a life that has bridged medicine, public service, and now scholarship, and what lifelong learning means at every stage. Growing Up in Lafayette — Medicine and Mentorship “I grew up here in Lafayette and went to the old Cathedral Carmel, which was 1st through 12th grade,” he shares, recalling his early education before attending USL (now UL Lafayette) for pre-med studies. Following in his father’s footsteps, he completed medical school and surgical training at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, an experience he describes as legendary in its rigor and reputation. A formative influence on his life and career was Dr. John Ochsner. “John taught me not only the techniques and things you learn as a heart surgeon. He taught me how to be a surgeon, how to be a doctor. He was an amazing individual and a lifelong friend.” After additional cardiovascular surgery training in Rochester, New York, Dr. Boustany returned home, practicing for 14 years before an unexpected health challenge changed his trajectory. Dr. Boustany speaks with pride about his family’s immigrant story and how it shaped his view of opportunity, responsibility, and community. “For me, the oldest of ten kids, a doctor, a mom who believed in community service… thinking about the fact that my grandparents all came from Lebanon. They had nothing. They came to this country and the opportunities were there if you took advantage of them.” He describes that journey as something bigger than one person’s career: “It’s just one of many great American stories.” He ties his family’s arrival and the immigrant fabric of Lafayette to what makes the community distinct: “That’s what makes Lafayette so unique for a city its size. It’s got a very diverse population, and it has a population that has an international outlook, which creates all kinds of opportunities.” And he adds a personal glimpse into the household that raised ten children: “My mother had a lot of energy and she kept us all in line, amazingly.” A Turning Point — Health Care and Public Service At age 48, after developing severe cervical spine issues that forced him to retire from surgery, Dr. Boustany faced a crossroads. That moment coincided with a deeply personal family health crisis in 2001: “This was a very distinctive point in time for me. I was at the peak of my career in my surgical practice. But 2001 was this horrible year for me, my wife and our kids. Both kids had different life threatening conditions that cost a ton of money out of pocket over and beyond what insurance could pay. It was a huge, huge struggle. Navigating the health care system is a disaster. It was hard for me. I wondered, “What are people doing? How are they managing this?” The experience stayed with him. As he watched national debates over health care and foreign policy unfold, he felt called to act. “Honey, I gotta make a difference,” he told his wife Bridget one early morning before announcing his decision to run for Congress. Dr. Charles Boustany pictured while serving in Congress. Photo credit: Ed Lallo/Gulf Seafood News In Congress — Katrina, Rita, and “Rita Amnesia” Dr. Boustany’s first year in Congress was defined by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. While national attention centered on New Orleans, much of Southwest Louisiana was devastated by Rita. “I had to get all of it amended to include Rita. And that’s when I coined the term ‘Rita Amnesia.’” He recalls warning a national reporter: “My fear is that we’re going to have Rita amnesia.” The phrase stuck and became part of the legislative fight to ensure Southwest Louisiana was not forgotten. He also recounts a pivotal moment after Katrina, when First Lady Laura Bush spent the day touring Lafayette with him. “I was told initially she’s going to be on the ground for about 45 minutes. So I arranged to take her to the Cajun Dome and then Acadian Ambulances’ communication center to see what was going on. Well, she ended up spending the whole day with me. When I took her back to the airport, she thanked me and said, what else do you need? I said, I need 15 minutes on the phone with your husband. Sure enough, Sunday morning at 6 a.m., my cell phone rings and it’s President Bush. He called me Doc. You know, he had nicknames for everybody. He said, Doc, I heard Laura had a good trip down there. What’s going on? What do you need? I said, bottom line is the state doesn’t have the capacity to deal with the magnitude of what we have. We need federal assets down here to help out in New Orleans. He said, ‘I’ll talk to the staff. You get the delegation to Baton Rouge at 9:00 tomorrow morning. Monday. The governor is going to be there. I’m coming in with my team, and we’re going to have a powwow, and we’re going to talk about this and organize it.’ And that’s when everything changed. That’s when he brought in General Honore.” That conversation helped catalyze greater federal coordination and response. Reflecting on those chaotic days, he credits his surgical training: “My career as a surgeon dealing with really dire, immediate emergencies, I just sort of methodically figured out, okay, this is what I can do. This is what I’m going to do. And I didn’t panic.” How a Surgeon Approaches Congress Dr. Boustany explains how medicine shaped his legislative style: “As a surgeon, I had to deal with people from all walks of life. It could be a grandmother or the CEO of a prominent company. It could be a farmer, or somebody who has no insurance and is poor. I had to learn to be able to communicate with the full spectrum of humanity. I think that gave me an advantage, as a doctor, but also as a surgeon, because I had to gain the trust of these people. You know, I’m going to operate on your heart, stop your heart and do all this stuff. So, being able to present yourself in a way and communicate with people from all walks of life, different levels of education and earn their trust was a big asset for me when I traveled the district and tried to find support. That training, that background was very helpful.” He approached Congress with humility, seeking advice from senior members in both parties. One piece of counsel stood out: “One of the most prominent ones was don’t be a know it all. Pick a few subjects and learn everything there is about it. Once you start to speak about these things, people will quickly see that you know what you’re talking about and then they’ll respect you. But if you go down there and spout off on every issue, people see through that pretty quickly.” He developed expertise in health care, foreign policy, energy policy, and international trade, areas that later informed his graduate studies in European history and international affairs. Returning to the Classroom After leaving Congress and later retiring from consulting, Dr. Boustany found himself restless. A seminar course at UL Lafayette rekindled a lifelong passion for history. “The more I’m thinking about this, I really love this history stuff. I don’t want to just be a consumer of history. I don’t want to just read about it. I want to maybe I can contribute to the field.” His master’s research took him to Columbia University’s Rare Books and Manuscripts division, where he spent a week combing through primary source documents to complete his thesis. Receiving the Neiheisel Award was especially meaningful: “It was thrilling for me when I finished this master’s program to get the Richard Neuheisel Award, because my very first semester at USL in 1974, I took a world Civilization class with him, and I was told he’s a really hard, demanding teacher. And other students, when they asked me what I had signed up for and I told them, they said, you need to drop that class. He’s a really tough professor. You don’t want to take it with him. And I said, oh, that’s the kind of guy I want to take it with. And I did. And you know, I got an A in his class and he and I subsequently became friends. I’d go sit and talk in his office. We’d just talk about history.” Dr. Charles Boustany on UL – Lafayette campus. He was awarded the Richard G. Neiheisel Phi Beta Kappa Graduate Award, named in honor of the professor who ignited his passion for the subject more than five decades ago. The Neiheisel award is presented to a graduating master’s student each fall and spring for the highest academic accomplishments in a classical arts and science degree. Dr. Boustany has now been accepted into the PhD program in history at Louisiana State University, where he plans to study modern European history beginning in 1500 — research that will require time in European archives. Health Care Philosophy — “Information, Choice and Control” When asked what still matters in health policy, Dr. Boustany reduces it to six words. “Information, choice and control.” “People want clear information about their health condition and their options… They want that to be between them and the doctor.” And equally important: “Affordability, accountability and quality.” “Quality is critically important. If you put quality first, I think the cost will come in line.” Lifelong Learning and Adaptability Dr. Boustany closes with a reflection that defines this next chapter: “I repeat a quote from Louis Pasteur, who was a famous sc

Wild Child Wines is one of those rare downtown spots that feels instantly like a neighborhood living room—warm, inviting, and full of discovery. In this episode of Discover Lafayette, we sit down with Katie and Denny Culbert, the couple behind Lafayette’s signature natural wine shop and wine bar, to talk about how Wild Child began, how it grew, and why it’s become a destination for locals and visitors alike. Along the way, we also explore their other creative ventures—Katie’s long-running boutique, Kiki, and Denny’s career as a professional photographer whose work has taken him deep into food, place, and storytelling. Their vision and dedication to hospitality and curated wine culture earned Wild Child Wines a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist nomination in the Outstanding Bar category, one of the highest honors in the American culinary and beverage world. This is really a major moment for Lafayette’s food and drink scene. Katie and Denny’s story starts, fittingly, in Lafayette’s community orbit. Denny was photographing an event for the newspaper. “It happened to be Palates and Pate. A big fundraiser,”when their paths crossed. Katie remembers she was in her late 20s, and after a mutual friend introduced them, they “found the same friend group at the same time.” Denny wasn’t from Lafayette originally; he moved to South Louisiana for journalism, explaining, “I grew up in northeastern Ohio, but I moved to Baton Rouge in 2008 to intern for the Advocate” before landing a job at The Daily Advertiser. Working for the paper, he says, became the fastest way to understand Acadiana: “I’ve been to every single high school gymnasium, every festival, every school board meeting.” He even created a column called Dishing It Out, where he’d spend time inside local restaurants and build photo essays from the same set of questions he asked each owner, every time. Katie’s background is equally rooted in local business and community. She has spent years helping operate Kiki, the boutique founded by her mother, Kiki Frayard, and describes how she stepped in to help make the business viable beyond its early stage: “Not so much with the creative side of it, more with the bookkeeping, looking at numbers and keep making it a viable business.” That blend: Katie’s retail and business instincts and Denny’s creative storytelling, formed a foundation for what became Wild Child Wines. Runaway Dish – “Their former life” “We used to have a magazine when we were doing Runaway Dish, a physical magazine that went along with each dinner. We’d do a chef interview and then farmer interviews for all the products that we were using. That also influenced Wild Child Wines, being in that world. It’s definitely how we ended up here because we met so many chefs. Denny was photographing chefs in their kitchens for the paper. And then beyond that, chefs really didn’t know one another. There was not a tight knit chef community. The goal was to bridge that and start these dinners where we’d get two chefs together, they come up with a menu, we pay for everything, and then any sous chefs could come and hang out and help, or just watch. It brought all these cool gangs of people together that we didn’t really know and they didn’t know each other. We’d get together every few months.” The idea for Wild Child Wines grew out of lived experience, not a business plan on paper. The couple traveled frequently for work, ate in great restaurants, met chefs, and kept discovering wines that simply weren’t available in Lafayette. Katie describes how a shift happened while traveling: “It changed my thinking and perspective on what wine was and could be. It opened my eyes.” She remembers thinking, “Instead of driving to New Orleans and getting cases of wine every time we go, maybe we could just open a tiny wine shop.” They already had a downtown space; Denny had been renting it since 2016 as studio and workspace, so the “tiny wine shop” idea became real. Wild Child Wines opened in January 2020, just weeks before the world changed. “Right before Covid,” they say, an unexpected test for any new business. But their concept proved resilient. “Everyone still needed wine,” Katie says, and the shop pivoted fast. “We made a website overnight,” they recalled, creating pickup windows where they’d be “boxing wine, drinking wine, handing wine to people.” Looking back, they describe it as a strange but workable season: “For us personally, it was okay… the right concept.” A big part of the Wild Child experience is how they talk about wine, without intimidation, and with a deep respect for where it comes from. Katie explains that wine is, at its core, agriculture: “Wine is an agricultural product. It’s grapes.” Over time, she says, wine became commercialized and manipulated: “When you look at what wine has become, it’s become this process where lots of things are added to preserve it” For them, the appeal of low-intervention or “natural” wine is both philosophical and physical. “It should just be grapes,” she says, and she describes the feeling of these wines as having “a liveliness.” Denny offers a simple comparison: “Think of it more as like the farmers market of wine, rather than this mass produced grocery store wine.” They focus on small producers, sometimes only “300 to 600 cases of wine a year”, and still marvel that a tiny shop in Lafayette can receive a case from a winemaker in Umbria, Italy: “That’s incredible.” Inside the shop, the goal is to help people try and learn in real time. They rotate “6 to 8 wines by the glass,” and if something is open, they’re generous with tastes: “We’ll give you a taste, as much as you want.” Customers can shop with a glass in hand, explore without pressure, and let curiosity lead. Katie laughs that they still see themselves as learners: “We’re wine babies too. I still don’t know a lot about wine,” Katie says. Yet the shop’s culture and hospitality, powered by a staff they praise repeatedly, creates a place where people want to linger, meet, and return. Over time, Wild Child also expanded through food, always in service of the wine, but now very much part of the experience. Katie admits the shop was originally meant to be only “a tiny wine shop with a little tasting bar, 600 square feet,” but after lockdown, food grew naturally. She began working on pizza recipes during lockdown, hosting backyard pizza parties, then bringing that idea to the shop as a low-barrier entry point: “The barrier to entry for pizza is much lower than this new wine that they haven’t seen.” She describes the strategy plainly: “Everything that we’ve added is just to get more people in the door to sell more wine. That’s the goal.” Today, Wild Child offers a popular Friday lunch, making bread in-house and building a menu around sandwiches, salads, and “snacks”—including tinned fish, olives, and small plates. Food, for them, is also about local connection. Katie talks about sourcing flour from a local mill—“the flour we’re getting is milled right down the road at Straw Cove”—and finding produce at markets: “I’ll go to Moncus Park mostly…” Their approach mirrors their wine philosophy: ingredients matter, and good inputs create good outcomes. “It goes back to the wine,” Denny says, emphasizing that they want products that are “clean” and made with care. Seafood is another growing part of the Wild Child story, especially oysters. They highlight a favorite oyster farmer: “Albert “Buzzy” Besson, Grand Isle native… he’s now farming oysters there.” Besson delivers directly to the shop every Thursday, and the relationship embodies what they love about downtown: small-business networks, familiar faces, and a Main Street feeling. They describe field trips with other downtown restaurants to learn oyster farming firsthand and reflect on the changing coastal reality that is shaping new oyster traditions. Katie and Denny Culbert in 2024 at Wild Child Wines. Photo by Brad Kemp of the Advocate. One of the most delightful segments of the interview is their passion for tinned fish, which has become a signature part of the shop’s identity. Katie traces her “aha moment” to a Grand Canyon trip where canned smoked oysters became the perfect camp appetizer: “We’re just on a sandy beach in the middle of the Grand Canyon eating smoked oysters out of a can.” What started as a personal love turned into a curated selection that grew so big it demanded its own wall, “floor to ceiling tin fish.” They’ll even plate it for guests with pickles and fresh bread: “If you come in, we’ll do tinned fish plate and set it up for you.” They love that it bridges cultures too—both the adventurous foodie and “the guy who’s been eating sardines in the duck blinds” can appreciate it. The episode also includes a meaningful reflection on Lafayette hospitality, prompted by the recent passing of Charlie Goodson of Charlie G’s. Katie describes growing up around Charlie G’s and remembers him as “such a mentor for so many people.” They recount seeing him in recent years, coming in for lunch and wine at Wild Child Wines with his wife. and how much it meant that he supported what they were building: “We felt like we were doing something right… knowing that he loved the place and supported it.” For them, Charlie’s example is part of the inspiration behind the kind of welcome they want to offer. We close with practical details, such as where to find them and when to visit, and a brief, fun photography “nerd-out” with Denny. He shares his camera choice (a Nikon Z9), his photojournalism background at Ohio University, and a simple tip that applies to everyone, even iPhone shooters: “Not mixing light sources… if you’ve got

On this episode of Discover Lafayette, we sit down with two leaders deeply involved in shaping student career readiness at University of Louisiana at Lafayette: Brandi Hollier, Director of the B.I. Moody College of Business Internship Program, and Kim Billeaudeau, Director of the Office of Career Services. Together, they share how internships, professional preparation, and employer partnerships come together to help students transition confidently from the classroom into the workforce — while also supporting local businesses looking to grow talent. Kim Billeaudeau: A Career Built on Mentorship Kim Billeaudeau has served in Career Services for 25 years, including nearly 19 years as director. A Louisiana native from Opelousas, Kim’s journey began close to home. “I grew up right down the street in Opelousas, and I taught high school,” she shared. After earning her degree from UL and teaching high school for two years, she realized her passion was helping students navigate life beyond graduation. “I remembered mentors that I had as a student at UL Lafayette; professional staff members who saw something in me as a student leader,” Kim said. “When Career Services came available, it was perfect.” Over the years, Kim has helped students with résumés, interviewing, dining etiquette, career fairs, and professional presence. She still sees the long-term impact today. “They’ll say, ‘Miss Kim, you taught me dining etiquette’ or ‘you helped me with my résumé.’ What I do is amazing, and I’m so blessed to be able to help students each and every day, to graduate and be successful from our institution.” Professional Skills Beyond the Classroom Kim emphasized that many students simply haven’t had exposure to professional environments before. “Sometimes students don’t have an opportunity to put on professional clothing or go through a four or five course meal,” she explained. “The more we can provide them that hands-on experience, that’s part of the education experience.” Career Services offers mock interviews, interview preparation, and coaching on everything from researching employers to follow-up thank-you notes. “We do a lot of mock interviews with students. Everything from preparing for the interview, not only choosing what to wear, but researching the company, getting notes together, thinking of what questions you can ask in the interview and getting them to understand that it’s a two way street. Everything to giving a good firm handshake, introducing yourself, when to sit, where to sit, looking the employer in the eye, smiling, and then answering interview questions. And then the follow up with thank you, and online applications. We coach students all through the process.” Kim is also a certified etiquette consultant through The Etiquette Institute and completed refresher training on post-COVID etiquette, which she now incorporates into student preparation. Brandi Guidry Hollier: From Student to Professor to Internship Director Brandi Hollier is an associate professor in the Department of Management and has served as Director of the Moody College of Business Internship Program for more than 12 years. A Lafayette native, her career path has come full circle. She’s currently the recipient of two endowed professorships. “I was born and raised here in Lafayette, Louisiana. I kind of grew up at UL,” Brandi said. She earned both her undergraduate degree and MBA from UL before starting as an adjunct instructor, later becoming full-time faculty and earning her doctorate. “There are professors at the university that have taught me that I now work with, which is a beautiful thing.” Brandi also oversees internship programming that connects students with real-world experience before graduation. “There are opportunities to go out into an organization and get some professional experience prior to entering the workforce,” she said. “It’s my honor and it’s a blessing to be able to help students in doing that.” Research, Technology, and the Changing Business Landscape Brandi’s research focuses on technology adoption, including telemedicine, artificial intelligence, and personality in human-computer interaction, work that directly influences how she teaches. “Artificial intelligence is here to stay,” she noted. “We have to allow students the opportunity to engage with that, and teach them how to properly do so within ethical realms.” She emphasized that curriculum is evolving to reflect rapid changes in technology and business practices. Internships: Events, Employers, and Real Connections Through collaboration with Career Services, the Moody College of Business offers internship panels, employer seminars, networking receptions, and career fair prep seminars. One standout event is the business internship networking reception held at the UL Lafayette Alumni Center. “Resumes are not brought in. We discourage that,” Brandi explained. “We just want them to have a conversation.” Employers often leave these events already knowing who they intend to hire or having significantly narrowed their candidate pool. “Small, medium, large sized enterprises — we welcome any and all,” she said. Handshake: A Central Portal for Students and Employers Both offices rely on Handshake, a centralized online portal where employers can post internships, part-time, and full-time positions at no cost. “It’s all online,” Kim said. “Handshake is really a powerful tool.” All UL Lafayette students automatically have access and can build profiles with résumés, cover letters, and skills. Alumni also retain access. Paid vs. Unpaid Internships and Academic Credit Brandi explained that guidance comes from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, which encourages compensated internships whenever possible. Students may also earn academic credit if the internship aligns with their major and is approved through a multi-step process involving the employer, department coordinator, and internship office. “It’s a three-hour credit,” Brandi noted, often taken as an elective, though required in some programs. Preparing Students — and Employers Both Kim and Brandi emphasized that their offices support not only students, but also employers who may not know where to begin. “We never want it to be frustrating for a company to hire a student,” Kim said. “We can help make the connections.” They also encourage employers to think ahead, create clear job descriptions, provide orientation, mentorship, and regular feedback. “That feedback loop is so very important,” Brandi stressed. Confidence, Clothing, and the Career Closet One of the most impactful resources discussed was the Career Closet, which provides free professional clothing to students. “We had over 700 students take items out of the closet last semester,” Kim shared. Students keep the clothing, helping ease financial barriers to professional attire. UL Lafayette students can shop for up to 16 free professional clothing items per semester to prepare for events such as interviews, banquets, student organization events, and much more. Career Services also offers free professional headshots at career fairs. “They’ll say, ‘I can’t wait to send this to my mom,’” Kim said. “They get so much pride seeing themselves in that professional photo.” Donations of gently used professional clothing and accessories are encouraged and much needed. For more information on how you can contribute, please visit https://louisiana.edu/career/students-alumni/career-closet Advice for Students Brandi Holllier shared, “One of my favorite questions, and I do share this with students to ask at the end of the interview is, ‘How would I get feedback on my job performance if hired?’ That shows the company you want their feedback. You want to learn, you want to grow. You know, that’s the experience. It’s about learning and growing. I feel that’s a really great question for students to pose in an interview.” Both Kim and Brandi strongly encourage students to maintain a professional online presence. “Employers will search you online,” Brandi noted, emphasizing the importance of LinkedIn and being mindful of social media and what photos you share online. Life Outside of Work Outside of campus, Brandi enjoys reading and occasionally playing piano alongside her daughter. TV is not a part of her life, and her quiet, beautifully serene nature is reflected in her wise choices as to how she spends her free time. Kim, meanwhile, is currently actively wearing the hat of wedding planner as her daughter prepares for an April 2026 wedding. “Every moment I have outside of my job is spent on wedding planning,” she said with a big smile. This conversation offers a valuable look at how UL Lafayette prepares students for professional success — and how local employers can engage meaningfully with the next generation of talent.

Stephanie Manson, President: FMOL Health/ Our Lady of Lourdes, joins Discover Lafayette to talk about leadership, mission-driven Catholic healthcare, and the most significant hospital expansions Lafayette has seen in years. Stephanie shares her deeply personal journey into healthcare administration, her love for Louisiana and Lafayette, and how Our Lady of Lourdes is expanding capacity, technology, and compassionate care through the Advancing Acadiana initiative, while staying grounded in a values-based mission that puts people first. Stephanie has dedicated her professional life to Catholic health care and the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. She began her career as an administrative resident at Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge and steadily progressed through leadership roles, including serving as the first administrator of Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital and later as Chief Operating Officer from 2018 to 2023. In March 2023, she joined Our Lady of Lourdes, continuing her work in Louisiana communities she deeply values. “I grew up in Houma, Louisiana, so I’m a Louisiana girl, and it was important to me to give back to Louisiana.” Stephanie holds dual master’s degrees in Business Administration and Health Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, along with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from LSU. She describes her path into health care administration as a blend of service and business, exactly the balance she set out to find. “I set out to find a career that balanced service and business; 100% of healthcare administration checked those boxes. I’ve still not touched a patient. Sometimes I try to help and I get told, no, please don’t do that. You’re going to mess us up. But to see the work we do carried out through the work of our team, that’s extremely fulfilling. It is why I’ve kept going in this ministry for so long.” A Health System Serving Acadiana The Our Lady of Lourdes system includes three hospitals, approximately 2,800 team members, and more than 200 employed providers, including physicians and nurse practitioners. Stephanie oversees a rapidly growing regional footprint that now offers comprehensive care from birth through end of life. “We offer comprehensive services from birth until end of life care. And that’s important for the community to be able to have access to that.” The system includes: Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, the legacy acute care campus located at 4801 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Lafayette LA 70508; Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital, featuring a 32-bed inpatient unit and advanced cardiovascular care, located at 1105 Kaliste Saloom Road, Lafayette LA 70508; and Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital, acquired in 2019, expanding services for mothers, babies, and pediatric patients, located at 4600 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Lafayette LA 70508. Stephanie emphasizes that growth has never been about size—it has always been about mission. “It was never about growth or being the biggest. It’s about delivering Catholic health care in the communities that need it.” Advancing Acadiana One of the most significant initiatives underway is Advancing Acadiana, a multi-campus investment focused on expanding access, improving patient flow, and ensuring the hospital can say “yes” to more patients who need specialized care. Projects include: Expansion of inpatient capacity at the Regional Medical Center (approximately 20 additional beds) Emergency department expansion to improve access and efficiency A new electrophysiology lab and additional inpatient beds and operating rooms at the Heart Hospital Major upgrades at Women’s & Children’s, including approximately 20 private NICU family suites, a refreshed exterior, and a new chapel Our Lady of Lourdes’ Women’s and Children’s Hospital is undergoing $100 million in improvements. At the heart of the Advancing Acadiana project is the expansion of the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, featuring significant exterior upgrades and private suites, each with a full bathroom and a dedicated family area within the room. The NICU will expand from 51 to 60 beds and will feature 19 new private suites. “Talk about a sacred moment and a tender moment… a private opportunity for them to be together as a family is so important. Leadership as a Climb Toward Excellence Stephanie Manson describes her leadership philosophy using a Mount Everest metaphor, introduced by President and Chief Executive Officer and leader of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System E.J. Kuiper, with five “camps” on the climb toward excellence. “The idea is that the foundation or the base of the mountain is our mission, and that everything we do should be grounded in our mission. That’s why we’re here. And that’s really what the sisters ask of us every day, to perpetuate the mission, to always do more for those most in need, with particular regard to the poor and the underserved. And so many of our services, such as the Saint Bernadette Clinic and Northside High, some of our free health screenings are all about the mission. It’s important to us that you can feel that difference and that mission at work. The best time is when you think nobody’s watching and we catch you doing good.“ From mission, the climb moves through: Being the best place to work and practice medicine Delivering an exceptional patient experience Ensuring strong quality of care Achieving sustainable market share and finances that allow reinvestment in the community “We measure all of these things… team member engagement, turnover, patient experience, quality results.” The summit, she says, is aspirational. “I don’t know that we’ll ever get there… we’re never quite done with progress and being better.” Caring for the Caregivers Stephanie speaks with deep respect for physicians, nurses, and advanced practice professionals. “None of us (in administration) can admit a patient. We really rely on the physicians trusting us to care for the patients.” She shares a moving moment involving a nurse practitioner grieving alongside a family transitioning to hospice care, who was apologizing for her emotions. “I said, no, please. I think this is beautiful because it means after all these years, you care.’ We can never stop caring.” That human connection, she says, is irreplaceable—even as technology advances. Innovation, Technology, and Early Detection Stephanie highlights investments in robotic surgery, advanced imaging, and lung cancer detection technologies. “We recently invested in a da Vinci 5 robot… our patients recover faster, there are better health outcomes.” She also discusses robotic bronchoscopy and early lung cancer detection. “What we’ve seen is that we’re able to detect cancer a lot earlier… and hopefully that leads to survivorship.” Community screenings, often offered free of charge, are another key part of preventive care. “Utopia is that fewer people need us because we’re healthier.” Mission in Action Stephanie underscores Lourdes’ unwavering commitment to caring for all patients, regardless of insurance. “In our emergency departments, we care for the patient first. You can worry about insurance later.” She points to the Saint Bernadette Clinic, adjacent to Catholic Charities on St. John Street, as a living example of mission-driven care. “Regardless of ability to pay, you come into Saint Bernadette Clinic. We don’t charge….ever.” Life Beyond the Hospital At home, Stephanie treasures family, experiences, and balance. She and her husband, Briggs, have been married 26 years and are proud parents to Anna Claire, a graduate student in health care administration, and Lily, a college sophomore. Their dog, Scout, acquired after a persuasive PowerPoint business plan presentation by her daughters, remains a beloved part of their family story. She loves music, travel, sports (especially football), fantasy football, and watching people do their best.“My kids said, ‘Mom, you like experiences.’ And I think that’s it. Any type of competition and the ability to watch people excel, whether that’s live music or a sporting event, I’m in.” A Guiding Principle In her office hangs a sign passed down from her grandfather who had worked in leadership with the Lafourche Police Department, to her mother, and then to Stephanie: “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” “My grandparents and my parents, instilled a lot of the values of who I am at the core in terms of caring for people, a strong work ethic. There is an awful amount of authority in leadership and you can lose your way and your grounding and believe maybe that you’re more important than you are. I think the most important thing is how do we treat people? How do I interact with people every day? There are important decisions to be made. Remember how you made them feel. That’s what’s most important to me. And so even if it’s a difficult conversation, we can do that with dignity and kindness. The sign is a reminder of those tenets of being a good person first.” Stephanie Manson leads with humility, clarity of purpose, and a deep respect for the people who make health care possible. Her vision for Lourdes, and for Acadiana, is rooted in mission, measured progress, and compassion that never loses its human touch.

Bob Miller, CEO and Founder of IRGame, is a technology entrepreneur with 30+ years of experience across cybersecurity and emerging technologies. He’s a pioneer in using AI-powered gamification for incident response (“IR”) training, designed specifically for busy executives who can’t spend full days in training but must make high-stakes decisions quickly during real crises. IRGame puts executive teams through realistic scenario such as ransomware, data breaches, business email compromise, and AI-related incidents, so they can practice decision-making under pressure. Returning to Lafayette and building startups Bob graduated in 1988 from University of Louisiana – Monroe in Computer Science and Math. He moved back to Louisiana from San Jose around 2010 and chose Lafayette as home. Almost immediately, the Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) contacted him about helping build a startup accelerator. With experience across roughly 10 startups, he became founding director of what he named the Opportunity Machine, where his title was “Head Machinist”). Bob later continued mentoring via the Accelerator Board. After three years, engineer and entrepreneur Bill Fenstermaker recruited him to help commercialize products at Fenstermaker & Associates. Bob worked on projects including a custom GIS system and underwater acoustics, following earlier work in areas like satellite systems. Later he became COO at Waitr in its early stage, helping scale from about 300 to 3,000 employees in roughly 12–14 months, the kind of operational scaling challenge he’s often brought in to manage. He then joined a local managed service provider and helped transform it into a managed security service provider, an experience that directly led to IR Game. Why IR Game exists Bob identified a persistent problem: many organizations resist spending time and money on cybersecurity because they don’t understand it and lack an emotional connection because they have never experienced a crisis. Traditional tabletop training exercises meant to train a business team on how to respond during a crisis (paper scenarios, PowerPoint presentations, and sitting around a conference table discussing solutions) have existed for decades, but they’re time-consuming (often 80–90 hours to prepare) and require pulling people into a room for a full day, which makes them expensive and hard to scale. If it’s hard, many companies simply don’t do it. Bob attended a cybersecurity conference and participated in a tabletop designed for managed service providers, an exercise that was “fundamentally terrifying” and eye-opening. A worst-case Managed Service Provider (“MSP”) scenario is when a third-party tool, especially remote monitoring and management (RMM) software, gets compromised. That can lead to ransomware across an MSP’s entire customer base simultaneously. The exercise illustrated IRGame’s central insight: about 80% of incident response is non-technical in nature: financial consequences, shutdown decisions, customer impact, employee panic, communications, reputational and legal exposure. Bob brought the tabletop back to his company and ran it with 80 of 130 employees, customizing it with real customer names, revenue figures, and tenure. Even with a mature incident response plan and twice-yearly practice, they discovered a dozen needed changes. That convinced him that if a well-prepared security organization learns that much from a scenario, “everybody can.” The breakthrough: turning tabletop into an online multiplayer game During that exercise, a longtime software collaborator of Bob’s mentioned he still had a dormant game app framework built years earlier for a high-school project with Bob’s daughter. He believed he could convert the paper tabletop into an online multiplayer experience in a weekend. After running the in-person tabletop on Thursday, he demonstrated a working browser-based multiplayer version on Sunday. They showed it to cybersecurity tabletop authors and industry influencers, Matt Lee and Ethan Tancredi, who were shocked by how quickly the tabletop content had been transformed into a functional digital game. Soon after, they invited about 20 people to test it. The early version looked rough, like a 1980s text adventure, but it worked. The response was far stronger than expected: participants reported intense emotional engagement and immediate practical takeaways. One government participant said it left him rattled, with pages of notes and a need for a drink; an MSP in Hawaii asked when he could use it with customers. That became a monthly community practice program: they’ve run 25+ free games, putting 1,000+ people through the system. As demand grew—especially from providers wanting to use it with customers—IRGame chose to commercialize. IR Game mirrors tabletop training but compresses it into a high-intensity, guided simulation. A scenario is narrated like scenes in a movie. Participants answer opening questions to get teams communicating quickly, which is critical because incident response requires fast coordination. Players assume roles and must allocate limited resources to tasks. Challenges pile up faster than teams can handle them, forcing prioritization and tradeoffs, just like real incidents. A key design element is pressure: a relentless timer counts down; there’s no pause button. This stress reveals the truth: under pressure, people become more honest about gaps in their preparedness. That’s valuable because organizations often sugarcoat weaknesses—until a simulation forces real reactions. Bob explained an example crisis scenario: a business email compromise (which he says is currently a dominant incident type). A financial firm discovers a customer wired money to a “new account” supposedly sent by the CFO, yet the CFO didn’t send it. As the story unfolds, participants learn the compromise likely affected many customers, not just one. The game surfaces operational realities executives often miss: internal rumors, uncontrolled communications, legal exposure triggered by words like “breach,” and the need for an “event mode” communications policy that calms the organization and prevents chaos. AI scenarios and new risks IRGame also focuses on emerging AI-related risks. Miller says they ran what they described as the first AI incident scenario at a national security conference (IT Nation Secure) and now maintain multiple AI scenarios. The point is not to create fear, but to provide a safe environment to practice decisions around new threat patterns. Practical cybersecurity guidance for individuals and small businesses Bob emphasizes that cybersecurity is no longer optional and that AI strengthens attackers as well as defenders. He predicts that in 2026 smaller businesses will face increased targeting, because automation lets “two dudes and a dog” run campaigns that once required larger teams, making up revenue in volume rather than big single payouts. He also notes that cybercriminal ecosystems now resemble legitimate businesses, including tools, support, and organizational structure. Bob recommends baseline controls that are realistic for small organizations: unique passwords, password managers, multi-factor authentication, training on phishing, cyber insurance, and economical endpoint monitoring (EDR/MDR). These measures raise the cost for attackers so they move on to easier targets, though no control is perfect. On password managers, Bob uses Keeper and mentions 1Password and others. He strongly warns against saving passwords in browsers. He also flags emerging concerns about AI-enabled browsers that maintain a large “context window” across many sites, potentially increasing risk if compromised. On online exposure to your information, such as emails and staff info on websites, he advises sharing only what’s necessary. Data can be scraped and used for phishing and impersonation. Deepfakes and better-written scams are making social engineering harder to detect. He also notes that much personal data is already exposed through breaches, citing Louisiana’s DMV breach as an example of widespread data loss where every licensed driver’s Social Security Number was compromised. Incident response planning and insurance pressure A recurring theme: organizations need an incident response plan and must practice it, especially as cyber insurers increasingly demand proof. In a room of 50+ attorneys he spoke to recently, Miller found only three had a plan, and none practiced it. He warned that future claims could be denied if companies claim they had plans but don’t demonstrate practice. Trying IRGame for free IRGame offers free public sessions: the last Friday of every month, sign-up available via their website. Miller notes they also post recordings and content online (LinkedIn and YouTube). Visit https://www.irgame.ai/ for more information and to sign up for a free public session. You can also see how IRGame works by visiting its youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@IRGameify Personal note: music and creativity Outside cybersecurity, Miller is a musician, primarily blues/rock, and often appears on video with guitars behind him. He draws a parallel between software development and music: both require creativity within rules. He argues policies and procedures aren’t bureaucracy—they’re like scales and tempo: structure that enables effective performance under pressure.

Don Dupuis is a Louisiana technology pioneer whose work quietly shaped how businesses across Acadiana and far beyond learned to operate in the early days of the digital age. Don founded Acadiana Computer Systems in 1969, at a time when most offices still relied on adding machines, paper ledgers, and manual calculations. Long before “IT services” was a common phrase, Don saw that businesses, especially medical practices, needed help navigating billing, coding, payroll, and data management. What began as a small, homegrown operation became a regional force, supporting doctors, lawyers, oilfield companies, universities, public offices, and even the horse racing industry. In this conversation, Don walks us through a remarkable journey that begins in Carencro, where he grew up and still lives on the very property where he was born. He shares stories from his early career in banking, including helping launch the credit card business in central Louisiana, complete with a secret U-Haul trip to Baton Rouge to retrieve credit cards during a rainstorm, and how that experience opened his eyes to the power of automation. Without a formal computer science degree, Don built his company by pairing business insight with technical brilliance. He credits early partner Roy Arwood, a mathematician and programmer, as “a genius” who wrote the software while Don sold, ran, and personally operated the systems. Together, they computerized payrolls with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of employees, ultimately processing more than one million W-2s in a single year. Don explains how Acadiana Computer Systems served a wide range of clients: Oilfield companies with massive payrolls Medical practices struggling with complex coding and insurance reimbursement Universities and medical schools, including LSU systems Registrars of voters and tax assessors The horse racing industry, where his team produced race programs before tote boards existed In medical billing, Don describes uncovering widespread inefficiencies, and sometimes outright fraud, costing physician practices tens of thousands of dollars each month. His company didn’t just process claims; it helped doctors understand diagnosis codes, CPT procedures, and compliance, often recovering revenue that would otherwise be lost. “A doctor’s bill is one of the most complicated things to produce,” he explains, emphasizing how critical accuracy became once Medicare and government oversight entered the picture. The episode also captures the culture of Lafayette’s boom years. Don recalls a time when oil money flooded the region, businesses were expanding rapidly, and opportunity felt “wide open.” He also speaks candidly about downturns, particularly the late-1970s and early-1980s oil collapse, when many left Lafayette in search of work elsewhere. After decades of growth, Don sold Acadiana Computer Systems in 2021, staying on briefly before stepping away for good. He reflects on the realities of modern consolidation, offshore labor, and automation, noting that while technology keeps advancing, it often comes at the expense of long-term employees. In late 2025, Don made local news again when he sold the former ACS’ headquarters (nearly 30,000-square-foot building on Dulles Drive) for $3.6-million deal to South Louisiana Community College, allowing the campus to expand classrooms, offices, and student services. Beyond business, Don shares stories of generosity and community, from housing Lafayette’s mounted police horses on his rural property to building lifelong relationships based on handshakes rather than contracts. “If you’re nice to somebody, it comes back,” he says, reflecting on clients who became partners simply because he helped when they needed it most. The conversation closes with Don’s thoughts on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and the future of work. Having witnessed the evolution from mainframes to personal computers to AI, he sees enormous potential, particularly in medicine, alongside serious risks if technology is used carelessly. He also laments the massive shift of jobs to foreign countries where people making $2.50 per hour are gladly taking jobs once held by America’s talented workforce. This episode is a rare oral history of Acadiana’s early technology era, told by someone who helped build it: one payroll run, one program, and one handshake at a time. We thank our dear friend, Don Dupuis, for his generous spirit and the contributions he has made to our business climate in Acadiana. Avec beaucoup d’amour!