11/07/2025
FORTY ONE GRADUATE FROM LEADERSHIP OUACHITA PROGRAM
Thursday, November 6th, forty one participants graduated from the Monroe Chamber and Leadership Council’s 2025 Leadership Ouachita program at ULM Bayou Pointe Event Center. This was the Leadership program’s 37th graduating class.
The 2025 Leadership Ouachita graduates are Danielle Barton, City of Monroe; Karla Bendily, John Rea Realty; Kellye Blackburn, GradLink Technologies; Crystal Boyd, Finding Solace Counseling; Jennifer Brown, Great Minds Communication; Brooklyn Burlew, Discover Monroe-West Monroe; James Cobb, City of West Monroe; Tyler Cook, ServPro of Monroe West Monroe; Jay Curtis KEDM at ULM; Christi Eaton, Ouachita Parish Assessor’s Office; Brooke Edmondson, Lazenby & Associates; Amy Gallien, EPC; Anna Grimmett, The Center for Children & Families; Will Harrop, Drax; Blake Head, Alli Management Solutions; Desmond Jackson, City of Monroe; Jacqueline Jenkins, Ochsner LSU Health Monroe; Will Jones, Grainger; Garrett Kahmann, Mid South Extrusion; Sarah Legg, Guaranty Bank & Trust; Tafta Miller, The Cub House Early Learning Center; Laurie Moore, Blake Wheelis State Farm; Rebekah Norman, Holyfield Construction; Codie Poe, 318 Construction; Ethan Prudhomme, EPC; Rachel Raborn, Century Next Bank; Jamin Rankin, Ochsner LSU Health Monroe; Sandy Roberts, St. Francis Medical Center; Rickey Robertson, Macaroni Kid Monroe West Monroe & Monroe City Schools; Chloe Scheible; Mikal Sims, Innovative Network of Knowledge; Kyle Spatafora, Community Financial Insurance Center; Angel Taylor, City of Monroe; Ashley Taylor, Ouachita Parish Assessor’s Office; Melissa Toney, Serving with a Purpose; Amy Tynes, Allen, Green & Williamson; Carmin Velasquez, Kinetix; Woods Watson, First Baptist Church of WM; Vicky Weaver, JPMorgan Chase; Rachel Willis, Ideal Construction Company; Matt Wise, Centric Federal Credit Union.
During the ceremony, Peyton Farr, with Forth Insurance, was named the 35th Annual James M. Shipp, Jr. Memorial Young Business Leader of the Year. This prestigious award is presented annually to a young man or woman in Ouachita Parish who has displayed outstanding leadership and service. The award was named in honor of James M. Shipp, Jr. Jim was the IMC general manager that was tragically killed during the explosion at the IMC plant in Sterlington in 1991. He was a Monroe Chamber board member and an active leader in the community.
Past recipients of this prestigious award include: Brent Henley, Tom Nicholson, David Cattar, George Cummings, Harvey Hales, Ed Major, Debbie Sawyer, Mike Ryan, Bruce Hanks, Dr. David Uth, Terry Baugh, Jerry Daigle, Taylor Cagle, Jim Crotwell, Judge Wendell Manning, LJ Holland, Aimee Kane, Christian Creed, Stephen Harrison, Kevin Woods, Stewart Keyes, Michael Echols, Laura Kilpatrick Marchelos, Ashley West, Jeff Laudenheimer, James Moore, III, Matt West, Alberta Green, Jeremy Harrell, Damon Marsala, Alan Brockman, Amy Sawyer, Cassie Livingston and Amanda Edge.
Rickey Robertson, with Macaroni Kid Monroe West Monroe & Monroe City Schols, was given the Charlie Mac “Twice as Much” Award. Rickey was selected by fellow classmates as the participant who displayed twice as much caring, giving and respect throughout the year. Previous winners were Stephanie Rivers, Staci Albritton, Christie Messinger, Andrew Osakue, Terry Blakeney, Jake Wilson, Donald Johnson, DeRon Talley, Kelli Green, Brady Middleton, Maggie Generoso & Mitch Reppond.
Title sponsor of the 2025 program is EPC. Also sponsoring are Ochsner LSU Health Monroe, Alli Management Solutions, Drax, Mid South Extrusion, City of Monroe, Creed & Creed, First Horizon Bank, KTVE/KARD, The Radio People and Warrior Media.
2026 Leadership Ouachita applications are now being accepted and are encouraged from all segments of the community. Individuals may apply or nominate those they feel best exemplify the philosophy of Leadership Ouachita. Applications may be picked up at the Monroe Chamber of Commerce or interested parties may contact Daphne Garrett at 807-4018 or [email protected] for more information.
Mayor Friday Ellis Monroe Chamber of Commerce Monroe CityOchsner LSU Health - Monroe Medical CenterLeadership Ouachita AlumniDanielle Chason BartonBrooke Edmondson Great Minds Agency Karla Bendily Leadership Ouachita Amy Nunez Gallien Carmin Velasquez Rickey Robertson Will Jones Tafta Perry Miller Laurie Michelle Moore Woods Watson
