LSU AlexandriaYour Future is Our Future

Foundation Members

• Melinda F. Anderson

  Melinda is a graduate of Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia with a BA in Business Administration.  Melinda is a member of and has served on the Board of the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation. She has served on the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association statewide Board of Directors and the Louisiana Bed & Breakfast Association Board of Directors.  She is now active in the Alexandria Rotary and the Historic Association of Central Louisiana.  She is married to Andy Anderson and they have one son, Brooks.

• Thomas Antoon

  

  Antoon attended LSU-A and LSU-Baton Rouge, and is a graduate of Loyola University Law School. He is President of Antoon Hospitality Group, LLC which operates several restaurants, including Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Taco Bueno, and Outlaw’s BBQ. He is also President of Bayou Rapides Corporation, a construction and maintenance company. Antoon served thirty-two years as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Louisiana Public Facilities Authority, and was chairman from 1998- 2008. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital Foundation, St. Mary’s Residential Training Facility, Research Park Corporation, Central LA Chamber of Commerce, Louisiana Governor’s Mansion Foundation, and the City Board of Capital One Bank. He is married to Martha Gravel, and they have four children and nine grandchildren.

• Blake Chatelain

  Blake Chatelain is the President/Chief Executive Officer and one of the founders of Red River Bank based in Alexandria, Louisiana.   Mr. Chatelain is a native of Bunkie, La and started his college career at LSUA before transferring and graduating from LSU, Baton Rouge with a B.S. in Finance. Mr. Chatelain was appointed to the LSU Board of Supervisors by Governor Jindal and is immediate past Chairman of the Board. He also served as an ex-officio member to the Post Secondary Education Review Commission.  He is very active in civic organizations past and present with service including the Cenla Advantage Partnership, Rotary, United Way, Caring Peoples Pharmacy and the Red Cross.  Blake is a deacon at Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria, and he and his wife, Belle, have four sons and a new grandson.

• Michael Crowell

  Crowell, an executive with Crowell Lumber Industries, is a graduate of Tulane University and is involved with United Way of Central Louisiana, Southern Forest Heritage Museum and the Alexandria Rotary Club. He is married to Noelle Crowell.

• Frances B. Davis

  Mrs. Davis received her BA from Randolph-Macon Woman's College and was awarded a Doctorate of Humane Letters by Centenary College. She was a founding member of LSUA Foundation, and has served as President of the Foundation. Her father, James C. Bolton, was extremely active in working to create LSUA.  Currently Mrs. Davis is Manager of Lake District Subdivision. She served as a Director of the former Rapides Bank & Trust Co. and First Commerce Corporation.  She is active in her church, has been active in the Alexandria Museum of Art, Rapides Symphony Orchestra, Central Louisiana Community Foundation, River Oaks Art Center, Central Louisiana Arts Council, Alexandria-Pineville Y.W.C.A., Alexandria Junior League, Rapides Parish Medical Alliance and United Way.  Her husband was Dr. Paul M. Davis, Jr.

• Aloysia Ducote, CPA

  Certified Public Accountant,  partner with Ducote & Company, CPA's, in Marksville, Louisiana and is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a Bachelors of Science in Accounting.  She is a charter Member of Rotary Club of Avoyelles, very active member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and School in Moreauville, Louisiana; Member of Board of the Avoyelles 4-H Foundation, Moreauville Garden Club, and of Waterworks District No 1 in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana.  Member of Louisiana  and Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants;  Marksville Chamber of Commerce and Past Member of Board of Trustees of Avoyelles Hospital.  She is married to Robert J. Ducote and they have 3 children.

• Rosa Fields

  Fields is owner of Rosa Fields Insurance Agency, Inc. representing State Farm Insurance and Financial Services. She is community advocate, active in Alexandria and Pineville. She is a charter member (1988) and past president of the Pineville Rotary Club and serves on the Rapides Foundation board of directors. She served on the Cabrini Hospital regional board of directors from 2000-2009. She and husband, Mayor Clarence Fields of Pineville attend Pineville First United Methodist Church and are parents to Clarence Jr and Bethany.

• Robert J. Freedman, Jr. MD

  Freedman is a graduate of Tulane University School of Medicine, with post graduate training in Internal Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Flight Surgeon training at the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, and Cardiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston.  He is the Founder and Managing Partner of Freedman Memorial Cardiology in Alexandria, and Founder and CEO of Life Recovery Systems.  He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and has served on the Board of Governors for the College.  Since 2000, he has been named to the list of Best Doctors in America and is the 2009 recipient of the Enrique Lopez Innovative and Humanitarian Cardiovascular Award.  He is married to Nydia Freedman.

• Joy Hodges

  Hodges is Managing Partner in Hodges Land Management and Hodges Natural Resources.  Mrs. Hodges received her BA degree from Marymount College in New York and furthered her studies at the University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.  She is actively involved in community, state and national organizations including Louisiana Forestry Association, Southern Forest Heritage Museum, CHIRSTUS Cabrini Foundation, Rotary Club, Louisiana Museum Foundation, New Orleans Museum of Art, and Forest Landowners Association.

• Mike Jenkins

  Michael L. Jenkins, owner of Jenkins Financial Services,  is a 1967 graduate of Bayou Chicot High School; attended LSUA and is a 1970 graduate of LSU Baton Rouge.  He is an active member in Alexandria Rotary and in the redevelopment of downtown Alexandria.  Mr. Jenkins is married to Jennifer Robert Jenkins and they have three grown children:  Christi, Mike and Rebecca. They are the proud grandparents of five grandchildren.

• Martin Johnson

  Johnson, who is city president of Regions Bank, has held leadership positions in several church and community development organizations, including the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce, England Authority, Central Louisiana Foundation, Louisiana Commerce and Industry Board and the Central Louisiana Business League. He is married to Karen Bowie Johnson and they have two daughters.

• David P. Manuel, Chancellor

  A native of Louisiana, David P. Manuel earned degrees in economics from Nicholls State University and the Ph.D. from University of Mississippi; for thirty-four years has served in several positions in higher education. He served for eight years (2000-2008) as Vice President for Academic Affairs at St. Mary's University of San Antonio, TX and ten years before that, served as dean of the School of Business and Administration (now the Bill Greehey School of Business). Dr. Manuel began his academic career as a faculty member in the College of Business Administration at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and served as dean of that College from 1986-1990. On March 31, 2008 Dr Manuel was named as the ninth Chancellor of Louisiana State University at Alexandria, LA. Chancellor Manuel is married to Betty Coe C. Manuel and they are the parents of two adult sons.

• Spencer Martin

  Martin is the Business Process Manager at Roy O Martin Lumber.  He is a graduate of Baylor University with MBA from LSU. Mr. Martin serves on the CHRISTUS Cabrini Foundation and Alexandria Country Day School Board.   He is a former member of Habitat for Humanity and American Red Cross.   He is married to Leigh Martin.

• Nancy Owens

  Owens graduated from Sullins College and LSU with a BA in history. She is an active participant in her church, past President and current Treasurer of Kent Plantation House. As a member of The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America she has served as past State Vice-President, Regent to Gunston Hall, National Museum Properties Secretary and is the current Alexandria Committee Treasurer.  She is a past board member of the YWCA, Friends of the Alexandria Zoo, The Alexandria Museum of Art, Rapides Symphony Guild, and past President of the Alexandria Bar Association Auxiliary.

• Amy Pillarisetti

  Pillarisetti, who holds a graduate degrees in Biology, Masters in English from Punjab University in India and Immunology masters from London University England serves on Rapides Symphony Orchestra Board and on the advisory Board for The American Red Cross. She represents the Local Indian Community through local Cenla India Association as their President. She is married to Dr. Sudha Pillarisetti. 

• Albin Provosty

  Provosty, who is a Senior Attorney at Provosty, Sadler, deLaunay,  Fiorenza  & Sobel was admitted to Louisiana bar, 1971. Louisiana State University (J.D., 1971)  Mr. Provosty is a member of the Alexandria and Louisiana State Bar Associations, Louisiana State Law Institute; Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel; International Association of Defense Counsel; Defense Research Institute; National Association of Diocesan Attorneys; Alexandria/Pineville Inn of Court.  Mr. Provosty is a member of several statewide and local civic organizations and has served on the LABI board of Directors (1996-2000); Red River Waterway Commission (1974-1994); Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce, 1971 (President 1980); Alexandria Kiwanis Club, 1971 (President 1986); Executive Counsel to Mayor of Alexandria (2003-2007); and was Alexandria City Attorney, Alexandria (2004).  He is married to Susan McDonald Provosty.

• Deborah Randolph

  Randolph, wife of former Alexandria mayor Ned Randolph, is legislative director for government relations at Gold Weems Bruser Sues and Rundell law firm. She has worked on behalf of Friends of Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce, Rapides Children's Advocacy Center, The Shepherd Center, Region 6 Health Care Redesign Commission, City Park Players and Rapides Symphony Orchestra.

• Nell Shehee

  Shehee is funeral director and vice president at Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Shreveport and Wellness Program director for Kilpatrick Life Insurance. Her community leadership activities include Alexandria Museum of Art, Mothers Against Drugs, Louisiana Endowment for Humanities and Louisiana Funeral Directors Association. She is married to Graham Kramer.

• Agnes Solon-Ashby, MD

  Solon, in addition to her career as a rheumatologist, she is currently serving on the Alexandria Country Day School Board of Directors, is a former member of the River Oaks Museum Board of Directors and is a parent coordinator of the Beta Club at Alexandria Country Day School. She is married to Dr. Keith Ashby.

• Charles Weems

  Mr. Weems is President and senior partner of the law firm Gold Weems Bruser Sues & Rundell.  He currently serves as President of the Louisiana State Law Institute, and just concluded a term as Chairman of the England Authority Board of Commissioners.  He is a former Chairman and long-time member of the LSU Board of Supervisors, and is a past President of the Louisiana State Bar Association and the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce.  He has served and continues to serve on numerous civic and charitable boards and is the recipient of multiple professional recognitions and honors.

• David Williams

  Williams, who holds a master's in hospital administration from Tulane University, is CEO of Rapides Regional Medical Center. He is involved with the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Association, United Way of Central Louisiana, Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce and the Alexandria Rotary Club. He is married to Beth Williams.

• Stephen Wright

  Wright, a graduate of Texas Women's University with a Masters in Healthcare Administration, is President/CEO of CHRISTUS Health Louisiana.  He is actively involved with the Alexandria Business Foundation, the Louisiana Hospital Association, the American Heart Association, and other local and statewide organizations.  He is married to Mona Wright. 

• David Wesse

  David Wesse's first professional position after graduation from college was with the Rueben H. Donnelley Corporation as an administrative manager. He progressed through increasingly responsible administrative management positions at Loyola University of Chicago, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, Northwestern University and the University of North Florida before joining Louisiana State University Alexandria as its Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administrative Services. He also served KPMG Peat Marwick Higher Education Consulting, on a full time basis, for several years. As an administrator and as a consultant David Wesse has served more than a dozen higher education institutions.  Mr. Wesse is married to Deborah Lynn Wesse and they are the parents of two adult sons.