Congresswoman Julia Letlow Presents Keynote at Women’s Leadership Conference

On Thursday, September 5, the Livingston Parish Chamber held its annual Women’s Leadership Conference & Expo with Congresswoman Julia Letlow as the keynote speaker. The event was held in Denham Springs at Abundant Life Church with close to 300 in attendance.

The event began with networking, and an Expo with almost 20 vendors exhibiting products and services such as boutiques, women’s health, finance, beauty & aesthetics and more. The speakers kicked off with Kati LeBreton of The Redhead Method who presented advice for good Digital Habits. Major Paul Brignac of the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office followed up with some general tips on Women’s Safety.

Congresswoman Julia Letlow was then introduced as the Keynote Speaker. She started by saying “I’m going to take you down a little bit, but I promise I’m going to bring you back up”. She shared her personal journey, including the loss of her younger brother Jeremy, her experience pursuing a PhD and becoming a university president, and her decision to run for Congress after the passing of her husband, Luke.

Throughout the address, attendees learned about Letlow’s faith, resilience, and commitment to public service. She discussed her own initial reluctance to enter politics, before ultimately deciding to run for her husband’s seat after his passing. Letlow emphasized the support she received from the women in her community to pursue a career in politics, and the challenges she faced, such as self-doubt and the perception that she was not qualified. She briefly touched on her work in Congress, particularly her role on the House Committee on Education and Workforce and her involvement in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.

Congresswoman Letlow concluded by saying “We are all going to go through hardships, we are all going to face tough times. But if you will let it, walking through the fire will make you so much stronger. You will come out ready to face anything.”

The Women’s Leadership Conference & Expo is part of Women’s Programming through the Livingston Parish Chamber. This year's event was presented by Sheriff Jason Ard. To learn more about Women’s Programming, visit the LP Chamber website at livingstonparishchamber.org.