Leadership Livingston Graduates Class of 2023

The Leadership Livingston Class of 2023 graduated on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.  Leadership Livingston, a program of the Livingston Parish Chamber of Commerce, has been in place since 2012 and the class of 2023 is the eleventh year of graduates.  This latest graduating class, with 25 graduates, brings the total graduates to 262.
 
The graduation event was held at Suma Hall Community Center. Class participants, sponsors, project supporters, Leadership alumni, chamber board members, friends and family of the graduates attended in support of the graduation class and program.
 
The graduation event included a recognition of 2023 program sponsors and class representatives, chosen by class members, speaking on behalf of their class. Joey Amadeo, Rhonda Colar-Myles, and Nathan Sanders each delivered their thoughts eloquently, reflecting on the things they have learned, friendships that were made, and some of the fun times that were had throughout the year.

Community service projects are a significant achievement of the program.  Three projects were introduced for the Class of 2023. The impact of the projects included over 640 volunteer hours, a financial impact of $51,000 plus in-kind contributions, and hundreds of Livingston Parish residents impacted. 
 
PAC Can Play focused on creating a safe, comfortable outdoor space at the LPPS Pupil Appraisal Center in Livingston which evaluates children with special needs entering the school system in Livingston Parish. The completed project was revealed at a ceremony on June 14.
 
The L.M. Lockhart Park project will focus on beautifying parts of the park, including the addition of a mural on the park building. Some work has already been completed by the group.  Mural designs are in the works and will be chosen soon and will be revealed once completed.
 
LP Safe Exchange group is working with local law enforcement agencies throughout the parish to be able to offer designated Safe Trade locations, similar to that in other communities, for completion of online transactions which sometimes carry a risk of fraud, scams or harm between parties.
 
From each project, participants selected one team member as an honor for an Above and Beyond Award. PAC Can Play group selected Joey Amadeo, L.M. Lockhart group selected Rhonda Colar-Myles, and LP Safe Exchange group selected Tracy Bryson. For additional information on this year’s projects, as well as projects from previous years’ classes, visit the Livingston Parish Chamber website.
 
“Each year we bring new people through this program is a positive advancement of our parish.  What the class learns in this program is the ultimate in understanding the inner workings of their community.  Not only do they learn it, but they get to apply it as they are going through the program with the project component.  This program is vital to our area, and we are proud to present this new class of graduates.” states April Wehrs, class facilitator. 


Applications for the Class of 2024 are open and available on the Livingston Parish Chamber of Commerce website. 

Graduates of the Class of 2023 presented includes David Addison, City of Walker; Kellie Alford, Alford’s Landscaping; Joey Amadeo, First Guaranty Bank; Jeff Ard, Livingston Parish Council; Kenny L. Bayhi, Bayhi’s Landing, Yolande Besse, Baton Rouge General Physicians; Paul Brignac, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office; Tracy Ratcliff Bryson, Town of Springfield; Emily Jewell Chustz, North Oaks Health System; Rhonda Colar-Myles, Entergy; Terrance Truth Collins, Essential Credit Union; Mallory Forbes, Holmes Building Materials; Lynda Gardiner, Keep Livingston Beautiful; Zachary Gibbons, Quality Engineering & Surveying; Allison L. James, Forte & Tablada; Jeffrey Jones, Empower 225; Glenn Lemoine, Livingston Parish Government; Tab Lobell, Lobell’s Waterfront Construction; Traci Miley, RN, Our Lady of the Lake Livingston; Seth Mosby, PMI Vivo Properties; Michelle Parrish, Livingston Parish Library; Nathan Sanders, Livingston Young Republicans; Shelley Savoy-Simmons, Elevate Real Estate Services; Destiny Teree’ Voth, Pelican State Credit Union; Erika Washington, Our Lady of the Lake Livingston.  

About Leadership Livingston: Leadership Livingston is a community leadership program which informs and engages participants in the inner workings of their parish community. Leadership Livingston is a program of the Livingston Parish Chamber of Commerce for more information visit the Chamber’s website www.livingstonparishchamberofcommerce.org, also follow Leadership Livingston’s Facebook page and the Chamber’s Facebook page.  You can also follow the projects through the group’s tab on the Leadership Livingston Page. 

Pictured from left: April Wehrs, Leadership Livingston Facilitator, Nathan Sanders, Jeffrey Jones, Joey Amadeo, Allison James, Tab Lobell, David Addison, Emily Chustz, Michelle Parrish, Traci Miley, Shelley Simmons, Kenny Bayhi, Rhonda Colar-Myles, Jeff Ard, Seth Mosby, Mallory Forbes, Zachary Gibbons, Paul Brignac, Destiny Voth, Lynda Gardiner, Terrance Collins, Glenn Lemoine, Tracy Bryson, Erika Washington, and Yolande Besse.