Robert Holleyman, No Man Is An Island Awardee 2019

Delegate Year: 1972, Alfred M Barbe High School, Lake Charles, LA

Ambassador Robert Holleyman is the president and CEO of CROW-WELL & MOOR-ing International and a partner in the law firm. He advises companies on topics of global trade, cyber security and investment practices.

Ambassador Holleyman has assisted the United States Government through numerous boards, time in the Senate and Presidential appointments, and most notably served as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative from 2014-2017, with the rank of Ambassador. 
 
Ambassador Holleyman began his long career of government service, here in the great state of Louisiana, by serving as Judicial Clerk to a U.S. District Judge in New Orleans and later as Legislative Director to United States Senator Russell B. Long.

Ambassador Holleyman has testified frequently before Congress, international bodies, and on media interviews regarding topics of innovation, emerging markets, and intellectual property. 

He was named by Managing IP magazine as one of the “50 Most Influential People” in the intellectual property world and by the The Washington Post as a key private sector player in cybersecurity policy.

Please give a BIG L-Y-S SuperGREAT to Ambassador Robert Holleyman!

Representative Ted James, Political Parties Speaker

State Representative Edward “Ted” James’ was first elected in 2011, he represents East Baton Rouge Parish District 101. After graduating from the historic McKinley Sr. High School, he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Southern University and graduated from Southern University’s Law Center.

In 2006, Ted passed the Louisiana Bar Exam; however, instead of pursuing a traditional legal career, he dedicated himself to the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina & Rita. He was able to secure a twenty-five million dollar investment into Louisiana Housing through his role as the Governor’s policy advisor on housing and community development.

After working for the governor, he was appointed to serve as Special Counsel to the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Revenue, where he developed the department’s legislative strategy. His leadership in this role led to an appointment by Governor Bobby Jindal to serve on the Louisiana Advisory Commission on Inter-government-Tal Relations where he focused on greater communication and cohesion between agencies to further the well-being of Louisiana and its citizens.

Ted’s passion for leadership is driven by a deeply held desire to impact the lives of others while transforming the community he calls “his village”. A Baton Rouge native who was taught at an early age the value of service, the strength of community, the importance of a quality education, and the principles of social justice.

He has a record of dedicated community service through his work with a number of causes- including mentoring students in Baton Rouge area schools, serving on the Board of Directors for the YMCA Capital Area, and as a committee member of Baton Rouge RECreation & Parks.

Ted is married to Veronica Michelle James  and they are members of Beacon Light Church of Baton Rouge.

Madeleine Landrieu, Life Achievement Award in honor of Roddy Richard

Madeleine M. Landrieu became Dean of Loyola University New Orleans College of Law on July 1, 2017.  Prior to her appointment, she served as a judge on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal for the State of Louisiana,and prior to that as a trial court judge on the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans. During her 16-year tenure in the judiciary, Dean Landrieu served as President of both the Louisiana District Judges Association and the Louisiana Judicial College.  

Dean Landrieu has spent a large part of her career advocating for improvements in laws and policies relative to children who come before the courts as a result of abuse or neglect. She is a founding Board member of the Louisiana Institute for Children in Families, and was instrumental in the launch of Louisiana’s Quality Parenting Initiative and Louisiana Fosters, efforts to raise awareness about the needs of abused and neglected children and their families. Since 2008, Dean Landrieu has served as Chair of New Judge Training for all newly elected judges in Louisiana.

Dean Landrieu is the recipient of many prestigious awards and honors. This past summer, Dean Landrieu received the inaugural President’s Award from the Louisiana Judicial College for her “dedication to judicial education, particularly in the areas of new judge training and mentorship.” She currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Covenant House, New Orleans, a service provider for homeless, at-risk, and trafficked youth.

Dream State Panel Engages Students: Donald Cravins, Jr., Dr. Adren Wilson and Rep. Walt Leger III

MEET DONALD CRAVINS, JR.

Donald Cravins, Senior Vice President for Policy and Executive Director of the Washington Bureau at National Urban League

Don Cravins, Jr. serves as the National Urban League’s Senior Vice President for Policy and Executive Director of the Washington Bureau. Cravins leads the development of the National Urban League’s policy, research, and advocacy agenda, while expending the organization’s impact and influence inside the Capital Beltway.

Since 1998, Cravins has been a practicing attorney and a member of the Louisiana Bar Association. In 2004, he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives. In 2006, Cravins was elected to the Louisiana Senate. During his tenure in the Louisiana Senate, Cravins was heavily involved in post-Hurricane Katrina issues as the Chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee and was an active member of the Juvenile Justice Commission of Louisiana.

Cravins also served as Staff Director and Chief Counsel for the United States Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and as Chief of Staff for U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana.

Cravins is a native of Southwest Louisiana; a graduate of Teurlings Catholic High, Louisiana State University and Southern University Law Center.

Don attended LYS in 1988 and 1989 and served on LYS staff from 1990-1997. Don has also been named to the LYS Hall of Fame and he serves as a member of the LYS Advisory Committee.

He is married to Attorney Yvette Puckett Cravins and they have three children, 2nd Year JC Dominique, Trey and Chloe.

MEET DR. ADREN WILSON

Dr. Adren O. Wilson, Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor John Bel Edwards

Dr. Adren Wilson is a talented national leader committed to equity and justice. He currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor John Bel Edwards.  Most recently, Dr. Wilson served as the national CEO of Public Allies, an AmeriCorps national service program.

A native of rural Louisiana who himself grew up in extreme poverty, Dr. Wilson has held an escalating series of leadership positions as a national CEO, community leader, administrator, and reformer working to lift individuals, families, and communities out of poverty.

Prior to joining Public Allies in 2014, he led workforce development and community college retention efforts as Gulf Coast Regional Director for Single Stop USA. Previously, he developed transformational leaders for public schools as Executive Director of New Leaders Greater New Orleans; worked to end persistent poverty in the South by leading the Equity and Inclusion Campaign; and as National Director of Youth and Student Leadership at The Children’s Defense Fund.

Wilson earned a Master in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and he has a doctorate in Public Policy from the Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Southern University. He received Bachelor of Arts degrees in History and Political Science from Louisiana State University.

Dr. Wilson is also a member of the LYS family, having been honored as a Roddy Richard Lifetime Achievement Award recipient in 2001.

MEET WALTER "WALT" J. LEGER, III

Walt Leger, Speaker Pro Tempore of the Louisiana House of Representatives and State Rep, District 91

Walter “Walt” J. Leger III is Speaker Pro Tempore of the Louisiana House of Representatives and the Representative for New Orleans’ District 91. He is also a civil litigator with the law firm of Leger & Shaw, where he has practiced law since 2006.

He is a proud graduate of Louisiana State University and Tulane Law School. Following law school, Walt served as a felony prosecutor in the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office, where he earned a reputation as a skilled and fair-minded prosecutor. In the fall of 2007, Walt was first elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives and then re-elected without opposition in 2011 and 2015.

He was unanimously chosen by his colleagues to serve as the Speaker Pro Tempore of the Louisiana House of Representatives in 2012 and again in 2016, the youngest member to ever hold this position. Walt has many legislative achievements he is proud of, including the creation of the Criminal Justice Reinvestment Program and the Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund.

He is committed to making New Orleans and Louisiana a better place to live, especially as he and his wife, Danielle, raise their two young daughters, Cate and Caroline.

 

Terrence Simien Opens Dream State with a Cultural Showcase!

“There is no such thing as a ‘can’t happen’, dream big and don’t be embarrassed by about dreaming big because the dream is where it all starts. You know what makes that dream a reality... perseverance.”

Terrence not only shared his extensive experiences traveling the world, he taught our delegation a few French phrases and instilled pride in our great state of Louisiana.  He enlisted two delegates to join him on the rub board and entertained the delegation with a little Zydeco! Thank you Terrance Simien for sharing your time and talent with us!   

MEET TERRANCE SIMIEN 

Terrance Simien is zydeco musician, vocalist and songwriter. He and his band, Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience,  won the Grammy Award for Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album for 2008.

Simien is an eighth generation Creole from one of the earliest Creole families documented to have settled in the Mallet area of St. Landry Parish.

In the early 1980s, Simien was a youth in his early 20's and one of only two emerging zydeco artists leading a band and performing their indigenous zydeco roots music.

Simien and his band have toured internationally, presenting over 7000 live performances in more than 40 countries, and released dozens of solo recordings and collaborations  

Simien and his business partner/wife, Cynthia, are active in Creole music education and advocacy. They created the "Creole for Kidz & The History of Zydeco" performing arts program, which provides informational performances to K-12 students, teachers and parents.

Simien is considered to be one of the most gifted vocalists, engaging performers and innovative recording artists in American roots music.