2024 Angels
Kathy Coleman
“Kathy has dedicated herself to raising six of her grandchildren, who have been under her care since they were born. In taking on this task, she experienced what many grandparents providing kindship care go through: surprise, delight, worry, uncertainty about resources and how to chart the path ahead.
All of this led her to seek assistance from Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG), where she was taken under the wings of its co-founders, Danna Spayde and Dot Thibodaux, a past Angel Award honoree.
For the last twelve years, Kathy has run all of the day-to-day operations of GRG, serving as its board president and executive director. Her powerful vision of a statewide network of grandparent and supporters has slowly grown to fruition.
GRG provides whatever is needed, whenever needed — especially in cases where family members have physical, but not legal custody, of their children, meaning they are ineligible for social services support like SNAP benefits, Medicaid, and more.
Kathy constantly travels across the state offering support groups, legal counseling, information, and more. She recruits attorneys to provide pro bono legal services on behalf of families who cannot afford the process required to gain legal custody.
Kathy is kind, gentle, uplifting – but also fiery and determined. She does all of this work as a volunteer, believing it is her duty to take care of these families.
In Louisiana, there are nearly 170,000 children being raised by grandparents. Kathy Coleman is an Angel to all of them.”
Erin Davison, MBA
“Erin is the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana (BBBS), the region’s largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring network for young people She is RELENTLESS in her mission to make sure that young people achieve their full potential.
Having served as a Big Sister in high school, Erin is passionate about the organization’s “littles,” knowing that having a mentor can make a life-changing impact on kids by keeping them out of trouble, making positive connections, providing trauma-informed care, helping them get through school with a life plan, and avoiding risky behavior.
She listens to the young people who come through the doors of her organization, and has adapted and innovated programs to reach children in a region where life has been upended several times over the last few years.
Remarkably, Erin has led BBBS to growth in the face of those same challenges: COVID, Hurricanes Laura and Delta, a devastating ice storm, and unprecedented flooding in the Lake Charles area.
Against daunting odds, Erin found creative ways to financially sustain the organization, while also growing its staff from 5 to 17, restructuring, diversifying its financial portfolio, increasing diversity and representation, and absorbing another BBBS program in a neighboring region.
Erin holds herself accountable to the families, young people, and mentors she serves. She has a warm sense of humor and is the ultimate champion for the underdog. During a time when so many kids don’t feel “seen,” she recognizes their talents, dreams, and potential, and does everything within her power to help them. Failure is not an option for Erin, and that’s why she is an Angel.”
Caryl Ewing
“After establishing herself as a successful CPA in Chicago, Caryl returned home to New Roads to be closer to family. Dissatisfied with the state of early childhood education, she became one of the earliest supporters of the Early Childhood Coalition.
Since joining the board in 2021, she has raised more than half a million dollars for early care and education, including teacher training, materials, curriculum, and scholarships for working families to send their children to high-quality preschools.
The children of our region have benefitted from her commitment and hard work. Leaning into her personal networks as a prominent business owner, Caryl has brought volunteers and resources. Her business acumen led her to recognized the sorely underutilized School Readiness Tax Credits created in 2007, which allows businesses to donate up to $5,000 to eligible nonprofits while receiving a dollar-for-dollar credit or refund from the state.
During Caryl’s time working with the Coalition, our small town has opened two additional early childcare centers, and we have provided 600+ hours of coaching and technical assistance to improve classroom quality. She has helped to double the number of preschools who received an “excellent” rating from the state.
Caryl’s gift is her commitment and determination. When she says she will do something, she does it. When she says she will work to change something, she doesn’t stop until it changes. She believes that every child deserves a fair chance, and is a model of not just talking, but walking the top. She is an Angel to every care provider and the children they work with in our region.”
Aaron Frumin
“Aaron has been heavily involved in service work his entire career. He came to Louisiana as a Red Cross volunteer after Katrina, then worked with a number of local nonprofits and even taught middle and high school before founding unCommon Construction in 2015.
unCommon Construction uses the construction build process to empower youth with the skills, network, experience, and resources to lead the workforce. Aaron brings vision and strategy to our work, while also managing school and industry partnerships, focusing on mission-alignment, stakeholder buy-in, and equitable access.
Aaron's vision is a world in which young people have a clear path to a meaningful and rewarding work life through social and economic mobility. Through the flagship earn-and-learn apprenticeship program he developed, high school students learn soft and technical skills while completing the residential construction of a house and other projects that are then sold on the free market. The proceeds of the sale go back into scholarships, certifications, and training for young people.
Since 2015, over 400 apprentices have worked with unCommon Construction. Apprentices have collectively earned $400,000+ in pay and scholarships through the program and 100% of them have either enrolled in college or joined the workforce. Young men and women are finding high paying work, buying houses, and giving back to the community because of their time at unCommon Construction.
Aaron found his passion for construction in after-school programs, and believes that economic empowerment is one of the key factors of social change for young people. He is an Angel to each apprentice who has found their path while working with us.”
Kimberly Evans Novod
“Kimberly and her husband, Aaron, founded Saul's Light in 2015 after the death of their son, Saul. Saul's premature birth, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay, and death moved them to establish an organization that creates a supportive community for other NICU families while also addressing inequities in perinatal healthcare.
It is well-established that Louisiana’s infant health crisis disproportionately affects low-income Black and Latin American families. The emotional and financial toll of a NICU experience can affect families for a lifetime – costing an average of $76,000 per admission, a 60% higher risk of PTSD symptoms.
Saul’s Light provides financial donations and emotional support to help ease the burden of NICU care. When the worst comes to pass, and families lose a child, they provide bereavement support to help parents say goodbye, honor their baby’s memory, and grieve.
Kimberly is especially skilled at building community — and puts on dozens of events where parents can connect with others and find support on a complicated journey that can be incredibly isolating. She has also won over hospital administrators, healthcare providers, and legislators to create policies and practices more supportive of NICU children and their families.
Hundreds of vulnerable premature infants in Louisiana have thrived and grown due to the support and advocacy of Kimberly and Saul's Light. Bereaved families who experience infant loss have received vital support from Kimberly and benefited from policy initiatives she advanced to lessen their hardship. Due to her work, the catastrophic impacts of racial disparities in maternal and perinatal healthcare are being reduced and repaired.
Kimberly is an Angel because she has turned her pain into something that inspires others and creates a path for them to follow.”
Hillary Sirmon
“Hillary has worked tirelessly to ensure that all children play as one. Her son, Benjamin was born with a rare disease, Centronuclear Myopathy, which causes extreme muscle weakness. Hooked up to a ventilator and feeding tube, and confined to a wheelchair, it made simple things like playing very challenging.
Because of Benjamin, Hillary saw the need for an inclusive playground in St. Charles Parish, where they lived at the time, so she raised the awareness and funds necessary to build one.
Tragically, Benjamin passed way at the age of three, just before the project was completed. The Sirmon family relocated to the Monroe area, where Hillary channeled her grief into raising money for a new inclusive playground at Forsythe Park.
Hillary uses her insight as a pediatric physical therapist to surmise what equipment the children could benefit from. She works hard to build relationships and to bring resources to the table for other families of children with disabilities.
Powered by her love of her son, Hillary is working to create inclusive playgrounds throughout Louisiana, improving the lives of able-bodied and disabled children, allowing them to play as one. Families create community out at the playground, and caregivers whose responsibilities can isolate them are instead finding connection and joy.
Hillary's why is very clear - it is all for Benjamin. Even though he is gone, she carries him into every meeting, determined to make it possible for all children to play together, which was her dream for Benjamin.
Benjamin is Hillary’s Angel. In turn, she is an Angel to all of us.”
Dr. Annie W. Spell
“Dr. Annie Wingate Spell is a true advocate and voice for children. I was first introduced to her as a potential board member for our organization. What I noticed immediately was how she makes everyone feel comfortable, as if she’s never known a stranger. Because of her warm and inspiring spirit, she has been instrumental in creative positive change for children, teens, and families in our community.
Though she has given her time, talent, and treasure to many organizations in our region, she has been a consistent supporter of Hearts of Hope, where she started as a college-aged volunteer answering a 24-hour crisis line. She provided support to kids and adults who requested advocacy when reporting a sexual assault at an emergency room.
As a volunteer, board member, and a mental health practitioner, Annie ensures that children have access to services for healing from trauma, recognizing that enduring it affects health, educational achievement, and opportunity. Adverse childhood experiences are linked to mental and physical health problems.
Annie is also a devoted member of the Iberia Mental Health Initiative, a coalition of professionals and community advocates the provides public education, training, and resources to young people and their caregivers. Through this and Hearts of Hope, Annie helps provide mental health services to thousands of children dealing with autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, trauma, and even suicidal ideation.
Annie has a natural compass of generosity and believes that to whom much is given, much is expected. Annie's drive and passion comes from the awareness of the detrimental effects and costs of trauma experienced by children. Annie's efforts in the community reflects a holistic view of child welfare, recognizing that support, education, and advocacy are vital components of a healthier, more inclusive society.
Annie's contributions through her work transcend individual benefits, creating ripple effects that enhance the entire community. And that is why she is an Angel.”
Jamon Turner
“After riding bulls for fifteen years and being a finalist on the hit TV show The Ultimate Cowboy Showdown, Jamon Turner came back to Northwest Louisiana to share his knowledge of equestrian and agricultural training to urban and rural children in non-agricultural communities.
He started a nonprofit called "Just Believe Training, " and uses camps and clinics to teach rodeo horsemanship, trades, and mental health to young people from across the region.
Research establishes that equine therapy provides significant mental health benefits to young people with social anxiety, panic disorder, substance addition, and more. Working with horses helps young people stay present, rather than worrying about the past or the future. It also improves communication and trust, improving social relationships and emotional regulation.
Jamon also wants more children, particularly young Black and Latino children, to find their place and economic potential in agricultural trades. Traditionally, white men dominate these industries. Having had his own life trajectory shaped by agriculture, Jamon knows its potential to provide a steady income and community connection.
Jamon is approachable, charming, and friendly. He demands discipline, but jokes around with the young people in his care and meets them where they are. For those who have felt out of place because of their love for horses or farming, he helps them develop a sense of belonging and pride in their identities.
Many young people start with Just Believe Training as shy and unsure of themselves. They leave it full of confidence and energy to make their way in the world. Jamon is an Angel to the hundreds of children he has helped with his programs.”
Erin Powell
“Erin has a persistent heart for children in need, particularly foster children in our community. She has organized a closet at her local church, called Project 2.5, which provides clothing, beds, strollers, diapers, and other necessities for foster families.
When children arrive on the doorsteps of foster families, it is most often at very short notice and with very little provided in the way of supplies for the children. Through the Project 2.5 closet and events throughout the community, Erin makes it possible for children and families to “shop” in the closet and bring home whatever they need at no cost to them.
To make this possible, Erin is constantly raising funds and taking in donations of clothing, toys, baby equipment, toiletries, car seats, and other urgent needs. In 2023, Project 2.5 helped meet the needs of 300 families, and was recognized as Partner of the Year for the Monroe Region by the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services.
Erin's childhood wasn't easy. Her grandparents helped raise her and she is very thankful for their provision and care. Both fostering and adoption became part of her story with her own children. She is constantly loving and encouraging other families that pursue adoption or fostering both in and outside of the closet. Erin is an Angel because of the way she is intentional in making sure that every family that shops at the closet feels seen, cared for, and loved.”
Frederick Burgess
Stop the Violence
“Frederick is a man on a mission, driven by the heartache of losing so many young people to gun violence and other crime in Alexandria. He was raised here and has worked as a reserve law enforcement officer for years. So, he loved the community enough to do something about it.
In 2018, Stop the Violence opened its doors in partnership with the Alexandria Housing Authority, and the impact was immediate. Children from all over the city flocked to the Charles Hayward Activity Center knowing that it would be a safe place to gather with their friends and neighbors to play basketball, eat snacks, study, and just be a kid for a few hours after school. Their parents encouraged them to keep coming back consistently for the tutoring and education opportunities. It kept them off the streets and out of trouble.
Mr. Fred and his small team of volunteers have put an incredible amount of personal attention and encouragement on these 1,100+ young people. Their grades improve not just because of the tutoring, but because they know he’s watching their grades, checking in with their teachers, and giving them a push when they need it.
He loves to show off ‘his’ kids. He celebrates them when they achieve success – which could be making the honor roll, pulling up a failing grade, when a truant student starts attending school regularly, someone goes to college, or someone who has dropped out finishes their GED and starts to learn a trade. He is truly an angel to these young people, and we are so very blessed to have him on our side.”
Mary Barrios
Town of Farmerville
“One of the things I hear Mary say often is ‘Everyone deserves to be at the table.’ She believes that all voices matter, and that communities are better when everyone feels welcomed and are all looking out for each other.
As a Community Outreach Coordinator for the Town of Farmerville, Mary works incredibly hard to create spaces where people learn about each other. She is the visionary behind a festival celebrating Latino culture, Black History Month events, bilingual reading and education programs, and so much more. She brings people together because, as she says, ‘It’s hard to hate up close.’
Mary cares for people and their children as if they were her own family. If there’s a new family in town, she’ll give their kids rides to the library, go to their homes to volunteer translation services for those who don’t speak English, and attend back-to-school programs with students whose parents work nights. People are always reaching out to her for help and advice.
Her father, Miguel, was a Latino missionary who ministered to migrant workers and brought Spanish-speaking churches to our parish. Many people looked at him as a father figure. Once Mary moved back to Union Parish to care for her mother — and especially after both of her parents passed away — she inherited that role. People see Mary as a matriarch in the community, and they come to her for everything. She’s an angel to them and to me.”
Lisa Conly Cronin
Common Ground Community, Inc.
“By trade, Lisa is a practicing attorney. Since 2009, she’s also served as the volunteer executive director of Common Ground Community, Inc., a local nonprofit that focuses on improving the lives of children and adults living in the Cedar Grove neighborhood of Shreveport.
Common Ground builds community through compassionate outreach, genuine care, and acceptance of all people. They serve a community meal each week, run a clothes closet, and provide a food pantry for the community at large. The organization helps kids with school readiness by providing tutoring, a free summer day camp, and youth programs that build community while teaching kids how to be of service.
The organization is almost entirely volunteer-driven, and Lisa’s persistence and dedication inspire others to join. She’s purchased textbooks out of her own pocket, provided transportation for students, helped their families fill out financial aid forms for school, and has personally seen to it that kids and families have the support they need to be successful.
Lisa is tireless. She spends the first half of the day at the law firm, and the second half at Common Ground. She’s also an adjunct professor and a mother. And despite all of that, she finds the energy to lead by example. Lisa never asks anyone to do anything that she’s not willing to do. She balances the books and makes public presentations, but she also takes out the trash, mops the floors, and plays with children. She radiates humility and graciousness. There are many young people finishing college, entering the workforce, and achieving their dreams who can trace a part of their success back to the support of Lisa and Common Ground.”
Chantelle Varnado
LAUNCH Therapy Center
“Livingston Parish and the surrounding areas have had limited access to the therapeutic services needed by children with disabilities. This includes speech, physical, and occupational therapies. Chantelle started Launch Therapy Center in 2015 to provide a local option for high-quality therapy. It’s a non-profit center that makes it possible for families to get holistic care for their children without having to travel a long way.
Early identification and initiation of therapy services for children with disabilities are crucial in development and treatment planning. Launch Therapy Center is one of only three pediatric therapy centers in the area and is currently the only clinic in the area that provides fully integrated services. They receive hundreds of referrals each year. Chantelle isn’t just the Executive Director, but she’s also a practicing therapist and sees patients.
In her first year, Chantelle hired a staff of therapists and drove a successful capital campaign to build a facility. In 2016, a week after she signed a purchase agreement for a building, the historic floods washed into Baton Rouge — inundating not only the new building, but Chantelle’s own home and the church out of which Launch was operating. It took her just three weeks to get the center back online.
When COVID came, Launch was the first to offer telehealth options. Chantelle is committed to her community in such a way that no challenge will keep her from realizing her vision. She is the person that you know will always be there when you need her, even if you are a stranger. She has a heart for service and unmatched determination in advocating for those with special needs. I cannot think of another individual that has shown so much determination and passion for the community that she serves.”
Tamiko Francis Garrison
Donaldsonville Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council
“Tamiko Francis Garrison is the Manager of Medicare Advantage Compliance at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. Additionally, she serves as a part-time Justice of the Peace and is very active in the Donaldsonville community, where she and her extended family have lived and served in a number of civic capacities for decades.
As a mother, Tamiko thoughtfully considered what skills her own daughter would need in life to advocate for herself as she became an adult — not just communication skills, but also knowledge of civic processes and how communities function.
This inspired Tamiko to create the Donaldsonville Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, which familiarizes young people with community activism, business leaders, and community leaders at a local, state, and national level. She has been the sole volunteer and coordinator engaging with students, teachers, and administrators at Donaldsonville and Ascension Catholic High Schools.
In addition to training students to be leaders, Tamiko organizes field trips where students can put their skills to use meeting and discussing issues with their own elected leaders — ranging from their school board and city government to national representatives in Washington, D.C.
Tamiko is passionate and seeks to change the world one youth at a time. She is training a generation of empowered, civically engaged young adults who are positioned to make positive changes in their communities, their state, and their world.”
Ellen Doskey
Girls on the Run
“Ellen is a founding board member of Girls on the Run – Bayou Region (GOTR), an after-school program for girls ages 8-13 that provides mentorship and life lessons through a program which creatively integrates running and physical activity.
When GOTR started, there were just a dozen girls. Ellen has been one of the coaches for a decade, and spending time with each girl is how she learns about their lives, their challenges, and what they need. She’s kept up that hands-on approach as the organization has grown across the region to include more than 800 runners.
COVID and multiple natural disasters nearly ended GOTR, but Ellen stepped up as the board president and led fundraising and strategic planning that sustained it until 2022, their big comeback year. The program is now bigger than ever.
Ellen has been an assistant district attorney in Terrebonne Parish since 1997. She is the sole attorney in the office who handles “Child In Need of Care” cases that involve neglect or abuse. It’s tough work, but Ellen stays focused on the needs of each child. It inspired her to create the first Family Preservation Court in Terrebonne Parish, which is helping dozens of parents with substance abuse issues recover and stay connected to their families.
The way Ellen lives her life reflects one of the most important things that Girls on the Run teaches, which is the value of discipline and a willingness to try again and again. Every day that you show up, you get a little better, until you’ve made a big enough difference that you can’t recognize where you started.”
Dr. Murelle G. Harrison
The Gardere Initiative
“The Gardere Initiative, which has uplifted and supported its neighborhoods in every way imaginable since its inception in 2006, has continued to be one of Baton Rouge's most awe-inspiring nonprofit organizations. This statement could not be true without the incomparable work of its Executive Director, Dr. Murelle Harrison.
The operations of the nonprofit organization flow through her in every way, shape, and form. Dr. Harrison’s utmost goal is the wellness and protection of children she serves in the community through all of the tireless work she provides in Gardere Initiative programs: after-school and weekend programs where kids get help with homework and have safe spaces to play; helping families get access to housing, food, and healthcare; and face-to-face counseling and mentoring that helps people determine their path and pursue it vigorously.
Most families in the Gardere area earn less than the Federal poverty line, and many are Latinx families without access to necessities. The Gardere Initiative does whatever is needed to help people get solid footing, particularly in the interest of providing their children with a better life. They help with job placement and teach ESL classes, and offer places where kids can learn and play while their parents are working.
The most important thing that Dr. Harrison and the Gardere Initiative do is create community. She’s not only brought in civic and church partners to support the area, but she also creates spaces where people can come together safely and joyously. She’s done all of this as a volunteer, never taking pay from the organization over her long tenure. Dr. Harrison serves from a sense of mission. She honors the humanity and dignity of every person she meets and is an inspiring force.”
Melanie Bronfin
Louisiana Policy Institute for Children
“For more than 25 years, Melanie Bronfin has been one of Louisiana's most fervent advocates for young children and their families. An attorney by trade, Melanie has helped to author and get passed some of the most impactful public policy legislation in our state's history.
Melanie founded the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children in 2013 to be a voice for vulnerable children and their families at the statewide policy level. She served as its Executive Director for its first five years and led the Policy Institute to become Louisiana's leading independent source of data, research, and public policy proposals on issues related to young children and their families. Melanie was instrumental in reforming Louisiana's early learning system, which has made it possible for tens of thousands of young children from families with low incomes to get publicly supported, comprehensive, high-quality early care and education.
In all of her pursuits, Melanie not only excels, but gives everything she has to ensure success for children and families. She is the definition of determination and willingness to put everything on the line to help improve the lives of others.
Few have done more in Louisiana to push for the enactment of public policies that support and safeguard the healthy development, growth and well-being of our state's infants, toddlers and preschoolers than Melanie Bronfin!”
Penny Smith and Melva Villard
SPERO
“Penny and Melva are first and foremost devoted mothers who want the best for their children. They are also tireless advocates for the needs of children with developmental and intellectual disabilities; each of them has a daughter with a disability that has made her ineligible for college admission.
Katelyn (Penny’s daughter) and Morgan (Melva’s daughter) are both bright, curious, and engaging young women who think about their futures and want to make independent lives for themselves. Penny learned that there were programs offered on college campuses in South Louisiana that helped students with disabilities achieve those goals. However, there were no programs north of Interstate 10.
Penny wrote to Gov. John Bel Edwards asking for his help in developing post-secondary educational options for young people in Central Louisiana. His response was to ask her to work with LSUA to develop a program. She did just that. Her intervention and her collaboration with LSUA led to the development and launch of SPERO (Special Program for the Enhancement of Resources and Opportunities for Students with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities).
Melva has also played a vital role in the program’s development. She joined Penny in advocating with school administrators, community leaders, and funders to create and launch SPERO. Both women became members of an LSUA steering committee that met for over two years. They never missed a meeting and provided crucial help and guidance to the other committee members.
SPERO was launched in Fall 2022. Through the program, eligible students are integrated into the campus experience. They audit college-level classes and receive training designed to develop their daily living, interpersonal, and employment skills. They also spend time and make friends with degree-seeking students in their age cohort, bridging their connection to the campus community at large.
Melva and Penny have different approaches and personalities. Melva is more forward, Penny more reserved. But both speak from the heart about their children, have worked incredibly hard to provide opportunities for them, and are opening doors not only for their own daughters, but also for other young people in our region.”