LEADERSHIP

  • Chris J. Meyer

    PRESIDENT AND CEO

    Chris has pursued opportunities to drive transformational change on behalf of communities in Louisiana for more than two decades. He is passionate about using his skills, experiences, and networks to drive meaningful improvement in outcomes and quality of life for the people of Louisiana. As president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Chris considers it a great privilege to lead an organization focused on uniting human and financial resources to make big ideas become reality. He received his undergraduate degree from Tulane University, a master’s in public policy from Harvard University, and an MBA from the Wharton School.

  • Brenna Benson Lamb

    CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

    Brenna serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation where she leads strategy and operations for the organization. Brenna previously served as the COO of New Schools for Baton Rouge and worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company, specializing in strategy and operations. She has served in a variety of capacities and leadership roles across the nonprofit sector, leading teams in designing and implementing strategic initiatives, financial planning process, and information management strategies. She received her undergraduate degree in Public Policy Analysis from Duke University and her MBA from Tulane University.

  • Debbie Pickell

    CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

    Debbie joined BRAF over 25 years ago and has served as a trusted member of its finance team ever since. In her current role, she oversees the staff responsible for all financial activities flowing into and out of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and its 12 supporting organizations. She has managed accounting and financial services for numerous organizations over her years of service at BRAF. Debbie was previously employed by L.A. Champagne & Co. and worked on the Foundation’s audit during her tenure with them. Debbie graduated from Nicholls State University with a degree in accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant.

  • Lauren Crapanzano Jumonville

    VICE PRESIDENT OF ENTERPRISE STRATEGY

    Lauren joined the Baton Rouge Area Foundation in 2014 in the Civic Leadership department. There, she led the development and implementation of numerous multi-million, multi-year projects to improve the quality of life in the region. In her current role, Lauren oversees BRAF’s enterprise department, including BRAF’s affiliate network strategy, human resources, disaster response, technology, and data and information systems. Lauren received her undergraduate degree from Brown University and her MBA focused on social entrepreneurship from Louisiana State University.

  • Edmund J. Giering, IV

    GENERAL COUNSEL

    Edmund has served as the General counsel of the Foundation for more than 15 years. Mr. Giering has managed the development, award and administration of hundreds of grants totaling in excess of $150 million in the areas of disaster assistance, emergency relief, health and human services, wildlife, environment and conservation, and education. His practice emphasizes corporate law and governance, corporate, real estate and complex gift transactions, risk management and nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations. Edmund is a three-time graduate of Louisiana State University, earning Bachelor of Arts, MBA, and JD degrees.

FINANCE

  • André Greene

    VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE

    André has extensive experience in nonprofit accounting, audit, tax, reporting, and financial analysis. In his current role, he oversees tax and audit processes, supports financial reporting, manages special projects, and more. He most recently served as CFO of Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation, and has also served with the LSU Foundation, the Water Campus, and in multiple private industry roles.

  • Courtney Gustin

    SENIOR COMPTROLLER

    Courtney joined the Foundation over 20 years ago. With responsibility for more than 1,500 funds across 12 supporting organizations, Courtney is an expert in finance and accounting systems. She is also the Foundation’s resident expert on our technology platforms, recommending process and procedural enhancements that balance with our extensive technological capacity. Courtney graduated from LSU with an accounting degree.

  • Holly Mitchell

    ACCOUNTANT

    Holly has been an accountant at the Foundation since 2013. In her role, she is involved in many financial activities including the management of accounts payable, accounts receivable, check cutting, wires, and grants processing. Prior to her time at BRAF, she worked in private industry as a tax accountant and auditor. Holly holds a degree in accounting from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

  • Alyssa Mobley

    GRANT ADMINISTRATOR

    Alyssa has worked at the Baton Rouge Area Foundation as the Grants Administrator for two years. As Grants Administrator, she processes all outgoing grant payments for member organizations of the Giving Collective. Prior to working at BRAF, Alyssa worked in multiple different fields, including hospitality and the mortgage industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from LSU.

  • Haley Odom

    GIFTS ADMINISTRATOR

    Haley has worked at the Baton Rouge Area Foundation as the Gifts Administrator for two years. As Gifts Administrator, she processes all incoming contributions for member organizations of the Giving Collective. Prior to working at BRAF, Haley worked in multiple different fields, including food service and the legal industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies and homeland security from Tulane University.

ENTERPRISE

  • Patience Butler-Gasper

    ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR

    Patience supports administrative functions like communication with internal and external stakeholders, document management, and initial grant applications. Previously, Patience worked for the Louisiana State Employment Retirement System where she provided administrative assistance and support for 3 years. She has a BA in Political Science from Louisiana State University.

  • Devon DeShields

    DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

    Devon serves as the Director of Human Resources at the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. With experience in talent acquisition, employee engagement, and performance management, Devon is dedicated to fostering a positive workplace culture and driving organizational growth. She previously held roles in programming and grant management, overseeing compliance and streamlining processes.

  • Tamika Edwards-Raby

    CRM OFFICER

    Tamika’s passion for helping others led her to BRAF, where she serves in Client Relationship Management. In this role she interfaces with the philanthropic community and supports the collection, analysis, and management of data and data systems. She is a two-time alumna of Louisiana State University, where she earned her BA in English and MFA in Creative Writing.

  • Emary Wall

    ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR

    Emary serves as administrative coordinator at the foundation, supporting clerical functions like communication with internal and external stakeholders, document management, and the review of grant applications. She brings eight years of administrative experience to the Foundation and enjoys providing assistance to those in need through her role as coordinator.