About
LOUISIANA CENTRAL

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WHO WE ARE

Louisiana Central successfully recruits staff from across the nation and across town to support and grow regional prosperity.

JIM CLINTON

PRESIDENT & CEO

Lafe Jones, APR

Vice President & Executive Director of Industry Relations

Bahia Nightengale

Executive Director for Farm and Food

GARY PERKINS

Executive Director
Business Acceleration System

Dan Purvis

Executive Director of Business Development

Krystal Rachal

Director of Healthcare Career Central

Elisabeth Culp

Office Manager

Keisha Hamilton

Project Coordinator

Britni Lilley

Communications Coordinator

Dierdre ''Dee'' Ragin

Alexandria Farmers Market Manager

Brittney Reado

Farm and Food Grants & Operations Assistant

Morgan Setliff

Outreach Coordinator for Healthcare Career Central

Javonti Thomas

Program Coordinator

What Guides Our Work


Louisiana Central acts as a catalyst, leader, and connector to build a knowledge and innovation-driven economy so that our region will continue growing into a uniquely creative, inclusive, and entrepreneurial place.

WHAT WE DO

We care passionately that the people of Central Louisiana, our home, have livable incomes and build intergenerational wealth. We value knowledge as primary currency-deployed to improve the profitability and competitiveness of business. We build vibrant communities to create, attract, and retain employees in places where people want to live. We measure success by the region's median household income increasing faster than the nation as a whole. We will not be limited by our history; we will be defined by our future. We think in decades, but act in the moment.

Governance


Louisiana Central is the dba for Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of two-thirds investing members and one-third participating members chosen to assure that the full Board is representative of all sectors of the region.  Those interested in becoming Investing Members of Louisiana Central may contact Jim Clinton at jclinton@louisiana-central.com or 318-441-3401.

Funding for Louisiana Central

Louisiana Central’s core funding is provided by its investing members and matching funding from The Rapides Foundation. Additional program-specific funding is provided by a wide array of organizations and individuals, including but not limited to: The Rapides Foundation, the United States Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Foundation, the United States Department of Agriculture, Louisiana Economic Development, and others.

Current Portfolio