Register to hear from Jefferson Parish President, education, and business leaders
AVONDALE — Celebrate Women’s History Month with a conversation about career growth and the experiences, resilience, and hard-earned lessons that develop strong leaders.
JEDCO and the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce invite you to our annual Women in Leadership panel, bringing together an extraordinary group of women whose work and vision are helping to shape the region’s business landscape.
Coming from government, higher education, entrepreneurship, and traditionally male-dominated industries, these leaders will share candid reflections on building successful careers, overcoming obstacles, and managing the realties of work-life balance. The discussion will explore everything from boosting confidence and navigating professional challenges to the important roles of mentorship and strong networks.
Whether you’re an emerging professional or a seasoned leader, this popular Prosper Jefferson panel will leave you with fresh insight, meaningful perspective, and actionable ideas for your own leadership journey.
Event Details
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
9:00 AM -10:30 AM
JEDCO Conference Center
701A Churchill Parkway,
Avondale, LA 70094
The event is $12.50, which covers breakfast. It is open to all businesses and entrepreneurs. Please register online in advance.
MEET THE EXPERTS
Erin Comeaux
RNGD Commercial Sector Leader
Renegades carve their own path. And it’s a notion Erin exemplifies. Since 2016 Erin has delivered one successful project after another as a hands-on, results-oriented leader at RNGD. With over 20 years in the construction industry, her unique approach has made a valuable difference in augmenting the team’s capabilities and quality product delivery. As Sector Leader for commercial projects, Erin manages numerous projects from preconstruction all the way through to construction. She works on coordination, scheduling, and budget management for the project’s duration while leveraging open communication with clients and trade partners.
As a relationship-driven person, Erin joined RNGD for their collaborative approach, coming on board as a Senior Project Manager. Echoing that value, Erin regularly coaches her team as both a leader and mentor. Her knack for navigating complex challenges, resolving unforeseen issues, and strategizing solutions, has led to what she thinks is the most exciting part of her job—making “something” out of “nothing” and seeing their amazing results.
Hailing from Metairie, Louisiana, Erin has a “never give up” mentality. She’s defined by her morals and commitment to everything she takes on. She graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management. From there, she embarked on a career that—coupled with her personality—cemented her status as a hard worker and team player. Aside from work, Erin enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She also loves travel, good food, dancing, and has a big love for football, especially the LSU Tigers.
Cynthia Lee Sheng
Jefferson Parish President
Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng was sworn into office on January 8, 2020. Prior to her role as the first female Parish President for Jefferson Parish, she served as Councilwoman At-Large for Division B in 2015 after serving as the Councilwoman for District 5 since 2009.
Cynthia showed an interest in public service early in her life and obtained a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from George Washington University. She is a graduate of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and served for 10 years as a federal law enforcement officer with the Immigration and Naturalization Service in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Maryland, and Newark, New Jersey.
Some of Cynthia’s most noteworthy work while serving as a council member included revitalizing Fat City, advocating for a new approach to living with water by promoting green infrastructure, and assisting in the negotiation of a decades-long property dispute to great success: the site is now the location of Jefferson Parish’s first Trader Joe’s.
As Jefferson Parish President, Cynthia has used her passion for efficiency and partnership to lead Jefferson Parish through unprecedented times, including the COVID-19 pandemic as well as an active 2020-2021 hurricane season. From preparation to response, she continues to manage Jefferson Parish’s recovery from Hurricane Ida, particularly in areas of Lower Jefferson. Cynthia constantly works to take Jefferson Parish to the “Next Level” by encouraging new ideas, technology, and a more efficient way of running government.
Cynthia’s family is well known to Jefferson Parish residents. Her grandfather opened the House of Lee Restaurant in the 1950s at the corner of Causeway Boulevard and Veterans Memorial Boulevard. Her father was Sheriff Harry Lee, who proudly served and protected Jefferson Parish for more than 28 years. Cynthia was educated at St. Angela Merici, Mount Carmel Academy, Loyola University New Orleans, and George Washington University. She lives in Metairie and has two children, Gavin and Miranda.
Dr. Larissa Littleton-Steib
Delgado Community College Chancellor
Dr. Larissa Littleton-Steib has served as Chancellor of Delgado Community College since July 2019. She previously served as Delgado’s Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development and Technical Education, Executive Dean of the Delgado West Bank Campus, and other leadership roles. Dr. Steib shares a vision to advance the college with a laser focus on student access and student success. She is a highly regarded leader and has an extensive background in higher education. She has developed vital, cutting-edge academic curricula, and she has a keen forte of working collaboratively with multiple business partners and stakeholders.
Prior to becoming Chancellor of Delgado Community College, Dr. Steib served as Chancellor of Baton Rouge Community College, where she increased student enrollment, business and educational partnerships, and transfer opportunities for students.
At Delgado, Dr. Steib is placing strong emphasis on improving student access and the quality of the student experience. She is working to build and enhance relationships with regional business, industry, and government organizations, and she is ensuring that the curriculum is aligned properly with regional economic development and workforce needs.
Partnerships expanding under Dr. Steib’s leadership include Ochsner Health, LCMC Health, Apple, Amazon, PepsiCo, and Mercedes Benz. In 2021, she developed a partnership with Ochsner Health to provide healthcare education in a new state-of-the-art facility that opened at Delgado in 2023. This facility was funded with $34 million from the State of Louisiana and $10 million from Ochsner Health. Ochsner also provided an additional $10 million for scholarships. Under her leadership, Delgado’s Maritime and Industrial Training Complex has been federally designated as a Center of Excellence.
Dr. Steib is raising Delgado’s profile across the spectrum of activity in the New Orleans region as a top-quality post-secondary educational resource with tremendous economic impact—calculated in 2021 to be more than $588 million annually in directly related economic activity.
Dr. Steib was selected as one of the 20 most effective leaders in the regional education sector and as a 2023 Icon Award recipient by the publication New Orleans CityBusiness. She is a native of Louisiana and earned a doctorate in Urban Higher Education from Jackson State University and her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Xavier University of Louisiana. Dr. Steib is an alumna of the Harvard University Institute of Higher Education Management and New President’s Institute. She is married to Kyle Steib Sr. and they have three children, Kyle, Blake, and Victoria.
MODERATOR:
Dr. Paula Polito
Beary Cherry Tree Owner
Paula Polito is the owner and director of Beary Cherry Tree Child Development Center in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, which she purchased in 1999 and has operated for over 26 years, continuing a three-generation family legacy in early childhood education. Today, Beary Cherry Tree serves over 230 Jefferson Parish families through high-quality early care and education programming.
Paula serves as Chair of the Louisiana Department of Education Early Childhood Advisory Board, where she is recognized as the state’s CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) expert. Dr. Polito also serves as a contract trainer for Teachstone, the maker of CLASS, bringing deep expertise in measuring and improving teacher-child interaction quality.
She is the 2026 Chair of the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, making her the first childcare provider to lead this organization in its history. She previously chaired both the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee and Education & Workforce Development Committee. Her unique positioning bridges direct service provision, policy leadership, and business advocacy, allowing her to elevate early childhood education as economic infrastructure rather than social services. She earned her Ph.D. in Urban Studies and her MBA from the University of New Orleans while operating her business and raising three children, demonstrating her commitment to both practice and scholarship in the field.
About JEDCO
The Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) is the economic development organization for the parish with the main objective of attracting, growing, and creating new business in the area. JEDCO’s mission is to proactively influence the economy through the retention and creation of quality jobs, entrepreneurship, and investment in Jefferson Parish. Located in the growing Churchill Technology & Business Park, JEDCO supports the Jefferson Parish economy through its award-winning economic development services program and a dynamic small business financing arm. Since inception, JEDCO has attracted global brands to the community, including Fuji Vegetable Oil, Sleep Number, Dyno Nobel, and US Foods in recent years. The organization has generated millions of dollars in investment and thousands of jobs in Jefferson Parish.
For more information, visit www.jedco.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Stream the Jefferson Parish Pulse podcast powered by JEDCO here.
About the Jefferson Chamber
The Jefferson Chamber is the leading voice for Jefferson Parish’s business community. As a non-profit, membership-driven organization, the Chamber is an effective advocate for small and large businesses at the local, state, and federal levels. The Chamber’s mission is to work for the advancement of the business community; to enhance the economic, civic and cultural environment; and to improve the quality of life in Jefferson Parish. The Jefferson Chamber is Five-Star Accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and was award the 2013 Chamber of the Year Award by the Louisiana Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives in the Large Chamber Category.
For more information about the Jefferson Chamber, visit www.jeffersonchamber.org, and follow on Facebook, Twitter @jeffersoncoc, and YouTube.