BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children (LPIC) recently announced the addition of Sharonda Williams and Jennifer Eplett Reilly to its Board of Directors. Both bring a wealth of expertise and compassion for increased high-quality early care and education for Louisiana’s youngest learners.
“We are excited to welcome Sharonda and Jennifer to our board,” said Dr. Libbie Sonnier, executive director at LPIC. “Their extensive backgrounds will be invaluable in advancing our mission.”
Williams serves as general counsel and director of Government Affairs at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Previously, she served as special counsel for Fishman Haygood LLP, city attorney, and chief of litigation for the City of New Orleans. Williams has been an active member of her community, serving in various capacities on boards and commissions. She was recently appointed by former Gov. John Bel Edwards to serve as the Commissioner for the Port of New Orleans. Williams is on the boards of Louisiana Appleseed, Bridge House/Grace House, LCMC Health system, Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the New Orleans Bar Foundation, the Federal Bar Association, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and Urban League of Louisiana. Additionally, she is a graduate of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute, Leadership Louisiana, and the Norman C. Francis Leadership Institute. Williams graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana with honors in English and biology. She then went on to attend medical school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After completing her medical degree, Williams attended Loyola University New Orleans College of Law.
Reilly currently serves as the founding chair of New Schools for Baton Rouge. She has been engaged in civic leadership as co-founder of City Year Inc., founding executive director and president of Echoing Green Foundation, and leader of numerous innovative public-private partnerships in Louisiana. Reilly holds a distinguished role as a board member of Be The Change Inc. and serves on the global academic committee of Groton School. Her impressive leadership includes being the founding chair of the Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation, chair of the Louisiana Educational Television Authority, and chair of the Shaw Center for the Arts. Additionally, Reilly contributed to the early development of Teach for America, serving on both its founding national board and the founding Louisiana board. Reilly received her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Wellesley College and a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.
For more information about LPIC and its Board of Directors, visit policyinstitutela.org.
About Louisiana Policy Institute for Children:
Louisiana Policy Institute for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that Louisiana’s young children, from birth to age four, are best prepared for success in school and in life. The Policy Institute develops policy proposals informed by data, research, best practices and the experiences of other states to improve the outcomes of Louisiana’s youngest citizens, and further provides educational and outreach activities based on recommended policy solutions. The organization works to ensure children are safe, healthy and have opportunity to reach their full potential. For more information, visit www.policyinstitutela.org and follow the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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