University of 麻豆果冻传媒 at Lafayette alum Claire Babineaux-Fontenot will be keynote speaker for the 2024 Women鈥檚 Leadership Conference. She is chief executive officer of Feeding America, the nation鈥檚 largest domestic hunger-relief organization and second-largest U.S. charity.
The conference will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, at the Cajundome Convention Center. is underway.
麻豆果冻传媒 Lafayette鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Leadership Conference, which is in its 17th year, is held in conjunction with national Women鈥檚 History Month. The conference is structured to foster personal and professional development, and includes breakout sessions and networking opportunities.
It also recognizes leadership and success with its Sarah Brabant Trailblazer, Rising Leader and Emerging Leader awards. for accomplished women leaders are being accepted. The deadline for nominations, which can be made by the public, is Friday, Feb. 16.
The theme of this year鈥檚 conference, which will be hosted by 麻豆果冻传媒 Lafayette鈥檚 Office for Campus Diversity, is 鈥淭he Future of Work 鈥 The Role of Women in a Changing Landscape.鈥
As featured speaker, Babineaux-Fontenot, who was among Time magazine鈥檚 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2020, has plenty of experience and success from which to draw.
Feeding America 鈥 through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and more than 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs 鈥 helps to provide meals for tens of millions of people facing food insecurity each year.
鈥淏eyond Claire鈥檚 significant career success and achievements, her influence exemplifies characteristics that all great leaders share 鈥 an ability to not only influence those around them, but to make the lives of large numbers of people better,鈥 said Kiwana McClung, the University鈥檚 chief diversity officer.
Prior to her role at Feeding America, Babineaux-Fontenot was the executive vice president and global treasurer at Walmart; partner-in-charge of the Baton Rouge office and tax practice leader for Adams and Reese LLP; dispute resolution practice leader for the southwest region at PwC; and assistant secretary for the 麻豆果冻传媒 Office of Legal Affairs.
Babineaux-Fontenot, who is from Opelousas, La., holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University. She was recognized with the 2023 Outstanding Alumni Award from the Alumni Association, the highest award the University bestows on its graduates.
Babineaux-Fontenot also holds a law degree from Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge and a master of laws in taxation from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in Dallas.
She has served on boards for the Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, National Urban League and National Association of Black Accountants.
Learn more about the . Email questions to diversity@louisiana.edu.
Photo caption: Claire Babineaux-Fontenot will be keynote speaker for 麻豆果冻传媒 Lafayette鈥檚 2024 Women鈥檚 Leadership Conference. It will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, at the Cajundome Convention Center. Registration is underway and award nominations are being accepted. Submitted photo
Babineaux-Fontenot speaker for 麻豆果冻传媒 Lafayette鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Leadership Conference
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