Southern Mutual Help Association, Inc. Board of Directors

Southern Mutual Help Association, Inc.'s mission is to build healthy prosperous rural communities in Louisiana.

Lorna Bourg, President/Executive Director

Co-founder of SMHA; 40 Years Organizing in LA Rural Communities. Member U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Louisiana Advisory Committee. MacArthur Foundation Fellow. Fannie Mae Foundation James A. Johnson Fellow. President, Co-Founder Sustained Excellence Alliance Corporation, Inc.

Marion Overton White, Chair of Board

Civil Rights Attorney. Council of Record for State NAACP. Legal Council for several local NAACP’s. Former member of U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Louisiana Advisory Committee.

Helen Vinton, Secretary

Rural Specialist. 25 Years Rural Organizing, Assistant Executive Director and Life Quality Director. President Rural Advancement Foundation International - USA. Founding Member Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group. First Woman Named to Lousiana State Pesticide Commission.

Ned Doffoney

Chancellor of North Orange County Community College District; Former President, Fresno State Community College. Founding President/Chancellor, South Louisiana Community College, Louisiana Blue Ribbon Committee on Excellence Board, Chief Executive Officers Council of Louisiana, Former President, Saddleback College, California, Former Vice-President Academic Affairs, Los Angeles Southwest College.

Rep. Sydnie Mae Durand

Named in 2008 by Governor Jindal to the State Pharmacy Board representing consumers, Former State Representative LA District 46. Chaired of Health and Welfare Committee. Serveed on House Executive Committee and Homeland Security Committee. Elected first female State Representative from St. Martin Parish. Woman’s Policy and Research Commission. 37 years experience in Louisiana oil and gas industry. Board Member for Acadiana Regional Development District, Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center, and New Start Center. Recipient of numerous local and state awards, including environmental and conservation..

Roberta R. Madden

Director Women’s Health & Public Policy, YWCA Greater Baton Rouge, received the "Portrait of Caring" award from 100 Black Men, recognizing her work in advancing unity and diversity, Former member and chair of U.S. Commission Civil Rights Louisiana, Advisory Committee. Founder: National Women’s Political Caucus of Louisiana. Former Director of Common Cause in LA, MS, AR.

Karline Tierney

Chemist. Superfund Specialist. Founder/Organizer of several Louisiana Women's Advocacy Groups. Past member National Board American Association University Women. Founder ERA Ratification Coalition.

Judith Herring

Head of Directorate for Family and Community Development; President: Rebuild Iberia; Board Member: Episcopal Solomon House Outreach; Former President Louisiana Partners of the Americas; Past Board Member: Louisiana Microenterprise Development; Consultant: Entrepreneurial & Creative Business Approaches; Former Director and New Environmental Processes Research Team: Royale Research Center; Experience: Director Programs Retraining Individuals Through Mentoring and Education.

Ashley Shelton

Director of Policy Initiatives, Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation, developing the policy framework needed to create a better Louisiana; worked with SMHA in relationship building and fund development; served as Director of Grantmaking for the Baton Rouge Area Foundation; worked with national foundations to familiarize and create relationships to obtain grant funding, consulting non-profits, successfully coordinated the Foundation's grantmaking program in Puerto Rico and a community campaign to raise AIDS awareness; Board Member: Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Forum 35, City at Peace, Junior League Community Advisory Board, and the Links, Inc. Recently appointed to Governor's Advisory Committee on Licensing of Child Care Facilities and Child Placing Agencies; Awards: Fellow in Emerging Leaders Program at Duke University and the University of Cape Town, Young Women's Christian Association's Young Women of Achievement, Foundation for the Mid South's Commission to Build Philanthropy, Top Forty Under Forty award by The Baton Rouge Business Report, Distinguished Hull Fellow award by The Southeastern Council on Foundations.

Benny Menard, Treasurer (non-board)

President and CEO, Community First Bank

Members Emeritus

Phylllis Mouton

Former State Secretary of Labor

Beverly Rhodes

Former Sugarcane Worker

Gustave Rhodes

Former Sugarcane Worker

Simon Daniel

Retired Farmworker
Self Help Housing Pioneer

Deceased Members 1997-2000

Sister Anne Bizalion, OP

Co-Founder, President, Executive Director

Henry Pelet

Co-Founder, Sugar Mill Worker, President Local Labor Union

Rev. Vincent O'Connell

Labor Movement



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