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EDUCATION

Melanie Amrhein is the executive director of the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance, having served as the interim executive director since April. She has been with LOSFA since 1999, starting as assistant executive director for operations (aid programs) and then as assistant executive director and chief operating officer.

Andi Abraham is head of the Adult Services Division of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library system. Having worked for the system since 1986, Abraham was previously manager of the Greenwell Springs Road Regional Branch. She is responsible for all adult programming, including book clubs and the summer reading program.

Carlos A. Thomas has been appointed diversity recruiter for LSUCIA. Thomas earned his master’s from LSU in 2002 and completed the CIA program. He received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in 1992, a master’s from the University of Memphis in 1997 and his doctorate from Tennessee State University. He is now enrolled in the E.J. Ourso College of Business’ Information Systems & Decision Sciences Ph.D. Program. He has been employed at LSU since 1999.

V. Carlos Slawson Jr. is the interim chair of LSU’s Department of Finance. Slawson is an associate professor and the Latter & Blum Inc. Distinguished Professor in Business Administration. He has been employed by LSU since 1995. He received both his MBA and doctorate from the University of Georgia. Since 1997, he has served as associate director of LSU’s Real Estate Research Institute.

FINANCIAL & INSURANCE

Becky Girola has been named financial network recruiter for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network of Louisiana. She joins the network office, offering products such as life insurance, disability income insurance and annuities. She will represent Northwestern Mutual in drawing individuals to the company’s career opportunities. Girola previously served as a marketing intern for one of the network’s subsidiaries, Strategic Employee Benefit Services in Baton Rouge.

Cale Smith has been appointed to the position of managing director for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network of Louisiana. His duties include recruiting and training financial representatives, managing the office and selling financial service products.

David K. Henry is senior vice president of the Founders Drive location of State Bank & Trust Company. Henry has 15 years of banking experience and received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from LSU in 1978. He is an active member of the community, serving as board chair of Youth Oasis, a homeless shelter for children.

Barry Kilpatrick of Whitney Bank is now city president of the Baton Rouge region. Kilpatrick has been Whitney’s senior commercial banker since 1998. He is now responsible for all commercial, small business, consumer and private banking in the Greater Baton Rouge market. He replaces E. Graham Thompson, who is now Whitney’s regional chairman with a primary focus on industry and client development as well as community endeavors.

Olivier Doin is the new sales manager for Pelican Point Realtors. He was formerly with ReMax of Baton Rouge. Doin received his bachelor’s in business and administration from Humberside University in England, and the equivalent to an American MBA in marketing and finance at ESC Poitiers in France. He has three years’ experience in computer sales and managed his own real estate investment company in Paris.

HEALTH CARE

Jaquetta B. Clemons is director of research, grants and appropriations at Woman’s Hospital. Clemons previously served as manager of the hospital’s grants department and a clinical assistant professor of accounting and finance at Tulane University. She was the chief financial officer/assistant administrator of finance at Kindred Hospital of New Orleans and the assistant administrator of finance at Tulane University Hospital and Clinic.

Wanda M. Allphin is the new director of accounting at Woman’s Hospital. Allphin was an administrator at Stanocola Medical Center. She previously served as Stanocola’s chief financial officer and controller. She holds a bachelor’s in finance and is a certified public accountant. Allphin is also a member of the Louisiana Medical Group Management Association and the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants.

Brent Parker is now an academic medical physicist with Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. Prior to this position, he was with the University of Texas Medical Branch. Parker was formerly a graduate research assistant with the Department of Radiation Physics at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. He earned both a master’s in science and a doctorate in medical physics from the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center.

Mary Beth Schnauder has joined Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s Office of Development as the development director for the Northshore-Florida Parishes communities. She is responsible for the continuation and expansion of the fundraising programs and the recognition and stewardship of donors in the parishes served by the Hammond and Covington campuses. Schnauder has participated in volunteer fundraising efforts for several organizations in the Northshore area.

INDUSTRY

Patrick Thompson of the Shaw Group is the new executive vice president and chief operating officer of Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure Inc. Joe Broom was promoted to the position of vice president, administration for The Shaw Group Inc., after mentoring under Thompson for the past year. Sean Clancy has been appointed to the position of vice president, corporate communications.

Scott Saporito is the new project manager for Labarre Associates, Inc. He will lead and implement the company’s strategic growth plan. Saporito earned the Project Management Professional certification in 2007 and holds a bachelor’s in advertising from LSU. He had served as manager of property management for General Health System since 2003, where he was responsible for a $4.2 million budget.

Lee Trusty is vice president of manufacturing and engineering at Dow’s Base Chemicals and Business Manufacturing Leader for the company’s chlor-vinyl business. Trusty was the current site leader of Dow Louisiana Operations in Plaquemine before moving into his new role. Sharon Cole is the new site leader in Plaquemine, moving from the position of technology director of Dow Light Hydrocarbons, Aromatics, Butadiene and Alpha Olefins.

NON-PROFIT

Patricia T. Robinson is director of Baton Rouge’s Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere VI project. Hope VI is an Old South Baton Rouge redevelopment program of Housing and Urban Development. Robinson spent 30 years with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana in various capacities and since 1997 has served as the company’s director of community relations.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Stephen Loy is now vice president of operations for the Louisiana Technology Park. He is responsible for running the day-to-day operations of the incubator, including working to continue to attract early stage companies for membership into the incubator and handling public relations. He previously served as the park’s director of communications.