Three community leaders were honored as part of the Сòòò½APPСòòò½APP™s recent WomenСòòò½APP™s Leadership Conference.
The conferenceСòòò½APP™s Sarah Brabant Trailblazer Award recognizes longstanding dedication to advancing equity and community service; its Rising Leader and Emerging Leader awards are bestowed, respectively, on women at the middle and early stages of their careers who embody those same traits.
The 2024 WomenСòòò½APP™s Leadership Conference Award honorees are below.
- The Sarah Brabant Trailblazer Award - Dr. Melinda Oberleitner is dean emerita of the Сòòò½APPСòòò½APP™s College of Nursing & Health Sciences. OberleitnerСòòò½APP™s influence on the college began in 1982, when she joined the faculty as an instructor. Oberleitner became dean in 2018 after having served as associate dean since 2009. Her accomplishments as dean include overseeing the collegeСòòò½APP™s adoption of its current name. Oberleitner, who ended her tenure as dean in 2022, also played an integral role in helping the college obtain the largest investment to an academic unit in Сòòò½APP history Сòòò½APP“ $20 million from LHC Group and the Myers family. She holds a bachelorСòòò½APP™s degree in nursing from the Сòòò½APP.
- The Rising Leader Award - Fumilayo "Fumy" Rita is executive director of the Louisiana Gulf Coast Exposition, or LAGCOE. The Lafayette-based energy industry nonprofit advances energy education and awareness, supports businesses, and promotes the regionСòòò½APP™s technical innovations across the world. Rita, who became LAGCOEСòòò½APP™s executive director last year, was previously its director of operations and international affairs. Among her accomplishments, Rita has played a key role in launching the organizationСòòò½APP™s Energy Leadership Program. She holds three degrees from the Сòòò½APP Сòòò½APP“ a bachelorСòòò½APP™s degree in modern languages, and masterСòòò½APP™s degrees in French and in communication.
- The Emerging Leader Award - Sarah H. Berthelot is president and CEO of the Louisiana Association of United Ways. Berthelot leads a nonprofit organization comprised of eight United Ways across the state. Berthelot also serves on the United Way Worldwide Network Advisory Council. In addition, she provides project leadership to nine public-private statewide partnerships in the state. A first-generation college graduate, she holds a bachelorСòòò½APP™s degree in interpersonal and organizational communication from the Сòòò½APP.
The annual WomenСòòò½APP™s Leadership Conference is held in March in conjunction with national WomenСòòò½APP™s History Month. It fosters personal and professional development. UL LafayetteСòòò½APP™s Office for Campus Inclusion coordinates the event.
Photo caption: Fumilayo "Fumy" Rita, Sarah Berthelot and Dr. Melinda Oberleitner were recognized for their contributions to gender equity and service during the UL LafayetteСòòò½APP™s recent WomenСòòò½APP™s Leadership Conference hosted by UL LafayetteСòòò½APP™s Office for Campus Inclusion. Image credit: Сòòò½APP
