Discover Lafayette

Jan Swift
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The Gateway to South Louisiana

  1. 6d ago

    Katie Ferguson – Choosing Purpose in the Face of Life’s Most Unexpected Challenges

    Discover Lafayette welcomes Katie Ferguson, whose remarkable story is one of resilience, advocacy, and choosing purpose in the face of life’s most unexpected challenges. A Lafayette native, communications professional, and passionate community advocate, Katie has lived through two extraordinary journeys. First, she became the long term caregiver for an Army veteran whose life changed forever after a catastrophic spinal cord injury. Years later, while feeling completely healthy, a free heart screening uncovered a life threatening ascending aortic aneurysm caused by an undiagnosed congenital heart defect, leading to open heart surgery that ultimately saved her life. Katie approaches both experiences with remarkable clarity and compassion. As she explains, “Nothing happens without having purpose. When something happens to me, chances are it’s happening to someone else. And if I can shine a light on what they’re going through, if I’m able to help ease anyone’s journey, it’s worth it.” That philosophy has shaped her work as an Elizabeth Dole Foundation Fellow, where she advocates for military and veteran caregivers across the country, and as a spokesperson for heart health awareness through the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women initiative. Katie’s caregiving journey began in 2010 under circumstances she never could have imagined. She and Army officer Barry were casually dating and, by her own admission, were “kind of looking like we were going to break up” as he prepared to retire from military service and move overseas to launch a business. The day after signing his retirement paperwork, Barry suffered a devastating spinal cord injury after slipping from a rope swing into a sandbank, shattering his cervical spine and becoming immediately quadriplegic. Katie recalls receiving a call from a mutual friend before joining his family in the intensive care unit, beginning what she describes as “many, many waits in ICU rooms and hospital rooms and not knowing.” Rather than walking away from an uncertain future, Katie leaned in. “I loved him,” she says simply. As Barry progressed through months of rehabilitation in New Orleans, Lafayette, and Atlanta, the two began dating in earnest while he was still hospitalized. They eventually married, allowing Katie to become his full time paid caregiver after leaving her successful public relations career. “I gave up my career because this was much more important. This was all encompassing.” Her description of caregiving offers a rare, honest glimpse into the invisible work performed by millions of family caregivers every day. “You are literally trying to plan two steps ahead,” she explains, describing everything from helping with showers and medications to waking every three or four hours throughout the night to reposition Barry and prevent pressure sores. While the physical demands were immense, Katie says the mental burden proved even greater. “You don’t think about it when you’re going through it. You’re trying to survive. This is the hand you’re dealt, and you don’t have a choice in the matter. You put your head down and you make it work.” One of the most compelling parts of Katie’s story is that caregiving did not end when her marriage did. Although she and Barry divorced after twelve years, she remains his primary caregiver outside of the hours covered by home health services. She still helps several times each week and is often the first call when emergencies arise at night or on weekends. As she explains, “Whenever his breathing changes, I know what that means. Whenever his eye movement starts moving around, I know what those eye movements mean. Why would I not help somebody if I have the tools to make someone’s life a little bit better?” Katie also shares invaluable advice for caregivers navigating military systems and government bureaucracy. Persistence, she says, is essential. After spending two and a half years successfully appealing a Department of Defense financial decision, she learned that “everything has steps and you just have to go through the steps.” Perhaps more importantly, “You have to know the right question to ask… nobody will just volunteer the information to you. But if you go in and you say, ‘I need this particular form,’ or ‘I need help with this thing,’ they open up doors.” Her work with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation has given Katie an even broader perspective on military caregiving. She notes that seventy five percent of caregivers are not spouses, reminding us that caregiving is defined not by legal status but by love, compassion, and responsibility. She also highlights the foundation’s Hidden Heroes initiative, which recognizes caregivers serving behind the scenes, and the Hidden Helpers program, which acknowledges children who quietly shoulder caregiving responsibilities within military families. Katie’s second life changing chapter began almost by accident. Feeling “100% healthy” and completely without symptoms, she attended a free cardiovascular screening during Women’s Health Month because heart disease ran in her family. A routine calcium score CT scan revealed no plaque buildup, but it did reveal something far more dangerous: an enlarged ascending aorta. “I felt fine. I went to the surgeon, to my open heart surgery, completely asymptomatic.” Initially, like many people would, Katie delayed following up. Three months later, additional imaging confirmed a life threatening ascending aortic aneurysm. Doctors monitored it for nearly a year before recommending surgery. During the operation in January 2023, surgeons discovered an undiagnosed congenital bicuspid aortic valve, a birth defect in which the heart valve has only two leaflets instead of three. They replaced it with a mechanical valve while repairing the aneurysm. Today, Katie says the gentle clicking of that valve, once unsettling, has become reassuring. “It’s more calming to me now… I kind of use it to lull me to sleep.” Throughout the conversation, Katie passionately advocates for preventive health care. She emphasizes that heart disease remains the leading killer of women, noting that one in three women will die from cardiovascular disease, compared with one in twelve from cancer. Her own experience illustrates why proactive screening matters. Had she ignored that free test, doctors estimated she likely would not have survived another five years. Looking back, she reflects, “Had I not been proactive, I’d be gone.” Katie also discusses how women’s heart attack symptoms often differ dramatically from men’s, frequently resembling flu symptoms, indigestion, jaw pain, reflux, or unexplained fatigue rather than the classic crushing chest pain. She praises the work of Go Red for Women, not only for raising awareness but also for funding research and local initiatives such as CPR education, blood pressure screening stations, and food security programs throughout Acadiana. Perhaps the most meaningful takeaway from this conversation is Katie’s conviction that advocacy begins with caring for yourself. Years spent advocating for someone else taught her to ask questions, seek second and third opinions, and never hesitate to pursue answers. “I’m no good if I’m not here,” she says. “I have to advocate for myself so I can be here physically present to help.” When asked what she would tell caregivers, Katie offers wisdom born from experience. Learn to ask for help. Accept support when it comes. And if someone you know is caregiving, do not wait for them to ask. Simple gestures, whether bringing a meal or rolling a neighbor’s trash cans to the curb, can lighten an overwhelming mental load. Katie Ferguson’s story reminds us that resilience is not simply surviving hardship. It is choosing, again and again, to use our experiences to lift others. Whether advocating for military caregivers, encouraging women to take charge of their heart health, or simply sharing practical advice with someone facing an uncertain diagnosis, Katie continues to transform personal adversity into hope for others.

  2. Jul 17

    Christina Olivier – Excelerant – Coaching Others to Excellence Through Time Effectiveness

    Leadership isn’t about managing time. It’s about making better choices. That is the central message from Christina Olivier, co-founder and Managing Partner of Excelerant, whose thoughtful conversation on Discover Lafayette challenges many of the assumptions we make about work, productivity, and success. Christina co-founded Excelerant in 2003 with business partner Elise Bouchner after realizing that growing companies needed more than legal advice or technical expertise, they needed leaders who knew how to develop people. What began as The Training Source evolved into Excelerant, an award-winning, woman-owned leadership development and organizational consulting firm serving organizations throughout Louisiana and beyond through executive coaching, leadership development, succession planning, team building, and organizational effectiveness. Excelerant quickly grew to include partners Jennifer Adcock, Phyllis Arceneaux, and Jill Meaux. Our conversation moves well beyond business coaching. Christina offers practical wisdom for anyone feeling overwhelmed by competing priorities, struggling to say no, or wondering why there never seems to be enough time. One of the first ideas she reframes is the phrase “time management.” Referencing Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Christina explains that she prefers the term “time effectiveness.” “We all have the same 24 hours in our day. It’s how we spend that time, and if we spend it as effectively as possible, that makes the difference.” Rather than trying to squeeze more activity into every hour, she encourages people to become intentional about where their energy is invested. “What I’ve noticed is that most people don’t stop to think about how they are spending their time,” she says. “You wonder why you’re tired, or you wonder why you’re burnt out, or you wonder why you’re not getting to those things that you want to do.” Throughout our discussion, Christina repeatedly returns to the importance of self-awareness. Before any planner, productivity system, or coaching exercise can help, people must honestly examine whether they’re spending time on what matters most—and whether those choices actually bring them joy. As an executive coach credentialed through the International Coaching Federation, Christina works with successful professionals who want to become even more effective. She explains that coaching isn’t about giving answers. “In coaching, we hold that our clients are whole and resourceful. We’re just helping them find their own answers.” That process begins by helping clients identify what success would actually look like six or twelve months into the future and then removing the obstacles standing in their way. Christina shares one of her favorite coaching analogies involving a small airplane that is too heavy to stay safely in the air. Every passenger must throw one “role” overboard to survive. Those roles might include committee chair, volunteer, employee, spouse, parent, or community leader. The exercise forces people to identify which commitments truly deserve their limited time and which have simply accumulated over the years. The lesson naturally leads to one of the most powerful themes of our conversation: learning to say no. Drawing again from Stephen Covey, Christina introduces the concept she and her team use regularly: “Integrity in the moment of choice.” “Every no you’re saying is because there’s a bigger yes inside.” That “yes” may be spending more time with children or grandchildren, caring for aging parents, protecting personal health, or simply creating space to think. The challenge is recognizing that every commitment carries an opportunity cost. Christina also speaks candidly about perfectionism, particularly among professional women. She questions the belief that “if it has to be done right, it has to be done by me.” Instead, she encourages leaders to lower unrealistic standards where appropriate, delegate more intentionally, and invest the time necessary to develop others. Her advice to leaders is straightforward: “You can’t be too busy doing the work to train and develop others.” Otherwise, organizations become dependent on one individual while employees never have the opportunity to grow. Another recurring theme is presence. In today’s distracted world, Christina believes one of the greatest gifts leaders can give employees, colleagues, friends, and family members is their complete attention. “Putting down the device when someone walks in… there’s also a great benefit and maybe a stillness that you receive by not multitasking.”She distinguishes between efficiency and effectiveness with a memorable observation: “With people, you can’t be efficient. You can only be effective.” That perspective extends into how organizations communicate across generations. Rather than criticizing younger employees for preferring text messages, Christina recommends “co-designing” communication expectations—meeting people where they are while establishing mutually beneficial ways of connecting. The discussion also explores practical ways to slow down in a fast-paced world. Although Christina once believed meditation wasn’t for her, she now incorporates grounding, centering, and intentional breathing into her daily routine. She emphasizes that meditation doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it is simply placing both feet on the floor, taking several intentional breaths, and allowing yourself to become present before moving into the next activity. She also recommends what she calls a “transition pause”: Finish what you’re doing. Put down the device. Take three intentional breaths. Then arrive fully present for whatever comes next. That simple practice, she believes, helps leaders become more thoughtful, more connected, and ultimately more effective. Our conversation also explores succession planning, an increasingly important issue for Louisiana businesses. Christina describes Excelerant’s work helping family-owned companies, financial institutions, and publicly traded organizations identify future leaders through assessments, coaching, mentoring, and leadership development. Rather than assuming who should lead next, Excelerant helps organizations objectively evaluate strengths and prepare the next generation for success. Toward the close of our interview, Christina shares one final reminder that resonates long after the microphones are turned off. Sometimes the greatest productivity tool isn’t another app, another meeting, or another committee. It’s simply becoming aware. As Christina says, “The first step…is to be self-aware.” Whether you’re leading a Fortune 500 company, managing a small business, serving on nonprofit boards, or simply trying to create more balance in your own life, Christina Olivier offers practical insights that remind us success isn’t measured by how busy we are, but by how intentionally we choose to spend the time we’ve been given. To learn more about Christina Olivier and Excelerant, visit https://exexp.com/ or connect through their LinkedIn and Facebook pages. Discover Lafayette would like to thank Christina Olivier and Excelerant team members for all of their support throughout the years! You continually give back when requested!

  3. Jul 10

    Dr. Joe Abraham – Reading With Kids – Beginning in the Prenatal Period

    For many of us, reading to a child feels like a cherished bedtime ritual. But what if the benefits begin long before birth? In this fascinating episode of Discover Lafayette, we visit with Dr. Joe Abraham, physician, research biologist, award-winning author, former president of the Lafayette Parish Library Foundation, and president of the Acadiana Educational Endowment, about the life-changing impact of reading with children beginning in the prenatal period. The Acadiana Educational Endowment, founded in 1989 to support public education across Acadiana, has invested more than $650,000 in educational initiatives over the years. Today, its primary focus is Reading With Kids, an initiative encouraging parents to read to children from pregnancy through the preschool years because, as Dr. Abraham believes, “children are the most precious thing in life.” Dr. Abraham’s passion for the project grew from decades practicing emergency medicine. After observing thousands of children, he began noticing a pattern. “I kept coming back to the ones who are cooperative. The ones who are inquisitive. The ones who are engaged, are read to.” He says he can often recognize these children before they can even speak. “I got to the point that I can spot a child at six months of age or earlier. The child is tracking. They’re listening.” “There’s this idea of fetal education. It’s well known in China and Korea. There’s recent research that if you read and talk to your child in the womb, particularly in the third trimester, they can show when they’re born that their brains are advanced. I will meet children who are just spooky smart at two, and they’ve been read to in the womb. Socioeconomic level is totally irrelevant.” That observation led him to explore decades of research connecting early language exposure with lifelong educational and social outcomes. Dr. Abraham explains that research indicates “60% of kids who are not prepared to read by the first grade will end up in jail or on welfare.” While many people have heard that reading proficiency by third grade predicts later success, Dr. Abraham argues that the foundation is laid much earlier, even before birth. He points to emerging research showing that babies exposed to language during pregnancy, particularly in the third trimester, demonstrate measurable neurological differences after birth. “They can show when they’re born that their brains are advanced.” One French study cited on the Reading With Kids website found that newborns whose mothers regularly read and spoke to them during pregnancy exhibited more advanced neural centers for language acquisition. Another ultrasound study observed babies moving their mouths in response to familiar spoken sounds spoken by the mother before birth. Yet Dr. Abraham repeatedly emphasizes that the science is only part of the story. “The child is not interested in the book. The child is interested in the warm body, the human that will protect them.” He believes reading creates a powerful emotional bond. “The bond between parent and child extends to the book.” This relationship, he explains, becomes what ultimately motivates children to learn. “Changing the world one child at a time“ Throughout our conversation, Dr. Abraham returns to one central theme: reading is about much more than literacy. When children are read to, they begin developing empathy, imagination, curiosity, and the ability to understand perspectives different from their own. “When you read, you slowly come to understand other people’s perspectives.” Reading, he says, becomes “the laboratory of the mind.” That perspective also shapes his concerns about modern society. “We live in a time in which people can’t talk anymore.” Dr. Abraham believes that reading helps people hold thoughtful conversations because it teaches them that disagreement does not necessarily mean someone is wrong; it often simply reflects a different perspective. Our conversation also explored what Dr. Abraham calls “book deserts.” In some communities, he says, there may be only one book available for every 300 children living there. To address that problem, Reading With Kids has collected more than 15,000 books that are distributed throughout Acadiana. Volunteers hand out books at community events, stock Little Libraries, and work with organizations including Kiwanis of Acadiana to place free books where families naturally gather, including laundromats, where children often spend hours waiting with parents. One story perfectly illustrates the demand. After bringing 800 children’s books to an Upper Lafayette event, volunteers didn’t even reach the first stoplight before every single book had been claimed. “The kids just grabbed the books.” The organization is also working with physicians and hospitals to make reading part of routine prenatal and pediatric care. Dr. Abraham hopes electronic medical records will soon prompt physicians and nurses to ask every expectant mother and every parent of a child under five a simple question: “Are you reading to your child?” If the answer is no, providers could immediately share research demonstrating that reading improves school readiness, lifetime earnings, and overall success. As Dr. Abraham notes, physicians are often among the most trusted voices families encounter. “If we show interest in them, and their children, it’s been my experience they grab at it.” Perhaps the most moving portion of our discussion centered on his advice for expectant parents. Rather than waiting until a baby arrives, he encourages parents to begin reading as soon as they begin thinking about starting a family. “We recommend prenatal reading when you start thinking about being pregnant.” He offers several reasons: Reading helps strengthen the emotional bond between parent and child. It encourages calmness and emotional well-being during pregnancy. Most practically, it establishes a habit before, as he laughingly puts it, “all hell breaks loose” after the baby arrives. Then he offered one of the most beautiful thoughts of our conversation. As Reading With Kids says on its website: “It is possible your child is already waiting for you. If so, it is never too early to reach out and begin connecting by reading.” Our discussion eventually broadened into education itself. Dr. Abraham worries that schools sometimes diminish children’s natural curiosity instead of nurturing it. “Every child starts off curious… We kill it.” He argues that reading helps preserve the questioning mindset that fuels creativity and innovation. His upcoming book, On Being Einstein, explores that very idea. “What makes for an Einstein? Somebody with a tremendous memory… or somebody who’s willing to ask questions the rest of us won’t?” Throughout our conversation, one message remained constant: reading is one of the simplest, least expensive, and most powerful investments any parent, grandparent, caregiver, or community member can make. Whether reading begins during pregnancy, while rocking a newborn, or sharing stories with a curious preschooler, those moments become far more than story time. They become opportunities to build language, strengthen relationships, foster imagination, encourage empathy, and perhaps even change the trajectory of a child’s life. To learn more, volunteer, donate books, or support the initiative, visit ReadingWithKids.org, the public outreach program of the Acadiana Educational Endowment. In closing, just a few statistics from Reading With Kid’s website: https://www.readingwithkids.org/research/ 75% of US adults read below the 6th grade level. 47% struggle to read basic sentences. 20% are functionally illiterate. Magnet ABA Therapy. US Literacy Statistics. The State of Literacy in America: A Comprehensive Overview. February 28, 2025. Link. The National Literacy Institute. Link. In poor neighborhoods, there can be as few as 1 book for every 300 children. (Book Deserts.) Neuman, Susan B. Changing the Odds for Children at Risk. 2008, Bloomsbury Publishing USA. Link.

  4. Jul 3

    Sensai Stacey Knight Mejia – Women’s Safety Awareness Begins with Confidence

    Our guest is Stacey Knight Mejia, an attorney by training but better known throughout Acadiana as “Sensei Stacey,” co-owner and chief instructor of Acadiana Karate. A ten-time national forms and weapons champion, Stacey has spent decades teaching martial arts, confidence, and practical self-defense to children and adults. Her message is simple but powerful: “The goal isn’t to live in fear. The goal is to live with awareness, confidence, and the ability to trust yourself.” As Stacey explains, avoiding violence begins long before physical self-defense becomes necessary. “Ninety to ninety-five percent of all self-defense scenarios can be avoided by pre-planning.” That single statement frames our entire discussion. Stacey explains that every attack begins with three elements: a predator, a victim, and an opportunity. Predators are looking for easy targets and easy opportunities, which is why awareness matters so much. “You are what you look like. How you stand, how you walk. Eye contact is huge because remember, the predator doesn’t want to get caught.” She encourages women to walk with purpose, maintain awareness of their surroundings, know where exits are located within seconds of entering a building, lock vehicle doors immediately, and always have a response plan before something happens. “Have a plan. What am I going to do? Where are the exits? How am I going to get out of here?” Throughout the interview, Stacey returns repeatedly to the importance of using your voice. “When I teach women physical self-defense classes, I sometimes have issues getting them to use their voice. They feel, ‘I’m silly,’ or they’re shy. I need you to become a tiger or a lion because the guy that’s coming at you has a criminal mindset.” One of the strongest themes of our discussion is learning to trust intuition. Gavin de Becker’s landmark book The Gift of Fear, was discussed and he argues that our instincts often recognize danger before our conscious minds do. “Trust your instinct. Trust your gut. It’s so important.” She tells parents to teach their children the same lesson. “No is a one-word sentence. No means no. Say no and run.” Rather than encouraging people to become fearful, Stacey wants them to become intentional. “I don’t want you to live in fear. But you need to be aware.” We discuss numerous real-world situations that women encounter every day, including shopping centers, grocery stores, parking lots, gas stations, DoorDash deliveries, ride-share services, parks, jogging alone, and even sitting in your own driveway scrolling through your phone. Stacey points out that today’s criminals are increasingly sophisticated, posing as delivery drivers, utility workers, or even leaving seemingly harmless items such as money dropped on the ground, windshield wipers moved out of place, or objects on door handles to create distractions. Her advice remains remarkably practical: “Verify, verify. Do not open the front door of your house for a delivery person or a utility worker until you verify.” She also recommends limiting distractions. “The cell phone can be very helpful but it’s a huge distraction.” Instead, she encourages using technology wisely by sharing locations with friends and family, calling 911 immediately if something feels wrong, and trusting that internal warning system. Another phone trick is to put your camera on if someone is stalking you. “Turn around and say, ‘Do I know you? Do you need anything? and take a picture. If they hurry away, you know they weren’t up to any good.” One of Stacey’s most moving stories involves a woman who survived a brutal sexual assault and eventually found her way to Acadiana Karate. Initially unable to speak about what had happened, she slowly rebuilt both her confidence and her life through training. “She came out victorious. She got her life back.” Stacey also offers reassurance to anyone who has survived an attack. “You survived. You shouldn’t feel shame about that.” Although Stacey has earned national championships in martial arts competition and even performed stunt work on the television series Mortal Kombat: Conquest after being recruited from the national karate circuit, she emphasizes that most people will never need advanced martial arts techniques if they develop strong situational awareness. Stacey recommends simple, easy-to-use personal safety devices such as Birdie or Hootie personal alarms that emit a piercing sound to attract attention and create an opportunity to escape. She is less enthusiastic about pepper spray, guns or knives. “I’m not an expert on those tools. I don’t advocate for it. I’ve heard so many horror stories about the attacker grabbing it and turning it on you.” She also recommends an inexpensive glass breaker/seatbelt cutter device that can be used both in vehicle emergencies and, if necessary, to escape from a locked vehicle. Her philosophy focuses on escape rather than confrontation. “The goal is to escape.” Stacey also explains why a single two-hour self-defense seminar cannot replace consistent training. “Don’t think that you’re an expert after one seminar.” Karate develops something much deeper than physical techniques. Through repetition, students build muscle memory so that, under the stress of an actual attack, simple defensive movements become automatic. “We just drill it, drill it, drill it.” Every August I get calls about teaching safety classes to daughters right before they go iff to college. ‘Please, can you teach self-defense in a week?’ The best thing I tell my parents is to buy this book: Confidence in Conflict for Campus Life, by Jill Weisensel . It goes through all things addressing personal safety awareness like theft in the dorm, sorority parties, how to address hazing and sexual assault, just really great tips on how to address high-risk behaviors.” Stacey also follows Dannah Eve who recently wrote a book called Street Smarts. Introduced to karate by her future husband, Pablo Mejia, while attending college, she earned her first-degree black belt before entering law school. She credits martial arts with helping her persevere through one of the most demanding periods of her life. “There are times in law school where we all just want to quit. Karate really helped me.” The discipline she learned on the mat carried directly into her legal career. Today, Stacey continues serving the community through Acadiana Karate while also sharing health and wellness advice through her “Stacey’s Optimal Health” platform. Whether discussing nutrition, exercise, parenting teenagers, or personal safety, her underlying message never changes: preparation creates confidence. This episode is for every woman, every parent, every college student, and every family member who wants practical, thoughtful guidance on staying safe while living life with confidence instead of fear. “Don’t live in fear. Just be aware.” For more information about Stacey Knight Mejia and Acadiana Karate, visit https://acadianakarate.com/

  5. Jun 26

    Ryan Furby – CEO of RAF Strategic Communications and Public Affairs – “It’s All About Trust”

    Many people have never heard of Ryan Furby, yet they have likely experienced the impact of the work he does. After an international career with some of the world’s largest corporations, including FedEx, Philip Morris International, and Biogen, Ryan returned to Louisiana and quietly built a consulting practice that helps organizations navigate complex business challenges through strategic communications, public affairs, and reputation management. Today, as CEO of RAF Strategic Communications and Public Affairs, he advises companies while also giving generously of his time to Acadiana’s nonprofit and civic organizations. In this episode of Discover Lafayette, Ryan demystifies a profession that often operates behind the scenes. He explains how organizations earn, and sometimes lose, the public’s trust, why communications belong at the executive table, and how thoughtful leadership can determine whether a company thrives during moments of opportunity or crisis. As Ryan succinctly explains, “I’m in the trust business. I’m in the reputation business.“ Louisiana Roots, Global Experience Ryan’s career has taken him around the world, but Louisiana has always remained home. Born in Baton Rouge, raised in Mandeville, and educated at Loyola University New Orleans, Ryan grew up with deep family ties throughout South Louisiana. His mother’s family has roots in Lafayette stretching back generations, while his father’s family is from Alexandria. After nearly twenty years of pursuing increasingly demanding international leadership roles, Ryan found himself burned out. “I’d been chasing jobs and money and career all around the world for 20 years,” he recalls. “I was at a point where I was really burned out.” Initially, moving to Lafayette was intended to be temporary, a place where he and his wife could regroup while raising their two young children closer to family. “We’ll spend a year. See how it goes.” Eight years later, Lafayette has become home. That decision changed not only his family’s life, but the community that would eventually benefit from his leadership. Learning Leadership at FedEx Ryan credits much of his professional development to his years at FedEx, where he describes the company as “my training ground” and “my MBA.” Working inside one of the world’s largest transportation companies gave him unprecedented exposure to executive decision-making and corporate strategy. Few people influenced him more than FedEx founder Fred Smith. “I thought of him as a professor,” Ryan says. “Every time he spoke, I just absorbed all of that.” Smith’s military background shaped the culture of the company through a simple but powerful philosophy: “Shoot. Move. Communicate.” Ryan explains that the phrase represented more than a slogan. It embodied how organizations must continually adapt, execute, and communicate internally to remain successful. At FedEx, communications wasn’t an afterthought, it was part of executive leadership. Communications professionals sat alongside legal counsel, operations leaders, marketing executives, and division presidents, helping shape decisions before they became headlines. As Ryan explains, their role was often to become “the conscience of the organization,” helping leaders ask difficult questions: “If you mess up, how do you own it? How do you fix it? How do you prevent it from happening again?” Katrina: Helping New Orleans Recover One of Ryan’s defining professional experiences came in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. From FedEx’s corporate “war room,” he watched the devastation unfold while simultaneously helping coordinate logistics and charitable efforts to support New Orleans’ recovery. The experience was deeply personal. “I felt like New Orleans was my home,” he says. “Watching that and then knowing what my friends and family were experiencing felt very personal.” Among the recovery efforts he remains most proud of was helping the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas reopen. After Katrina, nearly every animal inside the aquarium died when life-support systems failed. The surviving penguins and two sea otters had been relocated to California while the facility rebuilt. When the aquarium asked FedEx for help bringing the animals home, Ryan immediately recognized the symbolic importance. “This is going to be big. This is a story.” FedEx ultimately chartered one of its own aircraft to transport the animals back to New Orleans, sponsored the exhibit, and helped organize a major reopening celebration nearly one year after the storm. “It was symbolic of what New Orleans needed,” Ryan reflects. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUvQQr-obXU The story became a powerful reminder that communications is about far more than publicity; it is about helping communities recover, celebrate milestones, and restore hope. Reinvention on a Global Stage Ryan’s next chapter took him to Switzerland with Philip Morris International. To many, accepting a position with a tobacco company might seem surprising. Ryan explains that by the time he joined, the company’s leadership was investing heavily in research and development to transition smokers toward reduced-risk alternatives. His responsibility was helping one of the world’s most heavily regulated companies navigate communications in an increasingly digital world. Unlike traditional consumer brands, every communication had to operate within extraordinary legal constraints. “It was always trying to find a path through all of the barriers,” he says. Living overseas also transformed his family’s perspective. Ryan and his wife immersed their children in French-speaking schools, traveled extensively throughout Europe, and developed friendships with colleagues from across the globe, including Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and Eastern Europe. Those experiences fundamentally changed how he views the world. “I tend to see things from both sides,” he says. “I give the other side the benefit of the doubt.” That balanced perspective continues to shape both his consulting practice and his civic leadership today. Choosing Lafayette When Ryan eventually returned to the United States through Biogen, he briefly considered relocating to Boston. Instead, he chose Lafayette. His reason was remarkably simple. Family. “I wanted them to know their family,” he says of his children. Equally important was his desire to become part of a genuine community. Living abroad had shown him what it meant to be welcomed professionally but never fully belong. Louisiana offered something different. “I wanted to be part of the people, part of the community.” Rather than simply living in Lafayette, Ryan intentionally sought opportunities to serve. That commitment eventually led him to board leadership with organizations including the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra and Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Louisiana, as well as service on the committee that selected the new president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Building RAF Strategic Communications Ryan eventually founded RAF Strategic Communications and Public Affairs, naming the company after his initials, “RAF,” colleagues had called him throughout his FedEx career. Today, he helps organizations clarify strategy, improve communications, strengthen relationships with government and stakeholders, and successfully compete for major contracts. One example close to home involved Acadiana Waste Services. When the company prepared its proposal for Lafayette’s residential solid waste contract, Ryan brought years of experience responding to complex Request for Proposals. His advice was practical: “Answer the question. Get the score you need.” But beyond simply answering technical requirements, Ryan helped the locally owned company present itself with the polish and professionalism expected of much larger national competitors. “If you want to know how the big ones operate,” he says, “this is how they do it.” Today, he continues serving as a communications consultant for Acadiana Waste Services while helping the company build relationships throughout the community. And Ryan says, ” Just a side note, we have a monthly meeting with LCG and each month, it’s another month of no fines. To have no fines means you’ve collected every single route. If you miss something, you have 24 hours to fix it. No fines in this industry is unheard of. They are a great company and great people. I’m really fortunate to work with them.” Reputation Can Take Decades to Build—and Minutes to Lose One of the most fascinating portions of our conversation centered on reputation management. Ryan discussed recent corporate case studies ranging from Fender Guitars to BP’s Deepwater Horizon response, illustrating how quickly public trust can disappear. Quoting Warren Buffett, Ryan offered one of the interview’s most memorable observations: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” His work often involves helping organizations ask difficult questions before problems become public crises. “The best examples of what I do,” he explains, “never hit the papers because the issues have been handled properly before they were out there to ruin the reputation of the company.” It is a reminder that successful communication isn’t simply about responding well, it is about making wiser decisions from the beginning. Giving Back to Acadiana Despite an international résumé, Ryan speaks most enthusiastically about community service. His involvement with the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra reflects his belief that arts organizations help define the character of a community. He praises board chairman Robert Schacht for modernizing the organization while expanding educational programming, movie concerts, chamber performances, and outreach designed to

  6. Jun 19

    Trent Angers: Acadian House Publishing -Preserving Louisiana’s Stories

    For more than five decades, Trent Angers has dedicated his life to journalism, publishing, and preserving the stories that define Louisiana and its people. As founder, editor, and publisher of Acadian House Publishing, Trent has edited and published 126 books over a 45-year career while also authoring six books of his own. His work has ranged from Cajun history and Louisiana political figures to military ethics, faith, and inspirational storytelling. A graduate of LSU’s School of Journalism, where he was named Outstanding Graduating Senior and received the Hodding Carter Award for Responsible Journalism, Trent followed in the footsteps of his father, Bob Angers, founder of Acadiana Profile magazine. Trent would eventually spend 36 years as editor and publisher of Acadiana Profile, helping build it into one of the longest-running regional magazines in America before selling the publication in 2010 to focus full-time on book publishing with Acadian House Publishing. During our conversation, Trent reflects on a life immersed in words, ideas, and the people behind them. “Born with printer’s ink in my blood” Trent jokes that journalism was his destiny. “You could say I was born with printer’s ink in the blood.” His father purchased the Franklin Banner-Tribune in 1953, and Trent grew up watching the realities of community journalism firsthand. When Bob Angers launched Acadiana Profile in 1968, regional magazines were virtually unheard of. “I thought he had lost his mind because there was almost no such thing as a city or regional magazine in this country at the time.” Instead, Bob Angers proved to be a visionary. More than fifty years later, the publication remains an important voice for South Louisiana. Acadian House Publishing: More Than Books Today, Acadian House Publishing is one of Louisiana’s most respected independent publishers. Its catalog includes biographies, history, cookbooks, inspirational works, faith-based books, and regional classics. Trent describes publishing as far more than simply printing books. “Publishing involves careful acquisition of titles, careful editing, fact-checking, correcting, perfecting, marketing, warehousing, accounting, and distribution.” Acadian House receives approximately 150 manuscript proposals each year but publishes only three or four books annually. “No is the most powerful word in the English language.” With limited capacity, Trent looks for books that move people, educate readers, and inspire meaningful reflection. Dispelling Myths About Cajun Culture At age 40, Trent wrote his first book, The Truth About the Cajuns, a work designed to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions about Acadian people. “The first book I actually wrote is when I turned 40. The book was titled The Truth About the Cajuns. The book was designed to dispel the myths and stereotypes about the Acadian people. We’re very proud of our Acadian heritage. We’re not simple minded people who aren’t so bright. We don’t all dwell in the swamp. Our lives do not revolve around eating, drinking and dancing Trent wanted readers to understand that Cajun identity extends far beyond the caricatures often portrayed in popular culture. The book remains one of the most thoughtful examinations of Cajun identity and heritage. Dudley LeBlanc: The Original Champion of Cajun Pride Another of Trent’s works is Dudley LeBlanc: A Biography, which chronicles the life of the legendary founder of Hadacol and one of Louisiana’s most colorful political figures. “Dudley LeBlanc, who founded Hadacol, was also known as the political and almost spiritual leader of the Acadian people. He had a French language radio show emanating from from Abbeville. The truth is, Dudley started the French Renaissance movement before Jimmy Domengeaux formalized it through CODIFIL. Dudley LeBlanc would bring it up and say, ‘Let’s stand up for our Acadian heritage and be proud and not ashamed of who we are, not ashamed of our heritage and culture.” While many remember LeBlanc for his wildly successful patent medicine business, Trent argues that his greatest contribution was cultural. Long before organizations formalized the movement to preserve Cajun culture, LeBlanc encouraged Acadians to embrace their language, traditions, and identity. According to Trent, both Dudley LeBlanc and James Domengeaux deserve tremendous credit for preserving and advancing Acadian culture in Louisiana. The Forgotten Hero of the My Lai Massacre Perhaps no project has shaped Trent’s career more than The Forgotten Hero of My Lai: The Hugh Thompson Story. The book tells the story of Hugh Thompson Jr., the American helicopter pilot credited with stopping the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War. “I became Thompson’s biographer and spent lots and lots of time with him in Vietnam, in Norway, and throughout the United States, in Washington, D.C., etc. I wrote his speech when he received the soldier’s medal in Washington at the Vietnam Wall, which is the highest award a soldier can earn for anything other than direct combat with the enemy,” Trent said. Trent devoted more than 3,000 hours of research across three continents to tell Thompson’s story. “That book was my opus.” The defining moment came when Thompson landed his helicopter between fleeing Vietnamese civilians and advancing American soldiers. “Not on my watch,” he said. Thompson ordered his gunner to protect the civilians, even if it meant turning their weapons on fellow Americans. His actions saved lives and ultimately helped bring the massacre to an end. Trent explains why Thompson’s story continues to resonate: “They were willing to give up their lives just because it was the right thing to do.” The book has since been placed on the reading list of the Joint Chiefs of Staff because of its lessons on leadership, battlefield ethics, and moral courage. Publishing Louisiana’s Most Influential Voices Over the years, Acadian House has published works by an extraordinary range of Louisiana authors and leaders. Among them are books by: Dale Brown Lt. General Russel L. Honoré Marcelle Bienvenu Camille Pavy Claiborne Brian Sibley Chad Judice Trent speaks admiringly of each, emphasizing not only their accomplishments but also their character, intellect, and ability to inspire others. Dale Brown and Human Dignity One of Trent’s most meaningful publishing relationships has been with legendary LSU basketball coach Dale Brown. Acadian House published Brown’s Getting Over the Four Hurdles of Life, and Trent later authored Dale Brown: Caught in the Battle for Human Dignity. He also played a significant role, along with Lafayette attorney Glenn Armentor, in the effort to have LSU’s basketball court named in Brown’s honor. “Every generation needs role models.” For Trent, Brown represents integrity, courage, compassion, and leadership. “Dale Brown is a role model of integrity, courage, bravery, intelligence.” Those qualities made him not only a successful coach but also one of America’s most sought-after motivational speakers. The Secret Life of an Editor One of the most fascinating parts of our conversation centered on the editor-author relationship. After working closely with writers for months or years, Trent says editors often develop a deep understanding of how authors think. “We call that mind meld.” His philosophy is simple: “The job of an editor is to make the writer look like a genius.” That requires more than correcting grammar. It involves improving structure, strengthening logic, checking facts, and helping authors communicate their ideas as clearly as possible. Cookbooks Outsell Almost Everything Despite publishing biographies, history, and inspirational works, Trent admits one category consistently surprises him: Cookbooks. Acadian House’s most successful title is Marcelle Bienvenu’s iconic cookbook Who’s Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux? The book has sold approximately 200,000 copies. “That book is in the top one percentile of books ever published in America.” For Trent, the success is both gratifying and humbling. “You do a cookbook and you sell the heck out of it.” The enduring popularity of Louisiana food culture continues to introduce readers around the world to Acadiana traditions. Freedom of the Press As a lifelong journalist, Trent remains deeply passionate about the First Amendment. “Freedom of the press is the hill I would die on. This country is free, in part because of the free press. Because of the free flow of information. It’s the press’s job to educate, to inform, to entertain. We serve the public, not the government. The press exists to serve the public.” He argues that a free society depends upon the free flow of information and a press willing to challenge power when necessary. “The press exists to serve the public, not the government.” Regardless of political affiliation, Trent believes journalism’s highest calling remains informing citizens and protecting democratic accountability. What’s Next: Orphan Train to Louisiana Among Acadian House’s upcoming projects is Orphan Train to Louisiana, a book examining the little-known story of thousands of orphaned children transported from New York City to families across America. The project was inspired by a staggering historical reality. “At one point in New York City there were 30,000 babies and children on the street, homeless.” The book explores the efforts of religious organizations and charitable groups that worked to place children with loving families, including many in Louisiana. For Trent, it is exactly the kind of story Acadian House loves to tell: forgotten history that reveals the best of humanity. Faith, Service, and Gratitude Outside of publishing, Trent is active in the Secular Francis

  7. Jun 12

    Harold Schoeffler — A Lifetime of Stewardship, Conservation, and Civic Engagement

    Few people have shaped environmental policy and conservation efforts in Acadiana as persistently as Harold Schoeffler. Known to many as part of the family behind Schoeffler Cadillac, Harold’s legacy extends far beyond the automobile business. For more than six decades, he has been a tireless advocate for protecting Louisiana’s natural resources, improving public policy, mentoring young people through Scouting, and encouraging citizens to become active stewards of their communities. In this wide-ranging conversation, Harold reflects on a lifetime of work that has touched everything from oil recycling and waste reduction to flood control, wildlife preservation, and public access to Louisiana’s waterways. “The Gifts of the Earth Are Public Gifts” Harold’s philosophy is rooted in a simple belief: “We have private gifts, our health and our intelligence, that we will be held accountable for. But the gifts of the earth are public gifts, and we’ll be just as accountable for that.” That conviction has guided his work for decades. Rather than simply criticizing problems, Harold has focused on finding practical solutions. One of his earliest environmental victories came in the 1970s, when he discovered that used motor oil from most Lafayette service stations was being dumped into storm drains that ultimately emptied into local waterways. At the time, 52 of Lafayette’s 54 filling stations were disposing of waste oil this way. Harold located a New Orleans recycling company willing to install storage tanks at no cost and purchase the used oil from station owners. After identifying a city fire code violation related to dumping petroleum products into storm drains, he worked with local officials to implement a citywide solution. The result? According to Harold, Lafayette became the first community in Louisiana to fully recycle used motor oil, selling it at 50 cents per gallon. “This was just money from heaven, you know.” Transforming Waste into Resources Harold’s efforts extended beyond oil recycling. He became deeply involved in helping Lafayette address mounting waste disposal challenges, particularly yard waste and sewage sludge. At a time when yard waste occupied enormous amounts of landfill space, Harold helped promote the use of tub grinders that could reduce volume by approximately 90 percent. The resulting mulch and compost products created value instead of waste. Similarly, he worked on legislation and policy changes that allowed treated sewage sludge to be safely recycled for agricultural use rather than being hauled to landfills at significant public expense. These initiatives not only reduced environmental impacts but also saved taxpayers money and created new economic opportunities. Today, Harold notes that many residents have little idea how much waste is already being recycled through these systems. Saving the Louisiana Black Bear Perhaps Harold’s most touching conservation achievement is his role in protecting the Louisiana Black Bear. In 1987, he petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to place the Louisiana Black Bear on the endangered species list. After years of advocacy and litigation, the bear was officially listed as threatened in 1992. His efforts later contributed to the protection of more than one million acres of critical habitat for the species. Harold explains that at the time he began his quest to protect the species, there may have been fewer than 300 to 400 Louisiana Black Bears remaining; yet Louisiana was continung to grant 165,000 big game hunting tags yearly before his efforts to save the black bear. His concern was never opposition to hunting itself. As an avid outdoorsman, hunter, and fisherman, he viewed conservation as ensuring that wildlife populations remain healthy enough for future generations. As he notes in our conversation, preservation of the species, not opposition to sportsmen, was always the goal. (Note: Due to recovery, the Louisiana Black Bear was officially removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Species on March 11, 2016; however, it remains protected under Louisiana state law, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries continues to actively manage this subspecies.) The Atchafalaya Basin and Public Access Another major chapter in Harold’s work involves the Atchafalaya Basin. Over the years he has fought against practices he believed threatened the basin’s ecological health and public accessibility, including shell dredging operations and legal disputes involving public waterways. He recounts the landmark Larry Daigle case, in which a commercial fisherman faced criminal trespassing charges while fishing in waters Harold believed were public. The case ultimately became a significant legal battle involving questions of public access, navigable waterways, and property rights within the basin. Harold views the outcome as a victory not only for one fisherman but for the public’s rights throughout Louisiana’s waterways. His extensive firsthand knowledge of Louisiana’s waterways comes from decades spent hunting, fishing, scouting, and paddling through some of the state’s most remote landscapes. A Lifetime in Scouting Ask Harold what accomplishment makes him most proud, and his answer isn’t environmental litigation. It’s Scouting. For 42 years Harold was involved in the Scouts and helped guide 125 young men to the rank of Eagle Scout. Throughout our conversation, he repeatedly returns to the importance of believing in young people. “If you think they can, they can. If you think they can’t, you can’t. And that’s a lesson for parents. You know, if you’re going to have a negative attitude towards your kids, you’re going to get negative results. But if you think they can, you know, they can sense that also.” Harold shares lessons learned from serving on a military school board, where early special education programs demonstrated how expectations can profoundly affect a child’s success. Those same lessons shaped his approach to mentoring Scouts, many of whom achieved far more than others expected of them. His philosophy also extended to environmental stewardship. He often taught Scouts that if boys are taught not to litter before the age ten, they are unlikely to become litterers later in life. Changing behavior early, he argues, is one of the most effective ways to improve communities. The Power of Citizen Involvement One recurring theme throughout this conversation is Harold’s belief that ordinary citizens can solve extraordinary problems. Whether discussing flood control, environmental policy, waste management, or economic development, Harold consistently points to the value of public participation. He shares stories of public meetings where solutions emerged not from experts or consultants but from local residents willing to speak up and share ideas. For Harold, conservation has never been about politics. It’s about facts, integrity, and doing what is right for the long-term health of the community. “If they catch you in a lie one time, you’re dead.” Integrity, he says, must remain at the center of every public effort. Looking Ahead At a time when environmental issues often become politically polarized, Harold offers a refreshingly practical perspective. His message is simple: “If you pick up one piece of litter a day and all the people in town do it, you’d have no litter.” The lesson applies far beyond trash. Positive change often begins with small actions, sustained over time by people willing to care. Harold Schoeffler’s life demonstrates what can happen when one citizen decides that stewardship is not someone else’s responsibility. It’s ours. Topics Discussed Growing up in Lafayette and the Schoeffler family business Boy Scouts and mentoring 125 Eagle Scouts Recycling used motor oil in Lafayette during the 1970s Protecting the Vermilion River and local waterways Yard waste recycling and composting programs Sewage sludge recycling initiatives Flood control and watershed management The Atchafalaya Basin and public access rights The Larry Daigle case Shell dredging litigation The Louisiana Black Bear and endangered species protection Public engagement and environmental stewardship Why integrity matters in public advocacy

  8. Jun 5

    Troy Broussard – Author, Where Lies the Truth

    For many people across Acadiana, Allen & Gooch attorney Troy Broussard is known as a respected litigator and senior partner who has practiced law in Lafayette for more than three decades. But in this episode of Discover Lafayette, listeners meet another side of Troy: novelist, storyteller, songwriter, painter, observer of South Louisiana culture, and thoughtful chronicler of the complicated racial history woven into life in Acadiana. Troy joins us to discuss his recently published novel, Where Lies the Truth, a Southern coming-of-age crime story set against the bayous and backroads of St. Landry Parish. The novel opens in the summer of 1976, when 12-year-old Ezra Brasseaux embarks on what should have been an ordinary hunting trip in the swamps near his hometown. Instead, Ezra stumbles into a world shaped by violence, racial tension, buried secrets, and murder — experiences that haunt him well into adulthood. What unfolds during our conversation is far more than a discussion about writing fiction. Troy reflects candidly on growing up in Eunice during the earliest years of racial integration in St. Landry Parish schools. He describes himself and his classmates as “the guinea pigs,” among the first children thrown together as long-segregated cultures suddenly collided in classrooms and communities. “As I grew older,” Troy explains, “my views of it changed looking at it retrospectively.” He discusses the slow and deeply personal evolution away from what he calls “southern small-town indoctrination,” and how exposure to new people, ideas, and experiences gradually reshaped his understanding of race, prejudice, and human complexity. That emotional and intellectual evolution forms the backbone of Where Lies the Truth. Troy emphasizes that while the novel is entirely fictional, it is heavily inspired by real people, real conversations, and real tensions that shaped South Louisiana life in the 1970s and beyond. “This is not a true story,” he says. “But yes, it is inspired by actual events and actual people.” The story follows Ezra Brasseaux and his closest friends, Giles Poirier and Vance Doiron, as they navigate adolescence in a culturally divided Acadiana landscape. Years later, they are pulled back into the mystery of an unsolved crime involving two young Black victims, forcing them to confront painful truths hidden beneath decades of assumptions and silence. Troy says the novel ultimately explores “the idea of learning, trying to unlearn things you believed had been true your whole life, and realizing that there’s another side to the story.” One of the most compelling aspects of our conversation is Troy’s nuanced discussion of race in South Louisiana. He argues that Acadiana’s cultural history cannot simply be reduced to Black-and-white narratives. Instead, he describes a far more layered social reality involving Cajun Catholics, white Protestants, Creoles, and African Americans — all with their own tensions, identities, and historical wounds. In researching the novel, Troy interviewed people from a wide range of backgrounds and heard stories that profoundly affected him, including accounts of colorism and exclusion that persisted even within Black communities themselves. He shares one striking example involving the “brown paper bag test” still being informally referenced in certain university social circles as recently as a decade ago. The conversation also dives deeply into the creative process itself. Troy spent nearly 15 years writing the novel, beginning the project in his early 40s and finally completing it in his mid-50s. What began as a sprawling 1,200-page manuscript eventually had to be painfully condensed into a publishable form. “The difficult part of the editing was not so much the technology,” Troy explains, “but when you write something and you really immerse yourself in the creative process, what you write kind of becomes like your children.” He jokingly compares the process to “Sophie’s Choice of editing,” where every deleted scene altered timelines, relationships, and emotional continuity throughout the story. Troy credits several influential teachers with shaping his ability to write. He speaks with tremendous affection about Elaine Dumais, his teacher in the gifted program in St. Landry Parish, who first introduced him to creativity and artistic thinking. He also honors his demanding high school English teacher Carol Fuselier, whose relentless standards prepared him not only for law school but ultimately for writing fiction. “I knew how to write because she gave that to me,” Troy says. “She pushed me.” Listeners will especially enjoy hearing Troy describe how characters begin to “write themselves” once a novelist becomes immersed in a story. He explains that dialogue became his favorite part of the process because it allowed him to fully inhabit personalities vastly different from his own — from successful professionals to deeply flawed, struggling characters such as Uncle Nedrick, one of the novel’s most memorable voices. The discussion also touches on literary influences, including To Kill a Mockingbird and A Time to Kill. Troy shares how Atticus Finch profoundly shaped his image of what a lawyer should be: someone who works with integrity and seeks justice regardless of public pressure or cultural norms. Beyond writing and law, Troy reveals a rich creative life filled with music, painting, travel, mountain biking, and songwriting. He has written more than 75 songs over the years and remains an avid guitarist with a collection ranging from Martin acoustics to smaller travel guitars perfect for early morning songwriting sessions. He and his wife Beth also share a love for the outdoors and for their energetic Hungarian Vizsla, who frequently joins them on hikes and bike trails. Toward the end of the interview, producer Jason Sikora asks the obvious modern question: could Where Lies the Truth someday become a film or streaming series? Troy laughs at the idea but admits he would welcome the opportunity, even suggesting Paul Rudd as his dream casting choice for Ezra Brasseaux because of his ability to balance seriousness with humor. This episode of Discover Lafayette is ultimately a conversation about memory, identity, truth, and the stories we inherit about ourselves and our communities. Through Where Lies the Truth, Troy Broussard invites readers to confront uncomfortable realities while also recognizing the possibility of growth, empathy, and personal evolution. Listeners can find Where Lies the Truth through Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and follow Troy through his personal Facebook page as he continues sharing news about the book and future projects.

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About

The Gateway to South Louisiana

Information

  • Creator
    Jan Swift
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    99
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Discover Lafayette©
  • Show Website
    Discover Lafayette