LAKE CHARLES, La. — Leaders for a Better Louisiana has announced the speaker lineup for its annual Future Louisiana Conference, which will be held in Lake Charles as part of the three-day LegisGator Week events.
The conference, themed “Ideas for Leadership,” will open with a reception on Wednesday evening before a full day of programming on Thursday. Organizers said the event is designed to connect Louisiana leaders with national and state experts to discuss policies and practices aimed at strengthening the state’s economy, workforce and communities.
The conference’s closing plenary session will feature keynote conversations with Margaret Spellings, president and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Jeff Jenkins, founder and partner at Bernhard Capital Partners; and David McCullough III, co-founder and CEO of the American Exchange Project.
A panel featuring mayors from several of Louisiana’s largest cities also is scheduled. Confirmed participants include Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy, Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards, Lafayette Mayor-President Monique Boulet, Lake Charles Mayor Marshall Simien Jr., Monroe Mayor Friday Ellis and Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux.
The conference will include breakout sessions focused on workforce development, energy, community development and impact investing.
Workforce and education sessions will examine K-12 education funding, workforce development strategies and career pathways. Speakers include representatives from the Learning Policy Institute, Bellwether, Civic Solutions Group, the Indiana Department of Education, BioCrossroads, LightCast and America Achieves.
Energy sessions will address carbon capture, innovation in Louisiana’s energy sector and the role of liquefied natural gas and data centers in U.S. energy development. Speakers include representatives from ExxonMobil, the University of Texas at Austin, Future Use of Energy Louisiana, Startup Prize Energy and the American Petroleum Institute.
Community development discussions will focus on planning, rural revitalization and development financing, with speakers from Fourth Economy, the Southern Rural Development Center, ABHR, CSRS, Long Farm Village and local government.
The impact investing track will feature presentations from Louisiana Innovation, Kind Capital and organizations including the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, LWCC Foundation and The Idea Village.
“This year’s Future Louisiana Conference at LegisGator brings together some of the sharpest minds in the country that can inspire ideas and discussion about Louisiana’s future,” Adam Knapp, CEO of Leaders for a Better Louisiana, said in a statement. “The slate of national and local speakers is one of the most robust we’ve ever brought together, ranging across energy, workforce and education, philanthropy, and community development.”
Conference registration begins with coffee and check-in at 7 a.m. on Thursday, followed by sessions starting at 8 a.m. Programming concludes with a lunchtime plenary session before the event ends at 3 p.m.
The Future Louisiana Conference is one of several events taking place during LegisGator Week. The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry’s Policy Forum is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, while LegisGator events will continue on Friday.