Robertson named President and CEO of CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System
CHRISTUS Health has announced that Casey Robertson has been appointed as the new president and CEO of the CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System, effective Dec. 4.
Robertson comes to Shreveport from the CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System in Longview, Texas, where he spent 18 months as chief operating officer.
Robertson brings nearly 20 years of health care administration, including more than 10 years at the CEO level. Prior to joining CHRISTUS, he was CEO of Sadiant Inc., a Fort Worth-based clinical on-demand organizations.
His previous roles included CEO at Longview Regional Medical Center in Longview and Woodland Heights Medical Center in Lufkin, Texas. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in health care administration from Trinity University in San Antonio.
Dr. Whittney Polley tapped as director of education at Providence House
Dr. Polley joined the Providence House team in 2023 as a part-time Workforce Development Specialist. Her love for education and commitment to developing job opportunities for a very vulnerable population has been felt across the campus; she has already made a significant impact.
“Whittney Polley is smart, creative and a rising star in northwest Louisiana. Her commitment to the mission of Providence House is unparalleled; we are already benefiting from her innovative ideas. Job skills training and education are the only tools that break the homeless cycle permanently. We are committed to ensure that every man, woman, boy and girl in northwest Louisiana has a fair chance of self-sufficiency; Dr. Polley will lead the charge for the agency’s workforce development center in partnership with Bossier Parish Community College, adult education, adult literacy in partnership with Centenary College Literacy Volunteers, as well as skills training,” shared Verni Howard, Executive Director.
Dr. Polley is six-year veteran of the United States Army, and following her enlistment, earned a BS in Business Administration from Centenary College of Louisiana. Upon graduation, she moved to Nashville, earning an M.Ed. and Ed.D. in Education from Lipscomb University. She taught in Nashville, Tennessee before returning home to Shreveport, Louisiana.
Dr. Polley served as Assistant Principal at Minden High School and Continuous Improvement Manager for the Community Foundation of North Louisiana. In 2021, she earned her license as an Educator in Business Education and Business Technology for grades 6 through 12, as well as her Instructional Leadership License (ILL) in Tennessee in 2022. Among her many achievements, Dr. Polley was awarded the Tennessee Army National Guard Award of Excellence in 2020 and has served as a Member of the Center of Self-Determination Theory and Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance..
Matt Shanklin named director of partnership development for Independence Bowl Foundation
The Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl is adding nearly 30 years of on-campus SEC experience to the staff, naming Matt Shanklin as Director of Partnership Development. Shanklin spent nine years at LSU, helping grow revenues by over $11 million through his dual role as General Business Manager of LSU Sports Properties and Associate Athletic Director for Marketing. Before his time at LSU, Shanklin spent 20 years at the University of Arkansas. He spent 12 years as the University Licensing Coordinator, while also being the Razorbacks’ first ever Director of Marketing.
His multi-media experience has seen Shanklin negotiate major partnerships with top brands such as Nike, Adidas, Coca-Cola, Gatorade, Capital One, AT&T/Cingular, Tyson Foods, Wal-Mart, Papa John’s, Anheuser-Busch, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, FujiFilm, Fanatics and Sodexho.
At LSU, Shanklin was responsible for the launch of the SkyLine Club at Tiger Stadium, the creation of the first all-inclusive tailgate village at LSU Football and led the implementation of LSU logos on packaging and point of sale for the Bud Light and UPS Tiger programs. He also spearheaded all the marketing, ticket promotions and digital campaigns to drive attendance and increase revenues – resulting in attendance records for football, men’s basketball, gymnastics, softball and baseball.
In his time as Director of Marketing at Arkansas, he built the Razorback Marketing Office from the ground up with in-house multi-media sales, marketing and promotions, negotiating the school’s most significant partnerships – including, at the time, the largest single school sponsorship in college sports with an $11.3 million partnership with Southwestern Bell/Cingular. As the Arkansas University Licensing Coordinator, Shanklin grew the Razorback brand into a consistent top-15 CLC school. He was also responsible for creating one of the largest college baseball radio networks while at Arkansas and developed the school’s Hispanic radio network. During his tenure in Fayetteville, he also served as sport administrator for the highly successful Arkansas Razorback baseball program.
UWNWLA President Tori Thomas named Outstanding Fundraising Executive
United Way of Northwest Louisiana’s (UWNWLA) President & CEO, LaToria “Tori” W. Thomas, has been named the Outstanding Fundraising Executive by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) North Louisiana Chapter.
AFP holds an awards ceremony for National Philanthropy Day every year, recognizing our community’s most outstanding philanthropists and volunteers. To be considered for an award, individuals must first be nominated for one of six categories, including Outstanding Philanthropist, Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser, Outstanding Philanthropic Organization, Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation, Outstanding Fundraising Executive, and Outstanding Young Adult Philanthropic Leader(s).
United Way of Northwest Louisiana’s (UWNWLA) President & CEO, LaToria “Tori” W. Thomas, has been named the Outstanding Fundraising Executive by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) North Louisiana Chapter.
AFP holds an awards ceremony for National Philanthropy Day every year, recognizing our community’s most outstanding philanthropists and volunteers. To be considered for an award, individuals must first be nominated for one of six categories, including Outstanding Philanthropist, Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser, Outstanding Philanthropic Organization, Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation, Outstanding Fundraising Executive, and Outstanding Young Adult Philanthropic Leader(s)..
Baldwin is Tech’s newest Tower Medallion recipient
George A. Baldwin, Jr., a Privileged Director of the Louisiana Tech University Foundation and the 2015 Alumnus of the Year, will become the University’s newest Tower Medallion recipient and be inducted by the Alumni Association into Tech’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni during Fall Commencement Saturday, November 18 at 10 a.m. in the Thomas Assembly Center.
The Tower Medallion Award signifies membership in the Hall and is awarded to Tech alumni who have distinguished themselves by exceptional achievement, community service, and humanitarian activities.
A Registered Professional Petroleum Engineer and business executive, Baldwin is a principal of Baldwin Madden Energy, LLC, and President and Chief Executive Officer of three EnSight Energy oil and gas partnerships.
A native of Shreveport, Baldwin began his professional career with Arkla Exploration Company in 1978. In 1994, he and principals of Brammer Engineering and Keystone Exploration formed Brammer-Keystone Energy, which evolved into the EnSight franchise of oil and gas investment partnerships. Baldwin has guided this enterprise as President since 1997, has successfully concluded three EnSight programs, and still presides over three that remain active, principally in the Haynesville Shale. He has been directly involved in scores of oil and gas acquisition, divestiture, and financing transactions with an aggregate value well over $1 billion.
Baldwin has served on various corporate and non-profit advisory boards and is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Louisiana Engineering Society, and Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society.
