LA Wildlife Federation Announces 2023 Conservation Leadership Corps Students

 LA Wildlife Federation

BATON ROUGE – Louisiana Wildlife Federation today announced the 22 members of the 2023 Edgar Veillon Conservation Leadership Corps (CLC). The participants are made up of students from colleges and universities in Louisiana, and make up the program’s fifth annual cohort.

Over the next four months, the students will be presented with real-world conservation issues, while receiving training from current and former natural resource professionals in the public, non-profit and private sectors. Through integrated case studies and collaborative activities, these students will build knowledge in conservation policy while gaining skills in leadership and advocacy.

“I cannot overemphasize the value of this program to our state and to our efforts on behalf of conservation,” said Zac Burson, LWF president and board member. “For over 80 years, LWF has worked with diverse groups of stakeholders to protect the wildlife resources of Louisiana, and the Edgar Veillon Conservation Leadership Corps trains the next generation to address the complex conservation issues we face today and will undoubtedly face more of in the future. The program involves a diverse, hopeful, and intelligent group of college students who are passionate about the conservation issues important not only to Louisiana, but also to the US and the world.”

Over the next four months, the group will have two virtual and two in-person meetings. Each of the four sessions will be held during one weekend each month in January, February, March and April 2023. The two in-person meetings will be held in Baton Rouge, La., and Chicot State Park in Ville Platte, La.  

This year’s Conservation Leadership Corps students are:

Caroline Alleman
Terrytown, Louisiana
Louisiana State University
Wildlife Ecology

Leila Avery
Ellicott City, Maryland
Loyola University
Environmental Science

Ella Bollinger
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Louisiana Tech University
Forestry (Wildlife Habitat Management)

Libby Brennan
Birmingham, Alabama
Louisiana State University
Natural Resource Ecology and Management

Heather Brown
Lafayette, Louisiana
South Louisiana Community College
Environmental Science

McKenna Chow
Columbus, Ohio
Tulane University
Environmental Biology and Spanish

Hugh Coffin
Charlotte, North Carolina
Louisiana State University
Coastal Environmental Science

Elena Dilworth
Metairie, Louisiana
University of New Orleans
Biological Sciences

Jacques Gaspard
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Louisiana State University
Chemical Engineering

Jana Guercio
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Louisiana State University
Marketing (Pre-Law)

Siarah Hall
Many, Louisiana
Louisiana State University
Coastal Environmental Science

Kaitlyn Johnson
Slidell, Louisiana
University of Louisiana-Lafayette
Civil Engineering (Environmental Engineering and Water Resources)

Julia Jones
Houma, Louisiana
Nicholls State University
Marine Biology

James Kelly
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Louisiana State University
Geography and Philosophy

Rowan Lambert
North Richland Hills, Texas
University of New Orleans
Studio Art

Seija Meaux
Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Louisiana State University
Geology and Geography

Sierra Moran
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Louisiana State University
Applied Coastal Environmental Science

Samantha Rios
Lafayette, Louisiana
University of Louisiana-Lafayette
Environmental Quality

Caleb Theriot
St. Martinville, Louisiana
University of Louisiana-Lafayette
Environmental Science

Leor Weber
Chicago, Illinois
Tulane University
Environmental Studies

William Woody
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge Community College
Computer Science

Landon Zeringue
Thibodaux, Louisiana
Louisiana State University
Political Communications

“Year after year, this program equips our students with the skills and knowledge necessary to become the conservation advocates and leaders that Louisiana needs,” said LWF Executive Director Rebecca Triche. “LWF is proud to offer these students the opportunity to match their passion for conservation with hands-on experience and training, which empowers them to make a positive impact on our state and its wildlife.”

The Edgar Veillon Conservation Leadership Corps program is made possible by funding from the Stuller Family Foundation.

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Established in 1940, Louisiana Wildlife Federation is a statewide nonprofit organization that represents 19 affiliate organizations and more than 8,000 members dedicated to the conservation of Louisiana’s wildlife and natural resources. Louisiana Wildlife Federation is an affiliate of National Wildlife Federation and together forms a powerful network for conservation locally and nationally.