LCPA Elects 2025-26 Board of Directors

The Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants (LCPA) held our Annual Meeting and Election of Officers on August 15 at The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans. We are proud to introduce the volunteer leaders elected by our members to guide the profession into the new year. Our 2025–26 Board of Directors brings fresh perspectives, proven expertise, and a commitment to advancing the CPA community across Louisiana.

Pictured left to right: LCPA CEO Ron Gitz; Board Members Jessica Cormier, Brett Summerville, Laura WIley, Jim Schneider, Kenneth Champagne, Jeremy Thibodaux, Anthony Rutledge, Hampton Roane, Nicolette Teleford, Bridget Kaigler, Nene Glenn Gianfala, Jacques Bourque

Anthony Rutledge, CPA, MBA, was named LCPA's 2025-26 Chair, one of the youngest to hold the top volunteer position in the association’s 114-year history. In the year ahead, he will visit members throughout the state, promoting his theme of "Beyond Rewards" — where the true value of the CPA profession isn’t just in recognition, but in impact. He is Director, Audit and Assurance Services, with LaPorte CPAs & Business Advisors in Covington. Anthony is a Past President and current Member at-Large of LCPA's Northshore Chapter and a previous representative of the Society's Emerging CPA Council. Anthony graduated from Leadership St. Tammany in May 2024, and was also named a Northshore Forty Under 40 in December 2024. He has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Management Minor, and a Master of Business Administration from Southeastern Louisiana University, where he currently serves on the Department of Accounting’s Accreditation Board.

Kenneth Champagne, CPA, is serving as Chair-Elect and will accede to the position of Chair in August 2026. He is the Senior Vice President, Business Services, for Confie Administrative Services, Inc., in Baton Rouge. In addition to serving as a Treasurer, Kenneth is very active in the Society's financial literacy efforts and is a Past President of LCPA's Baton Rouge Chapter. He has a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from LSU.

Jim Schneider, CPA, CIA, is serving as LCPA's Treasurer. He is the President & Managing Partner of The Personnel Consulting Group a Past President of the LCPA's New Orleans Chapter. Jim received a Master of Science in Accounting and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting with a concentration in Internal Audit from LSU. He is also a Certified Internal Auditor.

Jacques Bourque, CPA, is serving a two-year term (2025-2027) as Member at-Large. He is the Secretary of the Acadiana Chapter and Immediate-Past Chair of the Emerging CPA Council. Jacques is CFO of Catalyst Bank, an Acadiana-based community bank. Jacques also serves on the Emerging Leaders Council of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from LSU in 2015, graduating summa cum laude, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, summa cum laude. In 2023, Jacques was the recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumni award from the LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business. 

Jessica Cormier, CPA, is serving a new one-year term as Member at-Large. A Past President of LCPA's Baton Rouge Chapter, she is the Transformation Manager at BPM, LLP. Jessica has served on several LCPA committees, including Women's Initiatives, Nominating, and Career Awareness. She has a Bachelor's degree in Finance from LSU. Jessica received the LCPA 2017 Woman to Watch – Emerging Leader Award and is a graduate of the American Institute of CPAs Leadership Academy.

Samantha Falgout, PhD, CPA, is serving a new two-year term as Member-at-Large (2025-2027). She is an Assistant Professor of Accounting at Nicholls State University and Immediate Past President of the South Central Chapter. She has a Doctor of Philosophy – PhD – in Accounting from the University of Scranton and a Master's of Business Administration and Bachelor's in Accounting from Nicholls State University.

Nene Glenn Gianfala, CPA/ABV, ASA/BV/IA, is serving the second year of a two-year term (2024-26) as a Member at-Large. She is Senior Vice President of the Valuation Advisory group at Chaffe & Associates in New Orleans. She has also served on several LCPA committees, including Accounting & Auditing, Accounting Education Issues, and Women's Initiatives. Nene has a Bachelor of Science in Management with a concentration in Accounting & Finance from the A.B. Freeman School of Business, Tulane University, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of New Orleans.

Nicolette Releford, CPA, is serving the second year of a two-year term (2024-26) as a Member at-Large. A Past President of LCPA’s Northeast Chapter, she also serves on several LCPA committees, including Tax Conference, Financial Literacy, and Medical & Healthcare Services. Nicolette is a Tax Expert Lead for Intuit, Inc. and owner of Nicolette S. Releford, CPA, in Bastrop. She earned her BBA in Accounting from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, a Master of Science Engineering Technology Management from Louisiana Tech University, and also is a Notary Public.

Hampton Roane, CPA, is serving a two-year term (2025-2027) as Member at-Large. He is a current Member at-Large and Past President of LCPA's North Louisiana Chapter. Hampton is a Senior Manager with Silas Simmons, LLP, Certified Public Accountants and Advisors in Monroe. He received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration from Louisiana Tech. Within his community, he serves as Treasurer of the Downtown West Monroe Revitalization Group. Hampton was recently named to the Northeast Louisiana Top 20 under 40 honoring career excellence and community impact.

Brett Summerville, CPA, is serving the second year of a two-year term (2024-26) as a Member at-Large. He is a Tax Senior Manager with Hannis T. Bourgeois CPAs & Business Advisors in New Orleans. A Past President of LCPA's New Orleans Chapter, Brett also serves on the Society's Federal Taxation and State and Local Taxation committees. He received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of New Orleans.

Jeremy Thibodaux, CPA, CFE, is serving a two-year term (2025-27) as a Member at-Large. Jeremy is the Assurance & Advisory Practice Leader at Ericksen Krentel, LLP in New Orleans. Jeremy also serves as chair of the LCPA Louisiana A&A Conference Committee and is a member of the Not-for-Profit Issues, Peer Review, and Strategic Planning committees. He is a previous board Member at-large for the New Orleans Chapter. He has a Bachelor of Accountancy in Accounting from Loyola University New Orleans, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Mississippi, and a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Connecticut.

Laura Wiley, PhD, CPA, is serving the second year of a two-year term (2024-26) as a Member at-Large. She is the Assistant Department Chair and Undergraduate Advisor, Distinguished Instructor for LSU, Department of Accounting, E.J. Ourso College of Business, Baton Rouge. She also serves as the Director of International Experience for the E.J. Ourso College of Business. Laura is an author on two college textbooks with John Wiley & Sons Publishing. Laura received a Bachelor's in Business Administration from the University of Alabama, a Master's in Accounting from LSU, and a PhD in Human Resource Education and Workforce Development from LSU.

Bridget Kaigler, CPA, CGMA, is Immediate Past Chair. A Past President of the Baton Rouge Chapter, Bridget is Senior Director of Tax & Regulatory Reporting at United Healthcare Group, Inc. She also serves on the American Institute of CPAs Nominating Committee. As a sought-after inspirational speaker, Bridget is also the Founder and CEO of Bringing Leadership Back, LLC—an organization dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs with business education and innovative solutions, while elevating aspiring leaders toward professional growth.

LCPA is a non-profit professional association serving more than 6,300 current and future CPAs statewide. It is the premier organization of accountants in the state.