Melissa LaBorde, APR

Melissa LaBorde, APR, is a native of Lake Village, Arkansas who attended Montrose Academy finishing as valedictorian of her class. She attended Northeast Louisiana University on academic and spirit group scholarships and was active on campus in a wide variety of organizations, but particularly with the Public Relations Student Society of America and with the student orientation and student alumni organizations. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism/Public Relations and then served as a graduate assistant for the ULM Foundation and Alumni Association while completing her graduate degree in Communication with Public Relations emphasis.

While in college, she met and married Robbie LaBorde, her husband of 30 years who is now the COO at Cleco. They have three children, Matthew who is married to Kate Brame Silver, Sarah Catherine, and Emma Grace. They welcomed their first grandchild, Levy, last summer.

A former VP of Agriculture, Communication, and Economic Development for the Monroe Chamber of Commerce, LaBorde has been a public relations practitioner for 30+ years. The LaBordes moved to central Louisiana in 1991 and she served as Associate Director of Public Relations at Louisiana College before finding her home at LSU of Alexandria. She was originally hired in August of 1992 as Director of Information Services and Executive Assistant to the Chancellor but was moved to the Director of Institutional Advancement/Executive Director of the LSUA Foundation position later that year. Her work with the LSUA Foundation began with the LSUA Endowment Challenge that included the university’s first-ever $1million matching gift.

She secured funding for the LSUA Children’s Center as well as the university’s first endowed chair, 16 endowed professorships, and numerous student scholarships. The LSUA Alumni and Friends Association was established during her tenure, and she led the communication strategy for the LSUA 4-year effort moving the school from a 2-year to a 4-year university. In 2008, she moved from her administrative role into a full-time faculty position teaching public relations and mass communication courses in the Communication program. She is an associate professor of communication studies and currently serves as President of the Faculty Senate as well as a member of numerous campus committees.

LaBorde is an accredited public relations practitioner who served two terms on the Universal Accreditation Board which oversees accreditation activities for the public relations profession in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Her work on the Research, Exam, and Preparation, and Marketing Communication workgroups of the UAB has helped shape public relations professional accreditation and education across the U.S. She served as a two-time president of the Southern Public Relations Federation and was the first to be honored with both the Professional Achievement Award and the Educator of the Year Award. Her students have been on the winning teams for the SPRF student competition in 2018 and 2019, and both she and her students have received recognition in the Lantern Awards and Cypress Awards competitions. She continues to mentor graduate students and young professionals.

An active member of the community, LaBorde has served on the board of directors of the Red Cross, Renaissance Home for Youth, the Junior League of Alexandria, and the Arts Council of Central Louisiana. She supports numerous nonprofit organizations and is active at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church in numerous ministries. She continues to volunteer with a number of
non-profit organizations in Central Louisiana.