Presidential search committee advances three semifinalists

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Feb. 19, 2026 – Today, the ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Presidential Search Committee met in Baton Rouge to review applications for the ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette presidency. The search committee selected three semifinalists to interview in person for ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette's next president.  

The semifinalists are:  

In-person interviews are scheduled for next week: Monday, Feb. 23, and Tuesday, Feb. 24.  

The ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System will release a detailed interview schedule when it is finalized on the . In addition to public interviews, candidates will meet with ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members.  

The search committee's voting members include members of the Board of Supervisors:  

  • Mr. Steve Davison – ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System Board of Supervisors 
  • Mr. Lee Jackson – ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System Board of Supervisors 
  • Mr. Keith Myers – ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System Board of Supervisors 
  • Ms. Maria Nechaeva – ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System Board of Supervisors 
  • Dr. John Noble, Jr. – ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System Board of Supervisors 
  • Mr. Dana Peterson – ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System Board of Supervisors 
  • Mr. Mark Romero – ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System Board of Supervisors 
  • Ms. Kristine Russell – ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System Board of Supervisors 
  • Dr. Leah Orr  â€“ President, ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette Faculty Senate

Serving as advisory, non-voting members are the following:

  • Dr. Rick Gallot  â€“ Committee Chair, President, University of Louisiana System 
  • Mr. Georges Antoun – Member, ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette Foundation Board and Representative, ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette College of Engineering 
  • Ms. Kimberly Billeaudeau – President, ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette Staff Senate 
  • Senator Gerald Boudreaux – Louisiana State Senate, District 24 
  • Mr. Jake Delhomme – ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette Alumnus and Former NFL Quarterback 
  • Representative Julie Emerson – Louisiana House of Representatives, District 39 
  • Mr. Ryan Furby – ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette Foundation Board Member 
  • Mr. Bruce Greenstein – Secretary, Louisiana Department of Health 
  • Representative Dustin Miller – Louisiana House of Representatives, District 40 
  • Ms. Onyeka Nwaezeapu – President, ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette Student Government Association 
  • Ms. Allyson Pharr – Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Acadian Ambulance 
  • Dr. Kip Schumacher – Founder, Schumacher Group/Healthcare Executive 

For more details on the ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ Lafayette presidential search, visit the on the ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½ System website.  

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