New Arts Council Executive Director Named!

For the past several weeks, the board of directors for the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana conducted a search for a new executive director for the organization by forming a selection committee and a hiring committee. After reviewing 30 resumes and performing a thorough interviewing process, the board chose Erica McCreedy as the executive director.

McCreedy has served as the special projects coordinator for the Arts & Humanities Council for the past two years, beginning her career on a volunteer basis. She brings her experience in program development, public relations, and promotions to her new position.

“I am both thrilled and honored to be charged with this task,” said McCreedy, the new executive director of the Arts & Humanities Council. “I am eager to explore how we can better serve Southwest Louisiana’s culture, economy, and tourism.”

McCreedy is involved with the Louisiana Citizens for the Arts, Friends of Central School, the Arts Associates of Lake Charles, Fusion Five, Yellow Flag Press, McNeese Banners Cultural Series, and the annual Vision/Verse poetry and art exhibition.

She has received many awards and honors, being the recipient of the Lynn & Richard Reid Award, the William J. Dore Writing & Research Award, the Joy Scantlebury Poetry Prize as well as being nominated for the Intro Journal Award of the Association of Writers & Writing Programs and the Best New Poets Anthology. 

McCreedy earned a Bachelors of Arts in English from Louisiana State University with a concentration in creative writing and minors in theatre and classical studies, a Masters of Arts in English from McNeese State University and a Masters of Fine Arts in creative writing from McNeese State University.  Prior to working with the Arts Council, she served as a docent with the Imperial Calcasieu Museum, and she worked for six years as a visiting lecturer at McNeese State University.

The board of directors for the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana includes Paula Gillard, president; Jason Martinez, first vice president; Mindy Schwarzauer, second vice president; Amanda White, treasurer; and Sally Cappel, secretary. Board members include James Babin, Jason Barnes, Kaysie Bolton, John Boykin, Kristin Broussard, Mary Donaldson, Anjo Elsbury, Beverly Gott, Peggy Griffith, Katie Harrington, Terry Hebert, Daniel Ieyoub, Jordan LeLeux, Angie Manning, Shonda Manuel, Laura Moreau, Chantelle Richardson, Nancy Sanner, Patricia Schmidt, Tom Shea, Sharon Steinman, Dr. Michelle Swift, Mia Vick and Amanda Winterbottom.

For more information on the Council, visit www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org.