INSPIRE
Meet women from around the Capital Region whose contributions to community and commitment to excellence inspire the people around them every day.
PHOTOS BY: TAHJAH HARMONY
Tameka L. Roby
BOOKMOBILE & OUTREACH SERVICES
MANAGER | EBR PARISH LIBRARY
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
The library has been a part of Tameka Roby’s life since the day she walked into the Banks Elementary School library for the first time, “boisterous and effervescent, practically vibrating with excitement,” she says. While her classmates clamored for Berenstain Bears and Ramona books, Tameka could be found browsing the nonfiction aisles and checking out young adult novels like Lois Lowry’s The Giver. “I went home with the African American Encyclopedia of History, a Pizza Hut Reader of the Month was born,” she says. “Three kids, two dogs, and one grandbaby later, I’m still reading and rolling!”
PASSION & PURPOSE
For 15 years, the EBRPL Bookmobile has connected Tameka to people and their stories. “Serving people from all walks of life, the Bookmobile has something for everyone,” she says. “Libraries change lives.... by meeting people where they are, no matter who they are. The Bookmobile provides equitable access to materials; builds trust; creates pathways for lifelong learning; and ensures educational equity by strengthening our community ties.”
MY FAVORITES
• Vacation Spot: Jamaica and Puerto Rico
• Way to Relax: Wine, cuddling and reading!
• Locally Owned Business: Love Yours Skincare
• Cause to Support: McKinley Alumni Center and Patrons of the Public Library
• Guilty Pleasure: Sir Idris Elba
PERSONAL INSPIRATION
“I am dripping in melanin and honey. I am Black without apology. Touch somebody with your hands or with your heart, with your words or with your silence. Share yourself. Celebrate your skin. Be yourself and never apologize for being someone you love.”
- Poet Upile Chisala
Aimee Cook
CHIEF RISK OFFICER
BANK OF ST. FRANCISVILLE
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
Aimee Cook celebrates two major milestones in 2026: Her 50th birthday, and her 20th year working for the Bank of St. Francisville. “Our founder, Carter Leak III, and our Board Chairman, Conville Lemoine, were instrumental in recognizing my potential early on in my career at BSF, and that support has continued with our current President and CEO, Carter Leak IV,” she says. “I’ve been fortunate to work in many areas of the bank over the years, and wherever I’m needed, I pivot.” And whenever she has needed them, they have supported her, providing the single mother of three high school and college-age children the work-life balance that was so important to her. “I love the culture here,” she says. “I believe in the mission and values. And I love St. Francisville. I feel very blessed.”
PASSION & PURPOSE
Cook benefitted personally and professionally from the bank’s small-town values and family feel, and she is committed to paying that forward. “I love discovering new talent, mentoring them, and helping them grow,” she said. “One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is sharing knowledge and preparing others to step into leadership when their time comes.”
MY FAVORITES
• Restaurant: The St. Francisville Inn
• Book: “Dare to Lead” by Brene Brown
• Vacation spot: Blue Ridge Mountains – “I’m a hiking girl!”
• Dessert: Peach cobbler
PERSONAL INSPIRATION
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
- Maya Angelou
Angela Poirrier
OWNER + DESIGNER | ACADIAN HOUSE DESIGNS + RENOVATIONS
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
“Design has always been my center and my balance,” says Angela Poirrier. Raised in a family business nearly a half-century old, she learned early that “great design isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about creating thoughtful solutions that serve the people who live in the spaces we create.” That belief became the foundation of Acadian House Designs + Renovations, where she transforms homes into functional, livable environments. As a second-generation owner, Poirrier calls purchasing the company from her parents one of her proudest moments. “Being able to carry forward their legacy while allowing them to retire and enjoy the life they worked so hard to build means everything to me,” she says.
PASSION & PURPOSE
“My passion lives at the intersection of design, leadership, and service,” Poirrier says. As president of the Home Builders Association of Greater Baton Rouge, she advocates for professionalism and ethical standards across the industry. Giving back is a core value, from donating her services for St. Jude Dream Homes to creating community projects for schools and nonprofits. “Success,” Poirrier says, “is something meant to be shared.”
MY FAVORITES
• Lunch Spot: French Market Bistro
• Comfort Food: “A perfect bowl of gumbo”
• Vacation Spot: Coconut Club in the Bahamas
• Season: Fall, “with my son playing college football at Belhaven and my daughter cheering on the sidelines at St. Michael’s”
PERSONAL INSPIRATION
“Great design listens first, and real leadership shows up every day—through action, service, and responsibility to others.”
Emily Flanagan, Ph.D.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR | PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
Originally from Miami, Emily Flanagan moved to Baton Rouge in 2019 to complete a postdoctoral fellowship in perinatal health. In her current role as an assistant professor of research at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, she specializes in pregnancy and infant metabolism. “My husband and I have grown to love calling Louisiana home,” she says, “with its gracious Southern hospitality, Mardi Gras, and exceptional cuisine!”
PASSION & PURPOSE
Flanagan is driven by a deep commitment to improving the health of the next generation. As director of the Developmental Physiology Laboratory, she is dedicated to uncovering how physiological and behavioral factors influence growth and metabolism in infants and young children. “I am continually seeking ways to turn discovery into impact by developing prevention strategies that inform families and clinicians, and support lifelong health,” she says.
MY FAVORITES
• Local Restaurant: Zorba’s
• Way to Relax: Pool day with family
• Vacation Spot: The Florida Keys
• Cause to Support: The Seeing Eye
PERSONAL INSPIRATION
“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.”
- JRR Tolkien
Jessica Sharon
PRESIDENT, JUNIOR LEAGUE OF BATON ROUGE | VP OF IMPACT AND ADVOCACY, PELICAN CREDIT UNION
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
Remembering where she came from allows Jessica Sharon to help others get where they want to go. “I joke about this, but it’s true: I grew up in a trailer park in Denham Springs,” she says. “We didn’t have a whole lot. I worked really hard, went to school, and I’m still paying off my student loans, because I got a master’s degree. It’s why I’m so passionate about financial education, about helping communities thrive, about serving low- to moderate-income communities.”
PASSION & PURPOSE
Sharon extends helping hands in both her vocation (Pelican Credit Union vice president) and avocation (Junior League of Baton Rouge president). “I think a lot of what I’m passionate about comes from my belief that everybody deserves access to the three things you need to succeed: education, opportunity, and financial literacy,” she says. “It’s on us, as individuals who have had success, to give people avenues to do that. I’m not saying we have to do everything for them. I’m saying we have to create opportunities. We have to educate. We have to train. People deserve dignity and support. That’s what drives me.”
MY FAVORITES
• Restaurants: Albasha, Elsie’s, and Stab’s
• Podcast: “Good Hang with Amy Poehler”
• Vacation Spot: Day-tripping around Louisiana
• Singer: Florence and the Machine
• TV Show: “Pluribus” on Apple TV
PERSONAL INSPIRATION
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
- Arthur Ashe
Nikki Gallmann
CO-OWNER & DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS BLUSH BRIDAL SALON
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
Nikki Gallmann has always been blessed with a strong sense of self. “I’m a proud Vietnamese American, born and raised in Baton Rouge, and my culture and heritage are deeply woven into who I am,” she says. Now in her 30s, that identity has not changed. But her priorities have shifted. “After spending years focused on building a fulfilling career, I now place immense value on nurturing my relationships—with my family, friends, and my husband,” Gallmann says.
PASSION & PURPOSE
Two words lie at the heart of everything Nikki Choose joy. “I’m passionate about life and spreading joy to those around me,” she says. “I love making people feel seen and important. What fuels my pursuit of success is the life I’m creating for my future self, my husband, and the family I hope to build one day. Choosing joy keeps me grounded—it reminds me to focus on gratitude, resist comparison, and trust the process.”
MY FAVORITES
• Vacation Spot: Los Cabos
• Local Restaurant: Homakase
• Locally Owned Business: HerringStones
• TV Show: “Criminal Minds”
• Cause to Support: St. Vincent de Paul
PERSONAL INSPIRATION
“Discipline is choosing what you want most versus what you want now.”
-Mindi Linscombe
Katherine Guglielmo
LICENSED MEDICAL AESTHETICIAN | CERTIFIED LASER TECH | CERTIFIED FUNCTIONAL NUTRITIONIST | CERTIFIED DIETARY SUPPLEMENT SPECIALIST | LICENSED EDUCATOR
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
With nearly 25 years as a licensed medical aesthetician, Katherine Guglielmo’s career has evolved as her curiosity has grown. “I grew up going to facials with my mom at Lulu Buras,” she says. “I was fascinated by the serums she came home with, and I knew early on this was something I wanted to do.” After training in aesthetics and working in dermatology, Guglielmo began to notice connections between clients’ eating habits and skin conditions. She went back to school to gain expertise in functional nutrition and dietary supplements. “I knew the connections were there,” she says, “but I didn’t know how to connect the dots until I got the right education.” Today, she owns Guglielmo Aesthetics and is co-owner of ReGen Aesthetics, blending clinical experience with real-world insights into the link between lifestyle and skin health.
PASSION & PURPOSE
“For me, it’s always been about the people,” Guglielmo says. Listening closely to their stories pushes her to keep learning. Her philosophy centers on addressing root causes rather than managing symptoms. “What’s the point of applying a cream if you’re not fixing what’s causing the problem?” she says. “When clients say, ‘I see the difference,’ that’s everything.”
MY FAVORITES
• Travel destination: Anywhere tropical, especially Central America and the Caribbean
• Way to relax: Birdwatching, cooking, gardening, home with a good book
• TV shows: “Renovation Aloha,” “The Flip Off,” “Master Chef”
PERSONAL INSPIRATION
“If you look good, you feel good.”
- Lulu Buras
Jennifer Maggio
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER THE LIFE OF A SINGLE MOM
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
Almost 30 years ago, Jennifer Maggio was a young single mom of two children juggling parenthood, two jobs and college classes at night. “I was drowning in exhaustion,” she says. “My faith in God was the catalyst that changed everything.” Maggio used the lessons she learned in her personal life and as assistant vice president of a Fortune 500 bank to launch a national nonprofit headquartered in Baton Rouge, The Life of a Single Mom, that has provided essential support to more than 1.25 million single mothers. In 2017, Maggio also founded Single Mom University, the largest life skills classroom in the U.S. for single mothers. She has twice been named one of the Top 10 Most Influential People in America by the John Maxwell Leadership Institute.
PASSION & PURPOSE
“I’ve been married to my husband for 23 years, and my children are now adults. But I’ll never forget being a young single mom, huddled on a bathroom floor, suicidal and hopeless,” Maggio says. “No money. No plan. Just pain. God met me on that bathroom floor and rescued me. The years that followed taught me a lot, and I have a deep passion to share those lessons with other moms.”
MY FAVORITES
• TV Show: “Little House on the Prairie”
• Dessert: Crème brûlée
• Vacation Spot: Glacier National Park
• Locally Owned Business: The Royal Standard
• Hobby: Jigsaw puzzles–lots of them!
PERSONAL INSPIRATION
“God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.”
Becky Walker
OWNER/PRINCIPAL DESIGNER THE DESIGN STUDIO
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
Becky Walker has spent 32 years in the design, architectural, and construction industry. “And 22 of those have been running my own firm,” she says. At The Design Studio, Walker leads projects across residential, multifamily, hospitality, and commercial spaces. She also launched sister company TDS Staging Products and Services, to fill a gap in the local real estate market. “There’s a significantly higher chance of selling real estate with staging,” she says. Married to college sweetheart Len and proud mom to 22-year-old Jack, Walker jokes, “I had two babies at once—a child and a business—and raised them together!”
PASSION & PURPOSE
“I’ve always been passionate about design,” Walker says. “Even as a kid, I was rearranging bedrooms, building spaces, and creating places that made people feel happy.” She credits her mother’s flair for decorating and entertaining for fueling her creative streak. “I’m always thinking, how can this be more unique and reflective of each and every client?” That mindset defines her work today. “The goal is never to copy,” she says. “It’s to create something unique that feels like them.”
MY FAVORITES
• Singer: Lauren Daigle
• Fashion Influence: Rachel Zoe
• Guilty Pleasure: Red wine and chocolates
• Entertainment: LSU and the Saints
PERSONAL INSPIRATION
“ ‘NO’ is a motivator. Not an answer!”
Sarah Barlow, Ph.D.
PROVOST AND VICE CHANCELLOR FOR WORKFORCE AND STUDENT DEVELOPMENT BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
In her work with BRCC students, Sarah Barlow seeks not merely to train, but to transform. “I deeply believe in the power of this institution to change lives,” she says. “This work isn’t abstract to me—it’s personal, and it’s purposeful. Every day, I get to lead dedicated teams who build pathways for students balancing work, family, and ambition. Together, we create programs that connect education to real workforce opportunities and strengthen the future of our community. I love this work—not just for what it accomplishes today, but for what it makes possible tomorrow.”
PASSION & PURPOSE
At BRCC, Barlow says, progress is measured by real results—students completing credentials, entering the workforce, and building lasting stability. “The future we are building through education is the same future my son, Joey, and so many others will inherit. That reality sharpens my focus and reinforces the importance of leading in a way that is thoughtful, sustainable, and grounded in service.”
MY FAVORITES
• Way to Relax: Travel
• Vacation Spot: Norris Lake
• Dessert: Anything chocolate
• Guilty Pleasure: Drive, with the music loud
• Moment of the day: Driving Joey to school and talking
PERSONAL INSPIRATION
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
- Mary Oliver
Danielle Brecheen
OWNER & PRESIDENT
BRECHEEN PIPE & STEEL
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
Danielle Brecheen grew up in a business that wasn’t built with women in mind. Her father founded the Port Allen–based pipe and steel distributor in 1980, and when Brecheen joined him five years later, she quickly learned the realities of industrial sales. “It was a boys’ club,” she says. “There weren’t many women in the industrial space, and it was difficult trying to develop long-term partnerships.” To succeed, Brecheen says she had to work “faster, harder, and smarter” than competitors.
PASSION & PURPOSE
Those early challenges shaped Brecheen’s leadership philosophy—and her commitment to opening doors for others.
“Because of the hardships I faced early in my career, I wanted to help more women move into industrial sales and ultimately into leadership positions,” she says. Today, women at Brecheen Pipe & Steel work across the entire operation. Brecheen’s focus is service-first. “A lot of our customers forget to order something they need the next morning,” she says.
“We’re there for them — a just-intime supplier.”
MY FAVORITES
• Restaurant: Gino’s
• Vacation Spot: Panama City Beach
• TV Show: “Forensic Files”
Anything related to animals
• Singer: Adele
PERSONAL INSPIRATION
“Built by steel. Driven by strength. Trusted for generations.”
Tekoah Boatner
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER YOUTH OASIS
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
The daughter of a Christian pastor, Tekoah Boatner always knew her life’s work would be helping others. “I consider myself a human services strategist,” she says. Her career in nonprofit leadership spans domestic violence prevention, sexual assault victims’ advocacy, HIV/AIDS services—“almost any cause you can name,” she says. Since 2017, as CEO of the 28-year-old Baton Rouge nonprofit Youth Oasis, she has helped young people recover from the trauma of homelessness and family separation through housing, healthcare and advocacy. The mother of 9- and 13-year-old boys says, “My personal and professional lives have merged around one belief: If we want children to be OK, we have to support the adults around them.”
PASSION & PURPOSE
“At a DNA level, I’m a helper,” Boatner says. “Problemsolving energizes me.” That mindset is central to her leadership at Youth Oasis, a provider of last resort for children who have often cycled through multiple systems. Her work involves supporting families with care, accountability and compassion while rebuilding children’s imagination, trust, and possibility—the foundational skills of healthy adulthood. “It’s a privilege to help someone at their lowest point,” Boatner says. “That responsibility should be handled with care.”
MY FAVORITES
• Restaurants: Stab’s and Mansurs
• Vacation spot: Maui
• Audiobook: “Alchemised”
• Podcasts: “Old Gods of Appalachia” and “Strict Scrutiny”
• TV show: “The Good Place”
PERSONAL INSPIRATION
“But for the grace of God, there go I.”
- John Bradford
At Simply Facials, luxury meets accessibility in a space designed exclusively for facial care and nothing else. Founded by longtime client-turned-partner Julie Piedrahita and her renowned aesthetician of 15 years Jan Vaccaro, the practice was born from a shared vision: to make high-quality, results-driven skincare simple, transparent, and truly inclusive. We recognized a national trend of elite, all-inclusive facial studios offering premium care without the complexity of upsells, hidden costs, or excessive service menus, and launched Simply Facials in May 2024 to bring that same standard of care to Baton Rouge.
ONLY FACIALS, EXPERTLY CURATED
In a world full of one-stop spas and ever-expanding med spas, we have chosen to specialize. Our team focuses solely on facials that are expertly curated, deeply effective, and all-inclusive. Every treatment includes multiple modalities, eliminating the need for add-ons while delivering professional-grade results. The pricing is refreshingly transparent, with no surprises and no compromises.
CUSTOMIZED CARE FOR EVERY FACE
Whether you’re a teen battling acne, an adult pursuing preventative aging care, or someone with medically reactive skin—including clients undergoing chemotherapy or managing autoimmune conditions—we offer tailored solutions with clinical integrity and spa-level comfort. Each facial is designed to be repeated every 30 to 45 days, supporting long-term skin health and maintenance with affordable membership options.
A SAFE HAVEN FOR SKIN CARE
Built around comfort and clarity, the Simply Facials experience is intentionally welcoming. We created a space where clients feel secure from the moment they walk in. No intimidation, no pressure—just excellent care, delivered with consistency and heart.
From left: Jan Vaccaro, Chief Consulting Officer and Julie Piedrahita, Owner/Founder