Julie Stokes
President & CEO Ellevate Louisiana
Julie Stokes is CEO of Flame Consulting, CFO of Stokes & Associates, President and CEO of Ellevate Louisiana and Co-Founder of the Cancer Advocacy Group of Louisiana. She is a CPA, a nonpartisan policy advocate, a civic leader, and a speaker.
Over her seven years of service in the Louisiana Legislature, Julie Stokes gained a reputation as passionate advocate for comprehensive, non-partisan fiscal policy. Julie was able to share her knowledge as a CPA, as well as gain significant legislative experience, with the Louisiana budget, comparative state tax policy, oversight of legislative audit, Louisiana’s economic development incentives, and Louisiana’s Department of Health policies. Having received numerous accolades for her work in the Legislature and leaving public life behind in 2020, she opened Flame Consulting to continue supporting projects that she is passionate about, like nonpartisan public policy, cancer advocacy and helping other worthy causes with strategic planning and management consulting.
As part of her work through Flame Consulting, Julie founded Ellevate Louisiana. Ellevate Louisiana’s purpose is to empower women leaders throughout Louisiana by connecting and educating them on the challenges impacting Louisiana with data-driven, non-partisan solutions to make a better future for the state. In its first two years of operation, Ellevate Louisiana has grown to 170 members statewide. Ellevate Louisiana hosts discussions with policy makers in key areas of state policy-making in order to study the issues and create a policy agenda for its advocacy work before the Louisiana Legislature.
Julie currently serves on the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors and was the 2017 Distinguished Alumnus of the University of New Orleans. She is currently the Policy Chairman for GNO, Inc. and a graduate of the Committee for a Better Louisiana’s 2020 Leadership Louisiana class. She is an actively member of the Louisiana Committee of 100 for Economic Development, the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, the Louisiana Society of CPA’s, the International Women’s Forum, Women United, and other groups. She is a frequent speaker to groups on the subject of fiscal policy as well as on inspirational topics such as finding your voice, making a difference in this world and fighting back against all kinds of adversity and overcoming it.
She attended the University of New Orleans on full scholarship where she received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Magna Cum Laude. Julie resides in Kenner with her husband Larry and their two children, Brandon and Taylor.
Peggy Reeves
“We are a Scouting family”!
Peggy began her Scouting career in 1972 as an assistant den leader for her oldest son, Danny’s Cub Scout Pack on the Westbank. Her leadership positions changed as he moved up through his Scouting journey. She did the same for her daughter Karen and her other 2 sons, Scott and Jeffrey, Her Scouting career spanned over 43 years, from 1972 to 2015.
Peggy has served our Scouting youth on the Unit, District (Westside/Cataouatche), Council, and regional levels, in many leadership positions. All of which were in support of Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Explorers, and Venturers, both youth and adults. She has chaired/staffed Cub Day Camps and Pow Wows, Boy Scout Summer Camps and Camporees, Exploring and Venturing Skills Weekends.
As her 4 children (Danny, Jr, Karen, Scott, and Jeffrey) aged out of the program, Peggy became more active on the council level, staffing Wood Badge courses, Commissioner Colleges/Conferences, and serving as the Course Director for the council’s first Venturing Powder Horn. She chaired the SELA Council’s 100th Birthday of Scouting Centen-A-Ree Celebration with over 2500 people at V-Bar! As Council Commissioner, she and the SELA Board of Directors worked tirelessly to help our families impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Peggy is an avid volleyball player, competing on the local, state, national, and international levels. She is a Senior Olympian and captain of her team. They have earned Gold and Silver medals on the state, national and international levels. She has played volleyball as a youth and adult almost continuously since 1960.
Due to their love of outdoor and historic places, Peggy and her husband, Danny, have visited many National Parks, hiking and backpacking the many trails. They love to visit new places, often picking a state and spending a week exploring its history and natural resources.
Andrea “MsSkip” Gibson
Executive Board Member; Scoutmaster, Troop 131
MsSkip, as she is known to her scouting family, is a member of the Southeast Louisiana Council Executive Board where she is Chairperson of the Activities and Civic Service Committee. She also serves as a Merit Badge Counselor, as the Training Chair for the Emerging Market and Fleur de Lis Districts, and as a Unit Commissioner. MsSkip is also the Scoutmaster for Troop 131, chartered by the Keeping Our Legacy Alive Community Development Corporation. In 2013, she was awarded the William D. Berry Award and, in 2014, she received both the Den Leader Training Award & the District Award of Merit. The Silver Beaver Award was presented to her in 2016.
Andrea Lodrig-Gibson is a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN where she earned a Bachelor’s of Science in both Health Education and Physical Education. She has taught and coached for over thirty years in the New Orleans Public Schools as well as in the Independent School System in Cottage Grove, MN. As a youth in New Orleans, she was always busy: a Brownie, Y-Teen, sports team player, tutor, baby-sitter, etc. It was all about Fun!
Through the persistent efforts of the late Dr. Joseph W. Davis, a fellow Central Congregational Church member, Andrea’s interest in Scouting was renewed by becoming a den leader. Dr. Davis was a 1938 Eagle Scout from Troop 131 and wanted to provide present day youth with the experiences he enjoyed and the values he espoused. With Central’s membership backing in the late 1990’s, he founded “The Good Gang” which included Cub Scout Pack 131 and Scouts BSA Troop 131 and thus, MsSkip’s adult Scouting life journey began! Following the twelfth point of the Scout Law, “A Scout is Reverent”, Andrea has re-introduced Scouting to her new church, Historic St. James AME Church where the units now meet; the charter is authorized through Keeping Our Legacy Alive CDC which is a connection to Central Church.
Her family members & friends soon learned about her commitments and realized that they too would be involved! In fact, two of her grandkids, Thomas & Ka’Lita-Maria were founding members of Crew 131 which began in 2011. This reiterates the idea that Scouting is a family-oriented program.
MsSkip’s Scouting journey broadens as she has proudly staffed Wood Badge courses and other council and district-wide trainings.
It’s still all about FUN! And to think, it only requires ONE hour per week. FANTASTIC!!!
For More Information:
Contact Adrienne Roth, District Executive
Adrienne.Roth@scouting.org
504-357-2405
SELA BSA 4200 S. I-10 Service Road W, Metairie, LA 70001
Boy Scouts of America (EIN #72-0408954) is eligible to receive tax deductible
contributions, under section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code
Spirit of Scouting Soirée 