LA Milken Network

Louisiana

The Louisiana Milken Network project has rapidly progressed in its inaugural year, building on the collective expertise of the state's Milken Educator Award recipients. Originating from connections we made at the annual Teacher Leader Summit in New Orleans, our initiative channels the vast experiences we have as diverse educators and directs it towards supporting the next generation of teachers. Recognizing that the state will always need great teachers, we are excited about the opportunity to help more students discover their own calling in education.

Our work takes many forms, purposefully so, as we listen to what colleges, universities and pre-service programs across Louisiana need and find ways we can provide that support. So far, we’ve been excited to host insightful panels and roundtable discussions at the University of New Orleans, we've delivered the keynote address at the University of Holy Cross' Spring Education Conference, and we have established a pilot mentorship program for first-year teachers. The LA Milken Network is constantly looking for new ways to support aspiring educators and hopes, through our efforts, to help inspire the next Milken Educator from Louisiana.

Kelly Ryan (LA ‘23), Jay Weisman (LA ‘21), Lauren Waguespack (LA ‘23) and Catherine Randall (LA ‘16) presented on the “Joys of Teaching” to a group of pre-service educators at the University of New Orleans in fall 2024. The panel was the first connection the LA Milken Network made with a university's teacher certification program.

Jay Weisman (LA ‘21), Kelly Ryan (LA ‘23), Derrick Winn (LA ‘23) and Catherine Randall (LA ‘16) were invited to give the keynote address at the University of Holy Cross’ Spring Education Conference in February 2025. Focused on what makes great teaching, the panel used an acrostic of the name “MILKEN” to showcase various classroom strategies and techniques.

In spring 2025, Catherine Randall (LA ‘16) and others hosted roundtable conversations on a variety of topics ranging from classroom management strategies at the elementary level to tips on how to work with a mentor teacher. The standing-room-only crowd of future educators at UNO was a testament to the impact of a future-focused mission on the next generation of classroom leaders.