Board and Staff
The Monroe Chamber of Commerce was established over 120 years ago to serve the needs of the business community. We help new businesses open and we help existing businesses expand and grow. Our goal is to strengthen our workforce, build our infrastructure and improve the overall business environment. We know that you will discover what we already know. Ouachita Parish is a great place to live, work and raise your family.
Our Board
Mike Downhour
President & CEO
(318) 807-4015
Matthew Dickerson
Chairman 2026
Mid South Extrusion
Aimee Kane
Immediate Past Chair
St. Francis Health
Amanda Edge
Chair-Elect
Entergy
Ethan Hunt
VP of Finance
NELA Title Company
Nathan Hall
VP Workforce Development, Education
LDCC
Wes Martin
VP Government Advocacy
Bank of Oak Ridge
Josh Carroll
VP Membership, Small Business
SnapMe Creative Agency
Shelva Thomas
VP Health
Monroe Housing Authority
Hunter McFadden
Technology Chair
Greenqube
Kirsten Gladen
Non-Profit Chair
Catholic Charities of NELA
Roderick Williams
Guidance Behavioral Health / First Choice Counseling
Billy Justice
Allegiance Health Network
Odell Riley
Cross Keys Bank / Powerhouse Church in God in Christ
Dr. Ray Morrison
VCOM Louisiana
Jeffrey Laudenheimer
Commercial Capital Bank
Dr. Carrie Castille
University of Louisiana Monroe
Nash Patel
Southern Hospitality Services LLC
Melissa Mitcham
Heard, McElroy & Vestal
Chris Holyfield
Holyfield Construction
John Saye
Hammond, Sills, Adkins, Guice, Noah & Perkins, LLC
Ashley West
b1 BANK
Dr. Alberta Green
ABG Counseling and Career
Mark Randolph
Ochsner LSU Health Monroe
Des Lighten
Fit4Life
John Rea
John Rea Realty
Jake Branch
Louisiana National Bank
Dr. Bret Sanders
Samuel Bret Sanders, D.M.D.
Josh Etheridge
EPC
Paul Hutcheson
Homeland Bank
Taylor Cagle
Origin Bank
Sam Moore
Monroe City Schools
D.J. Fortenberry
Harrison Lilly Realtor, Ambassador Chair
Pastor John O’Leary
First Methodist Monroe
Angela Crumpton-Lawrence
Ouachita Parish Schools
Brookley Barnes
Grow NELA
Kim Lowery
United Way of Northeast Louisiana
Patience Talley
Louisiana Delta Community College - YP
Carrie Kennedy
Origin Bank
Our Staff
Mike Downhour
President & CEO
(318) 807-4015
Daphne Garrett
Senior Director of Events and Programming
(318) 807-4018
Terri Arthur
Director of Finance and Administration
(318) 807-4022
Ashley Dowling
Director of Membership
(318) 807-4004
Meghan Risinger
Director of Strategic Initiatives
(318) 807-4030
Sierrah Long
Marketing and Operations Manager