The Speakers

Jennifer Barnett, Director of Operations and Planning for Tri-Parish Works has 18 years of experience as part of workforce development leadership. She is a fellow of the Sector Skills Academy from the Aspen Institute, served as the State Director for Workforce Readiness for the Louisiana Society for Human Resource. Jennifer also has a background in post-secondary financial aid as the Assistant Director of Scholarships and Grants for UNO. A Louisiana native, she’s a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University and prepared for her MBA at UNO.

Keith Carter is the Support Services Advocate at Youth Empowerment Project (YEP). He has been with YEP since 2014 but has worked in student-based services since 2000. Keith is a native of New Orleans and is married with four kids.

Landon Corbin is a communications professional from Baton Rouge with eight years of experience in digital marketing strategy and strategic planning. He currently serves as the Coordinator for Adult Career and Technical Education Digital Outreach for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS).

Prior to joining LCTCS, Landon worked as a communications consultant where he served a wide array of clients ranging from fortune 500 companies to governmental agencies. Since transitioning into higher education, he has worked toward expanding LCTCS’s digital footprint. Notable accomplishments include establishing the LCTCS What’s Next Louisiana Podcast, which highlights students, faculty, and business and industry partners across the state, and building thoughtful and engaging social media campaigns to drive enrollment at Louisiana’s 12 community and technical colleges.

Landon holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication with a concentration in public relations from the Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University.

In addition to serving on the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Task Force at LCTCS, Landon is a Board member for the Baton Rouge High School Foundation, where he serves as Chair of the Communications and Technology Committee.

When he isn’t working (from home or the office), you can find Landon on stage at Theatre Baton Rouge, on the Radio Drama Club on 89.3 WRKF, or performing around Baton Rouge with his cover band Two For Nothing.

Angela Day has 29 years of experience in education. She began her career as a K-12 teacher before serving as assistant principal at a junior high school in Texas. Upon her return to Louisiana, she began working in the adult education field through the LA. Department of Corrections where she served as the Education Director at both Angola and Dixon Correctional Institute. In July 2016, she joined the WorkReady U staff at LCTCS where she currently serves as the Director of WorkReady U. Angela holds a M.Ed. in Supervision and Administration from the University of Houston.

Norma Donaldson is an adult education instructor at Terrebonne Parish WorkreadyU Adult Education Center in Houma, Louisiana. She spent the first ten years of her career teaching elementary students with learning disabilities. In 2007, she transitioned to adult education and has never looked back! She has honed her skills as an academic advisor over the last fifteen years. One of her primary responsibilities is to help students develop a step-by-step plan to achieve their academic and career goals. Her philosophy is always, “Success happens one step at a time!”

Dr. Adrienne K. Fontenot is the Director of Adult Learning and Educational Programs at Louisiana Community and Technical College System. Adrienne’s passion for adult education started in 1998 when, as a student worker, she tutored adult learners who needed help with developmental education courses. Since then, she has been fortunate to work in the field that she studied, holding positions ranging from ELL instructor to GED test administrator and now a director at the state office.

Queena Grant is a Shreveport native and has 19 years of Higher Education Enrollment Management/Marketing experience. She currently resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she is Director of Communications and Outreach for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.

Queena has managed several successful admissions teams at post-secondary institutions across Texas, California, Pennsylvania, and Nevada. She has brought great energy and commitment to establishing innovative strategies and successful programs for engaging prospective, new, and continuing students in the college experience. She has successfully connected and partnered with local school districts, community members, correctional units, faculty, and staff to recruit new students and increase institutional awareness and engagement within their respective communities. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe in Pre-Law, a master’s degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix. Currently, she’s ABD (All but dissertation) towards her Doctoral degree in Education from Nova Southeastern University.

Queena’s commitment to serving the community is longstanding. She has been a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. for 24 years. She is also a member of the Association of Career and Technical Education and the Louisiana Association of Collegiate Registrar’s and Admissions Officers.

In her spare time, Queena enjoys swing and line dancing. She also loves music and curling up with a good book. Lastly, but most importantly, she is the mother of an adorable six-year-old son Kingston.

Though appointed Louisiana's State Director of Adult Education in November 2019, Ms. Landry previously served at Delgado Community College in New Orleans for 12 years. Through many roles — tutor, data specialist, teacher, social media manager, web designer, lead teacher, and administrator — she had the opportunity to help the program grow. Additionally, she was able to play a part in redesigning the role of adult education within the college and the region -- as a professional development hub, as an incubator for career pathways and post-secondary transition, and as a strong partner in regional workforce development. Along the way, Ms. Landry was lucky to serve in numerous roles within the Louisiana Association of Public, Community, and Adult Education (LAPCAE) -- Regional Representative, Webmaster, President, and Treasurer. She is excited about the work at the Louisiana Community & Technical College System to break down barriers between credit, adult education, and workforce programming and to look at each student holistically.

Tommeka Semien currently serves as the Executive Director of The Literacy Council of Southwest Louisiana. In this capacity, she is responsible for leading a small nonprofit organization and supervising the adult education and literacy program. Semien began her career in adult education over twenty-five years ago as an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer. She has also worked as an outreach coordinator, instructor, corrections liaison, and program director. She has experience in program development, grant management, and human resources. Semien resides in Lake Charles, Louisiana. She has three daughters and two bonus sons. She has a rescue dog named Tiger and a giant puppy Rottweiler named Mamba. Her hobbies include soap making, creating bracelets. and container gardening.

Dr. Brandy Tyson-Polk was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She attended Southern University and A&M College where she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science. Before the completion of her Doctorate degree in Computer Science at Louisiana State University, she also served as a Bridge to the Doctorate Program Fellow. She currently serves as the Dean of Technical & Adult Education for BRCC. Her focus is on realigning current programs to meet and exceed industry standards and identifying and developing new programs to address local, national, and global skill gaps. Her role in the Technical & Adult Education Division allows her to engage, inspire, and empower students through a transformative learning experience. Her unique background and experiences allow her the opportunity to connect with the community and create pathways that reduce barriers and increase access to higher education. She has been a part of the BRCC family since 2006 and finds the greatest joy in assisting students in achieving their academic and career goals that will transform their future, and, therefore, directly affect the lives of others in the community.