Who We Are: Management : Acadiana Outreach

Valerie Keller, Chief Executive Officer

As CEO of Acadiana Outreach Center Valerie Keller leads a dynamic team dedicated to providing families in poverty with full continuum of services including emergency and transitional shelter, skills training, housing and employment programs, licensed addiction and mental health treatment centers.

In addition to her devotion to social services and economic development, she is equally committed to the arts and education as a means of positively impacting the quality of life, both of the Outreach Center's clients, as well as the larger community.

A recipient of the “Chase Bank 20 Under 40 Leadership Recognition” award, UNITY "Outstanding Leadership" Award, "Women Who Mean Business" Award, "Change Agent Network" Humanitarian of the Year and Leadership Louisiana alumni, she is active in various civic organizations including Council for A Better Louisiana, LA Association of Nonprofit Organizations and the Acadiana Regional Coalition on Housing and Homelessness.

Appointed by the Governor to the LA Housing and Economic Development Task Force and the Louisiana Recovery Authority Housing Task Force, Keller also serves on the boards of the Downtown Lafayette Unlimited, Southwest Louisiana Education and Referral Center, Louisiana Services Network, Louisiana Housing Alliance, the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, 232-HELP / 211, Council for a Better LA Advisory Board Member, LA Housing Trust Fund Advisory Council Member, chair of the LA Supportive Housing Coalition, LA Advocacy Coalition for the Homeless representing 300 organizations across the state and is a Louisiana Delegate for the Inaugural U.S. National Nonprofit Congress.

Her broad professional and educational experiences demonstrate her commitment to strong community leadership. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Louisiana, Keller continued post-graduate work through executive education at Harvard's School of Business and the Kennedy School of Government.

The eldest of seven girls raised in Indiana, she is an avid traveler, enjoys tennis, theatre, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Russell Kahn, Chief Operations Officer

The Outreach Center is proud to welcome Russell B. Kahn to the team as Chief Operations Officer. A licensed attorney for 30 years, Kahn brings diverse expertise to the organization from his past roles as CEO of Vermilion Hospital, general counsel for two mental health care companies, and developer and manager of de NOVO psychiatric hospitals and other property developments. Additionally Kahn has represented and negotiated capital funding of banks, service companies and start ups, supervised and managed law firms, and served as counsel for two national law firms. The Outreach Center looks forward to providing ongoing services to meet the needs of the community under his exemplary leadership.

Jesse Guidry, Communtiy Relations Coordinator

The Outreach Center is also pleased to announce the promotion of Jesse Guidry to his new role as Community Relations Coordinator. Guidry was referred to the Outreach Center from his service learning collaboration with BBR Creative and the Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic, where he helped develop a successful awareness campaign. Since joining the Outreach Center more than a year ago, Guidry is responsible for managing internal and external communications for donors and volunteers, media relations, developing web, electronic, and print communications, and supporting special events and fundraisers including the upcoming Hunters For The Hungry food drive and Palates & Pate’.

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