Louisiana Life Magazine November/December 2023

LOUISIANA LIFE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

FERAL HOG HUNTING

DOCTOR'S LIST

TOP DOCTORS P. 37

Get $10 OFF subscription with code NEWSSTAND louisianalife.com/newsstand

NOV/DEC 2023 $9.95

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

THE HUNTERS WORKING TO ERADICATE LOUISIANA’S SMART, PROLIFIC, AND BREATHTAKINGLY DESTRUCTIVE FERAL PIGS

This incredible impact on the cardiovascular health of our patients has improved thousands of lives.

In 1983, Dr. Craig Walker created a world-class cardiovascular program in Houma, Louisiana, in an area he knew needed it most. Over 40 years, CIS grew and opened more clinics, and heart disease mortality rates declined. This is described

by Dr. Walker as “our greatest accomplishment.”

CELEBRATING

Visit cardio.com

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER VOLUME 43 NUMBER 6

FEATURES 26

HOG WILD

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TOP DOCTORS

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On patrol: a tenacious approach to controlling the smartest animals in the woods—feral hogs

ON THE COVER: Destructive wild hogs are a problem for farmers and just about anyone else forced to deal with the aftermath. Several groups in Louisiana are working toward solutions, but it’s a frustrating job.

971 Doctors in 62 Specialties + 22 Rising Stars

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EDITOR'S NOTE

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FROM THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR’S DESK

Leaving Louisiana 18

Full Disclosure

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PELICAN BRIEFS

News and updates around the state 24

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ART

Transitory time in art HOME

New Iberia homeowners Anne and Curtis Darrah have spent more than a decade updating their 1950s ranch house

KITCHEN GOURMET

That time of year to revel in friendship and rich food NATURAL STATE

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TRAVELER

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FARTHER FLUNG

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Big Easy kombucha co-founder Alexis Korman gets “Mighty”

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LITERARY LOUISIANA

High school artists, friends cooking, and a young girl’s memories

MADE IN LOUISIANA

Retired pathologist, Johnny Armstrong, safeguards Wafer Creek Ranch A Louisiana bounty of gifts from art to antiques

Art-lovers, look no further than the seven cultural districts of Houston, Texas

PHOTO CONTEST

Joie ride

Louisiana Life (ISSN 1042-9980) is published bimonthly by Renaissance Publishing, LLC, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005; (504) 828-1380. Subscription rate: One year $24; no foreign subscriptions. Periodicals postage paid at Metairie, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Louisiana Life, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright © 2023 Louisiana Life. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark Louisiana Life is registered. Louisiana Life is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork, even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in Louisiana Life are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or owner.

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EDI TO R'S NOTE

Leaving Louisiana

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ormally in this space, I’d spin a tale that relates to one of the stories in the issue or talk about something from behind-the-scenes, so please indulge me in a subject-matter shift. After having the privilege of serving as a contributor, then the managing editor, and finally the editor of Louisiana Life, this is my last issue of the magazine. As difficult as it is to leave a place I admired from afar and then — when the pull became too strong — finally came to call home, my husband and I are packing up and moving, Louisiana. It’s not a move we expected, so it’s a bittersweet time for us. We’re heading out to pursue a new opportunity in the Fort Myers and Naples area of Florida. We’re excited about a new adventure (if you are interested, please follow along and stay in touch via Instagram @melaniewarnerspencer), but sad to leave a state so rich in culture and history that after nearly 10 years, we’ve barely scratched the surface on learning all there is to know about it.

In lieu of subjecting you to a counting of the countless ways I will miss Louisiana, I’d rather assume you understand how much it hurts to leave the people, culture, and food (oh my God, the food) and instead, take the opportunity to introduce you to the talented new editor who I’m thrilled to have taking my place. Reine (pronounced “Ran”) Dugas, is a native Louisianian and an English professor at Southeastern Louisiana University as well as an instructor at Tulane University. Some of you might know her byline from the very pages of Louisiana Life, as well as for her work with the Tennessee Williams Festival and as co-host of the literary podcast NEVER MISS AN ISSUE. “Booktails.” Her creative writing has been published in Deep South SCAN AND SUBSCRIBE Magazine, Arkansas Review, and South 85 Journal to name a few. I TODAY! know that you are in great hands with Reine and that she is in great hands with each of you.

Quickly I’d like to thank my editorial coworkers, Executive Editor Errol Laborde, who had faith in me to take over as editor; Executive Sales Representative Rebecca Taylor, who has the challenging job of selling the magazine across the state; Copy Editor Liz Clearman, who has saved us from many an errant comma, typo, and factual error; our incredible, award-winning contributing freelancers, who made every issue a joy to edit; and Art Director Sarah E. G. Majeste, whose talent, creativity, and work ethic is incredible to witness and has always inspired me to work harder. Thank you also to you, our Louisiana Life readers for embracing this Kentuckian and sharing your stories with me and the magazine. Thank you for your many emails over the years (both the complimentary and the critical ones).

Louisiana changed me for the better in many ways, and I don’t think I can ever fully express my gratitude.

Cheers!

MELANIE WARNER SPENCER EDITOR

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EDITORIAL OUTGOING EDITOR Melanie Warner Spencer INCOMING EDITOR Reine Dugas ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ashley McLellan COPY EDITOR Liz Clearman WEB EDITOR Kelly Massicot FOOD EDITOR Stanley Dry HOME EDITOR Lee Cutrone EXECUTIVE EDITOR Errol Laborde ART DIRECTOR Sarah E.G. Majeste LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Danley Romero FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER Eugenia Uhl HOME PHOTOGRAPHERS Sara Essex Bradley, Haylei Smith and Marc Gibson SALES SALES MANAGER Rebecca Taylor (337) 298-4424 / (337) 235-7919 Ext. 7230 Rebecca@LouisianaLife.com

RENAISSANCE PUBLISHING PRODUCTION DIGITAL DIRECTOR Rosa Balaguer Arostegui SENIOR DESIGNER Meghan Rooney PRODUCTION DESIGNER Ashley Pemberton MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER Greer Stewart CIRCULATION SUBSCRIPTIONS Jessica Armand DISTRIBUTION John Holzer ADMINISTRATION OFFICE MANAGER Mallary Wolfe CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Todd Matherne For subscriptions call 877-221-3512

110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123 Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 128 Demanade, Suite 104 Lafayette, LA 70503 (337) 235-7919 xt 7230 LouisianaLife.com

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F RO M TH E E XE CUTIVE E D ITOR ’ S D ES K

P O D C A ST

Boucheries on the Bayou

Louisiana Insider

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n a Saturday night in 2005, only a few weeks after Hurricane Katrina plowed through the state, there were bursts of bright red glows along the levee near the Avoyelles Parish town of Mansura.

There had not been much to celebrate lately, but on the next day the local church would be the purveyor of an honored repast in French/ American country — roast pig dinners.

Those red glows were sacrifices from giant hogs each split wide open and fastened on a grid. Impressive fires dispersed smoke and, more importantly, the scent of grilled meat, through the country air. The smell of fire and meat has tempted villagers, tribespeople, and wanderers for as long as there has been civilization.

Sometimes, after a tragedy, like a hurricane, the fragrancy is an assurance that civilization continues. The red glow leads the hungry to the ritual.

By the next morning the hogs will be butchered into servable slices. Through the morning, neighbors who have purchased dinner tickets will stand in line, both helping to support the church and gathering dinners — each, also including a heap of “dirty rice,” served in Styrofoam cartons.

Our cover story this issue is about wild hogs of which there are many in Louisiana. But we pause here to honor the domestic pig to which rural Louisiana has a special appreciation. Closely related to the pig roast, described above, is the boucherie. Both events begin with pigs and a fire. For boucheries though, what follows is different. Instead of being a fundraiser, a boucherie is more of a neighborhood food preparation event. Through the morning, neighbors make different products from the pig, especially sausage — including the superstars of Louisiana pork cooking — boudin and andouille. Boudin comes in two forms; the “red” (blood sausage) and the more demanded “white,” filled with ground pork and seasonings.

There is a social aspect to pork-eating gatherings. Even if it is just while standing in line, folks get to visit each other and at the

8 LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

boucherie, they can share a meat grinder on the way to making sausage.

In the town Mansura, the pig gets its own festival. Some place had to be the “Cochon de Lait Capital Festival of the World” and once Mansura claimed that title, no one has challenged it. Unlike other swine events, there are games and bands, but most of all there is the namesake young suckling pig which is marinated, pit-roasted, and sliced thin.

Someone at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival once discovered that the combination of the roasting, marinade, and thin slices are the making of a fine poor boy. While Mansura may rule the world, Jazz Fest has made the cochon de lait, when served as a poor boy, famous. At the Fest, it is devoured by a big city crowd including international travelers who can bring memories of the dish back home.

There are other native pork products made in the river parishes between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, such as andouille and tasso.

Not to be forgotten throughout the state is the “cracklin’,” or as called in French, “graton.”

Convincing an outsider to sample an item made from pig skin and fat cooked in a cauldron with hot oil and then salted can be a challenge. But the undisputable argument is that when done right, cracklins taste good, combining touches of sweet meat with the crunchiness of the skin.

It is not an everyday snack, but a few times a year, they are ok — I hope.

There is an old adage applied to pork that says if you “like sausage and laws you should not watch either being made.” Sausage at least has the advantage of being enhanced by a baked sweet potato on the side.

Catch up on the latest podcast episodes

EPISODE 137

Monroe Doctrine with Mayor Friday Ellis Friday Ellis, the first-term mayor of Monroe, talks about his city and a vision of the state from his perspective, as well as that of other City Hall colleagues. Also, hear about serious plans for AMTRAK rail service and downtown revival. Mayor Ellis’ wife Ashley also joins the conversation.

The Monroe First Lady is a member of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Guests: Friday and Ashley Ellis

EPISODE 136

Robert Mann, Huey Long and LSU Robert Mann, an historian, author, and a political consultant, talks about his book, “Kingfish U: Huey Long and LSU.” More than just telling the story about the evolution of a university, the book provides a fascinating study of the state and its politics. Guest: Robert Mann

EPISODE 135

Perique — The “Only in Louisiana” Crop

ERROL LABORDE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Mike Matherne, whose family own one of the 25 perique tobacco farms, tells the story about the growth and fermentation of the plant. He talks about perique’s use as a flavorful condiment to mix with other tobaccos used in cigars and pipes. Guest: Mike Matherne

FOR BICENTENNIAL INFORMATION VISIT LAFAYETTETRAVEL.COM/BICENTENNIAL

S A L ES

REBECCA TAYLOR Sales Manager (337) 298-4424 (337) 235-7919 Ext. 7230 Rebecca@LouisianaLife.com

Coming up!

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024

The Mardi Gras Issue Louisiana Cities and towns can showcase their Mardi Gras Events and festivities. We will have extra distribution at the Washington DC Mardi gras in the Hilton hotel room.

Farther Flung Travel outside of Louisiana to Mississippi

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 9

CO NT RIB UTORS

Cheré Dastugue Coen

Jeffrey Roedel

WRITER

WRITER

Cheré Dastugue Coen is a food and travel writer, photographer, and author and owner of the whimsical blog, “Weird, Wacky & Wild South.”

Her fiction includes two series of Louisiana romances and the “Viola Valentine” paranormal mystery series under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Coen remains passionate about her home state of Louisiana, believing that gumbo, crawfish étouffée, and chicory coffee makes all things right with the world.

Jeffrey Roedel is a producer, director and journalist focused on Southern makers, artists, and creative thought. A graduate of LSU and the University of Southern California’s Production Workshop, he’s the former editor of 225 in Baton Rouge. In 2020, he released a collection of mantras for creativity called “Life Is Gonna Try to Put a Lot of Polo Shirts on You.” His album of pandemic poetry and music called “Distance” was released in 2021.

Eugenia Uhl

Danley Romero

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Eugenia Uhl’s photographs have been featured in New Orleans Magazine, New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles, Southern Accents, Metropolitan Home, GQ Magazine, Essence, Travel & Leisure and Vegetarian Times. Her clients include Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, International House Hotel, Volunteers of America, Galatoire’s and Tulane University. She has completed multiple cookbooks, including “Commander’s Kitchen” for Commander’s Palace and “New Orleans Home Cooking” by Dale Curry, Pelican Publishing.

A native of Lafayette currently residing in the Lake Charles area, Danley Romero specializes in portrait photography. Romero considers it an honor to contribute to his state’s flagship magazine, Louisiana Life, and takes a particular sense of pride in his association with its sister publication Acadiana Profile. Most gratifying are the experiences that collaborating with the two magazines afford: meeting and photographing many of Louisiana’s most talented, accomplished and interesting citizens — the people who help to make our state the wonder it is.

WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER

Kevin Rabalais Kevin Rabalais, an Avoyelles Parish native, writes and photographs the Natural State series for Louisiana Life. After living for more than a decade in Europe and the South Pacific, he is excited to be back home and to document diverse Louisiana stories. His work has appeared in 64 Parishes, The Australian, the New Zealand Listener, and the Argentine magazine Revista Ñ. He teaches in the Department of English at Loyola University New Orleans.

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LOUISIANALIFE.COM 11

PEL I C AN B RIE FS

Eateries to Explore Essential New Hot Spots in New Orleans

BY LISA LEBLANC-BERRY

HOUMA

A L ANDMARK RESTORED Southdown Plantation & Museum recently reopened after extensive post-Hurricane Ida renovations with new exhibits and meticulous restorations.

Southdown’s Fall Marketplace Reimagined(November 4) features more than 300 vendors showcasing arts and crafts, holiday décor, and diverse collectibles. The annual Winter Wonderland (December 16) brings Santa and his elves, ice-skating, and free train rides (southdownmuseum.org).

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Acadiana’s latest fitness obsession — pole dancing — has expanded into downtown Lafayette with the opening of Magnolia’s Playground, a new pole fitness center. Daily classes, ranging from beginner to professional, include Beginner Pole, Beginner Twerk, Spinning, and Tease & Seduction. Private pole parties and portable pole rentals are available. Check out the sexy lace-up platform heels in the shop (magnoliasplayground. my.canva.site).

BREAUX BRIDGE

Full Circle Lafayette restaurateur Frank Randol, owner of the celebrated Randol’s Restaurant that closed in 2021 after 50 years of Cajun bands and fans, recently announced the opening of a new Randol’s in Breaux Bridge and the appointment of Jimmy LaGrange as general manager.

LaGrange was with Randol’s for 12 years and Mulate’s for 25 years. Returning as a combination Cajun restaurant, dance hall, and seafood processing plant, Randol’s is located at the former Pont Breaux property that originally gained fame as Mulate’s in 1980.

Help for Holiday Blues The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) recently launched a new helpline campaign to broaden statewide awareness. If you’re feeling isolated, triggered by the holidays, suicidal, or simply overwhelmed, text 988 to speak with an experienced counselor 24/7 (confidential and free).

ADDITIONAL NEWS BRIEFS ONLINE AT LOUISIANALIFE.COM

PHOTO COURTESY: OSTERIA LUPO

n entire social media universe recently emerged about the unprecedented surge of New Orleans’ hip, new, in-demand Uptown eateries, most notably among fans trying to land a table at Osteria Lupo. A buzzy vibe prevails in the industrial-chic, cavernous dining room with an open kitchen and massive wood-fired oven for Chef Brian Burns’ Northern Italian creations (osterialupo.com). The nautically-themed Pigeon and Whale offers the illusion of dining below deck while splurging on caviar and rare seafood (pigeonandwhalenola. com). Beggars Banquet is the new artsy hot spot for an intimate, romantic dinner of French-Asian fare amid whimsical murals (beggarsbanquetneworleans.com).

Hungry Eyes now ranks as the essential late-night haven for bougie cocktails and retro snacks, but the real draw is the dope 1980s setting with gumball machines and cartoons galore (hungryeyesnola.com).

LAFAYETTE

Spin, Twerk, and Twirl

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L IT ERARY LOUISIANA

Louisiana Childhood High school artists, friends cooking, and a young girl’s memories

BY ASHLEY MCLELLAN

LITERARY NEWS

THE LOUISIANA ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES AND GOV. JOHN BEL EDWARDS ANNOUNCED THE STATE’S NEWEST POET L AUREATE, ALISON PELEGRIN. Pelegrin lives in Covington, is writer-in-residence at Southeastern Louisiana University, and is the author of several collections of poetry.

In his announcement, Gov. Edwards noted, “The Poet Laureate acts as Louisiana’s literary ambassador, and Alison’s long record of teaching, sharing and producing poetry that engages readers makes her a perfect fit as the preeminent poet of our state.

Her work is both beautifully crafted and appeals to a broad range of readers, and it will undoubtedly help elevate poetry in the public consciousness.”

Pelegrin will serve as poet laureate for a term of two years. Her publications include “Our Lady of Bewilderment,” “Waterlines,” and “Hurricane Party.”

LOUISIANA SCRAPBOOK

Memories of a Louisiana Girlhood “Memories of a Louisiana Girlhood” is a remembrance of times gone by in the words of writer Elizabeth Nell Dubus. Published posthumously, Dubus’ last written work recounts what was, to her, an idyllic time, growing up in 1930s and ‘40s Lafayette and along the bayous of south Louisiana. A cast of characters from her own family, her Catholic school years, and plenty of friends and cousins populate her world of parties, ice cream socials, family gatherings, and more. Dubus includes a rich tapestry of culture, food, recipes and community that influenced her own life as a novelist, playwright, and journalist. She brings to life a time that may be gone now but is passed on in full color through her words. Paperback, 232 pages, $19.95.

CULINARY + ARTS

The Pot and the Palette Cookbook II “The Pot and the Palette Cookbook II” celebrates not only Louisiana’s unique cuisine, but also the colorful contributions of young artists from across the state.

Presented by the non-profit George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts, “The Pot and the Palette Cookbook II” features 100 recipes from noted Louisiana chefs along with artwork and design from talented high school students, who, in addition to appearing in the book, were awarded college scholarships to continue their pursuit of artistic endeavors. Gift yourself or your favorite foodie friend or family member while supporting arts education across Louisiana. Win-win! Hardcover, 192 pages, $29.95.

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COMFORT FOOD

Josette & Friends Cook a Gumbo It’s gumbo season! In “Josette & Friends Cook a Gumbo,” young readers will learn about the iconic Louisiana stew, as well as the cultures that make it all come together in this cozy tale.

As each friend adds their own ingredients, we learn about the people of Louisiana, including Cajuns, Creoles, American Indians, French, Africans, Germans, and Spanish Isleños.

Written by Elista Istre, with illustrations by Joy Dabby, Josette and her friends learn along the way that gumbo is much more than just a tasty treat; it’s about community and friendship that make life in Louisiana so delicious.

Hardcover, 40 pages, $20.00

ADDITIONAL BOOK REVIEWS ONLINE AT LOUISIANALIFE.COM

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LO UIS IANA MADE

Pop Art Big Easy kombucha co-founder Alexis Korman gets “Mighty”

BY JEFFREY ROEDEL PHOTOS BY ROMERO & ROMERO

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ADDITIONAL IMAGES ONLINE AT LOUISIANALIFE.COM

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lexis Korman is Zooming from Miami, but unless she’s immersed in some soda-splashed Art Basel installation—entirely possible as the international celebration of boundary-pushing creativity has colored every corner of the sunny south Florida destination—it’s impossible to tell.

Floating above the Canada-born, New Orleans-living entrepreneur’s head in her background are cans emblazoned with the word Mighty Pop. The line of drinks is her latest baby, a sibling to the wildly popular kombuchas of Big Easy, the brand she launched with Austin Sherman out of their New Orleans kitchen a decade ago.

“I had to pick this one for my background, it’s my favorite flavor,” Korman says of the flying Orange Vanilla cans. “It tastes like a dreamsicle—it’s indulgent, but we use agave, and just three grams of sugar.

Unlike kombucha, Mighty Pop is not vinegary at all. It’s very accessible.”

Co-developed by Korman and launching in August from Beliv— the Miami-based parent company that purchased Big Easy in 2021— Korman calls Mighty Pop the next wave in wellness drinks for its flavorful combination of pre-, pro-, and postbiotics. Even as Big Easy kombuchas and shots rolled out in United Supermarkets across Texas for the first time just a week before talking with Louisiana Life in May, Korman confides that this innovative new product feels like her true next step as a creative in the beverage space.

Growing up in Calgary—she calls it a “cold Dallas, lots of farmland and oil”—writing was always Korman’s artistic outlet. “It felt like escaping into another world,” says the creative, now serving as VP of marketing for Big Easy, while bringing new ideas to market for Beliv.

“It was the key to my imagination.”

After graduating from Pitzer College in Claremont, California, and earning a graduate degree in English from Columbia in New York City, Korman faced an all-toocommon writer’s dilemma: turning her way with words into a sustainable career.

“I realized I should get a beat that would also feed me and pay some bills at the same time,” she recalls.

Writing food and beverage reviews for USA Today and Wine Enthusiast not only did those things, it also taught her the intricacies of the craft of beverage-making, a keen palate for flavor profiles, and an unwavering appreciation of the art of fermentation.

So when she and Sherman began experimenting with their own version of her favorite drink for gut-health, Korman was uniquely-prepared to make a quality kombucha.

Jazz Juice, their first concoction, remains a light and intricate combination of gently fermented tea with

pineapple and elderflower, and in 2014 it was the first hint of the creativity to come.

“It’s my beverage karma, I guess, reviewing other people’s drinks. I never imagined I’d be so firmly on the other side of it,” Korman admits. “But with Big Easy, it happened so naturally. I do really feel that God guided the process because from the very beginning it felt like there was some momentum to it.”

That forward progress carried Big Easy from pop-ups and farmers’ markets—“and camping out at supermarkets and on our porch asking everyone from friends and neighbors to the postman to give feedback,” she says—to a brewery operated by 50 local employees and a line of beverages carried throughout the Southeast from Louisiana to Virginia by the time Beliv bought the brand in 2021.

“People have your back here and show enthusiasm for you in Louisiana in a way that is hard to find in New York,” Korman says. “People understand that it’s ‘big easy from New Orleans,’ but it’s also taking on these other meanings. ‘Big’ like big benefits.

‘Easy’ like easy drinking. Now it’s got a life of its own.”

Even as Big Easy grew, Korman never specifically thought of herself as an entrepreneur. And yet her journey through freelance writing was fundamentally entrepreneurial—managing her own time, pursuing her own passions, and being her own boss.

Now she carries that independent spirit with her as Big Easy’s reach expands, and she develops new products like Mighty Pop. “Once you start thinking that way, and it starts clicking, it’s an incredible feeling,” Korman says. “I’ll probably never stop inventing things now.” n

When not working, what are some places you like to go for food, drinks, and fun? Being vegan, I love supporting the growing plant-based scene in Nola whenever I can. Small Mart is a bodega-style hidden gem for Indian fare.

Sweet Soulfood is another spot on Broad Street that has managed to put a plant twist on stick-to-your-ribs classics. I like looking for the Tanjarine Kitchen food truck, too, because their Mandela Burger has some serious African spice. For a drink, I love Pal’s or Twelve Mile Limit. The martinis at the new Four Seasons bar are next level, too.

Big Easy is known for recruiting from under-employed populations in New Orleans. Why was that important to you? New Orleans is a city with so much heart. Businesses of any size can directly impact the greater community by changing their mindset. When STRIVE ran its workforce readiness program, we as a company learned so much about how trauma, let’s say from Katrina or gun violence, as examples, had made it unsustainable for some to maintain regular work. Big Easy is blessed to still have several graduates of the STRIVE program as a part of our family, and that brings a smile to my face.

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 17

ART

Shannon Landis Hansen Transitory time in art

BY JOHN R. KEMP

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visit to Shannon Landis Hansen’s studio, a block from Lake Pontchartrain in Mandeville, is a journey through an artist’s imagination, an imagination driven by the lives of inanimate objects as they pass from hand to hand through time. Shelves along the walls contain thousands of tiny figurines and objects from the past. Little porcelain dolls stare out into the room like actors just off stage, waiting for their turn to perform. To Hansen, each is a silent memory that has a part to play, a story to tell.

Objects are given new life and meaning as she builds three-dimensional, layered assemblages with glue, mastic, and wood. The process begins by smashing the little porcelain figures with a hammer and then placing the parts in the composition, juxtaposing fragments side by side with other broken bits. The idea is that the original object takes on a new context and connections as it passes through time. She starts with an idea and then it changes, evolves, grows, and makes one see the object in a different way.

“Everything is transitory. Yet, here they are,” she says, as her hand sweeps across the crowded walls of her studio. “They have survived people. They go in and out of fashion, get lost, get broken, thrown away.

Yet, they go on in one form or another. And I honor them for that and all the people that had them.”

Hansen says she has always been drawn to objects because they are precious and delicate, and yet they survive the people who owned them. Eventually, they are relegated to a box of junk. Values change. Again, her assemblages are about time and, fittingly, often contain parts from old clocks. For as she says, “I am interested in the way we pass through time.”

According to Hansen, viewers often don’t understand the stories she is telling in her work. Instead, they ask where she finds the “stuff.” She urges them to look beyond individual pieces.

“They don’t understand the relationships,” she says, glancing around her studio. “Maybe that’s my fault. They tell stories. I feel these objects dictate that I get out of the way, and I like that. People have to engage in my work.

Often times I feel that I fail to communicate as much as I want to, but I just have to let that go.”

To an observer, her focus on transitory time seems autobiographical. Born in Seattle in 1947, Shannon spent

18 LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

(Above) Shannon Landis Hansen (Facing page, left) Digging on Mount “New Orleans” (Right) Biennale lamp

her early years with her mother, moving from place to place, settling for a while in rough fishing villages and construction camps in the Pacific Northwest, later in Memphis and then Arizona, eventually landing in Los Angeles where she spent most of her life. And like the little figurines in her studio that are passing through time, here she is telling her stories of transition.

In 2004, Hansen and husband Erik moved from Los Angeles to a 19th-century cottage in the Faubourg Marigny section of New Orleans, just below the French Quarter. There, she was fascinated by the aging neighborhood, the decay and the striking visuals at the turn of every corner. Two years after arriving in the city, Erik landed a job teaching theater at the University of New Orleans. After ten years, the couple moved to Mandeville where they purchased a late 19th century house with an attached apartment for her studio.

Those years in Faubourg Marigny inspired a dramatic assemblage titled “Digging on Mount New Orleans.” In the descending depths of the totem-like, 5 1/2-foot mound are layers of broken objects and figurines that represent the history and transition of life in New Orleans.

Some objects came from an old privy that she found in

ADDITIONAL ART IMAGES ONLINE AT LOUISIANALIFE.COM

EXHIBITS CAJUN

South Arts 2022 Southern Prize and State Fellows Showcases best in Southern visual art, through Dec. 16. Paul and Lulu Hilliard Art Museum, Lafayette. hilliardmuseum.org CENTRAL

Connected Visions: Louisiana’s Artistic Lineage

her garden in the Marigny. Others were given to her by neighbors. In a way, “Mount New Orleans” is reminiscent of that 100-foot-high mountain of debris that once stood along Pontchartrain Expressway in the cleanup after Hurricane Katrina struck the city in 2005. Again, layers of history.

Hansen’s layered career has brought her national recognition. She began as a painter with awards and shows at, among others, the National Academy of Design in New York. In the 1980s, she turned to creating assemblages. That, too, brought success with shows at galleries in Los Angeles, UCLA, and at other prestigious venues.

In 2008 the Arts Council of New Orleans and the Joan Mitchell Foundation commissioned her to construct a monumental-sized post Katrina mosaic sculpture in City Park titled “Still Standing.” In 1910 the foundation moved the piece to its property on Bayou Road in New Orleans. Hansen’s work also appeared in New Orleans Art for Art’s Sake in 2020 and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art’s show, “Louisiana Contemporary 2022.”

Recognition is important to artists, but it is self-expression that drives them. Hansen says her work may look chaotic, but it helps her make order in a chaotic world.

“It’s important to me to connect to what’s going on around me,” she says. “It’s a big world and very complex, and you don’t want it explained to you, you want to experience it.”

As Hansen says, “Everything has possibilities.

Everything changes.”

Hansen is represented by LeMieux Galleries in New Orleans.

Visit shannonlandishansen.com n

Overview of Louisiana’s artistic heritage, permanent exhibit. Alexandria Museum of Art. themuseum.org PLANTATION

Our Louisiana Louisiana art from the permanent collection, through Jan. 14. Louisiana Art & Science Museum, Baton Rouge. lasm. org NOLA

Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour History of fashion from 19th century to present, through Nov. 26. New Orleans Museum of Art. noma. org NORTH

The Unchosen Ones: Portraits of an American Pastoral Documentary photography of Midwestern youth and animals, through Dec. 22. Masur Museum of Art, Monroe. masurmuseum.org

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 19

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Slow Design New Iberia homeowners Anne and Curtis Darrah have spent more than a decade updating their 1950s ranch house

BY LEE CUTRONE PHOTOS BY HAYLEI SMITH

20 LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

I

n today’s environmentally conscious world, both the Slow Food and the Slow Fashion movements promote sustainability. Anne and Curtis Darrah of New Iberia have taken a similarly “slow” and sustainable approach with home design. The Darrahs have worked with interior designer Lisa Bourque of Lisa Bourque Design — on and off — for more than ten years to preserve and cohesively update their 1950s ranch house.

“It’s easier and quicker sometimes to just start over, but it’s not always better,” says Bourque, who was a friend

(Left) The living room’s vintage sectional is covered in a persimmon, geometric patterned fabric.

Anne made the coffee table, the chairs are midcentury Danish. Art L to R: Kelly Guidry, Scott Bivens, and Elemore Morgan, Jr. (Right) Anne did the brickwork and rock border opposite the Adirondack chairs.

(Below) Anne and Curtis Darrah.

and fellow musician before working with the Darrahs on their house.

The Darrahs bought the house in 1988 and were only the second family to own the property, which features original custom details such as knotty pine cabinets, wood paneling, oak floors and picture windows. They raised their two children and ran their advertising business there. Consummate do-it-yourselfers, they put their multiple talents to work on the house, doing many of their own home improvements along the way.

Anne has done everything from patio brickwork and re-pickling cabinetry to woodworking and installing tile.

Curtis keeps the house in working order and together the couple cares for the grounds. Once the Darrahs’ kids were off to college, they turned to Bourque for help reconsidering their surroundings.

The Darrahs already had a house full of furniture and art. They count authentic Danish and American midcentury furnishings, and works by such notable artists as Elemore Morgan Jr., Pat Juneau and Kelly Guidry among their possessions. Anne also made some of the furnishings. But Bourque wanted the homeowners to reimagine the house, so it not only remained true to its origins but fit their tastes and lifestyle like a glove. She and Anne love design and have found that their creativity and ways of thinking complement one another.

“Lisa and I share design as a passion,” says Anne. “I’ve always admired how Lisa creates spaces for people by really listening to how that family lives, then designing with that in mind.”

The first room to get an overhaul was the hall bathroom. Lisa suggested keeping the pastel midcentury

AT A GL ANCE ARCHITECTURE

Built by original owners in the 1950s with custom details.

INTERIOR DESIGN

Lisa Bourque.

SQUARE FOOTAGE

Total under roof — 5,013.

OUTSTANDING CHARACTERISTICS

Knotty pine paneling and kitchen cabinetry, custom pine soffits, crank-out awning windows, oak floors, original tile in bathroom, original pocket doors, built-in window seat and shelving in office.

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 21

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tile and updated other elements around it. Next was the living room.

Bookshelves filled with books were eliminated so that the room feels less like a library and more like a living room with definite midcentury roots. Anne reupholstered the vintage three-piece sofa, and designer and client rearranged the art above the sofa for more impact.

Numerous projects, which included extending the roof out over the patio for better rain drainage and extending the patio itself with separate areas of brick and permeable

(Top) Vintage cat tail lamps from the primary bedroom were rehomed to the kitchen’s vintage sofa. (Middle) Anne and her brother fabricated the cypress dining table topped with a shed door that belonged to the Darrah children’s great-grandfather.

(Bottom) Max, one of the Darrah’s two dogs, on the patio.

(Right) Re-pickling, finishing carpentry and island in the kitchen were all done by Anne.

22 LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

ADDITIONAL HOME IMAGES ONLINE AT LOUISIANALIFE.COM

rock followed. The most recent and most thorough of all the updates was the kitchen remodel. The original stove could no longer be salvaged, and the speckled linoleum flooring needed replacing. White tile counters with burgundy bullnose trim looked out of place and dated. Curtis decamped for six weeks and Anne worked with Bourque on the new design scape with large-format commercial flooring that continues through the adjacent den, a new island with a leathered quartzite top and storage space, and new counters of honed black granite.

“Because Anne was going to do a lot of the work herself, we were able to be picky about things like mitered edges and re-sanding all the corners round,” says Bourque of the attention to detail. “She had the skills and the time.”

The final ingredient that both the homeowners and their designer brought to the refurbishment of the house was patience.

“We’ve been able to work on it diligently and then take a break,” says Anne. “We’ve been saving it slowly.” n

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 23

K ITC HE N GOURME T

TIR AMISU 2 large eggs, separated ¼ cup sugar 8 ounces mascarpone ½ cup cold, strongly brewed coffee 2 tablespoons brandy About 20 ladyfingers or the equivalent of sliced cake 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, coarsely grated IN A MIX ING B OW L , beat egg yolks with sugar until pale and fluffy. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Beat mascarpone into egg yolks until smooth. Fold in egg whites. Combine coffee and brandy in another container.

IN A S ER V ING DIS H,

place a layer of ladyfingers on the bottom.

Brush with enough of the coffee/brandy mixture to soak cake. Add half of mascarpone mixture and sprinkle with grated chocolate. Repeat, ending with a layer of mascarpone. Sprinkle top with remainder of the grated chocolate.

COV ER and refrigerate

for several hours or overnight. Makes about 8 servings.

Holiday Decadence That time of year to revel in friendship and rich food

BY STANLEY DRY PHOTOS AND STYLING BY EUGENIA UHL

24 LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

A

s the holiday season approaches, we’ve already started making plans for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Those big family celebrations are wonderful, but we also look forward to small seasonal meals with close friends.

Here’s a menu loaded with big flavors suitable for such an occasion.

Starting a meal with oysters is always a good idea, particularly this time of year when they are at their best.

We’ll serve an oyster soup, but instead of something bland, let’s opt for a heady combination of fennel, saffron, garlic, tomato, ground dried shrimp and an anise liqueur, complex flavors reminiscent of a Mediterranean bouillabaisse.

MORE RECIPES ONLINE AT LOUISIANALIFE.COM

For the main course, let’s have a Rock Cornish game hen stuffed with boudin, basted with butter and roasted.

A Rock Cornish game hen is mildly flavored, but the boudin gives it an entirely different character. Originally, the breed was created by crossing Cornish chickens with white Plymouth Rock chickens. Some sources claim that a Malayan fighting cock also figured in the breeding, which might account for the “game hen” name. But, essentially, it is just a small, very tender chicken.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), “A Rock Cornish game hen or Cornish game hen is a young immature chicken (usually 5 to 6 weeks of age), weighing not more than 2 pounds ready-to-cook weight, which was prepared from a Cornish chicken or the progeny of a Cornish chicken crossed with another breed of chicken.” The ones I’ve found in the supermarket are between one and 1 1/2 pounds each, an ideal size for serving each guest a whole bird.

We have rice in the boudin, so I’d pass on another starch and serve a couple of vegetables, such as braised Swiss chard and roasted butternut squash, two simple dishes that provide intriguing flavors, colors and textures to go with the roasted bird.

To finish, a simple and delicious choice that can be prepared in advance is tiramisu, an Italian dessert thought to have been created in the late 20th century, though its origins are in dispute. It is said that there are a hundred versions, possibly more. This one is a combination of ladyfingers soaked in coffee and brandy, layered with a mixture of sweetened mascarpone enriched with egg yolks, lightened with beaten egg whites and topped with grated chocolate. The name means “pick-me-up,” an appropriate choice to end a big meal. n

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH 2 pounds butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes 2 cloves garlic minced 1 teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon ground cumin Large pinch cayenne ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil PR EHE AT oven to 450 degrees.

Combine squash, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt and olive oil in a mixing bowl and toss to coat squash. Transfer squash to a sheet pan and roast until tender and browned, about 15-20 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

BR AISED SWISS CHARD 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 bunch Swiss chard ¼ cup grated Parmesan Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste IN A L A RG E S K ILLE T, cook onions

and garlic in oil on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.

R EM OV E large stems from Swiss chard and save for another use.

Chop chard, place in a colander and wash. Add wet chard to skillet, cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until chard is wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove cover and cook until any liquid evaporates. Add Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.

OYSTER AND FENNEL SOUP ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup diced fennel 4 cups chicken stock or broth ¼ cup white wine 2 tablespoons anise liqueur, such as Herbsaint or Pernod 2 teaspoons ground dried shrimp ¹∕8 teaspoon saffron, crumbled ½ cup chopped tomato 24 oysters Cayenne Freshly ground black pepper Fennel fronds S IMMER garlic and fennel in olive oil for a minute or two until fragrant. Add chicken stock, wine, anise liqueur, ground dried shrimp, saffron and tomato. Boil for a few minutes, then add oysters and simmer only until oysters begin to curl. Season to taste with cayenne and black pepper (the dried shrimp provide enough salt) and garnish with fennel fronds. Makes 4 servings.

ROCK CORNISH HEN STUFFED WITH BOUDIN 4 Rock Cornish game hens Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 pound boudin Melted butter PR EHE AT oven to 400 degrees.

Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper. Remove boudin from casing and divide into 4 portions. Stuff the cavity of each hen with boudin. Cut off wing tips and discard (or save for stock). Tie the legs together with butcher’s twine. Brush with melted butter and roast in preheated oven, basting occasionally with butter, until done, about 45-60 minutes.

Remove twine and serve with Swiss chard and butternut squash.

Makes 4 servings

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 25

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HOG On patrol: a tenacious approach to controlling the smartest animals in the woods— feral hogs STORY AND SELECT PHOTOS BY KEVIN RABALAIS

WILD

“There are two types of people in Louisiana,” says Shane Kessler.

“Those that have a hog problem, and those that are about to have a hog problem.”

OUTSIDE OF GRAND ECORE, Kessler turns onto the Campti Cutoff

and glides along the shoulder, pair of thermal binoculars raised to scan the subtleties of night. His truckful of thermal equipment, including rifle scopes and drone, turns the world into a photographic negative. At 1,000 yards, heat signatures of hogs can appear indistinguishable from cows or deer, and so, methodical as a pathologist perched over slides, Kessler studies behavior.

“I never see them this close to the road,” he says, but there it is, 50 yards away and moving fast. Kessler slips from the truck, careful not to make any noise. Beneath a full moon, his rifle barrel sweeps back and forth, fluid as a metronome. He treads

toward the tree line. On he moves until the woods consume him.

Four nights a week, from dusk and often until dawn, Kessler stalks his prey. On an average night, his truck clocks 250 miles while he and other hunters from Rougarou Hog Control snake through back roads to patrol farms and pasturelands of landowners who hire the company to combat the ceaseless problem that threatens to strangle their livelihood.

When not engaged in this all-out forever war, Kessler serves as a firefighter in Pineville and tactical medic for the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office SWAT team. Away from those roles, he sleeps through the day, preparing for when hogs are most active. This started in 2014, when a hunting club hired him to eradicate hogs on its property. Word spread. Work flowed in. “Farmers said, ‘We need help.’ Before I started, I had no idea how much they go through. Just the weather alone is enough, but there’s also this man-made hog problem.”

Before turning onto the Campti Cutoff and sighting the faint imprint of the night’s first feral hog, or pig—he uses the terms interchangeably—Kessler said, “We now shoot pigs on 100,000 acres over eight parishes: Natchitoches, Rapides, Avoyelles, Evangeline, Red River, Grant, St. Landry, and Allen.”

Kessler and Rougarou Hog Control form one squad in the soldiery toiling to eradicate the problem that dates from times when Louisiana stock laws allowed raising hogs—much as ranchers raise cattle, and for similar reasons—on private lands. The last of those laws ended in 2007, but by then the hogs were already out there. Turned loose to fend for themselves, they did what hogs do best: eat, root, reproduce, repeat. They became anybody’s game.

Then they became everybody’s problem, destroying land and levees, timber, and crops before moving on to wreak havoc elsewhere.

Things got so dire a few years ago that Chad Methvin of Glory Island Plantation southeast of Natchitoches thought he would have to stop planting corn in certain fields. “I thought the war was over,” he said. “I was ready to wave the white flag.”

***

T

he Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries estimates a feral hog population of 700,000 across all 64 parishes. That’s larger than the combined human populations of New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lake Charles. A 2022 LSU AgCenter study assessed an annual $91.1 million dollars in damage to Louisiana’s agriculture and timber industries.

As financial loss and damages increase, farmers and the state have implemented multiple methods to mitigate the menace. Some have used air cannons.

Placed at the edge of fields, these thunder all night in intervals to send hogs scurrying back into the woods before they feast. This also torments any human in

On the shoulder of LA 486, Shane Kessler scans a field with his thermal binoculars, searching for feral hogs.

Kessler and hunters from Rougarou Hog Control patrol 100,000 acres across eight parishes.

proximity. They’ve tried hunting, but spend time with a farmer who works all day, every day, only to stay up all night, every night, to track a nemesis that full-time feral hog trapper Billy Conlay considers the smartest animal in the woods not named coyote, and see how quickly you reach the crossroads of fortitude and despair. They’ve tried trapping, pre-bating an area with corn before installing an octagonal pen. For those who’ve never met Conlay or read studies that show swine intelligence exceeds that of dogs and three-year-old children, this presents another problem. Close the trap door on a single hog, and you merely tip the sounder—that social group of hogs that feeds together—to your sole tell.

“Guys who buy traps and just fill them with corn, they don’t catch hogs,” Methvin said. “They spend $3,000 to educate hogs.”

The problem intensifies on rural farms. “I’ve had buddies in Cloutierville lose 20 to 30 acres in a night, routinely,” Methvin said as he sat across from Conlay and Benny Dobson, district planner for the Natchitoches Soil & Water Conservation District.

“That’s $18,000 in a single night. It doesn’t take many nights of that before you get a huge disdain for hogs.”

While every Louisiana farmer has a hog story, most of them first-hand, others in cities and towns have also catalogued tales of destruction. Conlay once spent a month eradicating hogs in New Orleans. He killed 30. “Hogs are in the city,” the mayor of Haughton informed NSWCD technicians three years ago. In Powhatan earlier this year, feral hogs rooted through a 1 1/2-acre graveyard, destroying tombstones and markers. “This had nothing to do with fresh graves,” Dobson said. He then echoed what many who combat the problem utter with a mixture of resilience and dread: “They’re just destructive.”

Methvin nodded. “They don’t take a break. When you go to Christmas dinner with your family, the hogs are out there in the woods. They just keep coming. It’s not until they get to the city limits that most people realize there’s a problem. But when people in Natchitoches go to put their trash out and get hit with a hog.”

Those reports go to Conlay, one of two trappers on call seven days a week for NSWCD, who has trapped hogs within Natchitoches and Natchez city limits.

While he patrols the parish, other reports of ruination crisscross the state. Consider one: 15 acres of farmland in North Louisiana destroyed twice. “The hogs went right down the field, rooting up the seed,” Dobson explained.

“The farmer had to replant. Once he got it up the second time, the hogs went at it again.” They eat the seeds and move on, repeating the process like an uninvited guest who nibbles the corner of each chocolate in the box only to leave the dregs.

On the table, Dobson set down photocopied images, a litany of destruction: Front yards ravaged overnight; more graveyard damage, this time in Lena. His finger drummed against a photograph of a busted poly pipe from which water spewed like a quarter-hearted attempt to replicate Old Faithful. Hogs had

(Below) Kessler and Jeff Howell check a thermal scope and rifle before entering a field in Natchitoches Parish.

A 2022 LSU AgCenter study assessed an annual $91.1 million dollars in damage to Louisiana’s agriculture and timber industries.

(Right) On the monitor that shows footage from his thermal drone, Kessler, along with Natchitoches farmer Thomas Tubre, tracks a hog while Howell checks an adjacent field.

punctured and flattened the pipe much as they routinely flatten fields, every farmer swift with yet another story, each following the same arc: The problem is here, everywhere, and it’s not going away.

Dobson addresses all of this like someone who has been called back for yet another tour of duty. He preaches so that others might avoid weathering the wrath. He worries about farmers. He worries about the timber industry. (Hogs peel bark off pine trees to rub against the resin and keep mites off.) He worries about water quality. He worries about destruction of levees and the threat to Louisiana’s infrastructure. He worries about kids who ride off-road vehicles, unaware that, overnight, hogs have trampled the land, leaving ruts deep and wide enough to overturn them.

He worries about diseases. All that rooting displaces soil. The larger the hog population, the greater the displacement. Picture Centre Court at Wimbledon, immaculate on day one. Cut to match point of the Grand Final. Now note these differences: The key players here weigh, on average, up to 250 pounds. (Kessler once shot a 504-pound boar.) They run 30 miles an hour. And they devote all their time and energy—when not eating and reproducing—to pushing and digging soil with their snouts. This reduces ground vegetation cover, leaches nutrients, impedes soil decomposition cycles, and accelerates erosion, diminishing water quality.

***

S

uch problems lurk at the back of Dobson’s mind.

They’re certainly engraved in Kessler’s psyche. Out of the woods, without firing a shot, he returns to the truck and unpacks his drone, a DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise equipped with a thermal camera. “The drone is

invaluable for finding pig damage,” Kessler says, placing it on the hood of his truck in preparation for takeoff. “Once the crop grows, it’s hard to help farmers—unless you have a drone.” With it, he can detect hogs in dips and rises so slight they’re invisible to the human eye. He can also patrol in five minutes what on foot would take half an hour.

“He’s hard to see once you get down in the grass,” Kessler says of the typical hog as the drone rises, spotlight bearing down like something out of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” before it darts toward the tree line. Once there, Kessler locates the elusive hog. Only something isn’t right. It plods the border between two properties, and Kessler has permission to hunt only on one.

For several minutes, the drone hovers over the hog while Kessler checks and rechecks the field map on his phone. Still uncertain, he decides to call the landowner.

They discuss natural boundaries, the distance between roads, the size of the hog, which, sight unseen, the

landowner fingers as culprit of the most recent damage. All the while, Kessler keeps one eye on the heat signature. But now, no doubt, the hog has entered adjacent property. Relaying this development, he thanks the landowner and hangs up.

“Without permission, we don’t kill,” Kessler says as the drone returns, bathing him in light. “There’s nothing we can do.” At least not here, but he’s got a dozen other properties to check before sunrise, each with reports of recent destruction, so he packs up and resumes his night prowl.

***

K

essler’s conundrum coincides with Dobson’s.

“They’re my problem today and yours tomorrow,” Dobson said at Glory Island Plantation. That’s why since 2014 he has helped to manage the NSWCD’s Feral Hog Aerial Gunning Program, which started after the

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service began shooting feral hogs from a helicopter on federal refuges in Natchitoches Parish. “At that time, [APHIS] couldn’t shoot on private land. So we started to pull farmers aside and ask them what they think about such a program.” The farmers asked NSWCD to form a cooperative to begin its own helicopter gunning program. Thirty farmers enrolled after the first session.

“In the beginning, we were killing beaucoup hogs,” Dobson said. “But if the paperwork isn’t signed, we can’t shoot.” Witnessing that success, more farmers enrolled the next year. Now, for seven days each February and March, a helicopter and shooters cover 59,000 acres of private land in the Red River watershed. Between aerial gunning and trapping, NSWCD has removed 14,677 hogs since 2014.

“Those numbers are beginning to decline, but it’s not to say hogs are done,” Dobson said.

“They don’t take a break,” says Natchitoches farmer Chad Methvin. “When you go to Christmas dinner with your family, the hogs are out there in the woods. Methvin and his sons, Hudson and Heath, eradiate hogs in Natchitoches Parish.

Kessler has seen similar progress. In Louisiana, he’s shot as many as 42 hogs in a single night, abandoning the work only because two of his hunters had to clock into other jobs after sunrise. His numbers in Texas are even greater because in Texas everything is: 300 in three days.

There’s no sign, however, that Kessler and Conlay are shooting themselves out of business. As LDWF states, “Feral hogs … are the most reproductively efficient large mammal on Earth, and they can adapt to survive in nearly any environment. Statisticians have estimated that due to the feral hog’s high reproductive rate, 70 to 75% of the population must be harvested to control the population. In Louisiana, hunter harvest numbers are less than half of that, so populations are growing.”

Dobson made a quick calculation, the kind he’s honed through years of public presentations. “Start out in the fall with three females, who mature at six months. Those three will have a litter in the spring. That litter will have a litter in the fall. Now you have three litters from those first three hogs. The old sows will also have a litter in the fall. Now you have six litters in the fall. That’s

about 197 hogs. Remember, you started with three.”

“Some people see a baby and say it’s wrong to kill it,” Methvin said. “I see a mother that’s about to reproduce.”

“Those numbers are over one year,” said Conlay, who, in a two-month period, caught 69 hogs in one trap. When hogs enter the trap, Conlay receives a phone notification and live video feed. If there aren’t enough hogs in the trap, he ignores the message. If it’s what he wants—and he always wants a sounder—he dials the relevant trap number and presses a button.

The door drops.

***

T

hrough the night, Kessler moves from field to field. Before the entrance of each, he cuts his headlights and activates the green light mounted on the winch bumper of his truck.

Since green falls outside a hog’s color spectrum, this allows him to see while remaining invisible to his prey. He unpacks the drone, sends it up, checks heat signatures. In fields peppered with deer and cows but no hogs, he calls back the drone, packs it, and moves on.

At midnight along the Red River, he sights a hog from the driver’s seat. It’s there, 300 yards away,

feeding. The hunters edge toward a clearer vantage.

Kessler positions his tripod. Peering through the thermal scope, he sighs.

“Deer.”

Once again, he turns back, tripod and rifle perched on his shoulder. “If I’m patrolling and don’t get pigs, I take it personally,” Kessler says. “There’s nothing I like more than calling a farmer to say that I’ve helped with his problem. Pigs have to get it right every night.

We’ve just got to get it right one time.” But it’s 3 a.m., and as of now, he’s got no such calls to make.

And so he pushes on to navigate the nightscape of Louisiana’s back roads, one lone hunter in pursuit of a common threat. n

advancing toward the tree line. “You will never catch him while he’s moving,” he says. “You need him to start feeding.”

The drone goes up. For half an hour, Kessler hovers while the hog continues its relentless trudge.

***

E

Hogs uproot poly pipe

arlier, half an hour after sunset, in fields, sometimes Kessler drove along Cane River puncturing it. (Right) and called the Natchitoches Full-time feral hog trapper Billy Conlay Parish Sheriff’s Office, a nightly (left) and District notification to inform the relevant force Planner for the of his whereabouts. The dispatcher recogNatchitoches Soil & nized his voice. They chatted for a minute Water Conservation before she sent an email to everyone on District Benny Dobson (right) check a hog pen duty to inform them of Rougarou’s reconin south Natchitoches naissance. Still, various departments will Parish. occasionally receive a call in the middle of the night. Someone has seen men getting out of a truck with rifles, and, once, a woman called after spotting Kessler’s truck, its green light gleaming, adamant she had glimpsed a UFO. At 3 a.m., that light illuminates the gates of a farm near Natchez. Its owner, Thomas Tubre, joins Kessler, who sends up the drone and immediately sees four heat signatures at the edge of the woods. Dense foliage obscures the forms. Needing a closer look, Kessler removes the tripod from his truck and mounts his rifle.

“Three, two, one,” he says.

The two hunters enter the field, advancing by way of hand signals. Kessler raises an arm. Tubre falls in line. If a hog sees them, it will only notice one motionless form and return to

“They’re my problem today and yours tomorrow.”

BENNY DOBSON, DISTRICT PLANNER FOR THE NATCHITOCHES SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

WON BRONZE AT THE INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION AWARDS

63L,IS0T0EN0S +

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Top Doctors 971 Doctors in 62 Specialties + 22 Rising Stars LOUISIANALIFE.COM 37

Top Doctors

ADDICTION PSYCHIATRY Dean Hickman Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4025 ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY Gonzalo Alvarez del Real Shreveport (318) 798-4544 Jibran Atwi Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette (337) 330-0031 Andrew Collins Lafayette (337) 981-9495 William Davis III Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-6742 Margaret Huntwork Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8600 Lori Johnson CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center Shreveport (318) 798-4573 Bina Joseph Lafayette (337) 981-9495 Sonia Kamboj West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 662-1203 David Kaufman Ochsner LSU Health - Academic Medical Center Shreveport (318) 221-3584 James Kidd III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 396-0222 Reena Mehta Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 605-5351

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Prem Menon Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200

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Jennifer Olivier Slidell Memorial Hospital Slidell (985) 280-5350 Kenneth Paris Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9589 Joseph Redhead Jr Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240

David Schneider East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 934-8461 Laurianne Wild Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8600 ANESTHESIOLOGY Katherine Cox Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5263 Nakeisha Pierre Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5903 CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY Freddy Abi-Samra Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200 Kenneth Civello Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900 Colleen Johnson Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6113 Sammy Khatib Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4145 Paul Lelorier University Medical Center New Orleans Metairie (504) 412-1390 Daniel Morin Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (866) 624-7637 Glenn Polin Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4145 C. Andrew Smith Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900 Paul Stahls III St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 871-4140 Wenjie Xu Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900 CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE Jameel Ahmed University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 412-1390

Ali Amkieh Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Covington (985) 875-2828 Robert Bober Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4135 Roland Bourgeois Jr. Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Metairie (504) 842-4168 Kevin Cartwright Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-8276 Michael Cash Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4168 Bart Denys Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 446-2021 Sapna Desai Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4721 N. Joseph Deumite Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 964-5514 Michael Dibbs Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital Lafayette (337) 984-9355 Clement Eiswirth Jr. Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4721 Keith Ferdinand Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6113 Daniel Fontenot Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 769-0933 Robert Greer East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 454-4102 Steven Gremillion Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900 Robert Hendel Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6113 Babu Jasti Lane Regional Medical Center Zachary (225) 654-1559

Ravi Kanagala Lakeview Regional Medical Center Covington (985) 867-2100 Edmund Kerut West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-6810 Stephen LaGuardia West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-6800 Carl Lavie Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4135 Robert Martin WK Pierremont Health Center Shreveport (318) 212-3858 Nakia Newsome Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 769-0933 Stephen Ramee Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4135 Fernando Ruiz Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 289-8429 Jay Silverstein Lakeview Regional Medical Center Covington (985) 867-2100 Iqbal Singh WK Pierremont Health Center Shreveport (318) 212-3858 Frank Smart University Medical Center New Orleans Metairie (504) 412-1390 Merrill Stewart III Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4135 Christopher Thompson Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-3278 Christopher White Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3724 John Winterton WK Pierremont Health Center Shreveport (318) 212-3858 Kenneth Wong Thibodaux Regional Health System Raceland (985) 837-4000 Kevin Young Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-3278

Royce Yount Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 894-2608 CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY Lauren LaRose New Orleans (504) 899-1682 Ashley Weiss Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-0301 Charles Zeanah Jr Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5405 CHILD NEUROLOGY Allison Conravey Children’s Hospital New Orleans Metairie (504) 832-4033 Kenneth Habetz Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette (337) 470-5920 Stephen Nelson Jr. Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3900 Ann Tilton Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Maria Weimer Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9319 CLINICAL GENETICS Hans Andersson Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5101 Duane Superneau Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-8988 COLON & RECTAL SURGERY Louis Barfield Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-8997 Richard Byrd Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-8997 William Johnston Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4060 Brian Kann Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4060

William Kethman Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4060 Sean Mayfield East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 456-5108 Valentine Nfonsam University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-5700 Yasheka Nicholson Riverside Medical Center Franklinton (985) 795-4208 Joshua Parks Ochsner Medical Center - North Shore Covington (985) 875-2828 Jennifer Paruch Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4060 Jennifer Silinsky East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 456-5108 Jacquelyn Turner Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5110 H. David Vargas Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4060 Andrew Werner Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 424-8373 Charles Whitlow Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4060 CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE Juan Duchesne Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5111 DERMATOLOGY Robert Benson Ponchatoula (985) 370-7546 Carole Bitar Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-1700 Erin Boh Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-1700 Falon Brown Ponchatoula (985) 370-7546 Elizabeth Bucher East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 644-4226

Tamela Charbonnet Thibodaux Regional Health System Houma (985) 876-5000 Kristy Charles Touro Infirmary Metairie (504) 836-2050 David Clemons Shreveport (318) 222-3278 William Coleman III Metairie (504) 455-3180 W. Coleman IV Metairie (504) 455-3180 Julie Danna Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Metairie (504) 842-3940 Mary Dickerson Baton Rouge (225) 927-5663 Adrian Dobrescu East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 899-6652 Scott Dunbar Baton Rouge (225) 769-7546 Helene Erickson Ochsner Medical Center - North Shore Slidell (985) 639-3777 Eric Finley Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 896-2255 Jill Fruge Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 214-3199 Lee Grafton Thibodaux Regional Health System Houma (985) 876-5000 Nicole Harrell Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 769-7546 Laurie Harrington Lane Regional Medical Center Zachary (225) 654-1124 Mara Haseltine Metairie (504) 226-7873 Patricia Hickham New Orleans (504) 962-7771 Deirdre Hooper Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 895-3376 Leah Jacob Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-1700 Kristy Kennedy Lafayette (337) 235-6886

Kathryn Kerisit Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 703-2750 Stephen Klinger Gretna (504) 393-7393 Jeffrey Lackey Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-1700 Keith LeBlanc East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 644-4226 Alan Lewis Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 570-6370 Kristen Losavio Baton Rouge (225) 769-7546 Mary Lupo New Orleans (504) 777-3047 Christel Malinski St. Tammany Parish Hospital Lacombe (985) 202-3376 Dana Marshall Gretna (504) 393-7393 W. Trent Massengale Baton Rouge (225) 313-4560 Ryan Matherne Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 446-5888 Julie Mermilliod Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3940 Sharon Meyer Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-5899 Andrea Murina Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-1700 Jeffrey Poole Metairie (504) 838-8225 Marilyn Ray Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Metairie (504) 842-3940 Ashley Record Lane Regional Medical Center Zachary (225) 658-4065 Nicole Rogers Metairie (504) 315-4247 Richard Sherman New Orleans (504) 899-7159 Erik Soine Covington (985) 400-5551

Top Doctors LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 40

Martha Stewart Mandeville (985) 727-7701 Brittany Stumpf Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System New Orleans (504) 988-5114 Laci Theunissen Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 214-3199 Diane Trieu West Jefferson Medical Center Harvey (504) 517-2025 Suneeta Walia Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3940 Jordan Whatley Baton Rouge (225) 769-7546 Laura Williams Metairie (504) 838-8225 Katy Wiltz Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 891-8004 Ann Zedlitz Baton Rouge (225) 778-7540 DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY Scott Beech Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5263 Raman Danrad University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-5700 Paul Gulotta Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3000 Cynthia Hanemann Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 780-8282 Anthony Modica Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3470 Brett Roberts Ochsner Medical Center - West Bank New Orleans (504) 842-6406 Bradley Shore Metairie (504) 883-5999 David Smith University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-5700 Bradley Spieler University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-5700

William Tiemann Terrebonne General Health System Houma (985) 873-4115 Benjamin Triche New Orleans (504) 988-7627 EMERGENCY MEDICINE Prateek Adhikari Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5711 ENDOCRINOLOGY, DIABETES & METABOLISM Sandra Dempsey Lake Charles (337) 310-3670 Gary Field Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Vivian Fonseca Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 988-8050 Lane Frey Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 493-3080 Robert Galagan Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 988-8050 Robin Kilpatrick Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 300-1076 Shatha Murad Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Brandy Panunti Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4023 Marideli Scanlan West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-6824 Joel Silverberg Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Gabriel Uwaifo Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Slidell (985) 639-3777 FAMILY MEDICINE Danielle Angeron Terrebonne General Health System Houma (985) 262-1639 Luis Arencibia East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 602-9975

Gayle Beyl North Oaks Medical Center Hammond (844) 277-8669 Gary Birdsall Galliano (985) 632-5222 Joseph Breault Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4747 Donald Brignac Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 330-0480 Kelly Cahill Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 470-3370 Andree Caillet Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 470-2636 Rafael CortesMoran Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner (504) 443-9500 Edwin Dennard Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 988-8050 Indira Gautam Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette Youngsville (337) 857-3512 R. Paul Guilbault III Lakeview Regional Medical Center Mandeville (985) 630-9618 Ted Hudspeth Ochsner Medical Center - North Shore Hammond (985) 543-3600 Kenneth Johnson CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital Pineville (318) 528-3355 Vernilyn Juan Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-8240 Karrie Kilgore Ochsner Acadia General Hospital Crowley (337) 783-7004 Oladapo Lapite Glenwood Regional Medical Center Monroe (318) 323-1040 Sunshine Little Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette Carencro (337) 470-3280

Nathalie MascherpaKerkow St. Tammany Parish Hospital Mandeville (985) 898-4001 Elizabeth McLain Lafayette (337) 703-3330 Darrin Menard Lafayette (337) 232-1802 Joseph Orgeron Ochsner Medical Center - North Shore Covington (985) 875-2828 Catherine Pechon St. Tammany Parish Hospital Madisonville (985) 898-4001 Cassandra Pillette Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 571-1111 Radha Raman New Orleans (504) 865-0805 Timothy Riddell Ochsner Medical Center - North Shore Covington (985) 875-2828 Jarelle Scott St. James Parish Hospital Vacherie (225) 265-3013 Ronald Slipman Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 988-8050 Kiernan Smith Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-9000 Paul Stringfellow Ochsner Acadia General Hospital Crowley (337) 783-7004 Rachana Sus Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 988-8050 James Tebbe Jr. Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-9000 Ryan Truxillo St. Bernard Parish Hospital Chalmette (504) 304-2800 Priya Velu Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 703-3070 Brittany Wyger Assumption Community Hospital Napoleonville (985) 369-1083

GASTROENTEROLOGY Stephen Abshire Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 232-6697 Humberto Aguilar Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 525-3250 Irfan Alam Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 984-4350 Richard Awtrey Jr. Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 267-1135 James Balart Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Charles Berggreen Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 927-1190 Howard Brenner University Medical Center New Orleans Metairie (504) 323-0407 Richard Broussard Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 269-0963 Natalie Bzowej Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3925 Vernon Carriere East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 456-8020 George Catinis East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 456-8020 Stephanie Cauble Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Sean Connolly Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4015 Bryan DiBuono Ochsner Medical Center - North Shore Slidell (985) 639-3777 Abdul El Chafic Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4015 Virendra Joshi Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-8005 Abdul Khan New Orleans (504) 267-1135

Sarath Krishnan West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 265-9582 Rebekah Lemann Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 896-8670 Martin Moehlen Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5344 T. Ryan Palmer Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 212-8710 David Pellegrin Terrebonne General Health System Houma (985) 851-5206 Scott Pollack West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 265-9582 Daniel Raines Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner (504) 464-8500 Nathaniel Ranney St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 871-1721 Fredric Regenstein Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5344 Jason Reina North Oaks Medical Center Hammond (985) 542-1334 Gary Reiss West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 265-9582 Janak Shah Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4015 Shamita Shah Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4015 James Smith Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4015 Robin Staudinger Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 544-0924 Douglas Walsh Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 927-1190 Mark Wegmann East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 456-8020

GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY Destin Black Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 212-8727 Pui Cheng Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-7142 Anthony Evans Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 216-3006 Chad Hamilton Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 842-4165 Jessica Shank Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6300 HAND SURGERY Kelly Babineaux East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 412-1240 Ellis Cooper Specialists Hospital Shreveport (318) 635-3052 M. Garon Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 766-0050 John Hildenbrand IV Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 625-2200 Barton Wax West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-6804 Claude Williams IV East Jefferson General Hospital New Orleans (504) 897-6351 HEMATOLOGY Chancellor Donald Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 988-5435 Maissaa Janbain Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 988-5433 Nakhle Saba Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6300 Hana Safah Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6300

HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE MEDICINE Sonia Malhotra University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-3669 INFECTIOUS DISEASE Katherine Baumgarten Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4005 Meredith Clement University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-5700 Sandra Kemmerly Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4005 Alfred Luk Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5030 David Mushatt Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5030 Obinna Nnedu Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4005 John Schieffelin Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5030 INTERNAL MEDICINE Michael Alexander Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 289-8717 Kristin Bateman University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-5700 Jennifer Bertsch Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-7007 Leo Blaize III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-8829 Ashley Bordelon Pointe Coupee General Hospital New Roads (225) 638-4585 David Borne University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 412-1366 Chester Boudreaux Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 446-2131

Top Doctors LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 42

Anne Carrere Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-7007 Wartelle Castille Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 470-3100 Brian Clements Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-6800 Jan Cooper New Orleans East Hospital New Orleans (504) 372-5100 Samuel Danna Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 897-4250 Logan Davies Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3000 Princess Dennar West Jefferson Medical Center New Orleans (504) 361-4203 Monica Dhand University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-5700 Steven Granier Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4747 Jonathan Gugel University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-3000 C. Ray Halliburton Jr. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-8829 Robert Hernandez Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 212-3456 Susan Ieyoub Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-6800 Patricia Jackson West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-2908 Jenna Jordan Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Metairie (504) 842-4747 Mark LaFuria Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-6800 Bryan LeBean Sr. Lafayette (337) 261-0559

Christopher Lege Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-7999 Callie Linden University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-3000 Anh Mai Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-9000 Nihar Mathur West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-1656 Marlowe Maylin University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-3000 Bradley Meek Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 214-3638 Timothy Nicholls Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 621-2929 Anjali Niyogi University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-3000 Robert Occhipinti Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-7999 Susan Ovella Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Covington (985) 730-7195 Katherine Pearce Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 374-0220 Isis Smith University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 962-6338 Karen Smith Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 504-7979 James Soignet Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 446-2131 Erica Tate University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-3000 David Tran Lakeview Regional Medical Center Covington (985) 400-5483 Jeremy Waggenspack West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-1656

INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY Farhad Aduli Lakeview Regional Medical Center Covington (985) 777-7000 Murtuza Ali University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-5200 Peter Fail Terrebonne General Health System Houma (985) 876-0300 Leonard Glade Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-8276 Anand Irimpen Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 988-6113 George Isa Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Covington (985) 875-2828 J. Stephen Jenkins Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3724 Olle Kjellgren Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 894-2560 Pramod Menon Lakeview Regional Medical Center Covington (985) 871-4155 Owen Mogabgab Touro Infirmary Harvey (504) 354-5252 Pradeep Nair Terrebonne General Health System Houma (985) 876-0300 Thanh Nguyen Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 894-2560 Christopher Paris St. Charles Parish Hospital Luling (985) 308-1604 Rajan Patel Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3724 Andrew Rees Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-3900

Madhur Roberts Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6113 Jose Tafur Soto Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (225) 761-5200 Jose Wiley Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6113 Frank Wilklow Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-8276 MATERNAL & FETAL MEDICINE Paul Dibbs Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 593-9099 Chi Dola Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 988-8070 Cecilia Gambala Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 988-8070 Debora Kimberlin Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans New Orleans (866) 624-7637 Robert Moore Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 924-8338 Gabriella Pridjian Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 988-8070 MEDICAL ONCOLOGY Bassam Abi-Rached CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital Alexandria (318) 442-2232 Thomas Atkinson Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner (504) 842-7690 Bryan Bienvenu Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 767-1311 Brian Boulmay University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-3311 B.J. Brooks Jr Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200 Vince Cataldo Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 757-0343 Rajasree Chowdry University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-5700

John Cole Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3910 Bridgette CollinsBurow Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6300 Manish Dhawan Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 239-4860 James Ellis Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-8970 Agustin Garcia University Medical Center New Orleans Marrero (504) 349-6360 David Hanson Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 767-1311 Scott Hebert Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 493-4346 Jodi Layton Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6300 Brian Lewis Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6300 David Oubre North Oaks Medical Center Hammond (985) 419-0025 Prakash Peddi Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 212-8620 Steven Saccaro Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 289-8400 A. Oliver Sartor Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6300 Scott Sonnier Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-8970 Derrick Spell Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 767-1311 Srikanth Tamma Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner (504) 842-7690 Christos Theodossiou Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3910

Ashish Udhrain Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 493-4346 Gary Von Burton Ochsner LSU Health Academic Medical Center Shreveport (318) 675-7737 NEPHROLOGY A. Brent Alper Jr. Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5344 Adrian Baudy IV Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-1001 Rhea Bhargava Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-1001 Jing Chen Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5030 Raynold Corona Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-4893 Francisco Cruz Jr. Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-4425 Mitchell Hebert Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-4893 Ashwin Jaikishen East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 457-3687 Marwan Kaskas Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 631-1584 Hui Jin Kim West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-6301 Trac Le West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-6301 Ahad Lodhi CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-7090 Thomas Mims II Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-1887 Richard O’Donovan St. Francis Medical Center Monroe, LA Monroe (318) 323-8847

Annalisa Perez University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 412-1366 Angela Reginelli Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-4425 Michael Roppolo Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-4893 Catherine Staffeld-Coit Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3925 Federico Teran Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-1001 Daniel Tveit Ochsner Medical Center - North Shore Slidell (985) 646-0360 Allen Vander Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 446-0871 James Yegge Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-4893 Sousan Zadeh North Oaks Medical Center Hammond (985) 318-1549 NEUROLOGICAL SURGERY Mohammad Almubaslat St. Tammany Parish Hospital Mandeville (985) 400-3210 Alan Appley Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 235-7743 Charles Bowie The Spine Hospital of Louisiana Baton Rouge (225) 769-2200 Jason Cormier Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 534-8680 Frank Culicchia West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 340-6976 Aaron Dumont Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5561 James Kalyvas Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (508) 842-2000

Christopher Maulucci Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5561 Justin Owen AVALA Hospital Covington (985) 400-5778 Bryan Payne University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-3000 Everett Robert Jr. Touro Infirmary Metairie (504) 454-0141 Manish Singh Touro Infirmary Metairie (504) 454-0141 John Steck West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 340-6976 Lori Summers Lakeview Regional Medical Center Hammond (985) 419-7767 Marcus Ware Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4033 NEUROLOGY Aimee Aysenne Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5914 Bridget Bagert Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3980 Kevin Callerame Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 215-2193 Elizabeth Crabtree Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5561 Lauren Dunn Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3980 Gerard Dynes Jr Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Ramy El Khoury Slidell Memorial Hospital Covington (985) 805-2555 John England New Orleans (504) 412-1517 Thomas Gann Jr. Ochsner Medical Center - North Shore Covington (985) 875-2828 Edward Haight Gray (985) 917-3007

Christopher Trevino Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6300 Richard Zweifler Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3980 OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY Gary Agena St. Tammany Parish Hospital Madisonville (985) 845-7121 Mark Allen West Jefferson Medical Center Gretna (504) 366-7233 Jaime Alleyn University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 568-4850 Rodney Armand Willis-Knighton Medical Center Bossier City (318) 212-7931 James Barrow CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital Lake Charles (337) 656-7876 William Beacham North Oaks Medical Center Hammond (985) 542-0663 Rachel Bezdek East Jefferson General Hospital LaPlace (985) 652-2441 Elizabeth Blanton West Jefferson Medical Center Gretna (504) 366-7233 Rebecca Boudreaux Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 201-2000 Randall Brown Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 201-2000 Francis Cardinale Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette (337) 984-1050 John Carter Willis-Knighton Medical Center Bossier City (318) 212-7931 Robert Cazayoux Terrebonne General Health System Houma (985) 851-6800 Nicole Chauvin Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 201-2000

Diana Clavin Slidell Memorial Hospital Slidell (985) 781-4848 Richard Clement Terrebonne General Health System Houma (985) 851-6800 Leslie Coffman Glenwood Regional Medical Center West Monroe (318) 387-3113 David Darbonne Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 474-3883 K. Leslie Dean Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 212-8727 Ryan Dickerson Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 201-2000 Louis DuTriel Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-7580 Bradley Forsyth Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 480-5570 Jill Gibson St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 898-5990 Veronica Gillispie Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner (504) 464-8506 Gina Gomez Willis-Knighton Medical Center Bossier City (318) 212-7931 Amy Grace Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 779-8282 J. William Groves Jr Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 480-5530 Renee Harris Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 201-0505 Eduardo Herrera Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 988-8070 Kaitlin Hoover Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 201-0505 Ann Marie Lafranca Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 928-5951 Elizabeth Lapeyre Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 842-4155

Opal LeBlanc Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette (337) 769-3444 George Morris IV Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 842-4155 Amber Naresh Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-9000 Charles Padgett Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 233-7524 Angela Parise Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 842-4155 Rebecca Perret Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-7580 Benny Popwell CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center Shreveport (318) 798-4400 Margaret Roberie Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 842-4155 Anne Rodrigue Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 448-1216 Christopher Rodrigue Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 448-1216 Janet Ross Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-8281 William Sargent Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 842-4155 Michelle Stutes Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette (337) 534-0018 A. Collins Thibodeaux Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette (337) 981-6100

Nancy Thomas Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Covington (985) 875-2828 Terrie Thomas Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 201-0505 Amy Truitt Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner (504) 464-8506 Kerry Tynes CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center Shreveport (318) 798-4400 Amy Vaughan Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 988-2160 Vu Anh Vuong Ochsner Medical Center - West Bank Gretna (504) 595-8896 Donna Waters Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-7142 Anna White Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 842-4155 Michael Wiedemann Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner (504) 464-8506 Felton Winfield Jr. Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 412-1520 OPHTHALMOLOGY Kyle Acosta St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 338-7718 Frank Culotta Jr Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 232-2710 George Ellis Jr. Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 H. Sprague Eustis Jr Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3995 Donald Falgoust CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital Lake Charles (337) 477-0963 Scott Gauthreaux Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 232-2710

Joshua Groetsch Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Metairie (504) 833-5573 Thomas Heigle Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 766-7441 David Hinkle Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5831 John Hinrichsen Shreveport (318) 222-8402 Keith Kellum Physicians Medical Center Houma (985) 872-5577 Ronald Landry East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 455-9825 Kirk LeBlanc Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 234-8533 Celeste Luke Avoyelles Hospital Marksville (318) 253-9766 Charles Lyon Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 222-8421 Rebecca Metzinger Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5831 Marilu O’Byrne Mandeville (985) 624-5573 Jane Olson Baton Rouge (225) 766-0005 Patrick O’Sullivan Touro Infirmary Metairie (504) 264-9428 Allen Pearce Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 766-7441 Robert Wallace III Alexandria (318) 448-4488 Nano Zeringue Thibodaux (985) 448-3353 ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY William Accousti Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9569 Rasheed Ahmad Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424

Steven Atchison Specialists Hospital Shreveport (318) 635-3052 Jeffrey Balazsy Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-4900 Robert Bostick III AVALA Hospital Metairie (504) 541-5800 Joseph Broyles Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 766-0050 Scott Buhler East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 233-0931 Robert Butler Ochsner Medical Center - North Shore Slidell (985) 639-3777 Matthew Cable University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-3000 Paul Celestre Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (866) 624-7637 Christopher Cenac Terrebonne General Health System Houma (985) 868-1540 Roderick Chandler Jr. AVALA Hospital Covington (985) 674-1700 George Chimento Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3970 Wesley Clark West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-6804 David Clause Opelousas General Health System-Main Campus Opelousas (337) 942-6503

Kevin Darr Lakeview Regional Medical Center Covington (985) 892-5117 Vinod Dasa Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner (504) 412-1705 Gabriel Dersam Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette (337) 470-5920 Robert Easton Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424 Henry Eiserloh III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424 Patrick Ellender Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 625-2200 Paul Gladden Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-2177 Joseph Gonzales Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 John Googe Specialists Hospital Shreveport (318) 635-3052 Harold Granger Lafayette (337) 988-8855 Craig Greene Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424 R. Bryan Griffith Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424 Lawrence Haber Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3970

Anna CohenRosenblum University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-3000

Richard Harrell Ochsner LSU Health Academic Medical Center Bossier City (318) 626-2593

Geoffrey Collins West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital Lake Charles (337) 905-7100

Michael Hartman Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner (504) 412-1705

Mathew Cyriac Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-0100

J. Marshall Haynie Specialists Hospital Shreveport (318) 635-3052

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

Neda Hidarilak Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5561 Jamie Huddleston Ochsner St. Anne Hospital Raceland (985) 537-2666 Vijayakumar Javalkar Ochsner LSU Health Academic Medical Center Shreveport (318) 626-4300 Jessica Kraker Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5561 Michele Longo Tulane Medical Center Covington (985) 951-3222 Jesus Lovera New Orleans (504) 412-1517 Demetrius Maraganore Tulane Medical Center Covington (985) 951-3222 Archibald Melcher II East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 885-7337 Uma Menon Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3980 Piotr Olejniczak New Orleans (504) 412-1517 Pedro Oliveira Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Sarah Perez Tulane Medical Center Covington (985) 951-3222 Holly Rutherford Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5561 Justin Salerian Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5561 Korak Sarkar Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3980 Morteza Shamsnia Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5561 Julia Staisch Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3980

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Top Doctors

Wendell Heard Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8476 Stephen Heinrich Children’s Hospital New Orleans Metairie (504) 840-5184 Michael Alan Hinton Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 477-5252 Gregor Hoffman Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 897-6351 Val Irion Specialists Hospital Shreveport (318) 635-3052 Jeremy James AVALA Hospital Covington (985) 400-5778 R. Junius III East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 233-0931 Peter Krause University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-4400 John Logan Our Lady of the Lake Surgical Hospital Lacombe (985) 871-4114 Christopher Marrero University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-4400 James Mautner Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3970 Brent McCarty AVALA Hospital Covington (985) 674-1700

LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

McCall McDaniel St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 893-9922

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Gleb Medvedev Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-2177 Mark Meyer Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3970 Chad Millet Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 897-6351

Thomas Montgomery Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 235-8007 Edward Morgan Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 212-3610 Mary Mulcahey Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8476 David Muldowny Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 234-5234 Julie Neumann Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 766-0050 John Noble Jr CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital Lake Charles (337) 721-7236 Michael O’Brien Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 988-8010 R. Field Ogden Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 897-6351 H. Reiss Plauche St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 892-5117 David Pope Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 766-0050 Catherine Riche Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424 Michael Robichaux Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 924-2424 Jason Rolling St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 892-5117 Seth Rosenzweig Iberia Medical Center New Iberia (337) 235-8007 Jason Rudd AVALA Hospital Covington (985) 674-1700 Fernando Sanchez Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 988-8476

Charles Schumacher Jr. AVALA Hospital Covington (985) 892-5117 Cambize Shahrdar Jr Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 212-3610 K. Samer Shamieh AVALA Hospital Covington (985) 400-5778 William Sherman Jr. Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 988-8010 Leslie Sisco Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3970 Craig Springmeyer CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center Shreveport (318) 798-4623 Malcolm Stubbs Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 234-5234 Andrew Todd Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 897-6351 Robert Treuting Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3970 Scott Tucker West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-6804 Paul van Deventer AVALA Hospital Covington (985) 674-1700 Meredith Warner Baton Rouge (225) 754-8888 Adam Whatley Lane Regional Medical Center Zachary (225) 658-1808 Matthew Williams Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 235-8007 Jeffrey Witty North Oaks Medical Center Hammond (985) 230-2663 Robert Zura University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-4400

OTOLARYNGOLOGY John Alldredge Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 232-2330 Ronald Amedee Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4080 Moises Arriaga Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-7735 John Beatrous St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 845-2677 James Broussard Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 446-5079 Kathy Chauvin St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 845-2677 James Connolly St. Tammany Parish Hospital Mandeville (985) 327-5905 Lisa David Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 266-9820 Karuna Dewan Ochsner LSU Health Academic Medical Center Shreveport (318) 212-9440 Maria Doucet Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 989-4453 Jason Durel Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 232-2330 Brytton Eldredge Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 266-9820 Adil Fatakia West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-6400 Paul Friedlander Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-6300 Gerard Gianoli Covington (985) 809-1111 Michael Goodier Our Lady of the Lake Ascension Gonzales (225) 765-5500

John Guarisco Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4080 Christian Hasney Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4080 Neal Jackson Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5561 Jeffrey Marino Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4080 Adam Master Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4080 Kevin McLaughlin St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 845-2677 Nancy Mellin North Oaks Medical Center Hammond (985) 542-9155 Timothy Molony Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4080 Brian Moore Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4080 Cherie-Ann Nathan Ochsner LSU Health Academic Medical Center Shreveport (318) 675-6262 Phillip Noel Abbeville General Hospital Abbeville (337) 898-3700 Daniel Nuss Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-1765 Jonathan Owens Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 988-2274 Jacques Peltier North Oaks Medical Center Hammond (985) 230-2778 Elisabeth Rareshide Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 897-4455 Patricia Scallan Baton Rouge (225) 767-7200 Chad Simon Terrebonne General Health System Houma (985) 872-0423

Collin Sutton Baton Rouge (225) 769-2222 Justin Tenney Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 446-5079 James White Jr. Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 237-0650 Guy Zeringue III Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 446-5079 OTOLARYNGOLOGY/FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY R. Graham Boyce Lakeview Regional Medical Center Covington (985) 845-2677 J. Kevin Duplechain Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 456-3282 H. Devon Graham III Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 897-4455 Jason Guillot St. Tammany Parish Hospital Mandeville (985) 327-5905 Laura Hetzler Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-1982 Christian Jacob Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 895-7642 Jeffrey Joseph Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 237-0650 Lisa Morris Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-1982 Thomas Moulthrop Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 895-7642 Parker Velargo New Orleans (504) 533-8848 Sean Weiss Touro Infirmary Metairie (504) 814-3223 PAIN MEDICINE C. Ann Conn Covington (985) 345-7246

Hazem Eissa Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 842-5300 Mohamed Elkersh North Oaks Medical Center Hammond (985) 345-7246 Sean Graham Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 769-5554 Suneil Jolly Touro Infirmary Metairie (504) 276-7333 Eric Lonseth East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 327-5857 Kevin Martinez Touro Infirmary Metairie (504) 454-0141 Ross Nelson III Specialists Hospital Shreveport (318) 629-5505 Jimmy Ponder Jr Gray (985) 580-1200 Richard Robertson Jr. AVALA Hospital Covington (985) 231-6751 Ronald Segura AVALA Hospital Covington (985) 231-6751 Patrick Waring East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 455-2225 Michael Zeringue East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 885-6464 PATHOLOGY Shams Halat Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5224 Matthew Stark Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9817 PEDIATRIC ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY Andrew Abreo Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9589 John Carlson Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-6742 Cathryn Hassett Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-6742

Sandhya Mani Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 765-5500 Theron McCormick Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 765-6834 Lawrence Montelibano Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-6742 Luke Wall Children’s Hospital New Orleans Covington (504) 896-2888 Elizabeth Wisner Children’s Hospital New Orleans Metairie (504) 896-9589 PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY Sergio Bartakian Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9751 Tamara Bradford Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9751 Michael Brumund Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9751 Michael Crapanzano Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 709-8633 Ivory Crittendon III Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3900 Kelly Gajewski Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9751 Rufus Hixon III Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge (225) 767-6700 Mudar Kattash Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 562-2293 Thomas Kimball Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 James Krulisky Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888

Katherine Lindle Ochsner University Hospital & Clinics Lafayette (337) 443-6100 Victor Lucas Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3900 Scott Macicek Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9751 Hans Mulder Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3900 Shannon Powell Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9751 Steffan Sernich Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Patricia Thomas Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3900 Jason Turner Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9732 Michael White Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3900 Song-Gui Yang Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Thomas Young Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3900 PEDIATRIC DERMATOLOGY India Hill Children’s Hospital New Orleans Metairie (504) 896-9583 PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY Stuart Chalew Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Janna Flint Wilson Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette (337) 470-5920

PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY Patricio Arias Valencia Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Ilana Fortgang Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (866) 624-7637 Colleen LeBlanc Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Elizabeth McDonough Children’s Hospital New Orleans Baton Rouge (504) 896-9534 Brian Morris Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3900 PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGYONCOLOGY Dana LeBlanc Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9740 Craig Lotterman Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 703-2218 Pinki Prasad Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9740 Amina Rafique Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 988-5435 Maria VelezYanguas Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9740 Lolie Yu Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9740 PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE Margot Anderson Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Michael Bolton Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 765-5500 Margarita Silio Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888

PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY Diego Aviles Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Samir El-Dahr Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 K’Joy Simms Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9238 Caroline Straatmann Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9238 Ihor Yosypiv Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY John Carter Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4080 Adele Evans Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Belinda Mantle Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Kimsey Rodriguez Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4080 PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY Scott Davis Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Adrienne Savant Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Kristin Van Hook Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3900 PEDIATRIC SURGERY Vincent Adolph Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3907 Mary Brandt Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Mark Brown Willis-Knighton South & The Center for Women’s Health Shreveport (318) 212-5880

Deiadra Garrett Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette (337) 470-5920 Fabienne Gray Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9756

William Britton St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 871-7337

Linda Keefer St. Tammany Parish Hospital Madisonville (985) 773-1600

Danielle Calix Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner Destrehan (985) 764-6036

Suzette Kingston Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 267-9336

Rodney Steiner Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3907

Courtney Campbell Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-8013

David Yu Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888

Terry Cummings Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-9000

Jessica Zagory Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-9756

Theresa Dise Children’s Hospital New Orleans Metairie (504) 894-5479

PEDIATRIC UROLOGY Frank Cerniglia Jr. Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4083 Aaron Martin Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Joseph Ortenberg Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 Christopher Roth Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888 PEDIATRICS Lauren Hernandez East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 267-9336 Mamatha Ananth Touro Infirmary Metairie (504) 267-9001 Brian Bailey Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette (337) 470-3150 John Barbara III Children’s Hospital New Orleans Metairie (504) 833-7374 Anne Boudreaux Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 449-7529 Laura Boykin Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center Metairie (504) 887-1133

Robert Drumm Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Patrice Evers Children’s Hospital New Orleans Metairie (504) 894-5479 Robert Faucheux St. Tammany Parish Hospital Madisonville (985) 773-1600 Bernard Ferrer Houma (985) 872-6405 Jill Fitzpatrick Ochsner Medical Center - North Shore Mandeville (985) 875-2828 Gabrielle Glasgow East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 267-9336 George Hescock Jr. Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-3924 Emily Hobson Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 212-3900 Jennifer Hogan Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200 Lynne Holladay Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 212-2920 Michael Judice Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette (337) 470-4434

Reita Lawrence Children’s Hospital New Orleans Metairie (504) 887-6355 Joshua LeBlanc St. Tammany Parish Hospital Mandeville (985) 674-2227 Janine Lissard Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans River Ridge (504) 703-3270 Betty Lo-Blais Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner Metairie (866) 624-7637 Jamar Melton Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 763-4888 Amanda Messer Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-3924 Tara Mitchell Ochsner Medical Center - North Shore Slidell (985) 639-3755 William Morgan Children’s Hospital New Orleans Metairie (504) 894-5479 Nancy Mula St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 871-7337 M. Nora Oates Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 897-0744 Shannon Palombo Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2723 Hina Patel Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-8013

Pamela Richard Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Mandeville (985) 875-2828

Amanda Williams Children’s Hospital New Orleans Metairie (504) 219-0880

Alycia Rodgers CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital Lake Charles (337) 477-0935

PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION

Rayne Schexnayder Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center Metairie (504) 887-1133 Nicole Sheldon Children’s Hospital New Orleans Metairie (504) 894-5479 Edward Sledge Jr Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200 Catherine Spiller Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Walker (225) 369-8100 Sylvia Sutton Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-8013 Elizabeth Theriot Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center Metairie (504) 887-1133 Jenny Thomas Sulphur (337) 527-6371 Wanda Thomas Ochsner LSU Health Academic Medical Center Shreveport (318) 626-0050 Quynh-Anh Tran Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 354-4188 Deepa Vasireddy Woman’s Hospital Lafayette (337) 210-5043 Robert Voigt Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3900

F. Douglas Patterson Denham Springs (225) 791-7337

Eric Weil Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-8013

Henry Peltier Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 448-3700

Stephen Weimer Children’s Hospital New Orleans Metairie (504) 894-5479

Mary Nell Anderson Baton Rouge (225) 754-8888 Beau Bagley St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 234-0490 Jacques Courseault Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8476 Jenness Courtney III Minden Medical Center Shreveport (318) 424-4224 Todd Cowen Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 447-9922 Aaron Karlin Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Covington (985) 875-2828 Justin Lundgren Touro Infirmary Metairie (504) 454-0141 Craig Morton CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital Lake Charles (337) 721-7236 Gregory Stewart Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8476 Jeffrey Watkins Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3998 PLASTIC SURGERY Stephen Antrobus Baton Rouge (225) 763-9611 Benjamin Boudreaux Mandeville (985) 237-6050 Abigail Chaffin Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 988-8100 Katherine Chiasson Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 269-2610 Jeffrey Claiborne Mandeville (985) 237-6050

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

James Gardner Jr. Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 765-5500

Ricardo Gomez Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-2888

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Top Doctors LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 46

Stephen Delatte Jr Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 269-4949 Frank DellaCroce St. Charles Surgical Hospital New Orleans (504) 899-2800 Michael Friel Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-5338 John Guste Thibodaux Regional Health System Metairie (504) 475-1248 Michael Hanemann Jr Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 766-2166 M’liss Hogan St. Tammany Parish Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 399-0001 David Jansen Touro Infirmary Metairie (504) 455-1000 Kamran Khoobehi Metairie (504) 779-5538 John Lindsey East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 885-4508 Stephen Metzinger East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 309-7061 Timothy Mickel St. Francis Medical Center Monroe, LA Monroe (318) 388-2050 Michael Moses Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 895-7200 Kenneth Odinet Jr Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 234-8648 Barron O’Neal CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center Shreveport (318) 221-9671 Ernest Clyde Smoot III CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital Lake Charles (337) 478-5577 Hugo St. Hilaire Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center Metairie (504) 412-1240

Scott Sullivan Jr St. Charles Surgical Hospital New Orleans (504) 899-2800 Ravi Tandon Touro Infirmary Metairie (504) 455-1000 Taylor Theunissen Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 218-6108 Christopher Trahan St. Charles Surgical Hospital New Orleans (504) 899-2800 Simeon Wall Jr CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center Shreveport (318) 795-0801 Matthew Wise St. Charles Surgical Hospital New Orleans (504) 899-2800 PODIATRY Denardo Dunham New Orleans East Hospital New Orleans (504) 241-5707 PSYCHIATRY Renee Bruno Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 615-8102 Degan Dansereau New Orleans (504) 897-0201 Morgan Feibelman New Orleans (504) 322-3837 Jennifer Greco New Orleans (504) 322-3837 Holly MacKenna New Orleans (504) 356-1624 Nicholas Pejic New Orleans (504) 899-1682 Larry Warner Jr. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 456-2884 PULMONARY DISEASE Ramsy Abdelghani Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8600 Cesar Aguilar Lopez Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System New Orleans (800) 935-8387 David Becnel Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8600

Christine Bojanowski Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8600 Tania Boniske Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8600 Warren Botnick Natchitoches Regional Medical Center Natchitoches (318) 214-5770 Bennett deBoisblanc University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-5057 Glenn Gomes Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge (225) 761-5200 Ronald Hammett Glenwood Regional Medical Center West Monroe (318) 329-8479 Mark Hodges Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Stephen Kantrow Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4055 Ross Klingsberg Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8600 Gary Kohler Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-2750 Joseph Lasky Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8600 Carol Mason Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans Kenner (504) 412-1705 Michael McCarthy Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Nereida Parada Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8600 Kevin Reed Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 381-2755 Shigeki Saito University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-5057 Judd Shellito Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner (504) 412-1705

Victor Thannickal University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-7800 Robert Walter Ochsner LSU Health Academic Medical Center Shreveport (318) 212-9440 Jerry Zifodya University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-3000 RADIATION ONCOLOGY Kendra Harris Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-1070 Andrew Lauve Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 387-7280 James Maze Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-2121 Paul Monsour East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 454-1727 Perri Prellop Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 769-8660 Stephen Wilt Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 769-8660 Charles Wood Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 767-0847 Ellen Zakris Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-8387 REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY/ INFERTILITY Neil Chappell Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 926-6886 P. Ronald Clisham Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 454-2165 Warren Huber III Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 233-6789 Peter Lu Touro Infirmary Mandeville (985) 892-7621 Belinda Sartor The Fertility Institute Metairie (504) 454-2165

John Storment Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital Lafayette (337) 989-8795 David Vandermolen Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 841-5800 Lindsay Wells Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 891-1390 RHEUMATOLOGY Angele Bourg Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Ronald Ceruti Jr Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Elena Cucurull Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 William Davis Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3920

Sean Shannon Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-6505

William Bisland Jr Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 446-1763

Ross Thibodaux Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 449-4656

John Bolton Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4070

Karen Toribio Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3920 Tamika WebbDetiege Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3920 SLEEP MEDICINE Matthew Abraham Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 470-3475 Phillip Conner Lake Charles (337) 310-7378

Bobby Dupre Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-6505

Dwayne Henry Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-3456

Madelaine Feldman Touro Infirmary Metairie (504) 899-1120

SPORTS MEDICINE

Harmanjot Grewal Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-6505 Khanh Ho Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 765-6505 Chandana Keshavamurthy Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3920 James Lipstate Lafayette (337) 237-7801 Jennifer Malin Lafayette (337) 237-7801 Christopher Mesa Ochsner Medical Center - West Bank Gretna (866) 624-7637 Joseph Nesheiwat Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Robert Quinet Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3920

Timothy Finney Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 897-6351 Deryk Jones Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner (504) 736-4800 Christine Keating Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 842-2000 Michael McNulty IV Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 897-6351 Scott Montgomery Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner New Orleans (504) 736-4800 Felix Savoie III Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-8476 SURGERY Sarah Baker West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-6713

Jason Breaux Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 703-6390 Ari Cohen Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3925 Alfred Colfry III Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 325-2900 Robert Cummiskey III West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-6713 Jacob Daigle St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 892-3766 Matthew French Our Lady of the Lake Surgical Hospital Covington (877) 691-3001 George Fuhrman Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4070 Michael Hailey Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 751-2778 Mark Hausmann Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 769-5656 Mark Hebert Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 446-1763 Hoonbae Jeon Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5344 Emad Kandil Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5110 Richard Karlin Our Lady of the Angels Hospital Bogalusa (985) 730-7030 Henry Kaufman IV Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 470-4881

Mary Killackey Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5344 Thomas Lavin AVALA Hospital Covington (877) 690-2884 Shauna Levy Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 988-5110 Daniel Linarello North Oaks Medical Center Hammond (985) 230-7430 Shawn McKinney University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-3311 William Moss CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital Lake Charles (337) 656-7873 Anil Paramesh Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5344 David Pointer Jr. Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge New Orleans (504) 842-4070 James Redmann Our Lady of the Lake Surgical Hospital Covington (877) 691-3001 William Richardson Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4070 Philip Schauer Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 330-0497 Richard Shimer Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 494-4692 Kevin Sittig Ochsner LSU Health Academic Medical Center Shreveport (318) 212-9440 Jonathan Taylor Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 W. Terral AVALA Hospital Covington (985) 674-1700 Sarah Thayer Ochsner LSU Health Academic Medical Center Shreveport (318) 626-0050 James Williams Our Lady of the Lake Ascension Gonzales (225) 743-2455

Gazi Zibari Willis-Knighton Medical Center Shreveport (318) 212-8350 THORACIC & CARDIAC SURGERY Charles DiCorte North Oaks Medical Center Hammond (985) 230-7350 Harry Donias Glenwood Regional Medical Center West Monroe (318) 329-3475 Eugene Kukuy Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 210-4280 Jose Mena Ochsner Medical Center - North Shore Covington (985) 875-2828 P. Eugene Parrino Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3966 Amit Patel Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 308-0247 Benjamin Peeler Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-5200 Timothy Pettitt Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 896-3928 Vyas Rao Ochsner LSU Health - Academic Medical Center Shreveport (318) 626-0050 C. Swayze Rigby Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 490-7224

Stephen Bardot Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4083 Kenneth Blue III Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 766-8100 Thad Bourque Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 233-6665 Donald Elmajian WK Pierremont Health Center Shreveport (318) 212-3369 Christopher Fontenot Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 233-6665 Jessie Gills East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 412-1600 Jon Glass West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 934-8100 Wayne Hellstrom Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5271 Stephen LaCour East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 412-1600 Gregory Lacy II New Orleans East Hospital New Orleans (504) 592-6577 Marcellus LaHaye Mercy Regional Medical Center Ville Platte, LA Ville Platte (337) 506-3540 Melissa Montgomery Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4083 Harold Neitzschman III Slidell Memorial Hospital Slidell (985) 641-3742 Scott Neusetzer Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 233-6665

Mark Posner Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 769-2500 Sunil Purohit St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 892-6811 William Roth Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 233-6665 Ayme Schmeeckle Baton Rouge (225) 246-9240 Farjaad Siddiq Lake Charles Memorial Hospital Lake Charles (337) 480-7499 Walter Simoneaux Jr. Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 447-5667 Jeremy Speeg Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 233-6665 Raju Thomas Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5271 Richard Vanlangendonck Jr. Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 897-7196 Julie Wang Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner (504) 464-8588 Howard Woo Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4083 VASCULAR & INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY Hector Ferral University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-5700 Juan Gimenez Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3000 Dennis Kay Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-3470 Dee Malkerneker Ochsner Medical Center - West Bank New Orleans (985) 646-5075 Richard Marshall Jr. East Jefferson General Hospital Metairie (504) 503-6137

VASCULAR SURGERY Hernan Bazan Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4070 Clayton Brinster Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (866) 624-7637 Michael Conners III Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 766-0416 P. Michael Davis Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 766-0416 Racheed Ghanami Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center Lafayette (337) 534-4444 Christopher LaGraize Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 289-9700 John Luke III Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 289-9700 Samuel Money Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans (504) 842-4070 Steven Pike Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 289-9700 Malachi Sheahan West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 412-1960 W. Charles Sternbergh III Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans New Orleans (504) 842-4070 Stephen White CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center Shreveport (318) 798-4484

Rising Stars

DERMATOLOGY Kristen Bice Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System New Orleans Covington (985) 893-1035 Brianna McDaniel St. Tammany Parish Hospital Covington (985) 277-5463 FAMILY MEDICINE Rachael Kermis Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge (866) 624-7637 Jeremy Knott Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette Sunset (337) 470-7840 GASTROENTEROLOGY Lauren Pointer Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 822-9024 Peng-Sheng Ting Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5344 HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE MEDICINE Michelle Christopher University Medical Center New Orleans (504) 702-3669 Alexis Morvant Children’s Hospital New Orleans (504) 894-5332 MATERNAL & FETAL MEDICINE Tabitha Quebedeaux West Jefferson Medical Center Marrero (504) 349-2528 NEUROLOGY Jessica Baity Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 493-3090

OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY Samantha Prats Woman’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 201-2010 Pratibha Rayapati Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 988-2160 OPHTHALMOLOGY Joshua Ford Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-5831 ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY Sean Rider AVALA Hospital Covington (985) 400-5778 OTOLARYNGOLOGY Charles Anzalone Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette (337) 237-0650 PEDIATRIC ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY Kathryn Neupert Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital Baton Rouge (225) 765-5500 PEDIATRICS James Connick Lakeside Hospital Metairie (504) 267-9336 LaTasha Henderson Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Denham Springs (225) 665-4554

With over 30 years’ experience researching, reviewing, and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible healthcare research and information company. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers.

Castle Connolly’s physician-led team of researchers follows a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels. Its online nomination process is open to all licensed physicians in America who are able to nominate physicians in any medical specialty and in any part of the country, as well as indicate whether the nominated physician(s) is, in their opinion, among the best in their region in their medical specialty or among the best in the nation in their medical specialty. Then, Castle Connolly’s research team thoroughly vets each physician’s professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation, disciplinary history and if available, outcomes data. Additionally, a physician’s interpersonal skills such as listening and communicating effectively, demonstrating empathy, and instilling trust and confidence, are also considered in the review process. The Castle Connolly Doctor Directory is the largest network of peer-nominated physicians in the nation.

In addition to Top Doctors, Castle Connolly’s research team also identifies Rising Stars, early career doctors who are emerging leaders in the medical community.

Physicians selected for inclusion in this magazine’s “Top Doctors” and “Rising Stars” feature may also appear online at www.castleconnolly.com, or in conjunction with other Castle Connolly Top Doctors databases online and/or in print.

Castle Connolly is part of Everyday Health Group, a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracting an engaged audience of over 82 million health consumers and over 900,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness digital properties. Our mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data, and analytics.

We empower healthcare providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through Everyday Health Group’s world-class brands.

For more information, please visit Castle Connolly.

Maxwell Levy Tulane Medical Center New Orleans (504) 988-9000

COLON & RECTAL SURGERY

Derek Neupert Thibodaux Regional Health System Thibodaux (985) 493-3090

Elyse BevierRawls Touro Infirmary New Orleans (504) 210-4280

Martha Robinson Tulane Medical Center Metairie (504) 503-7001

LOUISIANALIFE.COM

UROGYNECOLOGY/ FEMALE PELVIC MEDICINE & RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY Margie Kahn Lakeside Hospital - Metairie (504) 988-8070 Leise Knoepp Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center New Orleans (504) 842-4155 William Kubricht III Baton Rouge General - Mid City Baton Rouge (225) 766-8100 Antonio Pizarro WK Pierremont Health Center Shreveport (318) 212-3680

UROLOGY Angelo Annaloro Jr Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Baton Rouge (225) 769-2500

47

SPONSORED

Traveling Around Louisiana

G

Gumbo, being a beloved tradition with countless variations, finds its essence in the foundation element of roux, a blend of equal parts flour and oil and commonly cooking oil, butter, or lard. This mixture is meticulously heated to achieve the ideal color corresponding to the proteins in the gumbo.

For this cultural masterpiece, roux often ranges from medium to dark shades, with the lighter variety reserved for delicate proteins such as seafood or the renowned

52 LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

green gumbo, also known as gumbo z’herbs.

Meanwhile, the medium to dark roux complements heartier proteins like chicken, sausage, duck, game, and more.

If the prospect of crafting your own gumbo sounds daunting, Lafayette Parish offers gumbo year-round at over 30 locations. At lafayettetravel.com/gumbo, there’s a curated guide detailing each restaurant’s specialty so you can easily satisfy your gumbo cravings without ever stepping into the kitchen.

The Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights, infamously linking cities all along Interstates 20 and 49, eagerly prepares for the 2023 holiday season, attracting visitors and residents throughout Central and Northern Louisiana. Commencing in 1992, the Trail extends from MonroeWest Monroe encompassing the charm of Ruston, while journeying west through Minden, Shreveport-Bossier, Logansport, Natchitoches, and Alexandria-Pineville.

Each town promotes its holiday events,

everything from Christmas parades and Santa visits to various attractions and of course, Christmas lights. The 10 cities are within a day’s drive of each other and the Trail may be enjoyed just for a day or stretched into a long weekend. For a complete schedule of events, visit holidaytrailoflights.com or follow the Trail on Facebook and Instagram by searching Holiday Trail of Lights.

As the holidays near, Ruston and Lincoln Parish offers Louisiana families and visitors festive celebrations that highlight the creativity and charm of the region. From shopping opportunities to drive-through displays, November and December are full of events.

The holiday shopping season kicks off November 16th with Downtown Ruston’s Holiday Open House. Starting November 30th, Lincoln Parish Park will host Lincoln Lights Up the Pines, a drive-through light display perfect for all ages. Gracing the heart of Downtown Ruston December 7th from 5 to 8 pm, Holiday Sip & Stroll will bring the picturesque charm of the city to life. As you traverse the streets, adorned with festive lights, boutiques

(Left) Ruston Art Market (Below) Grill Room at The Windsor Court (Right) Carriage Ride in Ruston

and stores will offer extended hours and holiday specials, perfect to check those final treasures off your Christmas list.

Embark with family and friends on the festive cinematic journey by attending Christmas Movie Night. The event will be held Friday, December 22nd at 7 pm featuring Disney’s A Christmas Carol. For more information on these holiday events, visit experienceruston.com.

Come out and discover the beauty of West Baton Rouge, situated along the breezy Mississippi River, and enjoy the 17th Annual “Veterans on Parade”. This traditional Port Allen parade will be held on Sunday, November 5th. Join us as we pay tribute to all veterans who have or are serving this great country. The parade will conclude at the West Baton Rouge Museum for a special Veterans Ceremony.

On December 2nd stroll, shop, and marvel at the Christmas lights on display and get ready for the excitement of the Jingle Jeepin’ Parade. A live musical performance begins at 7:30 p.m. by Wayne Toups.

Make it a weekend and stay in one of our affordable and family-friendly accommodations conveniently located near I-10.

We are an hour from New Orleans, fortyfive minutes from Lafayette and Cajun Country, and minutes from the state capital, Baton Rouge. For more information visit westbatonrouge.net.

Louisiana Contemporary presented

by The Helis Foundation, on view now through February 18, 2024, at Ogden Museum of Southern Art, brings to the fore the work of artists living in Louisiana and highlights the dynamism of contemporary art practice throughout the state while providing the space for the exposition of living artists’ work and engaging a contemporary audience that recognizes the vibrant visual arts culture of Louisiana and the role of New Orleans as a rising, international art center.

This year’s statewide, juried exhibition features 45 works by 31 Louisiana artists from 790 submissions whose works were selected by guest juror Aleesa Pitchamarn Alexander, Robert M. and Ruth L. Halperin Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University. Since its launch in 2012, Louisiana Contemporary has presented 876 works by 569 artists.

For more on the exhibition visit thehelisfoundation.org.

At the Steel Magnolia House Bed & Breakfast they love to make their guests feel at home in their warm and cozy den where Shelby and Jackson once sat with M’Lynn and Drum. They serve the best southern style breakfast made by ‘Momma Rose”, from crisp bacon & eggs and hot biscuits to Banana’s Fosters waffles, and pecan pie french toast. Each of their rooms will be decorated for Christmas, and they cannot wait to share the warmth and magic of this holiday season with their guests.

Located in a historic home at 320 Jefferson Street in Natchitoches, Louisiana,

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 53

The Steel Magnolia House Bed & Breakfast is just a stone’s throw from the Cane River, and the name isn’t a coincidence. Many scenes from the beloved 1989 movie were filmed in and around 320 Jefferson Street, lending its name to the charming B&B. To discover more about the charm of The Steel Magnolia House Bed and Breakfast, visit steelmagnoliahouse.net.

Located in the heart of New Orleans, The Windsor Court has had a meticulous reimaging of their brand identity, encapsulating its essence as a destination that seamlessly blends tradition with contemporary sophistication – changing from Windsor Court Hotel to The Windsor Court.

The Windsor Court continues to bring timeless elegance and steadfast guest satisfaction. This year, the iconic hotel unveils its advancements including a transformation of the rooftop pool and a new 4th-floor event space. A fitness center refined for comfort and a reimagined Presidential Suite blends classic aesthetics with stateof-the-art amenities.

54 LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

Their dedication to New Orleans is prevalent in their new tagline, “Long Live New Orleans” symbolized through a knight in the logo, embodying noble loyalty and a crescent-shaped flag that signifies the hotel’s deep connection to the city.

As part of The Windsor Court’s evolving ethos, the coffee shop’s name has changed to the “Last Sunday Coffee Bar”. They’ve also revamped their website for a more seamless navigating experience. From the classic courtyard to the grandest of rooms, the stay they provide leaves you with unforgettable memories. For more information or to book your next stay, visit thewindsorcourt.com.

Celebrate this holiday season in DeSoto Parish with the loveliest lineup of festive events! Get into the holiday spirit at the 8th Annual Stonewall Christmas Parade on December 2nd at 6:30. Experience the charm of a small community with lighted floats and even the arrival of Santa Claus!

If you’re feeling Bah Hum Bug, on December 9th, Sounds of the Season will feature local talent performing everyone’s

(Above) Logansport

favorite holiday classics at the Village Theater during the Community Christmas Concert!

For all of December, the Logansport Festival of Lights transforms the town into a Winter Wonderland! Along the Sabine River, the festivities kick off with a grand event prior to Thanksgiving and create a magical atmosphere for over a month.

Explore Christmas in DeSoto with their many parades and celebrations throughout Stonewall, Grand Cane, and Mansfield.

Don’t miss out on these joyous moments, and to discover more about these events visit discoverdesoto.com. ■

NATU RAL STATE

Bringing an Ecosystem Back Retired pathologist, Johnny Armstrong, safeguards Wafer Creek Ranch STORY AND PHOTOS BY KEVIN RABALAIS

“M

other Nature isn’t always sweet, but she is always in charge,” writes Johnny Armstrong in “Rescuing Biodiversity: The Protection and Restoration of a North Louisiana Ecosystem.” At the ecosystem in question — Wafer Creek Ranch outside Ruston, where Armstrong and his wife, Karen, have lived for more than 40 years — nature hasn’t always had to fight as hard as it has in other places.

Cotton farmers in the 1800s reshaped much of Northwest Louisiana but stayed clear of this land. For that reason, shortleaf pine-oak-hickory woodland and grassland groundcover — virtually extinct elsewhere in the region — continue to thrive today much as they did in precolonial times.

A retired pathologist from Ruston, Armstrong sets out several times each week to explore the land he has spent the past 10 1/2 years working to protect. To do so, he merely steps out his front door. “Opal and I go on our little field trips, our little safaris,” he says of the dog

56 LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

AT A GL ANCE

LOCATION

Lincoln Parish FLORA

In the precolonial era, grasslands and shortleaf pine-oakhickory woodlands were dominant in the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain ecoregion, which spans Northwest Louisiana, Northeast Texas, part of Southeast Oklahoma, and Southwest Arkansas. They thrive today at Wafer Creek Ranch, which contains five active grasslands.

As the Wildlife Heritage Foundation states, “The importance of protecting/conserving grasslands is matched only by our need to have open spaces and breathe clean air.

These ecosystems are critical for the health of our natural world.

The grasslands provide feeding grounds for all manner of prey and predators and give balance to the world.”

(Far Left) White milkweed blooms throughout the 100-acre old growth forest at Wafer Creek Ranch.

(Left) Wafer Creek, the landmark for which the ranch was named, runs through an intact bottomland forest.

For more than a century, it has been left mostly uncut, meaning that Wafer Creek Ranch thrives in its natural and nearhistoric condition.

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 57

NATU RAL STATE

he sometimes calls Miss America.

Today, with Opal beside him in his truck, Armstrong sticks his head out the window and sniffs the land: milkweed and blazing star, sensitive-briar, downy ragged goldenrod, eastern agave, and the distant smoldering of a recent controlled burn.

In one of five active grasslands at the ranch, the kind once dominant in the region, he pulls over.

“Look at how the trees are spaced apart,” he says. “See the way the light gets in.” Armstrong speaks with the enthusiasm and wonder of a specialist examining an exemplary specimen for the first time. Beside him in the morning breeze dances waist high bluestem grass.

(Above) Due to restoration, the grasslands at Wafer Creek Ranch have led to a significant increase in plant and animal diversity. Seeds from this broomsedge grass serve as a food source for winter birds. (Above and Above Right) “Opal and I go on our little field trips, our safaris,” Armstrong says of their regular inspections of Wafer Creek Ranch.

58 LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

Through this landscape, Opal prances while Armstrong bends for closer admiration.

All told, Wafer Creek Ranch contains 160 acres of active grasslands such as this. But grasslands across the planet are being destroyed, mainly due to agricultural development. This poses a grave threat to wildlife and ecosystems that are as biodiverse as rainforests. It’s one reason Armstrong began his work here. While Opal explores in the distance, he plucks a whiteleaf mountain mint and crumples it in his hand. Lifting it to his nose, closing his eyes, he relishes the scent before returning to the truck to explore his favorite area of the property, a 100-acre old-growth forest.

Armstrong remembers when Lattimore Smith, then a botanist and restoration scientist with the Nature Conservancy, first visited this section of Wafer Creek

ADDITIONAL IMAGES ONLINE AT LOUISIANALIFE.COM

A retired pathologist, Johnny Armstrong serves as a mentor at Louisiana Tech University, working with biology professors who conduct research throughout the year, often with students, at Wafer Creek Ranch.

In 2019, he published his first novel, “Shadowshine: An Animal Adventure.”

Ranch. “Because this area has never been logged, the shortleaf pines here are older and larger than in other p l a c e s . H e h ad never seen so many shortleaf pines in so much acreage,” Armstrong says, less boastful than in awe of the riches this land — his backyard — contains.

Before Smith’s visit, Armstrong knew that Wafer Creek Ranch contained remarkable biodiversity. But seeing it through Smith’s eyes planted the seed for what became the decade of work he chronicles in “Rescuing Biodiversity.”

“It’s all Lattimore’s fault,” he says, laughing as he walks among the white flower milkweed that blooms bright as

cotton beneath the old-growth forest. “He lit the fire under me.”

With the help of Smith and others, Armstrong began this work, as he writes, “bringing an ecosystem back to close to what it was in precolonial times [to] create something on the order of a museum piece to show us what it looked like back in the days when the only people around were Native. What did they see and what did they know when they hunted and gathered in those times long past, and how did their connection to their natural surroundings affect their very survival and their culture?”

We should take the time to appreciate those who speak and write of all we have been given, those who identify the miracles of the land and what it tells us about our past and present, all that it can reveal, if we pay attention, about our future.

With Opal panting beside him, Armstrong pulls into his driveway and ponders the land outside his own front door. “You can scratch out all this biodiversity that was in these hills. You can actually find it with restoration ecology.” Pausing to pet Opal behind the ear, he says, “Isn’t that cool?”n

In June 2023, LSU Press released his book about Wafer Creek Ranch, “Rescuing Biodiversity: The Protection and Restoration of a North Louisiana Ecosystem,” a rallying cry for global biodiversity.

Armstrong considers Edward O. Wilson “the epitome of a naturalist.” In Rescuing Biodiversity and in person, he quotes the biologist and two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “On Human Nature” and “The Ants” who, in “The Diversity of Life,” writes, “Here is the means to end the great extinction spasm.

The next century will be the era of restoration in ecology.”

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T RAV ELE R

Holiday Shopping Hotspots A Louisiana bounty of gifts from art to antiques

BY CHERÉ COEN

and breakfasts, restaurants, antique shops, groceries and more and virtually impossible for the shopper to not find what they’re looking for — or close to it.

Magazine Street began as a shopping district, named for the French rue de magasins popping up along the street stretching uptown from Canal Street in the early 19th century. Today, visitors will find vintage shops, eclectic boutiques, New Orleans-centric boutiques such as Fleurty Girl and artist headquarters such as painter and author Alex Beard and jewelry designer Mignon Faget.

The lime green Fleurty Girl store on Magazine Street in New Orleans is chockful of fun Louisianathemed clothes, decor, and more.

NATCHITOCHES

I

t’s the most wonderful time of the year to shop and Louisiana delivers. We’ve compiled a few shopping districts throughout the state offering everything from antiques and collectibles to clothing and furniture. Be sure to check their calendars.

From now until the end of the year many of these shopping hotspots host holiday events.

NEW ORLEANS

For those who love to peruse stores, Magazine Street is six miles of pure bliss. The road filled with boutique shops curves like the Mississippi River from the Central Business District through the Garden District and upriver to Audubon Park. It’s a heady mix of art galleries, bed

60 LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

Strolling up historic Front Street in Natchitoches, the oldest city in Louisiana, is a treat in and of itself, but it’s also the place to find unique gifts. A good example remains Kaffie-Fredericks General Mercantile, the oldest general store in Louisiana and one that hasn’t changed much since its inception in 1863. Shelves are stocked full of classic toys, kitchenware, household items and décor and, of course, hardware. For something original, the Natchitoches Art Guild & Gallery sells creations from local artists and Plantation Treasures sells the Clementine Hunter Gitter Gallery collection. The annual holiday open house — this year Nov. 18 — happens the same time as “Turn on the Holidays,” the beginning of the city’s light extravaganza that runs through the new year.

GRAND COTEAU

PHOTO WILLIAM A. MORGAN - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

It’s a week of holiday fun in Grand Coteau, beginning with the annual Grand Noel on Nov. 25 with carriage rides, live music, a visit from Santa and the town’s antique shops and boutiques open house. On the following weekend, Dec. 1-2, Christmas at Coteau brings holiday cheer to The Academy of the Sacred Heart and Berchmans Academy with a Holiday Market.

SHREVEPORT/BOSSIER CITY

Think art when you visit Shreveport for that special gift. The Agora Borealis sells local and regional artwork, from textiles and clothing to paintings and pottery, while artspace, Shreveport’s art center in the heart of town, showcases its local pride in its gift shop. Antique lovers may prefer a stroll down Line Avenue, while those who prefer big names should choose the Louisiana Boardwalk in Bossier City. Mardi Gras and Louisiana-themed gifts constitute a good section of Tubbs Hardware & Cajun Gifts, which make perfect presents for those out of state yearning for home.

WEST MONROE

Grab a macaron at Cake or beignets at Caster and Chicory in West Monroe’s Antique Alley, then shop to your heart’s content. It’s no mistake that Southern Living called Antique Alley “a shopaholic’s delight.” Most of the several blocks that make up this district feature antique shops — vintage lovers will be in heaven here — but there’s also boutiques, jewelry stores and restaurants. Antique Alley will host their annual Christmas Market on the Alley Dec. 16.

BATON ROUGE

The Capital City region is home to two major shopping plazas, the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge and the Tanger Outlets in Gonzales. To visit locally owned boutiques, stroll down Government Street for trendy and sometimes eclectic gifts or visit downtown and pick up handmade Louisiana items at Brass

by Circa 1857.

RUSTON

Ruston’s historic downtown district runs the gamut for gifts.

There’s the latest trends at The Fashion of Ruston, home décor at Chartreuse Pear and organic and handmade clothes at Garden Baby, to name a few. Art galleries such as Creative Exchange, Ruston Artisans, Studio 301 and Fringe sell locally made items.

But don’t take our word for it, visit the shops’ Holiday Open House Nov. 16.

LAFAYETTE

Shoppers living in the Hub City visit the Oil Center, the “town centers” of the traditional neighborhood development River Ranch and smaller collection of shops such as On the Boulevard off Johnston Street. Moncus Park, the city’s new multi-functional public park, assembles artisan vendors in early December for its annual The Market at Moncus Park.

LAKE CHARLES

Downtown Lake Charles doesn’t just offer shopping opportunities, said Shalisa Roland, director of public relations at Visit Lake Charles. It offers the unique, such as the family-owned Bespoke Hat Company with its variety of head adornments and Panorama Music Exchange selling everything from band T-shirts to vinyl.

“Our downtown area is really cool,” Roland said. “I think most people don’t realize what we have.” n

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FA RT HE R FLUNG

Museums Galore Art-lovers, look no further than the seven cultural districts of Houston, Texas

BY BECCA HENSLEY

W

hen sprawling Houston comes to mind, you might think first of sporting events or rocket ships — even traffic. But in fact, the culturally-diverse city reigns as one of the world’s top destinations for arts lovers. With seven cultural districts (the largest number of any city in the United States), Houston boasts both a Theater District that spans 17 city blocks and a pedestrian-friendly Museum District that encompasses 19 storied institutions — many of them institutions of art. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston alone houses more than 70,000 pieces. Ready to see just a a few masterworks? Here’s how we like to enjoy a long weekend of artful indulgence in H-town.

SEE AND DO

Works from six continents in genres that range from antiquities to contemporary art comprise the mind bogglingly vast and dynamic Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Like a small city, the museum occupies 300,000-square feet, split into three main gallery buildings, a sculpture garden, two house museums and more — most connected by inspirational tunnels, each an oeuvre itself (think interior installations by the likes of James Turrell). The new-ish Kinder Building opened in late 2020 to showcase an outstanding Impressionist Collection, replete with works from Monet to Renoir.

62 LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

Located within steps from one another, the Rothko Chapel and The Menil Collection beckon. The abstract chapel, set amid trees on the verges of the Menil Campus, has been recently restored. A meditative sanctum, it holds 14 paintings

by Rothko, each a symphony of darkness, illuminated in dappled light by a Pantheon-like skylight. Steps away, The Menil Collection shelters in a Renzo Piano-designed building commissioned by John and Dominique de Menil to display their celebrated private collection. Contrasting with the classic neighborhood that surrounds the 20-acre museum grounds, the Menil’s interior galleries provide an imaginative world of eclectic masterpieces. A stronghold of prints, photographs, sculptures, paintings, objet d’art and drawings, the Menil safeguards 17,000 pieces, 10,000 of them collected by the de Menils from 1940-1990. The stand alone, Renzo Piano-designed Cy Twombly Gallery vaunts what critics deem the artist’s finest works.

Promising fun and enlightenment for the whole family the interactive Houston Center for Contemporary Crart is ensconced in a reimagined warehouse, enlivened by a craft garden. An ode to imaginative and conceptual art made from clay, found/repurposed materials, glass, metal, fiber and wood, HCCC brims with art-filled galleries. But, perhaps most importantly, it ensures the making of art becomes real for visitors who can socialize with resident artists — metalsmiths, potters, weavers and more — as they work in their studios. Everything is educational. The garden, for example, has plants that weavers use to make dye. Art classes and workshops abound each season.

STAY

Like a metaphor for the glories of the Museum District’s largesse and creative prowess, this seminal boutique hotel lies in the heart of the art-centric action. Decadently splendorous, unabashedly unique, Hotel ZaZa will feel like the complementary activity to your day in the galleries — the grand finale. Consider one of the Concept Suites, each a lustrous work of art — like sleeping in an installation. Don’t forget your swimsuit. The resort-sized pool delights. n

(Left) Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (Middle) Hotel ZaZa Museum District (Right) Margarita at Urbe

DINE Go Uptown to enjoy James Beard awardwinning chef Hugo Ortega’s spellbinding Urbe. With a colorful concept first envisioned with Ortega’s cookbook that highlighted Mexico’s street food, Urbe opened at last in 2021 to the delight of eager eaters everywhere.

Appropriate to your arts foray because the culinary arts define a place, this unpretentious exploration of Mexico’s diverse gastronomy encompasses a variety of locales and traditions from Jalisco to Puebla.

PHOTO COURTESY: MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON; HOTEL ZAZA MUSEUM DISTRICT; URBE

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PHOTO CONTE ST

Joie Ride Coasting past the setting sun and the Spanish moss in White Kitchen Preserve, Slidell

BY ALICIA GOURD, TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA

64 LOUISIANA LIFE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

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