Board of Directors – Louisiana Bar Foundation

2026-27 Officers

Vice President

Charles C. "Chuck" Bourque, Jr. (2023-2029) St. Martin and Bourque
Charles C. "Chuck" Bourque, Jr. is a New Orleans native, but currently resides in Houma, where he is a partner in the law firm of St. Martin & Bourque. Chuck graduated from LSU with a degree in accounting and received his Juris Doctorate from Loyola University School of Law in 1990. Prior to entering law school, Chuck served as an officer and helicopter pilot in the United States Army and continued flying helicopters in the Louisiana Army National Guard until he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2011. He is licensed to practice before all state and federal courts in Louisiana and is an active member of the Terrebonne Parish, New Orleans, Louisiana State, Federal, and American Bar Associations.

Treasurer

Colleen C. Jarrott (2025-2030) Clark Hill
Colleen C. Jarrott is a Senior Director with Clark Hill Public Strategies. Colleen is based in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office where she represents clients in the oil and gas, natural resources, renewables, transportation, and other industries in a broad spectrum of transactions, contract negotiations, regulatory compliance and defense, and complex commercial litigation. She received her B.A. from The Catholic University of America and her J.D. from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law.

Secretary

George D. "Dave" Ernest III (2022-2031) Hurlburt, Monrose & Ernest
George D. "Dave" Ernest III is a shareholder at Hurlburt, Monrose, and Ernest in Lafayette. Dave's diverse practice focuses on defense casualty litigation. He graduated summa cum laude from Louisiana State University and earned his law degree from Paul M. Hebert Law School where he was on the Louisiana Law Review and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. After completing law school, Dave clerked for the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and held various leadership positions, including chair of the Lafayette Bar Foundation and president of the Lafayette/Acadiana Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. He is currently the board chair at Acadiana Legal Service Corporation, and he serves on the boards of the Lafayette Bar Foundation and the Lafayette/Acadiana Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. In 2022 he received the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Friend of Pro Bono Award.

Immediate Past President

Edmund J. Giering IV (2019-2027) Baton Rouge Area Foundation
Edmund J. Giering IV serves as general counsel to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and his practice emphasizes corporate law & governance, corporate, real estate & complex gift transactions, risk management, and nonprofit & tax-exempt organizations. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1990, a Juris Doctor degree from the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 1994, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business in 2005.

2026-27 Board of Directors

Mark L. Barbre (2025-2028) Long Law Firm, LLP
Mark L. Barbre is a native of Baton Rouge and a partner at Long Law Firm, LLP. Mark has a diverse civil practice with an emphasis on business and governmental matters. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1999 and taught high school upon graduation. He received his Master of Business Administration degree from the LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business in 2005 and his Juris Doctor degree from the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 2006.

Christopher B. Hebert (2022-2028) Louisiana Gaming Control Board
LSBA House of Delegates Representative
Christopher B. Hebert is Gaming Control Board Chairman. Chris has served as an Assistant Attorney General for over 10 years. He previously served as a clerk for the Hon. Judge James Best of the 18th Judicial District Court in New Roads. Last year, Chris was appointed by the President of the National Bar Association to the Council of the Louisiana Law Institute. He is an immediate Past Director of the National Bar Association, Region V, and a former member of the Board of Governors for the National Bar Association. Chris earned his bachelor's degree from Louisiana State University and his law degree from the Southern University Law Center, where he was honored as Alumnus of the Year in 2015.

Hon. Marcus L. Hunter (2023-2027) Court of Appeal, 2nd Circuit State of Louisiana
Hon. Marcus L. Hunter received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Southern University in 2002 and a Juris Doctor in 2005 from the Southern University Law Center, both in Baton Rouge. After being admitted to the Louisiana Bar Association, Judge Hunter opened a small business, United Title of Northeast Louisiana, and is an attorney in Willie Hunter Jr., and Associates in Monroe at which he practiced alongside his father and brother.

Jason A. Matt (2025-2028) Law Offices of Matt & Allen
Jason A. Matt is a managing partner at the Law Offices of Matt & Allen, in Lafayette, practicing plaintiff personal injury law. In 2006, he received his B.S. from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in Mechanical Engineering, and in 2010 he obtained his J.D. from Loyola College of Law in New Orleans. Immediately following law school, he returned to Lafayette and served as a federal law clerk in the Western District of Louisiana before joining Matt & Allen. He has served on various community boards and committees.

Sheri M. Morris (2023-2027) Daigle Fisse & Kessenich
Sheri M. Morris is a partner with Daigle, Fisse & Kessenich, where she manages the Baton Rouge Office. Her practice is focused on representing local and state agencies in a broad range of civil matters. She previously served as General Counsel to the Louisiana Secretary of State, an Assistant Attorney General, and the City Attorney for the City of Central. She received a B.S. in Psychology from Louisiana State University and a J.D. degree from the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 1991.

Kelly M. Rabalais (2025-2028) St. Tammany Health System
Kelly M. Rabalais is Chief Strategy Officer for St. Tammany Health System. She has a Juris Doctor and a master’s degree in healthcare administration. She has served numerous terms on the LSBA Board of Governors and the Louisiana Bar Journal Editorial Board. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, is certified by the Public Relations Society of America and has obtained the designation of Health Law Specialist, certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization. Previously, she served as Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Counsel for St. Tammany Parish Government from 2007-2020. She was previously appointed to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board by Chief Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown from 2018 to 2024 where she served as Vice- Chair from 2023-2024. She is the recipient of the 2021 LSBA Stephen T. Victory Memorial Award and the 2016 BGR Excellence in Government Merit Award.

Shayna L. Sonnier (2026-2029) Veron Bice
Shayna L. Sonnier earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and ultimately, a Juris Doctorate from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law. Since 2005 she has focused on general litigation, family law, estate planning, and successions, and licensed both in Louisiana and Texas. Shayna recently joined Veron Bice, LLC and became the President-Elect of the Louisiana State Bar Association.

Anthony J. Staines (2023-2027) Staines, Epplining & Kenney, LLC
Philanthropic Community at Large
Anthony J. Staines received a Bachelor of Science from the University of New Orleans in 1976 and earned a Juris Doctorate from Louisiana State University Law Center in 1980. Following law school, Staines served a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Frank J. Poloza, United States District Court, Middle District of Louisiana. In addition to his regular practice, he has served as a delegate to the Louisiana State Bar Association; has been a member of the faculty for the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy; a participant in Professionalism Orientation for the Louisiana State Bar Association; has presented articles to the admiralty committee of the Maritime Law Association and has presented at the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute Seminar. Tony has also participated in pro bono litigation in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, and is a Board Member of the New Orleans Military and Maritime Academy. Tony is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeal, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits, United States District Courts, Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana, and all Louisiana state courts.

Hon. Raymond S. Steib, Jr. (2025-2029) 24th Judicial District Court Division A<br
Hon. Raymond S. Steib, Jr. graduated from the Loyola University College of Law New Orleans in 1982. He was a solo practitioner in Gretna, Louisiana until he was elected to the bench of the 24th Judicial District Court in Jefferson Parish in May 2010. Judge Steib served in the LSBA House of Delegates for many years; he was President of the Jefferson Bar Association in 2002, President of Southeast Louisiana Legal Services from 2005-2006, and Past President of St. Thomas More Catholic Lawyers Association. Judge Steib currently serves on the LSBA Access to Justice Committee, Committee on the Profession and Nominating Committee. </br

Hon. Karelia R. Stewart (2024-2027) First Judicial District Court
Judicial District Judges Association Designee
In August of 2014, Hon. Karelia R. Stewart was elected without opposition to Section 1, Division D of the First Judicial District Court. By Order of the Louisiana Supreme Court, she took the bench in her official capacity on October 1, 2014. Judge Stewart is currently assigned in the Family Court Division. She is a merit scholar and 2004 honor graduate of Loyola University School of Law New Orleans and a 2001 cum laude graduate from Dillard University in New Orleans.

Brooke C. Tigchelaar (2025-2028) Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann L.L.C.
Brooke C. Tigchelaar concentrates her practice in family law, including divorce, property partition, custody, and support. She also has experience in commercial litigation, including general business litigation and products liability disputes. Brooke was recognized by Chambers and Partners in the High Net Worth Guide for Family/Matrimonial Law, as a "Top Lawyer" by New Orleans Magazine, and most recently, by Best Lawyers for Family Law. She has previously been recognized as a Rising Star by Louisiana Super Lawyers and as a Leadership in Law honoree by New Orleans CityBusiness. She received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Loyola University College of Law and her undergraduate degree from Tulane University. She is involved with volunteer programs, including staffing of the self-help desk for pro se litigants. Brooke has previously served on the board of Louisiana Appleseed. She joined Stone Pigman in 2008.