The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) Board of Directors voted unanimously Monday, June 15 to re-elect Sharon Gahagan as Board Chair and Tony Davis as Vice-Chair.

Gahagan, a retired speech/language pathologist and reading specialist and a lifelong advocate for education, was first appointed to the board in 1989 and first elected Chair in 1997. She has been reappointed to the board by six Louisiana governors and has served with six executive directors. During this time, she has represented LSMSA on a local, state, and national level and has supported the school through many positive, unique and challenging times.

“I am deeply honored to have been re-elected as Chair of the Board of Directors for LSMSA,” said Gahagan. “I am well aware of the challenges and responsibilities associated with serving as Chair, and I am grateful to have the Board’s trust and confidence. I pledge to continue to remain committed to the mission of the school.”

“As Executive Director, I continue to appreciate the history that Mrs. Gahagan offers to me in her role as Board Chair,” said Dr. Steve Horton. “So much of the School’s policy and procedure came from the work of earlier LSMSA administrations and governing boards. Her ability to bring those beliefs to today’s discussions allows for consistency and respect for the goals for the original school.”

Davis leads the national Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) network of more than 30 chapters across more than a dozen states that partner with nearly 400 manufacturing employers to create global-best, entry-level multiskilled maintenance technicians to keep advanced facilities producing products, paying wages, and moving the economy forward.

Serving as District 4 Representative to the Louisiana Board of Elementary & Secondary Education, Davis was elected as a non-educator to represent approximately 595,000 constituents, bringing his private industry perspective to positively influence K-12 education policies, early childhood education and workforce training.

“I am delighted to have Tony Davis serving as Vice-Chair of the Board,” said Gahagan. “Tony is a very capable leader and will certainly be an asset.

Davis was appointed to the LSMSA Board in April 2016 and first elected as Vice-Chair in June 2018.