Board Member and Annual Member Spotlight
Mollie Broussard
You've been involved with the Community Foundation in several ways over the years. As a Board Member and member of our Professional Advisor Council, what keeps you engaged and why is this work important to you?
It started with just my love for this community, which in my mind includes the five-parish area.
I was born and raised in Vinton, LA, then after high school moved to Iowa, LA, then moved to Carlys to be closer to my mom and lastly moved to Lake Charles! So, I have lived from one end of Calcasieu Parish to the other!
As a CPA in public practice, I have worked with clients in Cameron, Jeff Davis, Beauregard, and Allen parishes. This has given me the opportunity to travel to all these areas and become acquainted with the people, and their needs.
Lastly, the main objective that I love about the Community Foundation is the goal of leaving things better than you found them. I feel like management, board members and all the various council members follow this same objective! It is great to be involved with the Foundation.
What do you wish more people understood about charitable giving and the role professional advisors can play?
It is not just about giving cash! It always amazes me when I talk to individuals/companies about how little they understand about the various ways to give to a charity. Charities can be supported by cash, non-cash property, giving your time, and structured financial tools like a Donor-Advised Fund or legacy planning.
I normally will talk to someone about their goal in giving. As a CPA a lot of time it is about saving tax dollars. But sometimes this is not the only objective. It can be about wanting to contribute to a specific project, a cure for a disease, or religious values.
Whatever the reason, a plan can be structured overtime in order to reach your goals. And when you also save on taxes, it is a win-win situation!
What are you looking forward to on Friday, August 28,2026 at our Continuing Education Seminar?
My favorite part of the seminar is the networking, which includes listening to other ideas on how transactions can be structured whether it is from the instructor or from the participants. How often do you get Face-to-face access to a group of financial planners, CPA’s, brokers, and attorneys where you can talk directly to them?
You're also involved with This Is Home Fest, which celebrates everything that makes Southwest Louisiana special. What does that event mean to you, and why do you think experiences like it are important for our community?
Yes, I love being involved with This Is Home Fest. This started with my love for music and the shutdown of the area for Hurricane Laura. The founding group felt like the community needed some music, art and fun to welcome us back to the community! With my home being destroyed by the Hurricane it was very special to me. And it happened! I personally have grown with listening to the different genres of music. Which open the door for me to grow in my knowledge of the different instruments used, the rhythms, the vocal styles, and the cultural backgrounds.
And it is not just about the music, the Kid Zone, the artwork, scholarships, and the Art/Food Vendors are just amazing. And it is not just about the day of the festival. For instance, we are currently working with the Community Foundation to add musical instruments to Millennium Park.
I so enjoy working on the board for TIHF. There are a lot of young individuals within our community that work on the TIHF board. I love this! I like seeing the involvement of the younger generations in the community!
The Bayou Greenbelt is helping connect people to our region's natural beauty, including our waterways. As someone who enjoys life on the water, what excites you most about projects like the Bayou Greenbelt?
The recreation side of Bayou Greenbelt is very exiting to me. From water trails for canoeing, kayaking and boating to the riverbank trails for walking, running and biking! This comes back to leaving things better than we found them. Love sitting on my back porch watching the kayakers and fishing boats taking advantage of Contraband Bayou!
Boat day essentials: what's always on board with you?
Friends and life jackets! If you have never had the opportunity to cruise around the waterways of southwest Louisiana, you are missing out! It is absolutely beautiful.