Nexus Louisiana Announces Industry-Led Board and Organizational Expansion as Part of Elevated Brand Strategy

Baton Rouge, La. — Nexus Louisiana today announced a newly structured, industry-led Board of Directors and expanded leadership team as part of an elevated brand strategy that reflects a year of intentional organizational evolution.

For the first time in its history, Nexus Louisiana’s Board is comprised of leaders deeply rooted in technology, innovation, research, and capital formation. The board is chaired by Ross Reilly, President of the Outdoor Division at Lamar Advertising, and includes:

• Padma Vatsavai, CEO, Vinformatix (Co-Chair)
• Angie Jones, Global Vice President of Developer Relations, Block
• Andy Quick, Former Chief AI Officer, Entergy
• Anita Byrne, Partner, SSA Consultants
• Danielle Brown, Global Head of Marketing, Google and YouTube
• Joey Coco, President and CEO, Forte & Tablada
• Edmund Giering, General Counsel, Baton Rouge Area Foundation
• Stephanie Hartman, Director of Small Business Services, Louisiana Economic Development
• Robert Twilley, PhD, Vice President of Research and Economic Development, Louisiana State University
• Brian Warren, PhD, Assistant Professor, Southern University and A&M College

“This board represents a deliberate shift,” said Reilly. “Nexus is aligning its governance with the realities of today’s technology economy. The rebrand is simply an outward expression of that work.”

Over the past year, Nexus Louisiana has evolved from a traditional tech park into a more coordinated statewide platform for founders, engineers, and computer scientists to launch and scale technology companies in Louisiana. The organization has strengthened university alignment, expanded founder development programming, deepened industry-connected innovation challenges, and refined its capital readiness approach.

That work is informing a comprehensive 2030 Strategic Plan currently in development with support from the JPMorgan Chase Foundation. The plan will formalize a long-term framework for aligning talent, industry, and capital to grow Louisiana’s technology economy.

Supporting this next phase is an expanded leadership team. Kyle Finke serves as Chief Administrative Officer, guiding operational and financial strategy. Na’Tisha Natt serves as Director of External Relations, strengthening corporate partnerships and external engagement. Kendrick Alridge leads founder engagement and ecosystem alignment as Director of Founder and Ecosystem Development. London Jackson has joined as Marketing Manager, stewarding the organization’s digital presence.

“Louisiana has extraordinary talent across our universities, industries, and communities,” said Tony Zanders, President and CEO of Nexus Louisiana. “By aligning the right partners and building the right team, we are creating an environment where top talent can stay here, build here, and deploy technology solutions that address some of the world’s toughest challenges.

Nexus Louisiana partnered with ThreeSixtyEight, a Louisiana-based creative agency known for its work helping organizations clarify their mission and tell more compelling stories,  to develop the organization’s elevated brand strategy. The collaboration focused on translating Nexus Louisiana’s evolving role into a clear, compelling brand that reflects its growing emphasis on talent development, industry alignment, and innovation-driven economic growth.

“Tony and the Nexus team have an exceptionally sharp vision for what Louisiana can become as a technology leader,” said Jeremy Beyt, CEO of ThreeSixtyEight. “We’ve already seen a tremendous groundswell of support as Nexus steps into this more focused chapter. Our goal with the brand work was to reflect the momentum already building around the organization and clearly communicate the role Nexus plays in connecting talent, industry, and capital across Louisiana.”

The brand strategy includes a new visual identity and website designed to better communicate the organization’s mission and expanding statewide role. Grounded in its original legislative charter, Nexus Louisiana remains committed to strengthening Louisiana’s innovation economy through coordinated partnerships, disciplined execution, and long-term collaboration.

For more information, visit nexusla.org.

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