Human Development Center

Who We Are


HDC Director

Phil Wilson headshot

Philip "Phil" Wilson, Ph.D.

Philip (Phil) Wilson is director of the Human Development Center and LEND, and a Professor in the School of Allied Health Professions at LSU Health Sciences Center-New Orleans.  Phil began working at a residential facility for youth with intense and pervasive intellectual disabilities in 1979 after completing an undergraduate degree at Wabash College in psychology.  He later obtained a Master’s degree in Behavior Analysis and Therapy at Southern Illinois University- Carbondale.  He worked in a supported independent living center for youth with disabilities and a group home for individuals with traumatic brain injuries who were transitioning from acute care to supported community living while obtaining his Masters.  In the early 1980’s, during the “early days of the supported employment movement”, Phil took a job at an institution in western North Carolina, where he focused on finding employment opportunities in the community for residents of the institution. Although he was able to successfully place and support a number of residents of the facility obtain and maintain employment; he was disappointed that the despite achieving community employment the individuals he supported were not able to participate in the full array of community settings and activities due to their institutionalization.  Discouraged by the seemingly insurmountable obstacles to community living and agency caused by institutionalization, Phil went back to school and earned a Ph.D. in Special Education at the University of Illinois’ Transition Institute.  Subsequently, Phil worked at the Colorado Department of Education as a senior consultant in Severe Disabilities, and later as a member of the National Fragile X syndrome evaluation and research team before taking a job at Western Kentucky University as head of the Severe Disabilities teachers training program.  In 1999, Phil joined the faculty of the Human Development Center and in 2006 he became the Director of the Human Development Center.  He served as an “at large” member of the Board for the Association for University Centers on Disability from 2016-2018. 

Throughout Phil’s career, his focus has been on supporting individuals with developmental disabilities to participate fully in the community and preparing future generations of professionals to continue moving society toward improved quality of life, agency and full participation in the community by persons with disabilities. 


Business Office

Mitze Jones Headshot

Mitze Bruce Jones

Business Manager


Angelica Bruno headshot

Angelica Bruno

Assistant Business Manager

Angelica is driven by supporting others in common goal. She takes pride in providing the best possible outcome with mindfulness, multitasking and processes geared to streamline tasks efficiently as a team. Before coming to LSU, she worked in the private sector for nearly two decades and has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of South Alabama.  She is excited to work for programs that do so much good for the community.

Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her husband, who is a New Orleans firefighter, and three grown daughters and granddaughter. Her hobbies include renovating their historical home and working in garden with Saints dog, cat and the occasional cruise or camping trip in the popup camper.


Lynn Lallier headshot

Lynn Lallier

Associate Business Manager

 


Web Outreach Team

Laura Stazio headshot

Laura Stazio, MS, CESP

Head of Outreach Team

Laura Stazio is a Certified Employment Support Professional. She has been working at HDC since 2012 on Employment Initiatives to increase the capacity of Supported Employment Agencies in Louisiana through training and mentoring. At HDC, she also works on Web and Graphics Design, and is the Data Coordinator for the National Information Reporting System (NIRS). She is currently the President of the Louisiana Association for Persons Supporting Employment First (LA APSE). Laura completed the HDC training program in Leadership Education on Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) in 2013. Prior to living in New Orleans, Laura lived in Montreal Canada where she was an Assistive Technology Specialist for Canada’s Eastern Provinces. She was called upon to teach, implement, program and adapt assistive technology devices and was involved in the development of French products. Prior to working in Assistive Technology, Laura Stazio worked in the telecommunications industry as a Senior Systems Engineer. Laura graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Tulane University in Biomedical Engineering, and from Columbia University in New York City with a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering.


Jolie Robichaux headshot

Jolie Robichaux

Coordinator of Outreach and eLearning

Jolie Robichaux is the outreach coordinator for the Human Development Center. After receiving her Bachelor’s in Public Relations from the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication, she gained experience in digital marketing, event production, and outreach initiatives that support individuals with developmental disabilities.  

Jolie is driven by outcomes that connect the community with services and resources that enhance quality of life and wellbeing, and so, she works hard to create accessible outreach campaigns targeting those who need it most. Her highest priority at the HDC is to strengthen its influence across Louisiana and within the UCEDD network by highlighting the HDC’s unique regional characteristics that shape its excellent services and success stories. She is also eager to nurture an identity within HDC to better bind its initiative areas together.

You can find Jolie bopping around HDC’s halls to learn about the initiatives’ latest developments or managing HDC’s social media pages in her office at room 473 - please visit! When she’s off the clock, you can find Jolie eating Cajun boiled crabs when they're in season or dancing in a crowd when it's safe to do so (bio was written during COVID-19 lockdown). Otherwise, Jolie is happily at home with her partner and two cats in Bayou St. John.  


Stuart Simon headshot

Stuart Simon, MM, MLIS

Digital Technology Specialist

Stuart, whose father is a photographer, was born in St. Louis but grew up in New Orleans. Stuart holds a BS in Music from Millsaps College from 2007, and two Master’s Degrees, both from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and both from 2012. One is in Music History, and the other is in Library and Information Science. After that, Stuart returned to New Orleans and pursued a post-baccalaureate certificate in applied computing with an emphasis on Integrated Application Development, receiving it in May 2016. In 2018, Stuart received a Certificate in Web Accessibility from the University of South Australia in Adelaide and the Centre for Inclusive Design in Sydney, Australia. Stuart began working at HDC in February, 2016.  His duties are varied and include: graphics specialist, webmaster, database specialist, and photographer. Outside of work, he enjoys music, New Orleans cultural life, and singing in the choir at Touro Synagogue. Stuart can be reached at ssimo3@lsuhsc.edu or you can visit him in his office in the Human Development Center building in room 468.


Early Childhood Initiatives

Initiative Area Director

Maria Blanco headshot
Maria Blanco, M.Ed.

Maria Blanco is an experienced early childhood specialist. Driven by a desire to help all children reach their potential, she takes pride in building the capacity of systems to provide quality early learning experiences. As an early childhood advocate, her goals include working with communities to increase access to high quality, inclusive early childhood programs and supporting professionals and families to identify developmental concerns as early as possible. In addition to developing, implementing and evaluating early childhood programs, she provides training and technical assistance in early intervention, inclusive practices, and developmental screening and surveillance. Maria represents the interests of children and families with disabilities on numerous state and local boards and commissions. Maria and her husband enjoy entertaining friends, and spending time with their three daughters (the youngest of whom has autism), four grandchildren, and two Australian shepherds.


Early Head Start Child Care Partnership

Early Head Start Who We Are Page
 
Katie Rambeau headshot

Katie Rambeau, Program Manager

 
Asia Edwards headshot

Asia Edwards, Family and Community Specialist

 
Ritu Dua headshot

Ritu Dua, Employment Specialist

 
Courtney Bissonnette headshot

Courtney Bissonnette, Health Specialist



Early Learning Center

Early Learning Center Who We Are Page
 
Kisha Petty headshot

Kisha Petty, Center Director

 
Susie Jones headshot

Susie Jones, Lead Teacher for Mixed-Age Classroom

 
Clarissa Carmouche headshot

Clarissa Carmouche, Teacher Assistant

 
Arden Doskey headshot

Arden Doskey, Assistant Teacher for Infants and Toddlers


Education and Transition Initiatives

Initiative Area Director

Ali Kowitz headshot
Ali Kowitz, M.Ed., T/P

Ali originally joined HDC as a Facilitator for the LSUHSC Human Development Center’s LASARD Project. She received her Bachelor of Science – Elementary Education degree from Louisiana State University (Geaux Tigers!) in 2007. In 2012, she received a Master of Education – Special Education (grades 1-12) from Northwestern State University. Prior to joining the HDC, Ali worked as a Special Education Teacher (inclusive and resource settings), Special Education Coordinator, Section 504 Coordinator, PBIS Chair, SBLC Chair, and IEP Facilitator in St. Tammany Parish. Additionally, Ali is an Educational Therapist and focuses on helping children and adults with ADHD, learning disabilities, and executive functioning skills. Ali is an advocate for inclusive practices and is passionate about working with schools to build inclusive and accessible environments for all learners. When she’s not at work, you can find Ali out on the water (boating or paddle boarding); doing other outdoorsy stuff; and, hanging out with her family, two dogs (Louie and Echo), and Cactus – the Bearded Dragon.


LASARD

 
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Chris Champagne, Facilitator

 
Donna Hammons headshot

Donna Hammons, facilitator

 
Melinda Luna headshot

Melinda Luna, Facilitator

 
Amy Ward headshot

Amy Ward, Facilitator

 
Lisa Davison headshot

Lisa Davison, Facilitator

 
Jennifer Boyter headshot

Jennifer Boyter, Facilitator

 
Constance Alphonse headshot

Constance Alphonse, Facilitator

 
Maia Thibodeaux headshot

Maia Thibodeaux, Facilitator

 
Tara Lark headshot

Tara Lark, Facilitator

 
Krista James headshot

Krista James, Facilitator

 
Tracy O'Donnell headshot

Tracy O'Donnell, Facilitator


Louisiana Deafblind Project

 
Nicky Gillies headshot

NIcky Gillies, Director

 
Rose Angelocci headshot

Rose Angelocci, Coordinator


Employment Initiatives

Employment First

 
Laura Stazio headshot

Laura Stazio, Lead Instructor


West South Central Workforce Planning and Assistance

 
Donald "Ray" Leger headshot

Donald "Ray" Leger, Project Manager

 
Rose Angelocci headshot

Rose Angelocci, Benefits Planner


Interdisciplinary Programs

LEND

 
Konstance Causey headshot

Konstance Causey, LEND Coordinator

 
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Chris Champagne, Capstone Coordinator

 
Liz Gary headshot

Liz Gary, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator

 
Rose Angelocci headshot

Rose Angelocci, Mentor Faculty

 
Megan Guidry headshot

Megan Guidry, Audiology Mentor Faculty

 
Leslie Lopez headshot

Leslie Lopez, Speech-Language Pathology Mentor Faculty

 
Julie Schiavo headshot

Julie Schiavo, Capstone Mentor Faculty

 
Stuart Simon headshot

Stuart Simon, Mentor Faculty


Interprofessional Preparation Program

 
Michael Norman headshot

Michael Norman, Project Director

 
Annette Hurley

Annette Hurley, Department Head and Audiology Program Director, Associate Professor of Audiology


Community Health

ASDID Clinic

 
Katie Rambeau headshot

Katie Rambeau, Early Interventionist

 
Kim Sherman headshot

Kim Sherman, Licensed Psychologist


FASD Initiatives

 
Michael Norman headshot

Michael Norman, Project Director