Officers
HOLLY HOLLAND
PRESIDENT
Holly Holland serves as the Public Information Officer for the Calcasieu Parish School Board, where she’s been for over eight years. She is a product of Calcasieu Parish public schools, and following graduation she furthered her educational career at Henderson State University in Arkansas, earning a degree in Mass Media.
During her tenure as Public Information Officer, Holly has navigated the district through numerous natural disasters, a school shooting, a superintendent transition, and more. Prior to serving as PIO, she served in a Community Relations role at the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s Office and as a General News Reporter at KPLC.
Holly is the current president-elect of the Louisiana School Public Relations Association (LASPRA) and is a member of the National School Public Relations Association.
PAST PRESIDENT
Jackie Tisdell oversees all communications for Ascension Public Schools as the district’s Public Information Officer, a position she has held since 2015. Ascension enrolls over 24,000 and employs 3,500 teachers and staff. Under her leadership, the district has earned seven national awards including the National School Public Relations Association’s Gold Medallion in 2017 and the Golden Achievement award in 2021. Prior to working in Ascension, Tisdell spent 12 years at the University of Louisiana System overseeing communications for the Board of Supervisors and its nine public universities.
She currently serves as the founding President of the Louisiana School Public Relations Association, President of the Leadership Ascension Foundation, and on the Advisory Council of the Ascension Early Childhood Ready Start Network. Her previous service included serving six years on the following: a parent representative on the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education's Special Education Advisory Panel (SEAP), the Ascension Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Ascension Committee, and Volunteer Ascension's Board of Directors.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Centenary College and a master’s degree in mass communication from Louisiana State University. Jackie has been married to Eric Tisdell for 22 years. They have two children, Jackson and Max, who attend Ascension Public Schools.
JACKIE TISDELL
MARY HELEN DOWNEY
SECRETARY
Mary Helen Downey serves as the Community Engagement Coordinator for the Rapides Parish School Board. She’s a graduate of Louisiana State University’s Manship School of Mass Communication, where she concentrated in Print Journalism. She earned her Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Northwestern State University. Having taught in the classroom for over a decade, she understands the importance and the impact of education.
Mary Helen served as the campaign manager for two successful bond initiatives, in 2022 and 2023, that garnered $111 million in funds for facility improvement and expansion. Her work centers around amplifying the voices and stories of over 22,000 students and 3,000 employees who are part of Rapides Parish Public Schools. She contributes monthly to local publications and maintains positive relationships with media partners.
Mary Helen also serves as the secretary of the Louisiana School Public Relations Association (LASPRA) and is a member of the National School Public Relations Association. She and her LASPRA colleagues present at various conferences on topics that aim to enhance the quality of communications from school districts.
TREASURER
With a career spanning more than two decades, Regina McMillan has been employed by St. Charles Parish Public Schools since 1998 and assumed her current position of Director of Public Information in 2022. Her exemplary work in school communications has garnered numerous national awards, highlighting her commitment to excellence and innovation in the field.
Regina is a distinguished presenter at both the state and national levels, having shared her expertise at conferences and meetings of the National School Public Relations Association, Eastern States Consortium of the American Association of School Administrators, Louisiana School Public Relations Association, Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, and the Louisiana Department of Education.
Regina's commitment to service extends beyond the school system as a member of the United Way of St. Charles' Executive Board, St. Charles Parish Economic Development Council, River Region Chamber of Commerce, St. Charles Parish 4-H Advisory Leadership Council, and Treasurer and founding member of the Louisiana School Public Relations Association.
A proud alumna of St. Charles Parish Public Schools, Regina graduated as Valedictorian (Summa Cum Laude) from Nicholls State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication, specializing in Public Relations, and a minor in Government.
An active member of Holy Family Catholic Church, Regina is married to her high school sweetheart and fellow SCPPS alum, Mike McMillan, and has two daughters.
REGINA MCMILLAN
TED BEASLEY
COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR
Ted Beasley has nearly 20 years of experience as an award-winning communicator and educator. An accomplished story-teller, Beasley has been recognized on the state and national levels for writing, crisis communication, social media, web design, video production, and photography. He currently serves as deputy chief of communication for the Louisiana Department of Education. Prior to his time with the LDOE, Beasley was communication director for Jefferson Parish Schools.
A Memphis native, he served Shelby County Schools as a writer, producer, and video coordinator. In that role, he was also an instructor for Germantown High’s nationally-recognized, student-led TV station GHS-TV. Beasley advised on over two dozen student Emmy-winning projects and oversaw live student newscasts, talk shows, and election night coverage. He earned his master’s in strategic communication from Arkansas State University and his bachelor’s in journalism and technical writing from the University of Memphis.
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR
Sonja Bailes is Public Relations Liaison for Bossier Schools, a position she has held for more than 12 years after spending 20 years in television news.
Sonja is a Journalism graduate from Louisiana Tech University, where she served as editor of the college newspaper and news director of the campus radio station. She landed her first television job at KNOE-TV in Monroe, then joined KTBS-TV in Shreveport as the consumer/investigative reporter before being tapped as co-anchor of the morning show. She now oversees internal, external and Superintendent communications for Bossier Schools, social media and facilitates media coverage and coordinates district events.
Aside from her professional life, Sonja is heavily involved in community service and non-profit work and is an Athena Award nominee and Virginia K. Shehee Most Influential Woman honoree.
SONJA BAILES
