Our Lady of the Lake Foundation announced that Ann Marie Marmande, CFRE, has been named its president. The announcement follows an intensive and months-long search led by Tom Adamek, a current Foundation board member and chairperson of the Foundation Search Committee. Marmande comes into this role having served most recently as senior vice president of principal gifts with the LSU Foundation. She will begin her new duties effective Jan. 15, 2020.
“Our organization is most fortunate to welcome Ann Marie Marmande to the role of President. She is an accomplished and highly-respected philanthropy executive and a devoted leader for our community and state. Every interaction with Ann Marie conveys her professionalism, integrity and enthusiasm and I believe she’s as eager to begin as we are to have her,” said Tom Adamek, chairperson of the Our Lady of the Lake Foundation Search Committee. “The collaborative opportunities under her leadership are tremendous. Recognizing the importance of this selection, our search committee included Our Lady of the Lake executives and Board members and I have been honored to chair this task. We had many great candidates to consider and are thrilled Ann Marie has accepted the position.”
“Ann Marie has devoted the past 20 years to LSU, leading in roles ranging from stewardship to million dollar-plus gifts and playing an integral role in developing a blueprint that has transformed fundraising at LSU,” said Clarence P. Cazalot Jr., chairperson of the LSU Foundation Board of Directors. “I’ve had the opportunity to partner with her in those efforts for nearly the same span of time. Ann Marie is deeply committed to donor-centric fundraising and is particularly passionate about the power of philanthropy to improve health and well-being. She is a natural fit for this role, and while we are disappointed to lose her on our team, we are proud that the expertise she honed at LSU will now benefit the healthcare community in Louisiana.”
During her 20-year tenure, Marmande has led a number of successful and significant initiatives at the LSU Foundation, culminating in the recent launch of a $1.5 billion campaign. She served as a key strategist in creating a comprehensive blueprint for achieving LSU’s philanthropic potential across its eight campuses statewide and, notably, has helped spearhead efforts for successful coordination and collaboration among LSU’s foundations. She has also been directly responsible for supporting the philanthropy activities of LSU’s most senior executives, including the president and provost, as well as the LSU Foundation Board of Directors.
“I am honored to have been selected for this role. Throughout the interview process, I was inspired by the absolute commitment to Our Lady of the Lake’s mission of healing and by the leadership team’s dedication to the core values of the hospital and its role in our community. I am exceedingly grateful for the time I spent at LSU, particularly for the opportunity to have worked with so many extraordinary donors and colleagues for the benefit of LSU and my home state,” said Marmande. “I believe in the power of philanthropy, exemplified by the many transformations I’ve witnessed at LSU and at Our Lady of the Lake, and most recently through Our Lady of the Lake’s role in the development of their Children’s Hospital. I look forward to working with Our Lady of the Lake’s donors, leaders, staff, and many community stakeholders to advance the Foundation’s role and impact.”
Marmande will take over for Christel Slaughter, who has served as interim president since November of 2018.
“The experience to serve the Our Lady of the Lake organization and our community in this capacity over the last year has been very gratifying. I’ve been impressed with the Board and proud of what we have been able to accomplish with the Foundation staff, especially completion of the newly opened Children’s Hospital capital campaign which exceeded all of its goals,” said Christel Slaughter, interim president of the Our Lady of the Lake Foundation. “The continued support of our many donors and friends underscores the generosity and depth of commitment to, and for, our community. This Foundation is in a great position for the future and I’m excited for where Ann Marie’s leadership will take us and the possibilities for healthcare philanthropy in Louisiana and beyond.”
Marmande has held a number of roles, increasing in responsibility and contribution throughout her career at LSU, including director of alumni relations for the School of Social Work, and director of stewardship and senior director of development for the College of Science. She served as the vice president for development from June of 2013 until August of 2016 prior to assuming her current leadership responsibilities focused on gifts of $1 million or more.
Marmande is a certified fund raising executive (CFRE) and holds a Master of Social Work from LSU and Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Services from the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. She is a licensed clinical social worker. Marmande is a member of the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge and the LSU Rural Life Museum Board of Trustees.