It all starts here ...

University Laboratory School has been launching legacies since 1915.

photography by Andrea Laborde Barbier

The Advocate

Olivia Singelmann ‘04

Married to Kyle Pozza in April of 2019

As an attorney with Foley & Lardner in Washington, D.C., Olivia Singelmann ’04 fights the good fight when it comes to her clients. Named one of Washington, D.C.’s Rising Stars Super Lawyers in 2018 and 2019, Singelmann is a litigator specializing in Government Enforcement Defense and Investigations. She is also very proud of her pro-bono legal work helping women who have been victims of gender-based persecution, such as human trafficking and domestic violence.

Her love of law began early in ULS Instructor Cynthia Edmonston’s IB World History Class. “She made history come alive, cementing my great interest in it and leading me to take many history classes in college. She inspired us, but she also gave us a good dose of tough love when we needed it. I’m forever grateful that I got to be her student.”

The Giver

John Everett ‘87

Married to Shannan Campanile, father to daughters Lanie Grace ’20 and Sadie ‘25

Among his top life achievements to date, John Everett ’87 easily lists marrying his wife Shannan, being father to his two beautiful daughters Lanie Grace and Sadie, and helping his wife beat cancer. The drive to help others is evident not just in his own family but also in his service to many community boards and projects, including the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge Area Chamber business development committee, and the advisory board for the LSU Museum of Art.

Everett, Baton Rouge market president for Iberia Bank, is a third generation Cub and with his two daughters as fourth generation Cubs presently, finds himself once again walking the same U-High hallways that he has now traveled for decades. As one of UHS’s greatest supporters, he enthusiastically gives of his time to his alma mater. He has been a ULSF board member, serving as its treasurer for two years. He has been a member of the Gerald Furr Memorial Golf Classic planning committee, has been a team leader with the ULS Foundation’s Annual Appeal, and a mentor to ULS students through participation in Career Day. Everett credits retired UHS Football Coach Willis Stelly with teaching him to push beyond his comfort zone, which has helped him grow and learn throughout his career.

The Influencer

Dwayne Hildreth ‘79

Father to Bronson, a silver lab, and performance quarter horses, Chance and Jagger

Working for one of the most influential companies in the U.S., Dwayne Hildreth ’79 inspired Nike North America to get behind the rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Hildreth led the efforts of the company’s sales team to raise funds and provide aide and support for victims of the storm. Through the channel of Nike’s “Let Me Play” campaign, Nike partnered with local officials and community leaders to drive a sustainable platform to promote healthy lifestyles and safe environments for youths to play, and New Orleans area parks, sports fields and other recreational facilities were rebuilt. “I am very proud of this accomplishment as the devastating effects of Katrina impacted many of my friends and family members. Having the opportunity to inspire Nike to get behind the rebuilding efforts is something I’ll cherish for a lifetime.”

Hildreth is compassionate about giving back to his community. He has served as a volunteer, team lead, coach and mentor and is currently serving as an ambassador and volunteer for an organization that provides support, assistance and recovery for embattled abuse victims, both human and horses.

His drive comes from his days on the UHS campus where as a member of the U-High State Championship Track and Field team 1978 and 1979, he won state in both the high and low hurdles, setting the state record in the low hurdles, his senior year. Hildreth was also a member of the concert and marching band and notes that Music Instructor Dr. James Choate was one of many who inspired him. “He demanded excellence from his students. We were always prepared for any regional or statewide competition, often winning top honors and accolades. He was stern but fair, and instilled the meaning of hard work, attention to detail, and taking pride in yourself and your work,” says Hildreth. “Outside of my love of animals, I have continued my passion for music, and, as an adult, have acquired songwriting skills. I have written and performed original music for several years and have been fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate with several international recording artists, primarily in the jazz genre, performing at various venues and concerts throughout the U.S.,” Hildreth notes.

The Professor

Sally Richardson ‘00

Married in 2014 to Ron Scalise and step-mother to Samantha

Sally Richardson’s love for the law began right here at UHS. She credits instructors Carol Young and Steve Delacroix for igniting her passion for reading and writing, which she now uses every day in her professional life. Today, she is the A.D. Freeman Associate Professor of Law at Tulane Law School, one of the most prestigious law schools in the south, and was recently honored with the Presidential Award for Best Graduate Professor at Tulane University.

“What I loved about UHS was that the small size of the school allowed you to participate in everything! I did Youth Legislature and was Governor of Louisiana my senior year. I was editor of the Yearbook. I played on the softball team. I was in the choir. I participated in Student Council throughout my middle school and high school years,” Richardson said

Richardson fondly remembers UHS Pep Rallies and doing Barbara Ann in the bleachers as well as the wonderful spirit of the Cub family, which she and her family came to know quite well during a particularly difficult time. “I was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor, a pediatric form of kidney cancer, halfway through my kindergarten year. It was a traumatic time for my family, but my kindergarten instructor, Lois Rector, made everything normal for me at school. She showed, in a way only a teacher can, that even though I was losing my hair and going through a lot of chemotherapy, I was still a normal five-year-old kid. She made me feel accepted and loved, and she taught all of my classmates to do the same. Mrs. Rector’s spirit, her dedication to her students, and her passion for helping every child be the best version of themselves is what made her such a special teacher for me.”

The Dream Maker

Ramsey Roberts Sims ‘98

Married to Brent Sims. Ramsey and Brent are parents to Sawyer, Scout and John Roberts

Walking into I Do Bridal Couture boutique is like stepping into a fairytale. Every little girl dreams of their wedding day, and Ramsey Roberts Sims ’98 gets to be a part of making those dreams come true. Sims took a leap of faith in 2012 and launched I Do Bridal Couture. In less than 24 months, she has expanded her store size in Baton Rouge and is opening a second location in Covington, Louisiana in November. Her store has been named as one of the top 50 bridal salons in America and has fitted brides from Los Angeles, California to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Sims fondly remembers ULS Instructors Barbara Freiberg and Barbara Decuir. “You could tell that they loved every student and that they loved what they did. It showed from all the care and extra time they spent with students, including myself, to ensure our success,” she says.

The Healer

Larry “Chip” Bankston ‘95

Married to Mi Mi Montagnet. Chip and Mi Mi have three sons Lawson (3), Christian (2) and Max (newborn)

Healing comes in all forms. Larry “Chip” Bankston, Jr., ’95 practices healing every day, not only as a doctor but also as a philanthropist. He acknowledges his high school teacher Steve Delacroix, as having challenged him to find meaning, direction and purpose in his life beyond the classroom, and Bankston has done just that. He has generously established a memorial scholarship at U-High that follows its recipients from Kindergarten to graduation. The first recipient of the Graham G. Bankston Memorial Scholarship will graduate in 2026. He is a founding member and a board member of the Knock Knock Children’s Museum. He is also a board member of the Baton Rouge Soccer Club, the Louisiana Orthopedic Association, and Surgical Specialty Hospital. Excelling as an athlete (swim team) in high school and college, Chip’s next step of becoming an orthopedic surgeon was a natural fit and has proven to be a successful career choice. With a focus on sports medicine, he has earned a number of achievements throughout his career, the most notable being his service as the head team physician for the New Orleans Saints since 2017. So, yes Cub, Tiger and Saints fans, when Drew Brees breaks his thumb, Bankston is one of the doctors putting him back together.

The Entrepreneur

Beau Maginnis '04

Married to Sophie and father to two-year old son, Maddox Beau Maginnis ‘04

As a lifetime resident with 10 years of real estate experience, Beau Maginnis ’04 knows the ins and outs of the capital city and its neighborhoods. After years in political consulting and national sales, he was able to realize his true passion when he and his mother-inlaw, Kelly Ghara, decided to team up and form local construction company, MG3, LLC in 2014. Through flipping houses, they are able to share their passion for breathing new life into old or dated properties and extending their life within the community. This kind of construction takes patience, commitment and focus to be successful, and Maginnis credits ULS with preparing him in this endeavor. He remembers Coach Wayne Williams pushing the football team to work harder than he and his teammates thought possible. He taught them to commit to a goal and go after it. He instilled in them a “get it done” mentality and Maginnis has carried that with him ever since. He also practices this mentality while serving his community. Whether it be on the house corps of his fraternity, participating in a Gumbo Cook-off for the Youth Oasis emergency shelter for youth or serving as a committee member for the Louisiana Arts & Sciences Museum annual fundraising gala, he approaches each project with the same philosophy and energy.

Reminiscing about the pep rallies and the electric school spirit, Maginnis believes that tradition is what makes ULS special. With a “cat-eating” grin, Maginnis tells the story of the class of 2004’s attempt at a senior prank. He says a group of seniors went around town “borrowing” For Sale signs with the intent of placing them in front of the school, but unfortunately, someone ran a red light and they were stopped by the police. When the police officer saw the “borrowed” signs, he promptly ordered their return to the rightful owners and sent the boys home. Maginnis is now the owner of those For Sale signs. How is that for foreshadowing?

TheTrailblazer

Elizabeth Hutchison ‘92

Proud aunt to three beautiful nieces Charlotte Cain ‘22, Caroline Cain ‘25 and Carter Kay Cagle

She took the advice to “Go West,” accepting the risk to pursue a career in Hollywood. For 11 years in California, Elizabeth Hutchison ‘92, worked on the shows Survivor and The Amazing Race. And when the Louisiana film business was ready for its closeup, she returned to her hometown, employing the skills she learned in California to expand the industry in Louisiana. To nurture the industry here, she believed it was crucial for Louisiana to have a pool of talent. So she served on the board of the New Orleans Video Access Center, a media arts nonprofit that trains Louisiana residents to tell their stories. “I love what this nonprofit stands for and supports. We have such a rich culture here, and it’s important to nurture young people who have an interest in working in the arts.” Hutchison is director of Philanthropic Services for the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, where her department is responsible for raising millions each year for distribution to nonprofits and projects for civic good. Her inspirations at UHS were instructors Barbara Freiberg and Stephen Delacroix, and P.E. Instructor and Coach Joanna Faerber. “Coach Faerber’s unwavering enthusiasm and support gave me all of the tools and guidance I needed to excel,” she said. And excel she did, Hutchison was inducted into the ULS Foundation Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018. Her family is deeply rooted in UHS. Her grandfather, Homer D. Spaht, was a graduate and a member of the first football team. The list of UHS alumni in the Hutchison family has continued to grow, with the latest generation attending the school now.