| 30 Somethings
Melanie Dees (38) Visiting Lecturer, French, McNeese State Originally from DeRidder, Melanie spent about 15 years working in Paris, San Francisco and Portland. She most recently taught in Nantes, France. While living in France, she completed a Master in Linguistics with honors before returning to Southwest Louisiana to create a rigorous French program for middle school students at Bishop Noland EDS. All of Melanie’s students who took a high school placement test succeeded in testing out of either one or two years of high school French. Last summer, she piloted a high school exchange program and brought two of her former students to attend a French high school and learn firsthand about French culture. She is currently teaching French at McNeese State University and represents the region on the board of the Louisiana Foreign Language Teacher’s Association. In addition to her passion for our French culture and heritage, Melanie is active in the Lake Charles Junior League and serves as the Troop Leader for her daughter’s Girl Scout Brownie troop. She also volunteers in other local organizations, including the youth symphony orchestra group, of which her daughter is an active member.
Thriving Fact: Melanie has participated in numerous community service projects in Central America and Africa and continues to spend time in France each year. If her life were made into a movie, it would be: Comic drama. “If you wrote my life as a movie, no one would believe it,” she says.
Favorite movie: “Whatever movie she’s watching.”
Brad Guillory (39) Attorney, Liles and Guillory Law Firm An attorney licensed in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi, Brad was born in Opelousas and grew up in Lake Charles. While in law school at South Texas College of Law, he was a member of Pi Delta Phi honors fraternity and the Christian Legal Society. After graduating, Brad practiced for several years in the Houston area. He moved back to Lake Charles in 2009 and opened the Law Office of Brad A. Guillory, LLC. He is admitted to practice in U.S. District Court, Southern District and Eastern District of Texas. He is involved in numerous civic organizations such as South Lake Charles Kiwanis Club, McNeese Petrochemical Association, is on the board of directors for the McNeese Alumni Association, and is an officer for the Kappa Sigma Alumni, Theta Rho Chapter. Professionally, he serves as the president of the family law section of the Southwest Louisiana Bar Association and is a mediator. He and his wife Laura have four children.
Thriving Fact: Before going to law school, Brad served as a police officer with the Lake Charles Police Department. If his life were a movie, it would be: Action—“due to the fast pace of my profession and my four children—two of which are under the age of four.” Favorite movie: E.T. 26 www.thriveswla.com
Thrive Magazine for Better Living
April 2015