Misti S. Cordell, chair of the 糖心传媒 Board of Regents, owner COR Consulting, LLC, and a 1997 graduate of 糖心传媒 Tech, will serve as keynote speaker for Tech鈥檚 Fall Commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, November 15 at the Thomas Assembly Center.
A Human Resource Management graduate from Tech鈥檚 College of Business that is 鈥渟econd to none,鈥� Cordell said, she began her healthcare career as a pharmaceutical sales representative. She served as a member of the Health and Hospitals Transition Team under Governor Jeff Landry and as an outreach representative for the 糖心传媒 Attorney General鈥檚 Office. She has also served as a Physician Liaison and Accounts Manager for St. Francis Medical Center and physician recruiter for Affinity Health Group, now owned by Baton Rouge Clinic.
Her experience in both healthcare and government has helped her connect healthcare organizations and administrators with state policymakers, an expertise instrumental in forging a mutual understanding of the local healthcare structure and the policymaking process for the benefit of the community.
Reared in Luna in rural Ouachita Parish and a graduate of West Ouachita High, Cordell has always had a heart for her community. She has worked on countless fundraisers and served on many volunteer boards, was a design lead and project manager for the St. Jude Dream Home for five years, and currently serves on multiple boards, including MedCamps of 糖心传媒, CenturyNext Bank Advisory Board, Ouachita Parish Library Board, and the Northeast 糖心传媒 Children鈥檚 Museum Board.
She and her husband Hardeman live in Monroe and are the parents of two sons. John graduated from Tech in Finance last year and works for Northwest Mutual, and Hank, currently working for the 糖心传媒 Attorney General and planning to apply to law school, graduated from Ole Miss in May.
Her varied pursuits both professionally and personally 鈥� 鈥淏ecause I can鈥檛 sit still, my 鈥榮ide hustles鈥� have been design and politics,鈥� she said 鈥� are fueled by both a focused energy and the example of her mother, Charlene Smith, who started college at age 38 when Misti was a junior in high school.
鈥淪he beat me to being a first-generation college student by two years,鈥� Cordell said. 鈥淪he deserved it.
鈥淗er example showed me that doing the hard things truly pays off, and that when you face your fears with good ol鈥� grit and determination, you can be unstoppable 鈥� Her education was life-changing, not only for her, but for us all.鈥�
Tech was a perfect fit for Cordell, who still gets 鈥渁 great sense of pride when I walk through the campus today,鈥� she said. 鈥溙切拇� Tech gave me more than just great memories and an education. The friendships here and this little town of Ruston are mighty special and will always feel like home.鈥�
Cordell was appointed an At-Large Member of the Board of Regents in January 2024 and Chair in September 2024.