Melissa LaBorde

Melissa C. LaBorde, APR is a leader, educator, and public relations professional whose career has been dedicated to helping people, organizations, and communities grow through the power of communication. With more than 30 years of experience spanning strategic communication, leadership, higher education, fundraising, and organizational advancement, she brings both practitioner expertise and a passion for developing others. LaBorde serves as Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Louisiana State University at Alexandria, where she teaches public relations, strategic communication, media ethics, and leadership while mentoring future communication professionals. Prior to joining the faculty, she spent more than a decade leading institutional advancement and communications efforts for LSUA, helping secure transformational philanthropic investments and guiding initiatives that shaped the university's growth and future. Accredited in Public Relations (APR), LaBorde has served on the Universal Accreditation Board, helping advance professional standards and accreditation for communicators nationwide. A past president of both the Public Relations Association of Louisiana and the Southern Public Relations Federation, she is a member of the Southern Public Relations Hall of Fame and a recipient of SPRF's highest honors for both professional achievement and excellence in education. Whether in the classroom, boardroom, or conference hall, LaBorde is known for combining practical experience, thoughtful leadership, and a genuine commitment to empowering the next generation of communicators.