Our Team
Janet Simmons...
PRESIDENT AND CEO
Janet Simmons earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Finance from Mississippi College. This established a solid foundation for her later experience in sales and marketing. Early in her career she worked as the Marketing Planner for Coca Cola USA’s five state, southwest region. She also worked for Micro Computer Techniques in Nashville, Tennessee as their Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Janet believes that running a nonprofit is no different than running a business and her background in finance, sales and marketing has proven to be important in her work as the executive director. She also believes that no matter what kind of work you do; you are in the business of selling something. Janet has 32 years of experience in the nonprofit industry both professionally and as a volunteer. In 2004, she began working at HOPE Ministries as their Volunteer Coordinator and subsequently as HOPE’s Program Director and Operations and Social Enterprise Director. In 2006, HOPE began earnestly searching out Earned Income Ventures as a source of additional sustainable revenue. Janet’s business experience was crucial in the development and implementation of HOPE’s Understanding the Dynamics of Poverty six-hour professional development workshop. Since its implementation HOPE has trained over 3,000 professionals from over 350 organizations and corporations.In 2015, under Janet’s leadership, HOPE launched The Way to Work Sustainable Workforce SOLUTIONS©, a program modeled after Cascade Engineering’s Welfare to Career program in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This evidence-based program increased Cascade’s retention from 34% to 97%, saving the company millions in turnover expenses. The Way to Work serves the Greater Baton Rouge community and will hopefully expand to other parts of Louisiana, providing a strong workforce model for the state.
Janet’s passion for the impoverished and her desire to help people move forward began at an early age. She was born and raised in Japan as the daughter of missionaries. She credits her faith as a Christian as the motivating factor in her work.
Janet is a member and is on the music team of South Baton Rouge Presbyterian Church. She is married and has four children and three grandchildren. She will be happy to show you pictures of her grandchildren any time.
David Tidwell...
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
David grew up in Baker, LA and graduated from Baker High School. He went on to gain a degree in Computer Programing from Spencer College. As an ordained minister David has been involved with volunteer and full time ministry for the past 30 years. He has served as a Children’s, Youth and Senior Pastor and served on the Louisiana State Youth and Christian Education Board for six years. For fourteen years he owned and operated a teacher’s supply store and distribution warehouse in Baker. In 2013, David was employed as the Community Resource Consultant for the State of Louisiana for the United Methodist Publishing House where he was a team lead for the consultant team. During his tenure with the publishing house he completed the Richardson Consultative Sales training and the Richardson Consultative Sales Coaching training. For two years David’s region received the honor of being “Market of the Year.” David was also the Program Director of the Christian Outreach Transitional Services (COTES) program, overseeing day-to-day operations serving homeless, recovery and prison re-entry populations. He worked closely with companies throughout the Baton Rouge area employing day labor. In May of 2017, David joined The Way to Work team as the Workforce Training and Development Consultant. With his extensive experience working with curriculum and sales, David brings the necessary skill set to expand The Way to Work in the community. In 2019, David became Director of The Way to Work, overseeing all aspects of HOPE's highly successful workforce development program. David is a teacher at heart and loves to help facilitate the trainings. He is an avid gardener, camper and enjoys cooking. David is married and has three children and two grandchildren, two dogs and a fish.
Bernell Smith...
CAREER COACH AND TRAINER
Bernell Smith Is from Brusly, LA where he graduated from Brusly high school. He received a degree in Ministry from Louisiana College. Bernell is an ordained minister and has served in both associate and youth pastor positions. He has over sixteen years of experience in the trucking industry, including running his own small business as an owner-operator. Bernell has experience in many outreach ministries including homeless outreach and as part of the Baptist Retreat Center advisory board. He loves counseling and teaching the Bible as well as life and career development skills. Bernell and his wife have been married since 2004. They have three boys who are very active in sports and a dog, Trinity, who is active in getting everything she wants.
Lisa Parker...
CAREER COACH AND TRAINER
Lisa grew up in Lettsworth, LA, and graduated from Avoyelles High School. After high school, she attended Louisiana Technical College and earned a degree in Office Systems Technology. Her career began at a therapy facility as a regional coordinator. She was passionate about seeing residents improve to the point of returning home to their families. Her position required a lot of travel that led to time away from her family. After ten years, Lisa chose to take a step back to be there for her two active children. This led to more travel, but to ballparks and cheer practice. During this time, Lisa was a part-time office manager for a company, improving their efficiency and handling much of their human resource and financial logistics.Lisa began her career at HOPE ministries to spread kindness by giving back to the community and serving those in need. She believes that kindness begins with the understanding that we all struggle.
Lisa and her two children are active members of Christ the King Catholic Church. In her spare time, She enjoys being outside, chasing sunsets, listening to music, and being with family and friends.
Chandra Thomas...
CAREER COACH AND TRAINER
Chandra Thomas is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She attended Southern University A&M College and University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education. Upon graduating, she accepted a position as a middle school teacher in Garland, TX, where she taught Social Studies, Texas History, and Theatre Arts. During this time, she also chaired the school’s multicultural program and oversaw the yearbook class. After six years in education, Chandra decided to come home to Louisiana and enter the Master’s degree program at her beloved Southern University. She completed the MPA (Masters of Public Administration) program and accepted a position with the Department of Health and Hospitals' Tobacco Control Program. As a program monitor, her role included working with community partners to educate youth on the dangers of tobacco and smoking. After being employed with the DHH for a number of years, she was offered a position with the Louisiana Workforce Commission as Program Manager for the LaJET(Louisiana Job Employment and Training) program. While being employed at LWC, she obtained her second Master’s degree in Organizational Management with a Specialization in Leadership. In 2013 she checked off a bucket list item by relocating to Washington, D.C. Having a love for the east coast, she felt that she had found her new home. However, she soon made the bittersweet move home to attend to her Louisiana family. Chandra never meets a stranger and has a true passion for helping others. Her hobbies include cooking, reading, writing, and collecting journals/kitchen gadgets. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Chandra recently joined The Way to Work Team as a Success Coach. Growing up in North Baton Rouge, she has a true desire to make a difference while helping those in need.
Jonquil Sturgis...
CAREER COACH AND TRAINER
Jonquil is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana where she graduated from Bonnabel High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Social Work from Southern University at New Orleans. She grew up as a member of the Living Faith Christian Fellowship in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her journey to HOPE Ministries began after an almost eight-year stint in the retail industry as an operations manager, cashier, store manager, and pharmacy technician. This experience in the “real world” gives Jonquil additional perspective as she helps clients improve their employment opportunities. Jonquil’s deep desire to help others succeed brought her to HOPE Ministries. Her role as a Career Coach allows her to follow her calling. She loves to motivate her clients and keep them inspired by teaching them to fight through life’s challenges. When not at work, Jonquil likes to travel and go on walks with her newly adopted rescue dog, Kash. She also likes cooking, spending time with family, and visiting history and art museums.
Denise Hursey...
MANAGER OF THE WAY TO WORK
Denise grew up in Central, LA and graduated from Parkview Baptist High School. She graduated from LSU with a dual major in psychology and sociology, and went to work for the Louisiana Hospital Association for 11 years. Denise worked her way up from administrative assistant to quality analyst. While there, she received her Master's in Business Administration and is an alumnus of the Greater Baton Rouge Leadership class of 2008. After leaving the hospital association, Denise worked at Our Lady of the Lake RMC as a quality analyst. After working at OLOL, she completed the LANO Community Leaders program. She then worked for Capital Area United Way, where she found her passion for non-profit work. Denise has always had a desire to help others. At Hope, Denise has found a way to put her skills to work as a program specialist for The Way to Work team. A member of First United Methodist Church, Denise has served on the Children’s Council and taught first grade Sunday School, and has volunteered for many other events. She and her husband of 11 years, Andy, and children Sammy and Amelia are active members in their church, Sunday school and Bible Study classes. She enjoys reading, baking, volunteer work, and road trips with her family.
James Oliver...
CAREER COACH AND TRAINER
James Oliver served Honorably in the US Navy as a fire fighter and rescue responder. After his military discharge, he returned to school to obtain his license as an ordained minister. Eventually, he earned his degree in Christian Counseling at Jacksonville Theology Seminary where he graduated with honors as Salutatorian. Drawing on his passion for all God’s people and his experiences in the military, James worked with the Louisiana Workforce Commission as a Disabled Veteran Outreach Program specialist. He assisted veterans in becoming employment ready by helping them set and achieve goals for the workforce. James saw the opportunity to assist the larger community and joined The Salvation Army where he served as a “Pathway of Hope“ Case Management specialist. He regularly assisted clients with social service needs such as “Power to care”, disaster relief, and food boxes. James brings to HOPE his extensive experience in Case Management and his deep desire to help people set and achieve their goals. He has 4 children, 10 grandchildren, and his awesome dog Maxx.
Greg Crandall...
MANAGER OF GRANTS ADMINISTRATION
Greg earned a bachelor's of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of New Orleans. Greg's continued post-graduate work at UNO provided him with data management and statistical analysis skills that opened new doors. As a consultant with Scott Ray & Associates in New Orleans, he first served as Database Manager for a Federally funded project. He later worked on numerous projects involving grant seeking, grant administration, quality assurance, research, and evaluation for nonprofit organizations and collaboratives in New Orleans. Greg helped to establish several major collaborative organizations providing services for substance abuse, family services, and homelessness. He also guided a small faith-based substance abuse treatment center to become licensed by the State of Louisiana, helping them obtain numerous grants and State contract funding support as a Social Setting Detox Facility and as an Orleans Parish Drug Court Treatment Center. From there, Greg worked in the Research Office at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he was heavily involved with pre- and post-award administration of grants and contracts. He was later promoted to Technical Services Coordinator for the Vice President for Research, and eventually to as Data and Technology Coordinator to establish a new research center at UL Lafayette, the Cecil J. Picard Center for Child Development and Lifelong Learning. Greg spent six years in New Jersey as Information Technology Specialist at a boy's prep school before returning to serve as Grants and Contracts Administrator at Aristotle's Alexander, a Lafayette, LA technology company involved with systems integration, software development, and digital business transformation. Greg will tell you that his strong faith has guided him through the years, and that God has led him on a long winding road, in a great circle that eventually brought him back to an opportunity to serve others at HOPE Ministries. Greg recently moved to the Baton Rouge area and has found a new church home at Zachary United Methodist Church. In his spare time, Greg enjoys cooking, performing music and volunteer service opportunities.