LAFAYETTE, La. — Community Foundation of Acadiana (CFA) is pleased to welcome Christi Landry as its new Director of Communications and Marketing.
She assumes the role from Chasah West, who previously served as the Director of External Affairs & Communications. West was appointed earlier this year to lead the new Community Investment Department to steward CFA’s strategic funding priorities.
Landry brings more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications, public relations, media relations, and crisis communications in the higher education, healthcare, and non-profit sectors. She will lead CFA’s communications efforts as the organization executes a new strategic vision to strengthen the Foundation’s mission to connect donors with causes that matter and to build a more philanthropic Acadiana.
“We are thrilled to welcome Christi at such a transformative time for CFA. As we implement our new strategic vision, storytelling and communications strategy will play an essential role in amplifying our impact and solidifying the role we play in community engagement,” said Missy Bienvenu, President & CEO of Community Foundation of Acadiana. “Christi’s extensive experience creating meaningful narratives and thoughtful strategies that capture attention and recognition across audiences uniquely suits her for this role.”
Landry started her career as a general assignment reporter with The Daily Iberian in her hometown of New Iberia, LA. In 2007, she moved to Houston, TX. She joined the staff at Prairie View A&M University, where she served as Communications Specialist in the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences and Public Relations Specialist in the Office of Marketing and Communications. She later moved to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she served as a Senior Communications Specialist in the Patient Education Department.
She joined the Houston Independent School District in 2017 as a Strategic Communications Manager, where her work resulted in national and international coverage for the district. She returned to Prairie View A&M University in 2020 as the assistant director of communications for the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences. She later returned to Acadiana and joined the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Foundation as its first Director of Advancement Communications.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications degree from Southern University and A&M College, and a Master of Communications Management degree from the University of Southern California.
CFA is one of south Louisiana’s premier philanthropic organizations benefiting our region, with a focus on the parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Mary, St. Martin and Vermilion. CFA’s core purpose is to build legacies and improve communities by connecting generous people to the causes they care about. Since its inception in 2000, CFA has realized cumulative gifts exceeding $431 million and has made cumulative grants of more than $256 million. You can learn more at www.cfacadiana.org.