Louisiana CASA is excited to announce our new Board of Directors Members for FY 2022-2023. The five new members will join our current board, brining our board to a total of 19 caring community members across Louisiana. Thank you to our entire board for amplifying CASA's vision and helping us further our mission.
Larry L. Attenhofer
Larry Attenhofer is a Senior Vice President/Middle Market Banking Group Manager who leads a team of bankers to help business owners achieve their financial goals. In his role at Hancock Whitney, Larry manages the Middle Market and Commercial Banking activity for the Acadiana Market. Prior to his role in Acadiana, he served as the Market President in the bank’s Alexandria Market. Having spent over two decades at Hancock Whitney Bank in various
leadership roles, he shares the bank’s core values of honor & integrity, commitment to service, and community involvement.
In the community, Larry serves on the board of various organizations such as Treasurer for Lafayette Little League, Board Member (Past Treasurer) for Leadership Institute of Acadiana, and President for CASA of SOLA. He is currently a parishioner at St Pius X Catholic Church and is active in the school teaching as a Junior Achievement volunteer.
Larry is married to Frances who teaches at St. Pius Elementary. They have three children: Isabel (18) attends St. Thomas More Catholic High School, Abby (16) attends St. Thomas More Catholic High School and Luke (10) attends St. Pius Elementary.
Larry holds a BS in Finance from LSU and is a graduate of the LSU Graduate School of Banking.
Captain Darwin L. Jones
Darwin Jones was born, raised, and reside in Shreveport, Louisiana and is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where he served as a Non-Commissioned Officer, Basic Infantryman, and Squad Leader. Jones currently serves his fellow citizens as a law enforcement officer.
As a Captain with Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office, Jones is assigned as Commander of the Judicial Services Division which includes the Civil, Fines and Bonds, Warrants, District Attorney Liaison, and Courthouse Security. Jones has served on the Special Response Team (SRT-SWAT) since 1994. Captain Jones is currently the Commander of our SRT/SWAT team and has participated in countless high-risk police situations. Jones has more than 31 years of police operations experience including patrol, patrol field training officer, investigations, special operations, security, and narcotics.
Jones serves as an ordained Deacon at the Peaceful Rest Missionary Baptist Church where he is active in the community and at the church, as a Sunday school teacher. Captain Jones has received countless awards and letters of commendation including the Shreveport Difference Makers Award, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil Servant Award, Wiley College Law Enforcement Recognition Award, FBI LEEDA Trilogy Award, and induction into the Eta Theta Chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, a National Criminal Justice Honor Society at University of Phoenix. Jones was recently inducted into the Omega Nu Lambda National Honor Society for Online Students (Saint Leo University, Iota Chapter) and the National Society of Leadership and Success.
Jones is a graduate of the 252nd session of the FBI National Academy Program at Quantico, Virginia. He completed a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Administration (Magna Cum Laude) and graduated from the historical Wiley College in Marshall, Texas. Jones earned his Master’s Degree in Administration of Justice and Security from the University of Phoenix. In December 2021, Jones earned a Doctor of Criminal Justice (DCJ) degree from Saint Leo University in its inaugural session. Jones is an adjunct professor at Wiley College and an instructor at the Caddo Parish Regional Training Academy.
Darwin is happily married to Caddo Parish (Louisiana) Juvenile Court Judge Ree J. Casey-Jones and has two sons, DeMarcus and Dawson. Jones enjoys shooting, traveling, running, riding his bicycle, and spending time with his family. Captain Jones lives by the daily mantra, “God is able to enable the unable.”
Deron Patin
Deron Patin is the Executive Management Advisor to the Secretary at the State of Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice, Department of Public Safety and Corrections. Deron provides high level executive program reviews and audit functions relative to the agency’s policies and
management, the operation of programs and offices, and the services provided by the agency.
He has worked in the criminal justice community since 1997 and has served in multiple positions including Juvenile Probation Officer, Probation Officer, Senior Juvenile Probation Officer, Detention Center Manager, and Interim Director of the East Baton Rouge Parish Department of Juvenile Services.
Deron received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Southeastern Louisiana University and his Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Northeast Louisiana University. He received his Police Officer Standardized Training (P.O.S.T.) Certificate from the Louisiana State University Training Academy. Deron is married and has one daughter.
Michelle Redmond Shelton
Michelle Shelton is Assistant Director of Investigations for U.S. Center for SafeSport, a national nonprofit organization, which was codified in the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017, that is dedicated solely to ending sexual, physical, and emotional abuse on behalf of athletes. Michelle supervises a team of investigators as cases move forward to conclusion. She also serves on various task forces within the organization to improve outcomes for victims.
Prior to joining the U.S. Center for SafeSport team, Michelle served as a prosecutor in the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney’s Office, as a Juvenile Assistant District Attorney, Senior Felony Assistant, and Section Chief. She also worked with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals as an attorney in the Medicaid Health Standards Section.
Michelle earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Louisiana State University and her Juris Doctor degree from Southern University Law Center. Michelle is married to Brett Shelton, and they have three children, Kyleigh, Brielle and Steele. Michelle also served as a CASA volunteer advocate with Capital Area CASA.
Renita Williams Thomas
Renita Williams Thomas is the Owner and Chief Executive Officer of In Loving Arms Pediatric Day Health Center (a daycare for medically fragile children). Prior to this position, she has served as Clinical Adjunct Instructor at Southern University School of Nursing, Early Phase Infrastructure Development Manager at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Statewide Program Manager at Early Childhood Supports and Services (Infant Mental Health) at the Department of Health & and Director of Patient & Employee Health Services at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired.
Williams Thomas is a pediatric nurse specialist who has spent the past twenty-four years working to bring awareness to the emotional impact on families and their communities in the care of medically fragile children. She became interested serving medically fragile children after adopting a child from foster care who had health care several deviations. Through successful strategies, she gathered a team of professionals and built a hybrid “daycare center” that meets the medical, therapeutic, social, and psychological needs of these children.
She has served in many leadership positions and board service positions such as Immediate Past President of Jack and Jill of America – Baton Rouge Chapter, 40 under 40 - Baton Rouge Business Report, Baton Rouge Business Report Leadership Class (inaugural class), Southern University School of Nursing Alumni Association (inaugural class), Baton Rouge Crisis
Intervention Center Board of Directors, Children’s Coalition of Greater Baton Rouge, Developmental Disabilities Council, Istrouma Early HeadStart Health Advisory Committee, Quota Club, International Dyslexia Association, International Society of Pediatric Nurses and a few others.
Williams Thomas earned her Batchelor of Science in Nursing from Southern University School of Nursing in 1997 and returned to earn her Masters in Nursing (Education/Administration) from the same institution in 2012.
She is the wife of Oliver “Chuck” Thomas, III and the mother of six children (three of which are adopted).