Lauren Williams, Director and Chairman of the Board
Lauren Williams currently serves as the Director of Development and Compliance for the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Her responsibilities include assuring compliance with applicable state and federal laws; working to educate prospective donors; and collaborating with other non-profit groups to promote philanthropic giving. She received an undergraduate degree in Journalism/Public Relations from the University of Mississippi in 1995 and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi, School of Law in 1998. Lauren’s experience includes non-profit governance, private law practice, and child-advocacy work. She has served as a board member for the Harrison County CASA and the Gulf Coast Partnership for Philanthropic Planning; a vestry member at St. Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church; and a member of the Junior League of Atlanta. Lauren was an instructor for Excellence in Action, the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits signature training program, and was a graduate of Leadership Gulf Coast (2016) and Gulf Coast Business Council Masters Leadership Program (2018).
Mike Goodwin, Director and Treasurer
Michael Goodwin resides in Ocean Springs, MS with his wife, Dawn. Mike was raised on the Mississippi Gulf Coast where he began his career in banking and finance during summers and on weekends at Metropolitan National Bank in Biloxi while studying at the University of Southern Mississippi. While on campus in Hattiesburg he served on the Deans Advisory Council for the College of Business, president of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, and Judicial Vice President of the IFC. Mike earned the Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award and the Magnolia Federal College of Business Scholarship. In 1978 Mike earned his undergraduate degree in Finance and was selected by the Mississippi Economic Council to the Leadership Mississippi Program.
Mike received his Master’s in Economics from USM before he and Dawn were married in 1980. After college Mike secured a position at Magnolia Federal Bank in Hattiesburg working with the investment and loan portfolios. Then, in 1985 he began a 30- year career with First Horizon Corporation in Memphis, TN trading mortgage securities and analyzing bank balance sheets. Mike completed the Chartered Financial Analyst program in 1987, earning the CFA designation. Mike and Dawn lived in Germantown, TN where they were members of Germantown Presbyterian Church. Mike served on the Campus Masterplan Committee, as Deacon, Elder, and Capital Campaign Chair. They were also active in their children’s school, St. George’s Independent School, where their daughter, Amber, excelled in both academic and social settings. Their son, Davis, on the other hand, struggled with learning from a very early age. He spent many hours with doctors, therapists and tutors, in addition to the efforts of school and family.
Finally, during his 8 th grade year they identified a doctor with the appropriate battery of testing and analysis to determine that Davis had processing difficulties with characteristics of Dyslexia. After a summer of instruction his grades and confidence began to improve, and by the time he graduated he had earned scholarships to Mississippi State which he kept until his graduation from MSU. Davis now owns a very successful lighting and sound production company. Mike retired from First Horizon in 2016, and he and Dawn moved back to Ocean Springs. They are members of First Presbyterian of Church Ocean Springs, where Mike serves on the finance committee and Dawn serves as a Deacon. Mike also serves on the board of the Historic Ocean Springs Association.
Ann Bruffey, Director and Secretary
Ann Bruffey has 26 years of teaching experience across public and private school districts from Batesville to Biloxi, MS. She has strong leadership abilities as recognized through the following: Teacher of the Year: Batesville, MS, Biloxi Public School District Intervention Committee, Biloxi Public School District Superintendent’s Committee, Jackson County School District Kindergarten Team Leader since 2017, Jackson County School Safety Committee, Jackson County School District Curriculum Committee Kindergarten Representative (responsible for creation, collaboration, and proposition of Core Curriculum Standards which reported directly to the contractor hired to finalize the Mississippi Department of Education Common Core Standards). Ann holds endorsements from MDE in Reading Education K-8 and English Language Learners K-3.
Haley Martin, Director
Haley Martin received her undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi, her Masters in Business Administration from William Carey University, and her Juris Doctor degree from Mississippi College School of Law. As a professional consultant, Haley advocates for businesses and non-profit organizations, focusing on government affairs and business development. Haley also worked in Washington, DC and Jackson, MS, with various governmental entities, as well as in hospital administration.
Haley is a recipient of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Top 10 Under 40 Award, was elected to serve as a delegate to the State Republican Convention, and was featured in South Mississippi Living 2016 Women in Business. Haley has been actively involved with the Mississippi and Jackson County Bar Associations, Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce Advocacy Committee, Junior Auxiliary of Ocean Springs and Biloxi, Mississippi College School of Law Scholarship Board, a member of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Business Council Masters Class, and an active Honorary Commander at Keesler Air Force Base.
Todd Trenchard, Director
Todd Trehnchard is a co-founder and the Executive Director of the Bacot McCarty Foundation & hosts a weekly television show on WGUD and WXXV FOX 25. Todd served for years as the Senior Vice President of Public Relations and Business Development for Merchants & Marine Bank. He was the Community Relations Director of the Home of Grace Recovery Program, and founded and directs a three-quarter way home in Gautier, MS called Trinity House. He has been the Chairman of the Board of the Salvation Army, Assistant District Governor and President of the Pascagoula Rotary Club, Chairman of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Habitat for Humanity organization, Jackson County Chairman of the 2008 Jimmy Carter Work Project, Vice-Chairman of the Gulf Coast YMCA, and was the founder and Executive Board Member of Rebuild Jackson County. Additionally, he is the past President of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Jackson County, past Chairman of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, sits on the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Foundation, and serves on several other key Board of Directors and Advisory Councils throughout the Gulf Coast region. He founded and has been the co-chairman of "The Jolly" Golf Classic for the past seventeen years. He attended Tulane University and USM graduating with Highest Honors while maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout his undergraduate and graduate degree programs, is a graduate of Leadership Jackson County, Leadership Mississippi and the Gulf Coast Business Council Master's Leadership Class. Todd has been honored as the Volunteer of the Year by several local agencies, been named a Miracle Maker by the Home of Grace, been awarded the prestigious Silver Beaver Award by the Boy Scouts of America, received the Forever Young Award from Coast Young Professionals, and received the Annette O'Keefe Award from the Mental Health Association of South MS. The MS Legal Services Corporation selected him as Mississippi's Southern Region's Top Community Leader, and in 2007, he was honored by The Sun Herald & Governor Haley Barbour with his induction into the Roland Weeks Hall of Fame as one of South Mississippi's Top Community Leaders.
LESLIE-KELLEY
Bio Coming Soon
Ernest Taylor, Director
Ernest Taylor is a resident of Bay St. Louis, MS. He served as a Bay St. Louis police officer for 17 years, where he was certified as an SRO and DARE officer. He was elected to the office of Constable for Place II in Hancock County in 2004. He retired from law enforcement in 2013 as a Senior Criminal Investigator for the Mississippi Attorney General. Ernest has been married to his wife, Lodis Taylor, for 36 years, and they share 3 children and 5 grandchildren together. He serves as an associate minister at First Missionary Baptist Church in Bay St. Louis, MS. He still serves the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department as a community liaison. He also serves on the board of Trustees of the Hancock County Resource Center.
Laura LaCoste, Director
Ocean Springs native, Laura Ranson Lacoste graduated from the University of Mississippi Medical Center where she earned her Physical Therapy degree and received the UMC Physical Therapy Clinical Excellence Award. Laura has spent more than twenty years working to help maximize the quality of life, safety and well-being of the elderly in their homes throughout the Gulf Coast.
She also co-founded and managed a sports performance training and fitness company where she designed and implemented programs to help the obese population with a primary focus on restoring physical health and emotional and mental well-being. Most recently Laura earned her Mississippi Real Estate License and enjoys working with Ocean Springs premier boutique real estate brokerage, Rain Residential where she earned a Top Producer award in her first year in the field.
Laura considers her most important endeavor to be the mother of her two sons, Cannon and Cole. Laura’s son, Cannon was diagnosed with dyslexia at age seven compelling her to learn all she could about the learning difference so she could ensure a successful academic future for him. Cannon was among the first class to graduate from the first dyslexia school in Ocean Springs, now the Lighthouse Academy. She believes this school was perfectly named as they truly were a beacon of hope for her family and she is passionate about helping to ensure that other dyslexic children get to enjoy this amazing and life-changing opportunity as well.
Traci Barrientos, Director
Traci is the Executive Director of Lighthouse Academy and also serves on the board of directors. A resident of Biloxi, MS, Traci, received her undergraduate degree in Reading Education in 1994 from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX. After teaching at St. James Catholic Elementary School, she homeschooled her four children through high school while serving as a representative and regional consultant for Total Language Plus, a comprehensive language arts program based in Seattle, WA.
Additionally, she served as a consultant for Winsor Learning’s Sonday System based out of Bloomington, MN. In 2014, she completed her Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis in Dyslexia Therapy through William Carey University. She is a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) with the Academic Language Therapists Association (ALTA) and a Certified Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Therapist (CDT) with the International Dyslexia Association (IDA). She has piloted dyslexia therapy programs for St. James Elementary School and St. Patrick Catholic High School.
Traci has served on the WINGS Performing Arts Board of the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center and has served as the Chairman of the Board for the non-profit Strings with Wings. She also served three years as a member of the Captains' Council for the Cenacle Retreat House in Metairie, LA and has been a Retreat Captain for the Arch Diocese of New Orleans Retreat Center for more than 27 years. She and her husband, Sal, enjoy visiting with their adult children, Arielle, Gabrielle, Brittani, and Jonathan and their only grandchild, Peter in their free time.
Community Relations
Angel & Carlos Barbosa
Jason & Jennifer Lapin
Courtney Anderson
Kory Duncan
Ben Smith
Representative Casey Eure
Mike Bruffey
Clay Wagner
Missy Dombroski
Jill Compton
Alderman Rickey Authement
Representative Hank Zuber
Business
Lauren Germany
Lisa Authement
Brent & Laura Warr
Jerry St. Pe
Joe Cloyd
Jason Lapin
Greg & Meredith Descher
D’Auby Schiel
Bill Williams
Dawn Goodwin
Sal Barrientos
Dan & Melissa Burton
Eric Chambliss
Education
Dr. Marcus Boudreaux
Dr. Carla McCaleb
Dr. Billie Tingle
Dr. Ben Burnett
Sarah Smith
Dr. Katie Tenore
Medical
Drs. Perry & Nicole Walton
Dr. Letch Kline
Molly Pontius
Marketing
Jesse Hill
Blake Houston
Gabrielle Barrientos
Arielle Barrientos
Jordan Zimmer