Paula Hickman

Paula Hickman is executive director of the Community Foundation of North Louisiana where she is responsible for the Foundation’s leadership, management, strategic planning and development.  She helped create and incubate Step Forward, a cradle to career initiative that has engaged over 1,000 in the Shreveport-Bossier area to collectively drive excellence in education so that children of the area are prepared to compete in a 21st century global economy.

Hickman holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Alabama and juris doctorate from LSU Law Center. Although not an educator, she has always valued education as a pathway to a better life.  She is a co-founder of VOA LightHouse, an educational enrichment center for children in Shreveport’s most impoverished area through which thousands of children have received support to obtain education and eventually employment.  Last year 100 percent of participants stayed in school, 80 percent had a grade point average of 2.0 or better and 100 percent avoided involvement with teen pregnancy and the juvenile justice system.

Hickman has volunteered support to numerous organizations, including Providence House, Glen Retirement System, Centenary College Planning Giving Council, Volunteers of America, Shreveport Symphony, Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier and KDAQ.