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On Stands Now!
On Stands Now!

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Twenty in their 20s

Therese Walker, Donald Ray Dunbar Jr., Eli Haymon and Stephanie Bartage

  • By 225 Staff @225batonrouge
  • Photography by Collin Richie

Therese Walker, 29 | Sagittarius 

Managing director, Emergent Method

Achievements + community involvement

• Leading communication efforts for one of the largest and most significant environmental infrastructure projects in U.S. history
• Youngest member of Emergent Method’s leadership team
• Consulting Magazine “Rising Star” (2021)
• Founding member of Louisiana PAR’s Future Leaders Council
• Board member of Girls on the Run South Louisiana
• Youngest honoree in the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report’s Forty Under 40 class (2023)
• Council for A Better Louisiana (CABL)’s Leadership Louisiana (2022)

Life hack

“Being a morning person will change your life. Getting up early changes how productive your day is, how much energy you bring to the table and can positively impact so many other parts of your life.”

Caffeine fix

“Iced Oji from French Truck Coffee.”

Playlist

“Hozier, Maggie Rogers, Zach Bryan and The Revivalists. If I’m really trying to focus, Vitamin String Quartet.”

Office or WFH?

“Definitely in the office. You just can’t mimic the kind of collaboration that’s possible when everyone is sitting around a table solving problems together.”

It’s Friday night in Baton Rouge. Where y’at?

“Mid City Beer Garden.”

One thing you’d love to learn that school didn’t teach you

“Being an effective coach and mentor. I’ve been lucky to have extraordinary managers and mentors who have taught me so many lessons. Rising in the ranks of an organization means you’re suddenly in the position to do the same for others.”

Advice for your 18-year-old self

“You’ll stop caring what people think about you when you realize how seldom they actually do.”

Donald Ray Dunbar Jr., 25 | Gemini

Assistant director of community engagement, Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation

Achievements + community involvement

• Former special assistant to Gov. John Bel Edwards
• Baton Rouge Alliance for Students CHANGEMAKER (2024)
• Honored as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Men in Baton Rouge by Baton Rouge Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce
• Southern University and A&M College Past Presidents’ Alliance parliamentarian
• Big Buddy Program mentor

Life hack

“Always keep a Tide pen handy!“

Caffeine fix

“A cup of black coffee from French Truck Coffee.”

Your go-to work ‘fit

“Suit, no tie. Always.”

Office or WFH?

“As a true extrovert, I have to be in the office.”

It’s Friday night in Baton Rouge. Where y’at?

“KOK Wings & Things and Firehaus, or Churchill’s Wine & Cigars.”

Best and worst parts of the transition from school to work

“Leaving behind the excitement of not knowing what the day would bring on a college campus with your friends. Work added more structure and routine. Living life carefree with little to no responsibilities didn’t exist anymore. The best part? Letting go of all the anxiety from the late nights working on papers and making sure that assignments were done before midnight.”

What more people should know about the Capital Region
“The first successful bus boycott was in Baton Rouge in 1953, inspiring the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott.”

Stephanie Bartage, 26 | Pisces

Artistic director, 225 Theatre Collective

Achievements + community involvement

• Founder and president of The Romans 12:12 Foundation, raising awareness about DiGeorge syndrome
• Bilingual media director for Caras and Faces Media
• Royalty USA National Scholarship Pageant’s Louisiana Woman Spokesmodel winner and first runner-up (2024)
• Director of a sold-out run of The Shawshank Redemption (2023)
• Facilitates collaborations between 225 Theatre Collective and local organizations such as Redstick C.A.R.E.S., BR Soldier Outreach and the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank

Caffeine fix

“I love espresso over ice! City Roots, Coffee Joy and La Divina Italian Cafe are three of my favorites.”

It’s Friday night in Baton Rouge. Where y’at?

“Mid City! Soji: Modern Asian, Boru Ramen and Rocca Pizzeria are three of our favorites—when we can get a babysitter.”

Goal before turning 30

“I’d like to write and produce a play in Spanish for the Latino community of Louisiana.”

Best and worst parts of the transition from school to work

“The timing of my transition was super weird. I got married before my senior year and graduated during peak COVID. I had my son in 2021, so I had multiple major life events back-to-back. After my son was born and we got through some of his health challenges, I felt it was time to bring my take on theater to Baton Rouge.”

What more people should know about the Capital Region

“Baton Rouge has tons of things to do beyond just LSU. We really count on the support of the community to keep the arts scene and local businesses thriving.”

Eli Haymon, 25 | Aries

Owner, Zoomer Lawn Care

Achievements + community involvement

• Launched Zoomer Lawn Care at age 23, quickly booking 70+ clients
• Studying to become a licensed horticulturalist
• Baton Rouge Symphony Chorus (2023)

Life hack

“Socks before pants has never failed me.”

Your superpower

“People tell me I have a calm demeanor, which I guess they are right about. I don’t really get flustered or freak out too easily.”

Caffeine fix

“B-Quik on Perkins. I do the Community Coffee Breakfast Blend. Lots of cream, no sugar.”

Playlist

“My partner and I drive around all day, so we listen to a ton of music. He likes old country guys like Gary Stewart and George Jones. I like it all, but lately I’ve been enjoying the Sling Blade soundtrack.”

It’s Friday night in Baton Rouge. Where y’at?

“Alex Box Stadium.”

Advice for your 18-year-old self

“It’s time to start developing tangible skills that make you an asset to the people around you. Diversify yourself, and the right path will be revealed.”

This article was originally published in the May 2024 issue of 225 Magazine.


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