April 2025 Monthly Meeting

Dr. Jay Clune, President Nichols State University

Dr. Jay Clune became President of Nicholls State University on Jan. 1, 2018.

Before he was named President, Dr. Clune served in multiple administrative posts at the University of West Florida. He has more than two decades of experience in higher education as a faculty member and administrator.

A Houma native, Dr. Clune has degrees from Nicholls State University and Louisiana State University. Dr. Clune is married to Allison and is the father of two daughters, Gabrielle and Caroline.

Captain Kelly Denning, USCG (Retired), Director of the Universities of Louisiana Maritime Academy

Captain Kelly Denning is currently the Executive Director of the Universities of Louisiana Maritime Academy which is located at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, LA. She served over 26 years in the United States Coast Guard, most recently as Sector Commander for New Orleans where she oversaw all Coast Guard missions in an area of responsibility that included the Louisiana Gulf Coast and the Mississippi River System from Baton Rouge to the Gulf of America (Mexico) and out to the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. Additionally, she served as Incident Commander for several events including severe weather, mass rescue operations and two of the nation’s largest maritime oil spills.

Kelly sailed for six years on various sized ships responding to both Hurricane’s Katrina and Rita, enforcing fishery laws and regulations, conducting counter narcotics and immigration enforcement operations, and participating in exercises on maritime security and law enforcement with other nations throughout the Caribbean and Central/South America, in Africa, through the Mediterranean and into the Black Sea. Staff assignments in New Orleans, Seattle and Boston found her planning and executing various search and rescue, pollution response and law enforcement operations and coordinating international exercises. While stationed at the Training Center in Yorktown, VA, Kelly earned her instructor qualification while serving as the Assistant Chief for the National Search and Rescue School.

Kelly moved regularly while growing up as her father served in the U.S. Army. Considering she has lived in New Orleans for more years than anywhere else, she now calls the “Crescent City” home. She is a 1998 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy and holds a Master of Science Degree in Emergency and Disaster Management from Touro University International. She is a Type 1 Incident Commander, a Certified Emergency Manager, a Certified Master Exercise Practitioner, a Certified Maritime Port Executive and also holds a 100-ton Master Merchant Mariner license with towing endorsement. She is married to USCG Captain Matt Denning (USMMA ’98) and they have three children together.

Jeremy Becker, MBA, CFRE, Executive Director of the Nicholls State University Foundation

Jeremy Becker, MBA, CFRE, is the Executive Director of the Nicholls State University Foundation, a position he has held since April 2017. Prior to joining Nicholls, he was the Director of Stewardship and Development for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux and Executive Director of the Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana.

During his time at Nicholls, Jeremy has started the annual Give-N-Day event that has raised nearly $1.5 million, restarted the Annual Fund after being dormant for nearly 15 years and been a part of the “largest gift in Nicholls history” three times. Additionally, during his time with the Foundation, annual membership with the Nicholls Foundation is at its highest level and endowment amounts have increased over 20%.

Jeremy is a native of Thibodaux, LA and obtained a BS degree in Marketing and a Masters in Business Administration degree from Nicholls State University. Currently, he lives in Schriever, LA with his wife Dawn and daughter Sydney, who will be attending Nicholls in the Fall and will be playing soccer for the Colonels.

Laci Melancon, Executive Director for The Coastal Center

Laci Melancon is the Executive Director for The Coastal Center at Nicholls State University. Laci has over 20 years of experience in higher education, nonprofit management and private business industry management. She’s served as a academic/career advisor, director of admissions and adjunct instructor for Fletcher Technical Community College; executive director for CASA of Terrebonne, Inc.; chief administrative officer of Southco Aviation; director of education at Unitech Training Academy-Houma Campus; and and most recently, the program director for the Coastal Technical Assistance Center.

Throughout her career, Laci has received several honors and achievements. Her most recent achievement was earning a National Certification as a Professional Community and Economic Developer in November of 2023.

Born and raised on the bayou, Laci has a passion for Louisiana’s coast, culture, and communities.