Konstance Causey is the policy and advocacy and family mentor experience (FME) coordinator for the Louisiana Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program. She is no stranger to LEND, however, as she recently participated as a family discipline scholar with the graduating cohort of 2022. Her motivation and tenacity to build the capacity of the developmental disability service system to better serve families and individuals with disabilities has made her an exceptional addition to the LEND team.
For nearly six years, Ms. Causey has worked with Families Helping Families of Northeast LA, a family-directed resource center for people with developmental disabilities and their families where she currently serve as Deputy Director. In her current role, Ms. Causey provides training and peer support to empower parents by connecting them to resources and helping them to understand their rights and responsibilities. She also serve as the Regional Advocacy leader for the 12 parishes of Northeast Louisiana, where she works on behalf of the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council to support families and individuals with disabilities to become grassroots legislative advocates for the disability community. Her passion and drive comes from her own unique experiences as a former NICU mom after the premature birth of her daughter Kaidence, a former 24-week micropreemie who experienced developmental challenges.
Ms. Causey holds over a decade of public policy and advocacy experience, beginning with her advocacy efforts during her undergraduate years working on various grassroots environmental and public health policy campaigns. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in African American studies, and from the University of Louisiana at Monroe with a Master of Public Administration concentrating in Health. She serves on several regional and state committees dedicated to elevating the voice of the “lived experiences” of Louisiana’s citizens in an effort to create and advance more inclusive, equitable programs, services, and services. Her hopes are to continue to channel her unique personal, professional, and academic experiences to contribute to creating lasting, positive change for families.
