Meet the Council

 

Conni Castille grew up in rural Breaux Bridge, La., next door to her great-grandfather’s farm. Riding her bike into town as often as she could, she and her friends would plunge into Bayou Teche for a swim. Today, she holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy, and a Master’s Degree in Folklore from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where she currently teaches film. Over the past few years, she has directed several award-winning documentaries on Cajun and Creole culture. Her interest in Bayou Teche stems from her passion for history and culture and paddling. Contact her at conni_castille@techeproject.org.

 

 

Erin Z. Bass is not a Council member, but serves as The TECHE Project’s Administrator and is an essential part of The TECHE Project Team. Erin is no stranger to the Bayou Teche. She grew up playing along the bayou at her grandparents’ house in New Iberia. She has covered the Teche through her work with Discover Iberia magazine and the Louisiana Tour Guide. As Administrator of The TECHE Project, Erin utilizes her communication, marketing and public relations skills to handle membership, the Annual Report and Annual Banquet, in addition to day to day administrative duties. She has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Louisiana State University and has spent more than 20 years working as a writer and editor on newspapers and magazines.Erin’s background and expertise in journalism and marketing are an asset in promoting the Bayou Teche Paddle Trail to attract more paddlers. Contact her at erinzbass@gmail.com.

 

 

Jimmy Gravois is owner of Metal Shark, LLC, a leading supplier of welded aluminum boats for commercial, defense and law enforcement applications worldwide. The company traces its origins to 1986, when Jeanerette, La.-based Gravois Aluminum Boats began producing custom welded aluminum fishing boats for recreational anglers and commercial fishermen. Over the years, the Gravois family developed a loyal following among demanding Gulf Coast fishermen due to the rugged quality of their boats, which were often highly customized to suit the buyer’s needs. Growing up in Jeanerette, Jimmy has an intimate history with the Teche. Contact him at jimmy_gravois@techeproject.org.

 

 

A native of Breaux Bridge, Greg Guidroz is currently serving as recycling supervisor for Lafayette Consolidated Government. He is responsible for overseeing the city’s curbside recycling program, household hazardous waste materials management program and Louisiana’s only municipally owned and operated yard waste composting facility. He holds a B.S. in Environmental and Sustainable Resources from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and has 20-plus years of experience as an environmental educator, with a focus in water quality and aquatic litter abatement. Contact him at gregoryguidroz@gmail.com.

 

 

Patti Holland is a resident of Arnaudville, LA. She is a wildlife biologist by training and had a career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Because of her ecological background, Patti is involved in the water quality and ecological education programs including the wood duck management and bank-line restoration workshops. As acting Executive Director, Patti also puts on the “Shake Your Trail Feather” annual festival, which raises funds for the Bayou Teche Paddle Trail. She shares the excitement of fellow TECHE Project members and volunteers in promoting the paddle trail, and she especially enjoys birding by kayak on quiet mornings floating down the Teche. Contact her at patti_holland@techeproject.org.

 

 

Brent Miller and his family lived on Bayou Teche for many years and enjoyed many outdoor recreation activities in their kayaks, such as fishing, duck hunting, mushrooming and bird watching. Brent and his children also participate in conservation efforts along Bayou Teche, promoting ecology, water quality testing and the use of wood duck nest boxes. While on the school board for St. Bernard School, Brent began the first school paddle club in Acadiana that competes in the Petite Tour du Teche and is encouraging other schools to follow suit to promote more outdoor water recreation along our historic waterways. His other responsibilities have included the implementation and grant execution of the Breaux Bridge Trailhead for the Bayou Teche Paddle Trail and the Atakapa-Ishak biking/running trail. Contact him at brent_miller@techeproject.org.

 

 

Margaret Simon lives on the Bayou Teche in New Iberia. She is a retired elementary school teacher. Her latest poetry book is a collaboration with Phebe Hayes, Were You There: A Biography of Emma Wakefield Paillet. She’s the author of Bayou Song: Creative Explorations of the South Louisiana Landscape. Margaret has contributed to children’s poetry anthologies, including The Poetry of US by National Geographic. She writes a blog regularly at reflectionsontheteche.com. Contact her at margaretsmn@gmail.com.

 

 

Born on the banks of the Bayou Teche, Dane Thibodeaux, a resident of Breaux Bridge, has brown water running through his veins. Dane is a Social Studies teacher and environmental awareness sponsor at Cecilia High School, encouraging his students to be environmentally responsible by starting a school-wide recycling program. With his wife Jill and two children, Lucas and Emile, he enjoys paddling and spending time outdoors with friends and family. Dane joined The TECHE Project Council as Bayou Operations Coordinator in 2013 and is tasked with coordinating our semi-annual trash pickup with local government, businesses and volunteers. Contact him at dane_thibodeaux@techeproject.org.