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.
