2025 Louisiana Legends Gala and Awards
Thursday, May 1, 2025
For over thirty years, Friends of Louisiana Public Broadcasting has celebrated the state’s best and brightest as Louisiana Legends. The 2025 honorees have excelled in a variety of fields, including public service, military service, arts, philanthropy, and sports.
These distinguished honorees join a prestigious list of past Louisiana Legends that includes Grammy Award winners, world-renowned chefs, a Nobel Prize winner, and esteemed dignitaries, including the current United States Ambassador to the United Nations. The Louisiana Legends are selected each year by the Friends of LPB Louisiana Legends Board Committee, comprised of volunteer representatives from around the state.
The 2025 Louisiana Legends Gala and Awards Ceremony will be held Thursday, May 1 at Louisiana’s Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge, and will feature a dinner, an auction featuring items donated by the honorees, music, and an awards ceremony that will be broadcast live on LPB.
The 2025 Louisiana Legends honorees are:
Claire Babineaux-Fontenot
A Louisiana native, Claire Babineaux-Fontenot is a leader and advocate dedicated to combating hunger and strengthening communities. Her decades long service in social justice and humanitarian efforts is emblematic of her unwavering commitment to working alongside people experiencing food insecurity to create sustainable, equitable solutions in the movement to end hunger. Since 2018, Claire has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Feeding America, a network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs, and the largest charity in the United States since 2022, according to Forbes. Prior to joining Feeding America, Claire has been entrusted to lead effective teams for three decades, including 13 years on Walmart's leadership team. Her relentless pursuit of an equitable, hunger-free America exemplifies her as a trailblazer and a compassionate advocate for social justice.
The Goldring Family
The Goldring Family, through their foundation, generously funds non-profit organizations in Greater New Orleans whose missions encourage environmental sustainability, animal welfare, arts and culture, civil affairs, educational and recreational opportunities for children, human services, health, and Jewish causes. Their contributions support the initiatives and progress of such institutions as the Audubon Institute and The National World War II Museum. Bill Goldring is Chairman of The Goldring Family Foundation, as well as Sazerac Company, one of New Orleans' oldest, largest, and most successful family businesses, producing over 500 brands of spirits, many of which are sold worldwide.
John H. Dalton
John H. Dalton was appointed the 70th Secretary of the Navy in 1993 by President Clinton, and was honored with the 1997 International Security Leadership Award from the National Security Caucus. In 1977, President Carter nominated him to lead the Government National Mortgage Association, and he later became a member and Chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board. Dalton is an inductee of the LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction and received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Trinity College. In 2016, he was awarded the Distinguished Graduate Award from the Naval Academy and serves as an emeritus member of the Board of Directors of the White House Historical Association.
Dan Borné
Dan Borné has a distinguished career across diverse sectors, including media, government, education, industry, and healthcare. He retired as President of the Louisiana Chemical Association and has held significant roles with the Louisiana Chemical Industry Alliance and the Louisiana Foundation for Excellence in Science, Technology, and Education. Borné has chaired boards for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana and the General Health System Board, and has led efforts in economic education and community welfare supporting initiatives in healthcare, the arts, and education. Additionally, his passion for LSU athletics shines through in his long-standing role as the public address announcer at Tiger Stadium and the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Judi Betts
Judi Betts is an internationally acclaimed watercolor painter, instructor, juror, and author. Her work has been exhibited in invitational exhibitions in Nanjing and Shanghai, China; Japan; Taiwan; Canada; as well as galleries across the United States. She has conducted workshops in 48 states and 10 foreign countries and has received several prestigious awards: the Louisiana Governor’s Award for Professional Artists; the Transparent Watercolor Society of America’s Master of Watercolor designation; the Contributions to the Medium of Watercolor Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award, both from the Watercolor USA Honor Society.
