Missy Andrade describes herself as a Lafayette woman through and through.

She was born and raised here and graduated from UL.

After school, she traveled, but her love for the Acadian lead her back home and to the work, she is doing in the community today. 

Before starting her professional career in Acadiana, Andrade traveled the world as a dance instructor.

She says, “When you get to experience something like that it always forces you to reflect on the place that you call home and for me it always made me appreciate new things about Lafayette and Acadiana.”

In 2013 Andrade took a position as Membership Director for the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce.

She was part of the team that transitioned the one parish chamber to, One Acadiana which serves 8 parishes.

“Everything we were talking about, and everything we were focusing on was selling the dream of making Acadiana the best place possible to live, work, and play. As someone who is from here, as someone who has a family, as someone who doesn’t plan on leaving that doesn’t even feel like work. That is a mission that you were so easily aligned with because it’s about making your home a better place,” says Andrade. 

For five years she worked at One Acadiana where they represent more than 950 businesses throughout the area.

She says her time at One Acadiana and people she worked with lead her to the next position.

She recently made celebrated her one year anniversary as the CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Acadiana.

“A year I have listened a lot and learned so much, and I’m still asking questions every day. I feel like I have my arms around it. I know where we are and I understand where we need to go. Right now we are putting the pieces into place to figure out the steps in between those two things. How do we get there and I’m excited about it,” says Andrade. 

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Acadiana turns 50 this year. Andrade says she is excited to take the organization into its next chapter as they grow throughout the area.