BATON ROUGE, La. (press release) — Emergent Method, a local consulting firm focused on organizational and technology transformation, has announced 14 promotions, recognizing leaders who have made what the firm describes as exceptional contributions to the firm’s continued growth and success.
“These promotions reflect both the dedication of our team and the trust our clients place in us to deliver results that matter,” said Nick Speyrer, president of Emergent Method. “As our work continues to grow in scale and complexity, it is critical to have leaders at every level of the organization who can guide teams, manage complex initiatives and bring specialized expertise to our clients. This group strengthens our core services and reinforces our ability to deliver transformational impact for our clients.”
Promotions to Senior Manager
Luisa Cantillo
Luisa Cantillo is a project management professional with extensive experience leading large-scale organizational transformation and system implementation projects in the utilities sector. She earned her master’s degree in business administration from Louisiana State University and a dual degree in international marketing and publicity and business administration from ICESI University in Colombia.
Brittany Francis
Brittany Francis, Ph.D. leads communication, community engagement and organizational planning efforts to support energy and higher education initiatives across the public sector. She earned her doctoral degree in public policy from Southern University, her master’s degree in public relations from Kent State University and her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Georgia State University.
Keesler Morrison
Keesler Morrison leads the firm’s coastal and environmental planning practice and is skilled in helping public sector clients develop meaningful, actionable plans in the coastal, resilience and infrastructure space. He supports projects from planning through execution, applying multi-stakeholder decision-making frameworks to drive alignment and keep complex initiatives moving forward. His experience includes supporting the delivery of large-scale restoration, resilience and infrastructure projects across the U.S. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Louisiana State University.
Promotions to Manager
Nikki Carr
Nikki Carr leads event and conference management for numerous clients across multiple sectors and states, planning multi-day conferences for thousands of attendees, large corporate events and annual meetings for high-profile stakeholders. She earned her master’s degree in business administration from Louisiana State University Shreveport and her bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Florida.
Makenzie Morgan
Makenzie Morgan leads a wide range of communication efforts, including marketing, public relations and internal communication strategies, for several of the firm’s private sector clients in the energy and utilities sectors. She earned both her master’s degree in public administration and her bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Louisiana State University.
Alyssa Panepinto
Alyssa Panepinto leads communication efforts for several of the firm’s public sector clients, including municipalities, higher education institutions and statewide energy initiatives. Her work is focused on content creation and effective storytelling, public relations and digital strategy. She earned her bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Louisiana State University.
Melanie Turner
Melanie Turner is a multifaceted consultant who leads strategic planning and communication efforts within the firm’s higher education practice. She leads organizational planning efforts for institutions across the U.S., developing actionable plans for strategic growth and providing critical project management support through implementation. She earned her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of South Florida and her bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Promotions to Senior Consultant
Brooks Belanger
Brooks Belanger supports research, policy and outreach for public-sector agencies in Louisiana and across the U.S. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Louisiana State University.
Shellie Milliron
Shellie Milliron is a graphic designer who specializes in print and environmental design and supports a wide range of clients and projects. She earned her bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Louisiana State University.
James Trammell
James Trammell supports stakeholder engagement, strategic planning and data analysis for an array of public sector clients and economic development organizations. She earned her bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Louisiana State University.
Administrative Team Promotions
In addition to client-facing roles, Emergent Method also announced the promotions of several administrative team members, reflecting their contributions to the firm’s continuous growth.
Ashlee Summers
Ashlee Summers, Controller, oversees the firm’s internal accounting and financial operations and lends her financial expertise to several of the firm’s clients. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from McNeese State University and is a certified public accountant.
Chiquita Southern
Chiquita Southern, Senior Associate, supports the firm’s internal operations as part of the administrative team, including billing, reporting and payroll functions.
Hannah Walters
Hannah Walters, Talent Manager, leads talent acquisition and management for the firm, along with driving recruitment efforts, high-profile executive searches and large-scale staff augmentation for several of its clients. She earned her master’s degree in business administration from Louisiana State University Shreveport and her bachelor’s degree in general business from Louisiana State University.
Brittni Wheeler
Brittni Wheeler, Senior Associate, supports the firm’s internal operations as part of the administrative team, including invoicing, reporting and bookkeeping functions.
Emergent Method – Recognition
Emergent Method was named to the 2025 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., ranking No. 4,772 nationally based on 61% revenue growth over the past three years. The firm is the only Louisiana company to make the list eight consecutive years, a streak dating back to 2018, reflecting.
Over the past year, Emergent Method has expanded its national footprint while deepening its presence in Louisiana, including Greater New Orleans, working across sectors such as economic development, energy, disaster recovery and resilience, education, workforce development, private equity and government, supported by strategic hires and continued investment in its team and organizational culture.
