Meet the Superintendent

Meet Interim Superintendent Janet Simmons

On May 23, 2025, the BREC Commission formally appointed Janet Simmons as Interim Superintendent of the park system, effective June 1, 2025. 

Simmons brings more than four decades of executive leadership in the nonprofit sector, with a career centered on workforce development, poverty alleviation, and social enterprise. Most recently, she served as President and CEO of HOPE Ministries of Baton Rouge, where she significantly scaled the organization’s programs and increased revenue by more than 250%. 

Respected for her visionary leadership, Simmons has a proven record of accomplishment in forging strategic partnerships, launching sustainable social enterprises, and designing high-impact training programs that drive long-term community benefit. 

She holds a degree in Finance and Marketing from Mississippi College and is a published author and curriculum developer. Her work has earned numerous accolades from organizations such as Capital Area United Way, Baton Rouge General Hospital, and John W. Barton Sr. Excellence in Nonprofit Management. She is also a graduate of Leadership Baton Rouge Class of 2016.