Dr. Elizabeth Stanley Named Associate Executive Director of Operations

January 12, 2026 · Baton Rouge, LA

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Pennington Biomedical Research Center has announced the appointment of Dr. Elizabeth S. Stanley as Associate Executive Director of Operations, effective January 20, 2026.

Stanley, who joined the Center in November as Senior Director for Operations and Finance, assumes the role following the transition from longtime operations leader Guy LaVergne, who is stepping down from his full-time position as Associate Executive Director after 27 years of service to the Center. LaVergne will continue supporting the Center in a part-time advisory and consulting capacity, working closely with Stanley and executive leadership to ensure continuity and strategic momentum during the transition.

As Associate Executive Director, Stanley will serve as a senior strategic and operational advisor to the Executive Director and Executive Committee. She will lead long-term operational planning, financial forecasting, risk mitigation, compliance alignment, institutional governance support, legislative coordination, and Center-wide policy and directive development. The role also includes oversight of human resources, facilities, computing services, sponsored projects, fiscal operations, and institutional research and budgeting functions.

“Since joining Pennington Biomedical, Elizabeth Stanley has brought strategic vision, new ideas and mission-focused leadership,” said Dr. Jennifer Rood, Interim Senior Vice Chancellor and Executive Director of Pennington Biomedical. “In her new role, she will continue to advance and strengthen our administrative operations in support of the Center’s research enterprise and future success. This planned change reflects both continuity and forward momentum, ensuring that Pennington Biomedical remains well-positioned to deliver operational excellence in support of science that improves lives.”

Stanley brings more than a decade of progressive healthcare operations leadership to Pennington Biomedical, having recently served as Director of Pediatrics and OB/GYN at Ochsner Medical Center in Baton Rouge, where she oversaw operations across 11 clinic locations. In that role, she managed a $22.8 million operating budget, directed a multidisciplinary workforce of 160 employees and 43 providers, and led high-complexity physician group integrations and major service expansions.

“I am honored to step into this role at such a pivotal time for Pennington Biomedical,” said Stanley. “I look forward to working alongside Guy and Center leadership to build on a legacy of operational excellence while advancing new strategies and infrastructure that grow our research portfolio and empower our researchers to accelerate discoveries – benefiting our local community, our state and the global scientific community.”

Stanley holds a Doctor of Health Administration from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, an MBA in Health Care Management from the University of North Alabama, and a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in psychology from Millsaps College, where she was also a four-year varsity basketball letterman.