Community Activities in Louisiana

News and Events 2026

New Engagement Coordinator

The Louisiana Core is pleased to announce that Krysta Younker, MBA, joined our team in April as the Community Engagement Coordinator for Franklin Parish. As a resident of Franklin Parish, Krysta brings a deep understanding of the region and its unique needs. Her professional experience has been dedicated to rural health and patient advocacy within Franklin Parish, demonstrating her commitment to improving health outcomes in underserved communities. Krysta’s expertise, determination, and strong relationships within the community will further enhance the grassroots initiatives that have been established. We look forward to the positive impact she will make as she continues to support and strengthen our community engagement efforts in Franklin Parish.

Assumption Community Hospital

Assumption Parish CEC Erin Theriot attended an event at Assumption Community Hospital highlighting the data book and visiting with community members. Recipe cards that were created bearing the QR code to access the digital data book were a big hit among all in attendance.

Assumption Databook

The Louisiana Core, in partnership with the entire Study Team, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Pennington Biomedical Research Center, and LSU, released Volume 1 of the Assumption Parish Data Book which can be viewed here. This significant achievement was made possible through the collaborative efforts of all organizations involved. To ensure the data reaches a broad audience, the release was supported by a series of press releases, radio interviews, and in-person community outreach activities. Through these efforts, information from the data book is being circulated throughout Assumption Parish and across the state of Louisiana. In addition, the team is nearing the completion of the first volume of the Franklin Parish Data Book, which will be available soon.

Additional Information

Check out the RURAL Study in Louisiana’s Facebook pages for Assumption Parish and Franklin Parish.

To learn more about the participant experience in the RURAL Study, visit the Study Participants webpage.

If you have any questions or comments, please call us at 1-888-RURALST (1- 888-787-2578) or email us at RURALstudy@uab.edu