Southeastern Louisiana University graduates and sisters Leonie Ezegbunam (pictured above) and Janice Ezegbunam-George have been named Southeastern Louisiana University’s 2024 Young Alumnae of the Year. They will be officially recognized at the Southeastern Alumni Association Awards Evening to be held Oct. 18, during Homecoming week.
“We are proud to honor sisters Leonie and Janice as our Young Alumnae of the Year. Their shared commitment to excellence and their joint efforts in creating an endowed scholarship reflect a unique bond between both them and Southeastern,” said Southeastern Alumni Relations Director Malayne Sharp. “They have not only excelled in their professional careers, but have also given back so generously to Southeastern. Their dedication to education and their ongoing involvement on campus exemplify a spirit of Lion Pride and service that we aim to foster in all of our alumni. Both Janice and Leonie embody the values of excellence and caring and are examples of how Southeastern graduates can make a lasting impact.”
Ezegbunam graduated from Southeastern in 2008 and 2009 with a bachelor of science in accounting and a master’s degree in business administration, respectively. She has over 15 years of experience in tax accounting and is a certified public accountant licensed in the states of Texas and Louisiana. She has held managerial positions in various public accounting firms and industry accounting roles. In 2021, Ezegbunam founded her own woman-owned CPA firm, LOE Tax PLLC, where she serves as managing director. The firm specializes in federal, state, and international tax compliance; tax accounting; and tax technology implementations.
Outside of the professional arena, Ezegbunam has demonstrated a commitment to community service and mentorship. As a member of the AICPA’s Board of Trustees for the Benevolent Fund and a panel judge for various AICPA Scholarships, she contributes her time and expertise in supporting the financial needs and educational development of accounting professionals. She is a former member of the Southeastern College of Business Accounting Advisory Board (2018-2019).
Ezegbunam-George graduated from Southeastern in 2004 with a bachelor of science in accounting and in 2005 with a master’s degree in business administration. She received the school’s Outstanding Graduate in Accounting Award in 2004, and was named the NCAA Woman of the Year for the State of Louisiana in 2005.
Currently, Ezegbunam-George is a member of the Southeastern Accounting Advisory Board, having served since 2017. She has also been a presenter on numerous occasions at Southeastern Business Week and co-presented an inaugural program about diversity in the workplace to select classes in the accounting department. Additionally, she has participated in various community service organizations in the Greater New Orleans and Houston areas.
In 2015 the sisters established the Janice and Leonie Ezegbunam Endowed Scholarship in Track and Field, which is awarded to track and field athletes at Southeastern who meet certain academic criteria. Janice and Leonie were the youngest donors for an endowed scholarship at the time.
Alumni Awards Evening will also include recognition of several Southeastern faculty, staff and alumni, including Alumnus of the Year for 2024, nationally recognized lawyer, negotiator, and legal strategist Calvin C. Fayard, Jr.
For more information about Homecoming week, visit southeastern.edu/homecoming.
