Board of Directors

Samantha “Sam” Sheppard

Franklin Parish Industrial Development Board
Executive Director

Samantha “Sam” Sheppard is passionate about building strong communities and driving growth. She serves as the Executive Director of the Industrial Development Board of Franklin Parish, where she focuses on economic development, business recruitment, and retention. She’s also the director of Winnsboro Main Street Inc., working to revitalize and preserve the historic downtown of Winnsboro.

 

A proud graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Marketing, Samantha was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority and later served as one of seven Leadership Development Consultants for National Kappa Delta. She is also a graduate of Leadership Franklin (2022), a program that further strengthened her leadership skills. Over the years, she’s gained valuable experience in marketing and recruiting across healthcare, agriculture, and construction industries.

 

Samantha is passionate about fostering community engagement, promoting local tourism, and preserving the rich heritage of Franklin Parish. She stays busy serving on several boards, including the Winnsboro-Franklin Chamber of Commerce, Franklin Parish Tourism Commission, and Rawhide Robinson Activity Center, where she’s secretary. She’s also involved with the Miss Franklin Parish Pageant and was recently appointed to the boards of Grow NELA and Workforce Development Board 83. In 2022-2023, she was honored to receive LSU’s CCELL “Happy Award” for her work in service-learning partnerships in recognition of the Davis Park Playground Project.

 

Outside of work, Samantha is an active member of Life Church in Winnsboro and is involved with the Franklin Parish Retreat Ministries. When she’s not at the office or volunteering, she loves spending time with her husband Chad and their two kids, Luke and Landry. Samantha is a competitive spirit who enjoys softball, baseball, watersports, and playing in the Franklin Parish Women’s Tennis League and USTA. Her favorite escapes are relaxing trips to Lake Bruin with her family or adventures in the Colorado mountains for some snow skiing.