Kaplan native named ‘one of most influential women of the Delta’

Kaplan native, Aimee Desholtel Kane, was recently named one of the  16 most influential women  of the Delta in Monroe, La. She was featured in Delta Style Magazine, 2013 Sweet Sixteen edition.
She is the daughter of Mr & Mrs O.H.Deshotels, III of Kaplan.
Current Professional Position:
Assistant Vice President of Corporate Communications at St. Francis Medical Center
What experience has had the greatest impact on your career?
My college internship was in the community relations department at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette, and it was there I discovered my passion for health care.  This opportunity paved my way to Monroe and ultimately to St. Francis, where I have been able to fulfill my purpose in life.  Working for an organization whose mission is to serve those most in need is both an honor and a privilege.  Every experience I have had, every challenge I have faced, and every person I have encountered influenced me in so many ways.  One person in particular, Mrs. Kitty DeGree, modeled the spirit of altruism.  Her support and faith in me guided me through my career. The wisdom and lessons learned from each continues to shape and mold the person I am today, and the person I aspire to be. Our purpose in life can be revealed to us when we least expect it and can lead us on a journey that can be so rewarding.    
What has been your most rewarding personal experience?
At a very young age, my parents taught me the importance of compassion and service.  My mother was my role model.  I watched her give her time, gifts, talents, and love to help others in so many ways.  She never expected anything in return, but was rewarded in knowing that she had made a profound impact on someone’s life. Her passion for volunteering became mine, and I am very grateful to have the support of my family and in particular, my husband Tim, who also is committed to community service. I believe that what one chooses to do in life is based on how it makes he or she feel. If I know that my actions have positively influenced a person or imparted change, then my soul is nourished.  Words cannot describe the life-changing personal growth I received from working with all of the wonderful organizations in our community, such as the American Red Cross during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Volunteers of America’s Give A Hand Program, and the YMCA’s Big Brother Big Sister Program. Everyone has experiences in life, but it is what one chooses to do with them that will be the most rewarding and lasting.
Please list Volunteer/Organizations/Positions:
Current: Northeast Louisiana Cancer Foundation Board Chair; CABL (Council for a Better Louisiana) Board Member; United Way Allocations Committee; Rotary; ULM Foundation Athletics Association; Louisiana Hospital Association; Louisiana Society of Hospital Public Relations and Marketing; Monroe Chamber of Commerce;  West Monroe/West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce.
Past: American Red Cross Board Chair, Northeast Louisiana Arts Council Board Chair; Girl Scouts of Louisiana Pines to the Gulf Council Board Member; Volunteers of America Board Member; YMCA Board Member; Cancer League Foundation Board Member; NELA Children’s Coalition Board Member; American Heart Association Board Member; ARCO Board Member; St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy Board Member; March of Dimes Board Member; Monroe Junior League; Monroe Junior Garden Club; NELA Kidney Foundation Cadillac Invitational Committee; Boy Scouts Marketing Committee; Young Troupe Little Theatre Advisory Committee; Women Wellness Coalition of Wellspring; United Way Allocations Committee
Please list Honors/Awards/Certificates/Education:
Honors/Awards:
2010 Northeast Louisiana Young Professionals and Delta Business Magazine’s Top 20 Under 40 Young Business Professionals; 2008 graduate of the CABL (Council for A Better Louisiana) Leadership Louisiana Program; 2007 James M. Shipp, Jr. Memorial Young Business Leader of the Year; 1998 graduate of the Monroe Chamber’s Leadership Ouachita Program
Education/Certificates: Bachelor of Arts from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette) - major in public relations (accredited program) and a minor in marketing/management; Lean Six Sigma Quality Champion (certified); Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt; Louisiana State Quality Examiner (certified); NIMS, ICS-200, ICS-100 healthcare emergency preparedness certification from FEMA Emergency Management Institute