Ellen Ballard, originally from LaPlace, Louisiana, has proudly called Shreveport home since 1998. She has served as Executive Assistant to Linda Biernacki at Fire Tech Systems since 2017 and became Executive Director of the Louisiana Fire Sprinkler Association (LFSA) in 2019. As LFSA's executive director, she serves as co-host for the Southern Fire Sprinkler Summit and serves on several AFSA national committees, including Convention, Public Education & Awareness, and Membership, allowing her to further support industry growth and outreach. Prior to entering the fire protection industry, Ellen spent over 30 years in the private country club sector and 8 years in community relations at Eagle Distributing. Her career focus has consistently been on service, collaboration, and strengthening businesses and communities.