Marie Rudd-Gregory has been a resident of St. Tammany for the better part of seventeen years. For most of that time she served the community as a family law attorney. In that position, she focused on mediation and collaborative techniques intended to guide couples through the divorce process without destroying the family members.
In 2017, tragedy struck Marie’s family when a reckless driver stole the life of her seventeen year-old daughter, Brooke. Though she and her husband, Todd, support many wonderful projects throughout the community, she wanted a special project to honor Brooke’s memory. In 2019, the idea for making “Birthday Boxes” came from the work that a then young girl in Kentucky had begun. The boxes contain the essentials for a birthday party, such as cake mix, icing, party supplies, and small gifts. Given Brooke’s love for children, family, and celebration, this was the perfect project to celebrate Brooke’s memory and the Brooke It Forward Foundation was born.
Since 2019, the foundation has distributed over 1,000 boxes to seven different organizations that serve children who might not have a birthday but for the Birthday Boxes. Locally, these organizations include Children’s Advocacy Center Hope House and the Youth Service Bureau’s Court-Appointed Special Advocates. Marie is proud to serve the children of St. Tammany and seventeen other parishes across South Louisiana. She looks forward to expanding the Foundation’s reach as opportunities arise.
Marie is a founding member of Professional Women of St. Tammany. She has been an active member of the community over the years through various groups ranging from professional organizations to Mardi Gras crews. Marie is a member of the 2023 Leadership St. Tammany Class.
Marie lives in Covington with her husband, Todd, and their two pups, Lizzie and Tujague. They have a blended family of five daughters, two son-in-laws, and two grandchildren.