Woman of the Day:
Donna D. Fraiche
Chair of Loyola's Board of Trustee
Donna Fraiche is one of the leading health care attorneys in the United
States. She currently practices law with the New Orleans firm Baker Donelson
Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC and is the past managing partner
of the New Orleans office of Locke Liddell & Sapp, LLP.
Fraiche attended St. Mary's Dominican College and Louisiana State University
majoring in English Literature. She was president of the Mortar Board,
a member of the Scotch Guard, and editor-in-chief of Delta Literary Magazine.
In 1975, she graduated from Loyola University School of Law. While a law
student, she received the Award for Excellent Achievement in the Study
of Courts in the Federal System and was a member of Phi Delta Phi.
She began her practice of law in Baton Rouge, and later in New Orleans.
In 1985,
Fraiche was awarded the C. Dana Snyder Medical Lectureship Award from
Good Samaritan Hospital in Kentucky. She is a past president of the American
(formerly National) Health Lawyers Association. She has authored numerous
articles on various aspects of health care law. She currently serves as
President of the World Trade Center New Orleans, Louisiana chapter. As
a member of the Council of Law Practice Management for the American Bar
Association, she co-chairs the Women Rainmaker Division. She authored
a chapter for the book, Marketing Success Stories. . . Personal Interviews
with 66 Rainmakers. She serves on the board of the Louisiana Bar Foundation
as secretary-treasurer and as chair of the Foundation’s IOLTA (Interest
on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts) Committee and other committees. Fraiche
is chair of the Louisiana Health Care Commission and is an adjunct faculty
member at Tulane University's School of Public Health and Administration,
lecturing in health care law and regulations as well as serving as a preceptor
for the Masters of Public Health Residency Program. She is an appointed
member to the Louisiana Legislative Task Force on the Working Uninsured.
She has lectured at the East Carolina School of Medicine and has addressed
the Joint Economic Committee of Congress during hearings concerning the
state of the hospital industry in the 21st Century.
In the summer of 2003, she was appointed a delegate from Louisiana to
attend the George Washington University Elliot School for Public Affairs.
She received a certificate as a fellow for participating in the program
“Governing in a Global Age.”
In 1996, Fraiche received the Multiple Sclerosis Society's Leadership
Circle Award for Outstanding Business, Medical and Civic Contributions.
Kingsley House honored Fraiche as one of the 100 Outstanding Citizens
of New Orleans in 1996. CityBusiness named her as “Women of the
Year” in its first round of such awards. She has been honored as
a 1991 “Outstanding Role Model” by the Young Leadership Council
and as one of the 1992 “Women of Distinction” by the Southeast
Louisiana Girl Scout Council. In 2002, Fraiche served as the corporate
chair for the New Orleans American
Heart Association’s gala. In addition, she was appointed by former
mayor Marc Morial to serve on the seven-member “blue-ribbon”
committee that reviewed Wal-Mart’s proposals and plans for the redevelopment
of the former St. Thomas housing project site. She was chosen as one of
the “Ten Outstanding Persons” honored by Family Services and
she is a charter member of the Women’s Leadership Initiative of
United Way, 2002. In 2003, she served as the chair of the 17th annual
Fellows Dinner for The Louisiana Bar Foundation. In 2003, CityBusiness
chose and featured her profile in a series called
“La Grande Executive.”
Fraiche has numerous community affiliations, including, among others,
serving as president of the board of directors for the World Trade Center
of New Orleans and as chair for public policy of the board of directors
of the New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce. In 2003, she received
the Joseph W. Simon Memorial Award, the Chamber’s top honor for
promoting its public policy agenda. She is also a commissioner on the
Historic District Landmark Commission of the City of New Orleans.
She and her husband, Dr. John Fraiche, are active members and benefactors
of Loyola. She is a past president of the Loyola Alumni Board and was
chair of the 1990 Homecoming Weekend Committee. She also served on the
Reunion Committee 2000 for her 25th anniversary as a graduate of the Law
School. In addition, Fraiche served as commencement speaker for the School
of Law’s 84th commencement ceremony.
Previously, Fraiche completed two terms of service on Loyola's Board of
Trustees. She served on the University Planning Team as the board liaison
for two years. She currently serves as chair of the board, chair of the
by-laws committee and chair of the Committee on Mission Effectiveness
and an ad hoc member of every committee of the Board of Trustees.
She and her husband, John, reside in New Orleans. They have two children,
a daughter-in-law, and two grandsons.
Thank you to Julia McSherry in Institutional Advancement for nominating Donna D. Fraiche.