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Nancy Garth (PCERI), Ashley Llewellyn (Northshore Healthscape), Dr. Kim Brannagan, Shelly Kattengell (NTCC), Christi Marceaux (NTCC), Dana Smith (LSUHSC), Dr. Peggy Honore (LSUHSC), and Dr. Brian Daly (PCERI)
LACOMBE, LA— Northshore Technical Community College (NTCC) recently hosted its successful Inaugural Patient Navigator Summit at the Lacombe Campus on Thursday, June 4, 2026. Bringing together potential students, educators, regional economic leaders, and six major healthcare systems, the event marked a vital milestone in establishing a unified, data-driven patient care network and creating an immediate workforce pipeline across Louisiana's Northshore region.
This program will be the first of its kind in Louisiana. It was developed by NTCC’s Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Christi Marceaux, in partnership with, Dr. Peggy Honore and Dana Smith from LSU Health Sciences Center, as well as the certifying body from Patient-Centered Education & Research Institute.
Patient Navigators play an essential role in modern healthcare, assisting patients in reducing barriers to care, scheduling appointments, understanding complex care plans, navigating insurance resources, and connecting with critical community support services. The summit highlighted how these innovative navigation models actively bridge the gap between higher education and clinical demand to drastically improve local care coordination and long-term health outcomes.
The summit served as both a strategic professional convention and a high-impact workforce recruitment initiative. The afternoon sessions successfully engaged prospective students and alumni through campus tours, panel discussions, and on-site admissions advising for NTCC’s upcoming Fall 2026 enrollment cycle.
"With six major regional health systems fully engaged, this summit successfully demonstrated a unified, regional approach to healthcare delivery and workforce readiness," said Christi Marceaux. "Thanks to the collaborative insights of our presenters and attendees, we are actively reviewing the implementation, measurable success, and future scaling of the Patient Navigator program to meet the evolving economic and clinical needs of our community."
The landmark event was made possible through the generous support of dedicated regional sponsors and partners. Special thanks are extended to presenters and sponsors Northshore Healthscape, the Louisiana Blue Foundation, and Baptist Community Ministries.
NTCC also recognizes the vital collaboration of its local workforce and healthcare partners, including:
- Slidell Memorial Hospital
- North Oaks Health System
- Ochsner Health
- Our Lady of the Angels Health
- St. Tammany Health System
- Lakeview Hospital LCMC Health
- Tri-Parish Works
For community members, prospective students, and healthcare providers who were unable to attend, presentation materials, downloadable resources, and comprehensive program details are now available on the NTCC Patient Navigator Website. Additional program overview specifics can also be reviewed directly via the NTCC Academic Catalog.
Ready to start your career as a Patient Navigator? Enrollment for the Fall 2026 program is now open. Visit northshorecollege.edu to learn more and apply.
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About Northshore Technical Community College
Northshore Technical Community College (NTCC) is a comprehensive college with a rich history of providing workforce training and academic pathways to universities across the state of Louisiana. Beyond the traditional classroom and workforce training opportunities, NTCC provides opportunities for students seeking our Adult Education, ESL, and YouthBuild programs. NTCC is comprised of its Main Campus in Lacombe, Hammond Area Campus, Direct Connect Campus at Southeastern Louisiana University, Florida Parishes Campus in Greensburg, Sullivan Campus in Bogalusa, and the Livingston Parish Campus in Walker. In 2015, NTCC was recognized by the Brookings Institute as the first in the nation for economic value of its graduates. The Chronicle of Higher Education named NTCC in 2019 as seventh fastest growing colleges from 2007-2017. NTCC was also awarded the Greater New Orleans Top Workplaces by The Times-Picayune and The New Orleans Advocate every year since 2018. For more information about NTCC, visit www.northshorecollege.edu.
