Director

PARKS, ARTS, RECREATION, & CULTURE
Byron Starks, Director of Parks, Arts, Recreation, & Culture

Byron Starks, M.Ed., is a local and statewide recognized leadership educator, mentor, coach, and community builder with more than 30 years of experience developing people and programs. As the Founder and Executive Director of Champions International, Inc., he has spent over 25 years creating impactful mentoring, leadership, health, and wellness initiatives that have served more than 40,000 youth through camps, speaking engagements, and community programs.

Throughout his career, Byron has managed budgets while building sustainable programs that empower young people to reach their full potential. His commitment to service extends beyond athletics, including years of board leadership with Crossroads Church in Lafayette and numerous community partnerships focused on youth development and family engagement.

He was a former basketball player at the University of Louisiana and has been inducted in the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame. As a collegiate head coach for many years, Byron's professional journey and his leadership accomplishments have included transforming athletic programs at Lafayette Christian Academy, successfully building LSU Eunice's basketball program from the ground up, and revitalizing the basketball program at Baton Rouge Community College through facility improvements, branding initiatives, sponsorship development, and community engagement.

Guided by his message, "Eat right, Sleep right, Drink right, Think right, and everything else will be alright," Byron created The Healthy Hooper movement to inspire youth and families to develop healthy habits, strong character, confidence, and a championship mindset for life. He has authored two books “What Does It Take to Become a Champion” and his first children’s book “BJ Beats the Morning Rush.” Both books encourage individuals and youth to be their best through preparation and planning.