The Transformative Power of the Arts: An Interview with Honoree and Board Member Marguerite Moisio
A Jazzy Celebration Honoring Board Member Marguerite Moisio at YALA Gras
Marguerite Moisio keeps our YALA FaLaLa annual fundraisers exciting!
Young Audiences of Louisiana (YALA) is gearing up for its annual fundraiser, YALA Gras, on January 29, 2026, offering a jazzy new twist on the event to be held this year at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. This year, we are proud to honor our dedicated Board Member, Marguerite Moisio, for her profound commitment to YALA's mission, her long-standing leadership, and her significant contributions.
We sat down with Marguerite on the phone recently to discuss her journey to the board and the deeply personal impact the arts have had on her life.
From St. Louis to Southeast Louisiana
Marguerite Moisio, who grew up in the Midwest (St. Louis) and attended college in Vermont, began her career in financial services in New York City, where she lived from 2000 to 2011. Her move to New Orleans in 2011 ultimately led her to YALA, where she became involved through a connection with a national board member.
Redefining "Art" and Finding Confidence
Marguerite admits her initial understanding of "art" was limited to drawing and painting. At the same time, she realized that her own experience with theater in high school was "certainly a transformative experience" for developing confidence.
She found that the ability to "don the persona of somebody else" offers a "level of freedom" and allows for much deeper engagement with peers. And this ability is a skill highly transferable to the business world. As Marguerite told us:
Marguerite Mosio with Dr. Robert and Beverly Metheny at YALA FaLaLa 2024. That theater background comes in handy at parties and for photos! This year, we have reimagined our annual fundraiser as YALA Gras.
“Being on stage helps you learn to speak in public and to not be afraid of that. You learn to carry yourself, improv, and present yourself in a certain way so even if you’re not feeling 100% confident, it sure is a whole lot easier to fake it!”
In this way, Marguerite gleefully notes that the performing arts were critical in her development not just as a human being, but as a business professional.
The Joy of the Human Element
“It’s so awesome to see these little faces or you know teenage faces just light up with the pride of what they’ve done and they’re creating”
She realized the profound impact of performing arts through her involvement with Young Audiences. When asked about the best part of her time on the Board, Marguerite immediately points to the human elements—meeting and learning from other board members, YALA staff, and, most importantly, the students.
YALA Co-execs Jenny James (left) and Richard Bates (right) here at our end of the year with Marguerite “Rite” Moisio.
"It's so awesome to see these little faces or you know teenage faces just light up with the pride of what they've done and they're creating," she shares, describing the joy she gets from seeing the kids perform or display their artwork. For Marguerite, it is the knowledge that YALA is helping these kids "tap into that within themselves" that makes the work so rewarding.
Her Advice for a Thriving Board and Community
Marguerite’s primary advice for potential or new board members is to get more involved and bring more of their own connections to the organization. She emphasizes that building a pipeline of different ages, abilities, and backgrounds is crucial for a board to "survive and thrive".
This year’s YALA Gras fundraiser will feature art for auction from YALA ArtLive 2025. Artist Alison Cline creates a painting with Sophie Bui from YACS Burmaster High School.
"Get your friends involved, get them to concerts. Get them to participate and see what we're doing and learn... why not share this with folks?" she advises.
Join us on January 29th to celebrate Marguerite Moisio and the ongoing mission to bring the arts to life for Southeast Louisiana students!
Join the Party and Bring a Friend!
As our guest of honor Marguerite Moisio often says, the best way to help our mission "survive and thrive" is by sharing with others the experiences YALA creates, bringing new connections into the YALA family.
Your ticket purchase will directly support our work as we continue to inspire and educate over 35,000 students through the transformative power of the arts. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy an evening of "fine fare, spirits, and live music" while helping us build a stronger pipeline for arts education in Louisiana.
Each $125 ticket purchased is also a chance to win a beautiful piece of jewelry from our "Sparkle Sponsor" Aucoin Hart.
If you would like to join us for this event or become a sponsor, please visit: https://www.ya4la.org/yala-gras.
We hope to see you at YALA Gras or our next community event!