The Arc Caddo-Bossier will hold its 2026 Leadership Luncheon on Wednesday, September 9, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana, 711 Live Casino Blvd, Bossier City. Doors open at 11:00 a.m.
Now a cornerstone event for the organization, the annual Leadership Luncheon brings together civic leaders, sponsors, and donors to celebrate The Arc Caddo-Bossier’s mission of building unlimited opportunities for people with disabilities. This year’s program will feature keynote speaker Dani Bowman.
Bowman is an entrepreneur, animator, educator, and public speaker with autism who has built a career advancing inclusion, creativity, and opportunity for people who are neurodivergent. Diagnosed with autism at age three and nonverbal until she was six, Bowman found animation to be her first language, a discovery that shaped the course of her life’s work. At 14, she founded DaniMation, a social enterprise that teaches animation and creates professional pathways for young people and young adults who are neurodiverse; she later expanded the program internationally with DaniMation UK in 2019. To date, she has taught animation to more than 3,500 students.
Bowman holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation and an MBA in Global Strategy & Leadership, and she has produced 16 original animated short films, each premiered at San Diego Comic-Con. She is widely known for her role as a cast member on Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum U.S., where she uses her platform to advocate for meaningful representation of people with disabilities in media, education, and employment.
Bowman’s journey, from a nonverbal three-year-old to a business owner, educator, and internationally recognized speaker, embodies the same belief of The Arc Caddo-Bossier’s mission of building unlimited opportunities for people with disabilities. Her work through DaniMation gives young people who are neurodivergent the same chance she was given: a pathway to develop their skills, build confidence, and pursue meaningful careers on their own terms. That belief in unlimited potential is the same one that has guided The Arc Caddo-Bossier since its founding, making Bowman a natural fit for this year’s Leadership Luncheon.
“When we look at Dani, we see exactly what we hope for every person we serve: the chance to become the best version of themselves, with nothing standing in the way. Representation like hers helps break down the barriers that too often hold people back.” Says Kristen Powers, CEO of The Arc Caddo-Bossier.
Tickets to the Leadership Luncheon are $75 per person, and sponsorship opportunities are still available. Registration closes Wednesday, September 9, at 11:30 a.m. Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased at secure.qgiv.com/for/leadershipluncheon/event/leadershipluncheon2026.