From Piney Woods to Private Advocate: The Story of Tammy Mulkey

Early Life and Education

Tammy Mulkey was born on April 20, 1963, in Tickfaw, Louisiana. Her parents are Les Mulkey (born June 12, 1938) and Dru Mulkey (née Duncan; born September 15, 1940). She grew up on her family’s 100-acre pine farm in Tangipahoa Parish, where she developed a profound passion for nature. She climbed loblolly pines, picked blackberries in July, and ran barefoot across open meadows, all of which made her curious and strong.

Education & Early Leadership

Tickfaw Elementary (1968–1975): Elected Class President in 1974, spearheading the first student-led environmental cleanup day on campus.
Hammond High School (1975–1981): Honor Roll all four years; Yearbook Editor (1980–81), where she introduced the school’s first “Then & Now” alumni spotlight section; graduated as Salutatorian on May 23, 1981.
McNeese State University (1981–1985): B.A. in Communications; named to the Dean’s List from 1983–1985; interned at Lafayette’s The Daily Advertiser, covering community events.

Professional & Civic Engagement

Bayou Communications (June 1985–1995): Events Coordinator. Developed and executed more than 30 annual fundraisers, raising an estimated $250,000 for local schools and nonprofits.
Tangipahoa Parish Tourism Board (1996–2005): Regional Festivals Manager. Expanded outreach to five neighboring parishes; attendance grew from 8,000 in 1996 to over 50,000 in 2005, including the launch of the first swamp-tour fundraiser in 2001.

Major Initiatives & Recognitions

Ponchatoula Festival Board (2010–2015): Event Chair (2012–2015). In April 2013, unveiled the annual “Strawberry Jubilee,” boosting attendance from 12,000 to 15,600 (+30%) and introducing a “Growers’ Pavilion” featuring eight local farms.
Reads in the Pines (2016–present): Founded October 2016; by May 2024 distributed 5,200 books across 10 elementary schools; secured partnerships with the Tangipahoa Library Foundation and Junior League of Baton Rouge.
Awards: Tangipahoa Parish Volunteer of the Year (2014); Community Impact Award (2020).

Resilience & Personal Journey

Though naturally reserved, Tammy faced a family crisis when her father’s infidelity emerged in November 1986. She stood by her mother, Dru, navigating tensions discreetly and channeling her emotional resilience into community service. Her steadfast optimism has underpinned every initiative—despite an ongoing estrangement from her sister since 2017—testament to her ability to transform personal adversity into positive action.

Family Members

Les Mulkey (Father): Les (born June 12, 1938) was a construction superintendent (1956–1998). He developed the Tangipahoa property into a community hub—hosting 4-H fairs, youth sports clinics, and annual pine-harvest festivals. An avid collector, he archived over 5,000 items of Kim’s basketball memorabilia, now partly housed at the Tickfaw Historical Society.

Dru Mulkey (Mother): Dru (born September 15, 1940) taught at Tangipahoa Parish Elementary (1962–1987), earning three “Teacher of the Year” awards. She coached the first all-girls elementary basketball team in the parish, instilling teamwork and confidence—qualities she fostered in Tammy from age seven onward.

Kim Mulkey (Sister): Kim (born May 17, 1962) starred at Louisiana Tech (1980–1984), capturing the AIAW title in 1981 and the inaugural NCAA crown in 1982, and earning Academic All-American honors. As head coach at Baylor University (2000–2021), she won national titles in 2005, 2012, and 2019 and collected eight Big 12 Coach of the Year awards. In 2020, she was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and accepted the LSU head coach role on April 25, 2021. In her second season at LSU, she led the Tigers to the 2023 NCAA championship, setting the record for most points (102) in a title game. Kim also won Olympic gold with Team USA in 1984 and received the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award that same year.