Staff

Hope is originally from Jefferson City, Missouri. Hope developed her love for sports while working towards her bachelors degree in Sport Administration with a minor in Business Administration at LSU from fall 2019 to spring 2023. While working hard towards her degree she gained practical work experience while working for the Jefferson City Renegades Baseball Team from May 2021 to August 2021. While with the Renegades, Hope was the team photographer and historian, she also organized many events throughout the season. She then went on to work for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the Baton Rouge Rougarou, as Lead Intern from January 2023 to May 2023. She then furthered her career as Game Day Coordinator for Baton Rouge Rougarou from May 2023 to September 2023. Hope served as a proud member of the Baton Rouge Zydeco front office staff as the Director of Ticketing & Operations for two years. Hope now resides as the Assistant General Manager.

Chad Bailey, a 31-year-old from Walled Lake, Michigan, is no stranger to high-profile hockey, bringing nine years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, NA3HL, and NAHL. He began his coaching career as an Assistant Coach at Arizona State University in the ACHA, serving from the 2016-2017 season through the 2018-2019 season. After three successful seasons in Arizona, Chad made the move to become an assistant coach with the Sheridan Hawks of the NA3HL and became the head coach for the Sheridan Hawks in 2021, an organization he helped from the 2019-2020 season through the 2022-2023 season. Most recently, Bailey spent the last two years as an assistant coach in the NAHL with the Lone Star Brahmas and the head coach of the NA3HL Texas Brahmas where he made it back-to-back years to the divisional semi-finals. Under Chad's guidance, the Lone Star Brahmas won the Robertson Cup in 2024, and they narrowly missed defending their title last year, falling to the Bismarck Bobcats in the championship game.

Lucy comes to the Zydeco with several years of Group Sales experience. Her passion for sports and creating an exceptional experience for her guests culminate in the perfect combination! With backgrounds in technology and Group sales, she is accustomed to providing excellent Customer Service. When she’s not cheering on the Zydeco, Lucy spends time with family and friends, her fur babies, enjoying college football, Dallas Stars hockey and soccer. Geaux Zydeco!

Originally from Charleston, South Carolina, Demi made her way to Baton Rouge to earn her Bachelor's degree in Sport Administration from LSU. Growing up a fan of the South Carolina Stingrays in the ECHL, it sparked a passion to work in sports, especially hockey. She has been with the Baton Rouge Zydeco since the spring of their inaugural season and has worked her way up from an intern. She oversaw merchandising on game days for the Zydeco during their 2024-25 season, and has now transitioned to take over community outreach for the team. Some of her experience working in sports include interning with the College of Charleston’s Athletic Department, which entailed assisting with the 2022 Charleston Classic basketball tournament. She also worked merchandising for the Savannah Bananas baseball team while they were on tour in Baton Rouge. Demi has assisted in game day operations since day one and hopes to keep learning and growing in the industry.  

Bryan Flores enters his second year with the Baton Rouge Zydeco as Director of Broadcasting and Communication after an extensive career in broadcasting in Los Angeles and Bismarck, ND including working with several levels of hockey and other sports. Along with leading on-air coverage and play-by-play for both home and road games, he will oversee the team’s broadcast assets, host weekly coaches show, and collaborate with local media for promotional coverage. Bryan has been studying broadcasting since 2019 after graduating Full Sail University with a degree in sportscasting, and having broadcasted for teams such as the Long Beach Shredders of the USPHL, University of Southern California Trojans of the ACHA, and most recently the Bismarck Bobcats of the NAHL. Bryan has also broadcasted the Special Olympics for their first ever esports event on ESPN. Native from East Los Angeles will bring his passion for hockey and storytelling to Baton Rouge as voice of the Zydeco!  

Ronel “Nel Famous” Thomas is the founder and CEO of Too Famous Studios (TFS), a Louisiana-based creative and media company delivering strategic brand leadership, high-impact storytelling, and digital media across sports, entertainment, and business. Through TFS, Thomas has led major content initiatives, marketing campaigns, and brand expansions designed to grow audiences, increase sponsorship value, and elevate organizational influence. As Executive Director of Media and Marketing for the Baton Rouge Zydeco, he directs the franchise’s creative vision, media strategy, and fan engagement efforts, driving modernization of the team’s identity, strengthening market presence, and expanding the Zydeco’s cultural footprint across Louisiana. Known for decisive leadership and disciplined execution, Thomas blends business strategy with creative insight to inspire community pride and build lasting impact beyond the game.