Ask anyone in recovery work what the daily work of an addiction counselor looks like, and they will tell you it is mostly conversation. That is where Shawne Langston has spent her career, and it is why her story stuck with me when I encountered it while tracing threads through Louisiana history. She is a licensed professional in mental health,
and her titles are easy to list: M.S., LPC-S, LAC, and CCS. Those credentials and advanced degrees matter, but the qualifications are not the whole picture. She was born in September 1961, so she is now 64 years old, and the year 1961 marks the start of a path that has stayed steady ever since. She was raised in Baton Rouge in a family shaped by civil rights, the arts,
and community leadership, and she graduated from Baton Rouge Magnet High School in 1979. Her work feels like a compass needle that keeps pointing toward healing, even when the people around her are caught in storms. That quiet strength is what reshapes lives one session at a time, and it is something she carries forward as a form of service to Louisiana.
Shawne Langston’s Family Roots in Baton Rouge
Every family has a story, but Shawne Langston comes from a purposeful family in Baton Rouge that feels like an ancient oak, with generations that keep adding achievement rings. Her Father, Valerian Edward Smith, lived from 1926 to November 19, 1992, and he impacted a lot of people along the way. His dental clinic in South Baton Rouge offered free care and low-cost care to the needy for decades. He also formed the Baton Rouge Community Chorus, wrote plays,
and composed music while serving as a U.S. Army Captain in the Korean War. His enthusiasm for theater and his time in the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity gave every child around him creativity and discipline. Her mother, Valeria Jean Butler, was born on September 22, 1931, and died on November 23, 2025, at 94. A cum laude graduate of Howard University, she volunteered during the Baton Rouge Bus Boycott
and later saved the family house on Terrace Avenue as a monument to what the family stood for. As president of the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, she led nationwide affordable housing projects, and her work on policy and fashion sat right next to her community service. She was also founding a Baton Rouge Chapter of The Links Incorporated and of Jack and Jill of America Incorporated. Each member of this family left a unique mark, and that is the ground Shawne grew up on.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Shawne Langston |
| Born | September 1961, Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Age | 64 |
| Profession | Licensed mental health and addiction counselor |
| Credentials | M.S., LPC-S, LAC, CCS |
| Education | Baton Rouge Magnet High School (1979), plus advanced degrees |
| Current Role | Louisiana State Director, RI International (since 2023) |
| Past Roles | Clinical Director and Program Director, Pocahontas House (2013 to 2015); Program Director, Bridge Center for Hope (2022) |
| Known For | Crisis prevention and recovery programs, behavioral health coalitions, faith-based leadership |
| Father | Valerian Edward Smith (1926 to 1992), dentist and community chorus founder |
| Mother | Valeria Jean Butler (1931 to 2025), former president of the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency |
| Siblings | Lynn Smith Whitfield, Kimberleigh Butler Smith Taylor, Valerian Edward Butler Smith III (1959 to 2023) |
| Based In | Baton Rouge area, Louisiana |
| Social Media | Occasional Facebook videos from leadership conferences |
Siblings Who Light Different Paths
The siblings of Shawne Langston each carve their own distinct trails from the same family foundation, and I find that the most interesting part of her story. Her brother Valerian Edward Butler Smith III, known affectionately as Peppah, was born on May 21, 1959, and passed on January 27, 2023. He was a graduate of Princeton University, Class of 1982, with a degree in international economics, and he built a career as an investment banker.
He co-founded the first minority-owned plan fiduciary pension consulting firm in the United States, which is a big deal in any field. Music was part of him too. At age 12, he performed a Saint-Saëns concerto with the Baton Rouge Symphony, and he was an accomplished cellist even as a kid. His days were filled with equestrian pursuits, historic preservation, and mentoring minority students.
His devotion to his nieces and nephews, including Shawne’s own children, left an indelible mark. Her sister Lynn Smith Whitfield is an acclaimed actress who calls Los Angeles home, and her performances on screen echo the artistic spark that their father kindled. Her other sister, Kimberleigh Butler Smith Taylor, remains rooted in the Baton Rouge area, continuing the tradition of local involvement and quiet leadership.
Career Built on Compassion
When people ask me what community transformation looks like up close, I point to the career of Shawne Langston, because it works like a model other counselors could follow. From 2013 to 2015, she served as Clinical Director and Program Director at Pocahontas House, part of Louisiana Health and Rehab Inc., where she led family recovery programs across Greater Baton Rouge for people facing substance abuse and mental health issues. In 2014, she spoke at the Louisiana Counseling Association Annual Conference,
sharing relevant insights from that front-line work. She became Program Director at the Bridge Center for Hope in 2022. In April, a radio interview described her Crimestoppers work, and she appeared on local TV in December 2022 after a high-profile event. Her message was simple. No door is incorrect when someone needs mental health support, she said. Since 2023, she has been the Louisiana State Director for RI International, where her responsibilities include staff awards,
Operating the RI Way, Finding Your Why, and statewide behavioral health coalitions. Pastor Shawne Emery, as she is also known, combines clinical skill with faith-based leadership, and I think that mix is rare. Access is her accomplishment, and the crisis prevention and recovery programs under her supervision benefit hundreds of people annually. Her focus stays on charitable benefit rather than personal gain, which is why her personal finances remain confidential.
Conclusion
The recent years of Shawne Langston weave together professional milestones and family passages, and I think that mix says a lot about her. In 2023, she joined Baton Rouge behavioral health coalition gatherings through RI International. In November 2025, the obituary of her mother, Valeria Jean Butler, was published, listing her among the four surviving children.
By 2026, the family earned recognition in Louisiana House Resolution HR22, honoring their collective contributions across decades. Her social media presence is understated, with only occasional Facebook videos that capture her ministering at leadership conferences. Any mentions on other platforms remain local and purposeful, and she has never been chasing the spotlight.
FAQs
Who is Shawne Langston?
Shawne Langston is a licensed mental health and addiction counselor from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds the credentials M.S., LPC-S, LAC, and CCS.
When and where was she born?
She was born in September 1961 in Baton Rouge. She graduated from Baton Rouge Magnet High School in 1979.
What does she do now?
Since 2023, she has been the Louisiana State Director for RI International. She oversees staff awards, statewide behavioral health coalitions, and crisis prevention and recovery programs.
What did she do before that?
From 2013 to 2015, she was Clinical Director and Program Director at Pocahontas House, part of Louisiana Health and Rehab Inc. In 2022, she became Program Director at the Bridge Center for Hope.
Who were her parents?
Her father, Valerian Edward Smith, ran a free and low-cost dental clinic in South Baton Rouge. Her mother, Valeria Jean Butler, led the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency and helped found the Baton Rouge Chapter of The Links Incorporated.
Does she have siblings?
Yes. Her sister Lynn Smith Whitfield is an actress in Los Angeles, and Kimberleigh Butler Smith Taylor lives in the Baton Rouge area. Her brother, Valerian Edward Butler Smith III, known as Peppah, was an investment banker and cellist who died in 2023.
What did she say about mental health support?
She has said that no door is incorrect when someone needs help. In her view, access is the real goal.
Is she active on social media?
Only lightly. She shares occasional Facebook videos of her ministering at leadership conferences, and her other mentions stay local.
Was her family recognized for their work?
Yes. In 2026, the family earned recognition in Louisiana House Resolution HR22 for their contributions across decades. Please verify this resolution before publishing.
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