Michael was born, raised, and grew up in Lafayette. He was inspired by his father Larry Lunsford, well respected in the community for broadcasting and radio journalism in the 1980s.

He has been happily married for twenty-nine years to his wife Michelle. Together, they have two wonderful boys. Michael is very active in his community including Sons of the American Revolution and Boy Scouts. He earned Eagle Scout in 1989 and son followed in his footsteps to become an Eagle Scout in 2017.

The catalyst for his involvement in public policy was wondering if a single talking point was true: that local public schools were overcrowded. More importantly, if anyone had even bothered to check. Ultimately discovering that it was false began an incredible journey of research and discovery that eventually become an organization.

“Accountability and transparency are only possible so long as someone is willing to shine some light into the dark corners of local and state government. That is our calling and we are determined to see it through,” Lunsford said.

Past experience in technology, programming, and a love for the community, has prepared him to advance “Citizens for A New Louisiana.”

He is devoting his time and energy to provide the local citizens with the truth and knowledge, ensuring that their elected officials are acting with integrity.

Jill Hines is the Co-Director of Health Freedom Louisiana, a consumer and human rights advocacy organization. Her passion and extensive experience in this area of science exceeds that of many public health bureaucrats and lawmakers. It has been her life’s mission to educate citizens on informed consent and their rights concerning government mandated medical procedures. Much of her time is dedicated to research and educating members of the state and federal legislative branch of government through informative letters and articles. In 2022, she was selected by Central City News as one of 25 Louisiana Freedom Fighters, a hero of the constitutional crisis. 

Jill is the mom of three beautiful children, each injured by childhood vaccines in various ways. She has been a full time homeschool mom for the last 14 years, and is married to an extremely supportive husband. Health and nutrition are her hobbies but tie in nicely with her advocacy work as well. Jill became a board member of Citizens for a New Louisiana in 2023.

As Legislative Policy Director, Grace Sandefur leads Citizens for a New Louisiana’s statewide legislative engagement, strengthening relationships with lawmakers, supporting strategic outreach, and helping expand the organization’s events and membership efforts.

A second-year law student concentrating on legislation and government, Sandefur’s interest in public policy began early through a homeschooled American history and debate program. She has since gained experience in state and federal legislative offices, the Louisiana Department of Justice, and multiple successful conservative campaigns across the state.

Outside the Capitol, she remains active in her community through the Republican Women’s organization, the RPEC, and various grassroots efforts. She is a frequent presence at the Louisiana State Capitol, where she has testified on legislation and engaged directly in the policymaking process.

Sandefur brings a combination of legal training, practical political experience, and a strong commitment to Louisiana’s future to her work in the legislative and civic arenas.

Matthew is our discrete lead investigator. He is a public records specialist with the innate ability to quickly sift through mounds of documents to identify important material. With his unique skillset, Citizens for a New Louisiana is in a unique position to trace story threads through local and state governments’ complex jumbles of endless obfuscation.

Many public officials who have received records requests from Citizens for a New Louisiana end up on this page to find out more about Matthew. If you have questions about public records, Matthew can be contacted via the nearby email link.

When you hear that we’re illuminating some dark corner, it’s probably thanks to Ryan. He’s one of our quieter investigators who enjoys listening for street gossip worth a second look. Many times, that huge breaking story started out as an overheard whisper that found its way to his ears.

He’s also one of our key surveillance experts. Sometimes he’s the eyes in the sky; sometimes he’s casually tailing someone from a nondescript automobile; sometimes he’s watching from across the restaurant or listening from the next booth. No one can be certain if they’re the object of Ryan’s attention. However, that uneasy feeling that someone is watching might just be caused by Ryan lurking nearby.

Ryan does occasionally show himself. If you’ve heard from Ryan directly, and are here to find out more about him, now you know he’s an official part of this great effort to finally redeem Louisiana, one parish at a time.