Chantelle Joseph
Chief Financial Officer

Chantelle Joseph, Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for overseeing the finances for SMILE Community Action Agency. As CFO, she manages more than $20 million of grants, loans, contracts and program-generated funds. She compiles documentation, and requests reimbursement from funding sources.

As head of the Finance Department, she supervises two staff members. The department is responsible for budget management, cost benefits analysis, forecasting, payroll and reconciling accounts. She also assists in the Agency’s annual audit process, and presents financial reports.

She reports directly to SMILE CEO Craig A. Mathews.

She serves as the staff liaison for the SMILE Board’s Finance Committee.

She has been a full-time employee of the Agency for three years.

However, Chantelle has been familiar with nonprofits for 20-plus years. In 2000, she began working for Southern Mutual, Inc., a nonprofit in New Iberia. As its Financial Affairs Director, she managed $18.5 million in loan and grant funds.

Following that stint, Chantelle worked as Finance Manager and Human Resources Director for Bayou Teche Community Health Network, known as ByNet, in Franklin, and was responsible for managing $2 million in grants, loans, contracts and program-generated funds.

Through the years, she has worked as Finance Manager, Comptroller or Accountant for businesses in Franklin and Lafayette. Prior to SMILE, she served as the Comptroller and Administrator for Pediakare De Louisiana/Pediakare De Franklin/Conquiste Medical Group in Lafayette. She has also served as a commissioned Notary Public.

In 2018, Chantelle became part of the SMILE team under the Mathews administration. She is also the owner of Hamilton Financial Services, LCC, in Franklin.

She has a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Phoenix, and is pursuing her Master’s Degree in Accounting from Nicholls State University.

She is also certified in Small Business Development.