From A Bulldog to an Executive Director…
Matthew Hammond, 29, of Louisa is now the Executive Director at The Paramount Theater in Ashland, KY. Growing up on the point section and attending the Lawrence County Schools shaped him as a human being. “I learned how to treat people. How to have a work ethic. How to show support for something I believe in” said Hammond about his time at LC.
Matt is a 2014 Graduate of Lawrence County High School, a 2018 graduate of Morehead State University (Music Education), a 2023 graduate of the University of Kentucky (Master of Arts: Arts Administration), and a current doctoral student at the University of Dayton in Leadership. Mr. Hammond is also a member of the Kentucky Theatre Association Executive Board, Kentuckians for the Arts Executive Board, has been nominated for two “Music Educator of the Year” Grammy Awards, and is the Choir Director at Ashland First United Methodist Church.
Along with his accolades, Matt remembers his time fondly at LCHS. He was a state qualifier in Tennis, Marching Band, and a member of the all-state chorus as a vocalist. Some of his favorite teachers included his choir director Jane Lowe, Band Director Jessica Helton, and strangely enough, his calculus instructor, Misty Burton. “Mrs. Burton saw something in me and consistently challenged me as a student. As a young creative child… I was not easy to deal with. She found a way for me to love math”.
Above all else, a central idea rings clear: you can grow up in Louisa, graduate from LCHS, do professional Theatre, and become an Executive Director for a large artistic organization. Louisa is wonderful place to live and grow as a professional.
Paramount Picture Taken by: Carly Kirk
