Meet the Founder

Christy Papania-Jones is a lifelong resident of Lake Charles, LA. She is the founder and executive director of St. Nicholas Center for Children. When she started this journey, the idea that a child diagnosed with autism or other developmental delays could receive all of the necessary therapy at one place was non-existent. By her son’s third birthday, she and her husband Chris, had traveled the country seeing specialists to provide him with the best future possible. They visited therapy centers in other states, but had yet to find one in Louisiana. That’s when they acted on the idea to bring one to Southwest Louisiana! St. Nicholas Center transforms the lives of children with Autism, delays, and disorders by providing therapy and family support. They offer ABA Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Occupational Therapy all under one roof. Christy worked at Immaculate Conception Cathedral School for 18 years where she held many different roles throughout the years as a teacher, counselor, and assistant principal.