Former TARC outreach director prepares to ‘kick it up a notch’ at helm

William Morris
July 23, 2007
Barracudas make waves at state meet
July 25, 2007
William Morris
July 23, 2007
Barracudas make waves at state meet
July 25, 2007

When the Terrebonne Association for Retarded Citizens’ longtime executive director Valerie Wallace accepted a job in North Carolina, all eyes turned within the organization to find her replacement.


The torch has been passed to Family and Client Services/Community Outreach Director Mary Lynn Bisland.

In May, Wallace left to accept an executive director post at the Enrichment Center, an art and educational center for people with developmental disabilities in Winston-Salem.


“When Val announced that she was leaving, the whole staff was disappointed because she was a great person to work for,” Bisland said. “Val was very supportive and she allowed us [department directors] to be creative with our departments.”


“She always had TARC in her heart, and she always wanted to do the right thing towards the clients,” said Bisland, who worked under Wallace for nearly 15 years.

Prior to her applying for the executive position, Bisland questioned her ability to take the reigns and lead the organization into the future. “I had to think about it for a long time,” she said. “Val’s shoes are some pretty big shoes to fill.”


However, with the support of Wallace and the TARC staff, Bisland threw her hat into the ring of possible executives. “Everyone wanted someone from inside the organization to take over because they knew the ins and outs of what TARC has planned for the future.”


Bisland said she and the other staffers couldn’t see an outsider coming in and making changes to a well-oiled machine like TARC.

Sixty-year-old Bisland describes herself as being self-motivated, self-directed, personable, a team-builder and an excellent communicator. “I love what I do,” she said.


Since assuming the helm, Bisland said she hasn’t regretted her decision to take the next step in her career by taking on more responsibility as TARC’s on-site chief. “The job is challenging yet rewarding,” she said. “This is my time, my season to be executive director and I feel I needed to kick it up a notch and take on some more responsibility.”


Bisland was guarded about discussing future programs, instead focusing on continuing to get grounded and develop ideas with the staff. “I’m just going to steer the department heads in the right direction and let the ideas flow naturally.”

In all, Bisland said taking this position has helped her learn a lot more about TARC because she has to focus on all the departments rather than the one she formerly directed.


A graduate of Nicholls State University, Bisland earned her Bachelor of Science in vocational home economics education in 1969.

Afterward, she taught at Oaklawn Junior High School for one year.

Her love for special education ignited. In 1970, she moved to the Terrebonne Vocational Rehabilitation Center in Houma where she taught vocational education and served on the state’s curriculum committee to develop programs for secondary special education students. She held the post for nine years.

Also during this time, Bisland went on to receive her master’s degree in special education from Nicholls in 1974.

Her higher education credentials earned her a position at the School for Exceptional Children in Houma, dealing with special needs children who have intellectual development problems. She worked there until her retirement in 1992.

Bisland taught in the Terrebonne Parish School System for 23 years.

Since joining the TARC family in 1992, she has directed programs that deal with severe/profound disabilities as well as infants and toddlers with developmental delays.

She is certified to oversee all children whether they have mild, moderate, severe or profound intellectual disabilities.

Bisland traveled through the ranks at TARC. By the late 1990s, she was the director of family and client service and residential services.

Near 1997, she served as the community outreach director supervising all of the TARC therapies: music, counseling and programming.

Her responsibilities included managing and creating opportunities in the following businesses: the Sunshine Express Early Care and Education Center, TARC Restaurant and Gift Shop, TARC Cafeteria, Bonne Terre Enterprises, Sweet Scents and Sweet Sensations Confections and TARC’s Arts and Crafts Unlimited.

In addition, Bisland is a member of the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, Louisiana Alliance of Independent Providers and Association for Retarded Citizens Executives, where she was chosen as Louisiana ARC’s Professional of the Year in 2004.

Mary Lynn Bisland has assumed the executive director job at the Terrebonne Association for Retarded Citizens. The former director of the Family and Client Services/Community Outreach program replaces former chief Valerie Wallace, who left the organization in May to head a developmental disabilities program in North Carolina. * Photo courtesy of TARC