Daniel Thompson
May 31, 2024 - 12:15

Lafayette biography writer featured CBS News

Louisianian Olivia Savoie's heartwarming friendship with an octogenarian will be featured on CBS Mornings with Lafayette native David Begnaud.

Louisianian Olivia Savoie's heartwarming friendship with an octogenarian is set to be showcased on a CBS special featuring national correspondent and Lafayette native David Begnaud. The special is scheduled to air on Monday during CBS Mornings, between 7 and 9 a.m.

Savoie, a talented family heirloom biographer who helps individuals capture and preserve their memories for future generations, is the co-founder and chief writer at Raconteur Life Story Writing. At just 29 years old, Savoie, along with 86-year-old Fred Vollman, a subject of one of her biographies, will share the story of how their professional relationship blossomed into a deep and meaningful friendship. Their inspiring journey is beautifully recounted in an article penned by Savoie for Today.com.

In 2016, Savoie and her husband, Joshua, established Raconteur with the mission of assisting families in recording and safeguarding their unique family histories. Over the years, they have successfully published over 70 memoirs for clients all across America. Savoie's expertise in this field even led her to an interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2023.

From a young age, Savoie has been captivated by history, biographies, and the life stories of older adults. Her strong connection with her grandmothers, her visits to nursing homes during high school, and her unconventional choice of inviting her father's secretary to a sleepover at the age of nine all reflect her deep-seated interest in connecting with individuals from different generations.

Savoie honed her storytelling skills by interviewing her grandmothers and creating detailed books chronicling their lives. Through this process, she refined her techniques, improved her production methods, and developed her marketing strategies. In December, Savoie embarked on her first professional assignment with M.P. Dumesnil, a Lafayette contractor and missionary, right after completing her final exam. This marked the beginning of Raconteur Story Writing Services.

David Begnaud, who kickstarted his career at KLFY-TV in Lafayette before moving to New York, joined CBS in 2015. As a national correspondent, he covers a wide range of stories across various CBS News programs and platforms, including the CBS Evening News, 48 Hours, CBS Sunday Morning, and the CBS News Streaming Network.