Mary Jane Gaudet received her Masters Degree in Education and history from the University of Southern Mississippi and her Bachelor of Science Degree in History and English from Louisiana State University. She is currently working as a private Grants Writer in her new business, By Design, LLC, and is also a partner in "Tour by Design", escorting individually designed tours throughout the South. She continues to serve as guide with Natchez Pilgrimage Tours, a position she has held for twenty-five years.

A former History/English teacher, she also worked as a Planner for Southwest Planning and Development, writing, reviewing, and administrating economic development, HUD, and JTPA grants as well as planning programs for the Area Agency on Aging from 1987 to 1998. Her major accomplishment has been her work for the past six years in juvenile justice and delinquency prevention. From 1998 until her retirement this fall, Ms. Gaudet served as the Director of Federal and State Programs for the Adams County Youth Court, designing, writing and administering grants totaling over 3.5 million dollars for youth and families. Ms. Gaudet also serves on several Boards throughout the community and the state. She has been invited to speak at numerous conferences, motivating communities and individuals for change. Having been involved with the LSU Debate Team, pervasive public speaking has always been a natural gift.

She and her husband now live on bluffs of the Mississippi River, enjoying gardening, exercise, bird watching, and the sunset. They share seven children and four grandchildren. While she has not been on the stage since the lead in her senior year in High School, Ms Gaudet has had a passion for theater and made her debut performance in Impossible Marriage at NLT in 2005.  She has been an active member of the Little Theater since 1965, serving back stage with Oliver. She is now currently serving on the Board of Directors.