Top Staff Members Take Their Place in New Lafayette Mayor-President Administration

Lafayette, LA (KPEL News) - Lafayette Mayor-President Monique Blanco Boulet officially took the reigns of the Hub City when she was sworn into office on Wednesday, January 3, 2023.

As she reports for duty, she is joined by a new leadership staff of her choosing who will assume some of the most important responsibilities for Lafayette and the parish.

In early December, she announced her desire to appoint Pat Ottinger as Lafayette City-Parish Attorney. That appointment, under the Home Rule Charter, requires approval by both the Lafayette City and Parish Councils.

Boulet chose to retain six people who also served in Josh Guillory's administration. They are:

• Judith Estorge -- City of Lafayette Chief of Police.
• Robert P. Benoit -- City of Lafayette Fire Chief.
• Jeffrey Stewart -- Director of Lafayette Utilities System. Stewart will temporarily serve as the Interim Director of LUS Fiber. Though LUS Utilities and LUS Fiber remain separate and distinct entities, he will serve while a suitable candidate is recruited.
• Warren Abadie --  Director of the Traffic, Roads and Bridges Department.
• Dave Domingue -- Director of International Trade and Development.
• Brian Smith -- Director of the Drainage Department.

Rachel Godeaux, Chief Administrative Officer

Godeaux holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a Master in Public Administration from Louisiana State University. In her role at the Acadiana Planning Commission, Rachel led the regional expansion of fiber to the home as well as the Acadian Watershed Initiative with a significant role working with local, state and federal agencies to set up the Louisiana Watershed Initiative.

Karen Fontenot, Chief Financial Officer

Fontenot is a Kaplan and a graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in accounting. She has been a licensed CPA since January 2011. Karen worked for 13+ years in public accounting where she specialized in consulting and audits of local governments. She has served as the Chief Financial Officer for the City of Broussard since January 2019.

Matthew Duhon, Chief Innovation Officer

Duhon holds multiple degrees, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University at Shreveport. In his various roles at Ochsner Lafayette General, Matthew oversaw the implementation of new departmental processes, led major clinical projects, managed multi-million dollar budgets and supported innovative technology initiatives. He has served as the Director of Patient Navigation, Access to Care for Ochsner Lafayette General since January 2022.

Robert Yancy LeGrande, Office of the Mayor-President

LeGrande will serve within the Office of the Mayor-President, advising Boulet on issues related to policy and special projects. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a concentration in Empirical Analysis from Louisiana State University. He has since worked for the Louisiana Department of Economic Development.

Timothy Sensely, Director of Parks, Art, Recreation and Culture

Sensely earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology from University of Southwestern Louisiana and a Masters in Teaching from Louisiana College and has spent the last seven years as the Principal of Highland Baptist Christian School in New Iberia.

Caylee Deshotel, Senior Communications Specialist

Born and raised in Morgan City, Deshotel has a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University. She most recently served as the Communications Director for the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana.

Vincent Pierre, Municipal and Constituent Services Advisor

Pierre will serve within the Office of the Mayor-President, advising Boulet on issues related to municipal and constituent relations. Vincent earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Southern University. His professional experience includes over 25 years in policy, sales experience, leadership and relationship building, most recently as Louisiana State Representative for District 44.

Don Trahan, Constituent Services Advisor

Trahan earned two bachelors degrees in Social Studies Education and Political Science from the University of Southwestern Louisiana and has previously held many community service positions including Louisiana State Representative for District 31, Louisiana High School Athletic Association Executive Committee Member, and numerous positions within city government.

Anne Famoso, Interim Planning and Development Director

Famoso, currently business development manager for the Lafayette Economic Development Authority, worked previously in LCG’s Planning and Development department. She worked as the development manager for more than two years and served a short stint as the Interim Planning and Development Director in 2020.