Mayor-President Monique Boulet has announced the appointment of key individuals to multiple positions within the administration.
“I remain steadfast in my commitment to creating an honest and transparent government,” Boulet said, “and I’m confident that the team we’re building will be just that as we work together for the betterment of Lafayette Parish.”
Here's the list, with the bios supplied by Boulet's office:
Rachel Godeaux, Chief Administrative Officer
With 12 years of service to the public sector at the local and regional level, Rachel Godeaux has a passion for policy development, planning and evaluation of public sector programs. Rachel 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.
Timothy Sensely, Director of Parks, Art, Recreation and Culture
Timothy Sensely brings a variety of experience in education, engineering and athletics, including 18 years as an administrator and 2 years as a player in the NFL. Timothy 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, Caylee Deshotel is a passionate communications professional with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University, who has dedicated her career to ensuring citizens are informed and engaged on matters that impact them. She most recently served as the Communications Director for the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana.
Vincent Pierre, Municipal and Constituent Services Advisor
Former State Representative Vincent 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. His legacy of public service will enhance constituent outreach and accountability within the office.
Don Trahan, Constituent Services Advisor
Former State Representative Don Trahan has a decades-long history of serving the Lafayette community. Don 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.
Boulet also announced interim appointments to the directors of LUS Fiber and Planning and Development. These appointments will serve for a period of 90 days to allow for a selection committee to adequately advertise and recruit for the positions.
Jeffrey Stewart, Interim Director of LUS Fiber
Jeffrey Stewart, currently the Director of Lafayette Utilities System, will temporarily serve as the Interim Director of LUS Fiber while a suitable candidate is recruited. Though LUS Utilities and LUS Fiber remain separate and distinct entities, Jeffrey brings expertise that can help the new administration transition while it selects a leader for LUS Fiber.
Anne Famoso, Interim Planning and Development Director
Anne 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.
The Inauguration Ceremony for Mayor-President Monique Boulet, the Lafayette City Council and the Lafayette Parish Council is scheduled to take place on Jan. 3 at 3 p.m. at the Cajundome Convention Center. The event is open to the public, and attendees are encouraged to join in person or tune in to the live broadcast on Acadiana Open Channel and YouTube.
Previously announced appointments, along with their supplied bios:
City-Parish Attorney Patrick S. Ottinger
Pat served as City-Parish Attorney from January 2004 to February 2011, a period longer than any other City-Parish Attorney since the consolidation of governmental functions in 1996. Ottinger is a graduate of Lafayette High School, the University of Southwestern Louisiana and the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University. He has practiced law in Lafayette since 1974. Ottinger served as President of the Lafayette Parish Bar Association in 1992, and of the Louisiana State Bar Association in 1998-99. Since 1996, he has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at his alma mater. In June 2018, he was awarded the Louisiana Bar Foundation’s 2018 Curtis R. Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award, in recognition of his “long-standing devotion to and excellence in trial practice,” and “upholding the standards of ethics and consideration for the courts, litigants and all counsel.” He practices law in the firm of Ottinger Hebert, LLC.
City of Lafayette Chief of Police Judith Estorge
A Lafayette native, Estorge attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette majoring in Criminal Justice and joined the Lafayette Police Department in 1993. Estorge served as a patrol officer, a traffic/motor officer, in ATAC (OWI enforcement), a Homicide Detective in CID, a Sergeant in the Precinct 3 area, a Watch Commander and the Commander/Captain of Precinct 4. Estorge currently serves as Chief, and is the first ever female Chief of Police at the Lafayette Police Department.
City of Lafayette Fire Chief Robert Benoit
Benoit has served as Fire Chief of the City of Lafayette since 1993. Born and raised in Lafayette, he joined the department in 1979 and worked in nearly every division within the department during his career. He is a graduate of ULL (B.S.) and LSU-Eunice (Fire Science). Benoit is the first African-American fire chief in city history, and is known for ushering in state-of-the-art training and operations in the interests of employees and our families to prevent loss of life and property.
Karen Fontenot, Chief Financial Officer
Karen is a Kaplan native and a graduate of Kaplan High School. She is a 2005 summa cum laude 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
Matthew Duhon a seasoned leader with over 10 years of experience overseeing intricate IT environments. Matthew 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
Robert Yancy LeGrande will serve within the Office of the Mayor-President, advising Boulet on issues related to policy and special projects. Yancy 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.
In addition to these appointments, Boulet announced the retention of several key personnel within Lafayette Consolidated Government:
Jeffrey Stewart will continue to serve as the Director of Lafayette Utilities System.
Warren Abadie will retain his position as the Director of the Traffic, Roads and Bridges Department.
Dave Domingue will remain in his role as the Director of International Trade and Development.
Brian Smith will continue his service as the Director of the Drainage Department.
