BATON ROUGE, La. – Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced his appointments to the following Louisiana boards and commissions.

Central Louisiana Human Services District

Central Louisiana Human Services District provides mental health and addiction-related counseling and treatment for adults, children and adolescents in the parishes of Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Rapides, Vernon and Winn.

Charles R. King, Ph.D. of Pineville was appointed to the Central Louisiana Human Services District. Dr. King is an addiction specialist at First Choice Addiction Center in Alexandria. He will serve as an advocate in the field of substance-related and addictive disorders. 

Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board

The Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board provides information and recommendations from the perspective of advocacy groups, service providers and parents.

Ms. Courtney E. Myers of Baton Rouge was appointed to the Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board. Ms. Myers is an assistant secretary in the Office of Juvenile Justice in Baton Rouge.

Mr. Cody Roi of New Orleans was appointed to the Children’s Cabinet Advisory Board. Mr. Roi is assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at LSU Healthcare Network in New Orleans. He will serve as designee of the president of Louisiana Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Clinical Laboratory Personnel Committee

The Clinical Laboratory Personnel Committee makes recommendations to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners for rules and regulations; recommend to the board rules and regulations which document the appropriate training and competency of clinical laboratory personnel who are engaged in the practice of clinical laboratory science in a clinical laboratory operated by a physician licensed by the board exclusively in connection with the diagnosis and treatment of his own patients.

Ms. Valinda L. Carmon Walker of New Orleans was appointed to the Clinical Laboratory Personnel Committee. Ms. Carmon Walker is the laboratory manager with Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. She will serve as a clinical laboratory scientist-generalist in a supervisory or administrative capacity. She was nominated by the LA Hospital Association and will represent the 2nd Congressional District.

Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission

The Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission’s mission is to advance the state’s cyber ecosystem and position Louisiana as a national leader and preferred location for cyber business, education and research. 

Ms. Eden C. Ezell of New Orleans was appointed to the Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission. Ms. Ezell is the senior vice president and chief compliance officer with Ochsner Health in New Orleans. She will serve at-large.

Louisiana Educational Television Authority (LETA)

The Louisiana Educational Television Authority (LETA) provides a vital communications network for the people of Louisiana. It provides information during times of emergencies such as hurricanes and most recently, floods. In addition, LETA distributes public television programming and educational content across the state. To do this, LETA maintains a complex infrastructure of fiber optics, satellite, broadcast and internet.

Ms. Irene M. Robinson of Oak Grove was appointed to the Louisiana Educational Television Authority (LETA). Ms. Robinson is retired and is the former president of KWCL-FM radio station. She will represent the 5th congressional district.

Louisiana Emergency Response Network Board

The Louisiana Emergency Response Network Board serves to defend public health, safety and welfare by protecting the people of the State of Louisiana against unnecessary deaths and morbidity due to trauma and time-sensitive illness.

Mr. Richard P. Taylor IV of Baton Rouge was appointed to the Louisiana Emergency Response Network Board. Mr. Taylor is the director of operations with Acadian Ambulance Service in Baton Rouge. He will represent the Louisiana Rural Ambulance Alliance.

Louisiana Department of Health

The mission of the Louisiana Department of Health is to protect and promote health and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all citizens of the state of Louisiana.

Ms. Doris G. Brown of Baton Rouge was appointed to the Louisiana Department of Health. Ms. Brown will serve as the assistant secretary of the Office of Public Health.

Torrie T. Harris, Dr.P.H., of Baton Rouge was appointed to the Louisiana Department of Health. Dr. Harris will serve as the assistant secretary of the Office on Women’s Health and Community Health.

Louisiana Licensed Professional Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Board of Examiners

The Louisiana Licensed Professional Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Board of Examiners is responsible for licensing, examining, and regulating the practice of rehabilitation counseling in the state.

Mr. Louis P. Lipinski Jr. of Greenwell Springs was appointed to the Louisiana Licensed Professional Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Board of Examiners. Mr. Lipinski is the owner of Lipinski & Associates LLC. He will serve as a licensed professional vocational rehabilitation counselor.

Mr. Thomas G. Mungall of Baton Rouge was appointed to the Louisiana Licensed Professional Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Board of Examiners. Mr. Mungall is a vocational rehabilitation counselor at Thomas G. Mungall, LRC. He will serve as a licensed professional vocational rehabilitation counselor.

Ms. Danielle G. Rhodes of Houma was appointed to the Louisiana Licensed Professional Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Board of Examiners. Ms. Rhodes is a co-owner and vocational rehabilitation counselor with Bailey McCaffery LLC. She will serve as a licensed professional vocational rehabilitation counselor.

Louisiana Military Advisory Council

The Military Advisory Council serves to provide a forum for issues concerning the installations and units of the armed forces located in Louisiana and the military and retired military personnel and their families who reside in Louisiana.

Mr. Gregory Phillips of New Orleans was appointed to the Louisiana Military Advisory Council. Mr. Phillips is an executive consultant at The Memorial Foundation in New Orleans. He will serve at-large.

Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners

The mission of the LSBPNE is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public by providing reasonable assurance that persons who practice practical nursing are competent, ethical practitioners with the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities appropriate to the title and role of the licensed practical nurse.

Rodney W. Tregle Jr., M.D. of St. Francisville was appointed to the Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners. Dr. Tregle is the president and emergency medicine physician with R W Tregle LLC in St. Francisville. Dr. Tregle will serve as a physician representing the Louisiana State Medical Society.

Louisiana Department of Revenue

The mission of the Louisiana Department of revenue is to fairly and efficiently collect tax revenue to fund public services; to regulate charitable gaming and the sale of alcoholic beverages and tobacco; and to support state agencies in the collection of overdue debts.

Ms. Casey E. Fontenot of Lafayette was appointed to the Department of Revenue. Ms. Fontenot will serve as assistant secretary for the Office of Tax Administration, Group III.

Louisiana Rice Research Board

The Louisiana Rice Research Board was created by statute to conduct a program of research for the benefit of the Louisiana rice industry. Rice producers are assessed five cents per hundred weight at the first point of sale. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry collects the assessments and remits to the Board.

Mr. Seth A. Brown of Cheyneville was appointed to the Louisiana Rice Research Board. Mr. Brown is a general partner at S&W Brown Farms in Cheyneville. Mr. Brown was nominated by the Louisiana Rice Growers Association.

Mr. Hunter K. Luquette of Abbeville was appointed to the Louisiana Rice Research Board. Mr. Luquette is with Luquette Farms in Abbeville. He was nominated by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, Inc.

Mr. Connor T. Popeck of Gueydan was appointed to the Louisiana Rice Research Board. Mr. Popeck is the owner of CL Berry Farms LLC in Gueydan. Mr. Popeck was nominated by the Louisiana Rice Growers Association.

Sabine River Authority
The Sabine River Authority’s mission is to provide for economic utilization and preservation of the waters of the Sabine River and its tributaries by promoting economic development, irrigation, navigation, improved water supply, drainage, public recreation, and hydroelectric power for the citizens of Louisiana.

Ms. Rhonda J. Cupit of Westlake was appointed to the Sabine River Authority. Ms. Cupit is a retired universal banker with First Federal Bank of Louisiana. She will represent Calcasieu Parish.

Ms. Hannah K. Savell of Many was appointed to the Sabine River Authority. Ms. Savell is a financial advisor with Edward Jones. She will represent Sabine Parish.

Louisiana Sickle Cell Commission

The Louisiana Sickle Cell Commission’s mission is to improve the delivery of sickle cell services to affected people in all parishes of Louisiana by promulgating guidelines for uniformity in the delivery of services, submitting budget recommendations to the legislature and governor, and preparing and publishing an annual report on sickle cell treatment and services in the state of Louisiana.

Ms. Twarnette D. Hardison of Alexandria was appointed to the Louisiana Sickle Cell Commission. Ms. Hardison is the executive director at the Sickle Cell Anemia Resource Foundation in Alexandria. She will serve as a representative from the Sickle Cell Anemia Research Foundation.

Veterans Affairs Commission

The Veterans Affairs Commission is responsible for adopting and promulgating rules and regulations governing the operations of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Additionally, the Commission advises the department's secretary of problems concerning the welfare of veterans and makes and publishes annual and special reports to the governor concerning the operations of the department.

Mr. Bobbie L. Ragsdale III of Metairie was appointed to the Veterans Affairs Commission. Mr. Ragsdale is the owner of Ragsdale Holdings, LLC in Metairie. He will serve at-large.

Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation

LWCC provides competitive workers’ compensation insurance to Louisiana employers, helps prevent on-the-job injury and illness, and gives injured workers the best opportunity to return to work.

Mr. Thomas K. Huval of Breaux Bridge was appointed to the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation. Mr. Huval is the regional president and senior vice president of Brown & Brown, Inc. in Lafayette. He will serve as an agent licensed to sell workers’ compensation insurance in Louisiana with executive-level experience.