New Colors, Same Stripes: LSU Alumni at the CPRA

“At LSU, I was able to align my interest in political science with my passion for hurricane protection and coastal restoration. This set the foundation for my career in public service at the state and national levels. The lessons learned, friendships made, and values instilled in me at LSU have proved invaluable—time and time again—throughout the course of my career. I am proud to lead an incredible team of professionals who work tirelessly to restore and protect Louisiana’s coast to make it a safer and more resilient place for our people today, tomorrow, and for generations yet to come.”
–Chip Kline, CPRA board chairman

“As a young kid growing up in Baton Rouge, I spent a lot of time in LSU’s Museum of Natural Science fascinated at the menagerie of animals supported by Louisiana’s ecosystems. The displays captured the imagination of the budding ecologist I was at the time and set the course for the work I do now at CPRA. Those experiences on LSU’s campus evolved into spending more and more time outdoors—all over Louisiana—and fueled a passion for Louisiana’s coast, for learning more about it, and what we could do to save it and our way of life. I enrolled in graduate school at what is now the LSU College of the Coast & Environment and apply the knowledge and practical skills I learned there every day. My experiences at LSU have been invaluable in my life and career. They play a huge part in the work I do for coastal Louisiana and for the people and communities who depend on it.”
–Bren Haase, CPRA executive director

“My English and political science degrees from LSU have given me the tools to communicate effectively, think critically, and reason through difficult situations. The faculty and staff at LSU are top-notch; not only did I receive an excellent education, but I was able to pursue a wide variety of intellectual interests, which helped me craft a solid academic foundation for a very rewarding career in public service. As an attorney for CPRA, I continue to use the skills I learned as an undergraduate at LSU to work on issues and challenges impacting Louisiana’s coast to help make our coast safer and more resilient today and for future generations.”
—Chris Barnes, CPRA attorney

“My civil engineering degree from LSU has been the foundation for a career creating and overseeing multi-million-dollar projects across Central and North America in both the private and governmental sectors. Today, as CPRA Operations Division Chief, I oversee more than 50 full-time employees and projects ranging from flood protection to ecosystem restoration, construction, engineering, design, and emergency operations. These large, complex projects—such as our partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in building the $14.5 billion Hurricane Storm Damage Risk Reduction System around New Orleans—are vital to the sustainability of Louisiana and its people. Every project needs a good foundation, and the education I received at LSU has been the bedrock for everything that followed in my professional life.”
—Ignacio Harrouch, CPRA operations division chief

“I use the knowledge I gained at LSU every day as a civil engineer at CPRA. The courses I took as an undergrad and graduate student at LSU in geotechnical, coastal, and structural engineering and hydraulics have been instrumental in the design of coastal protection and restoration projects. LSU was where I learned about the magnitude, causes, and far-reaching consequences of Louisiana’s coastal land loss. During my graduate studies, I came to appreciate the importance and uniqueness of south Louisiana and decided to pursue a career working to preserve our coast.”
—Bevin Barringer, CPRA engineer

“While a student worker for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, I had the opportunity to be exposed to the state legislature. Standing in front of the big brass elevators one day, I recall thinking, ‘This is where I want to work.’ I knew that public service would be my future. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, I pursued a master’s degree in public administration at LSU, which launched a rewarding career in state government, starting as a fiscal analyst at the Legislative Fiscal Office, and then as undersecretary at the departments of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism and Wildlife and Fisheries. Today, I am chief financial officer for CPRA, and it is truly an honor to work side-by-side with many very talented leaders to restore and protect Louisiana’s coast.”
—Janice Lansing, CPRA chief financial officer

“Starting at LSU in the late ’90s, I immediately fell in love with the water resources component of the civil engineering curriculum. Growing up along Bayou Lafourche, my childhood was spent swimming, fishing, and boating. I soon realized the importance of the bayou in providing drinking water, drainage, and freshwater for the surrounding communities. LSU allowed me to take classes in coastal processes, hurricanes, and drainage—all relevant issues facing Louisiana today. An internship at CPRA provided an opportunity to work with LSU on the construction and operations of the original Mississippi River Physical Model, which was the predecessor of the state-of-the-art model at the LSU Center for River Studies. I now serve as chief engineer at CPRA, where I’m able to work on some of the most complex coastal projects in the world, including sediment diversion projects. Geaux Tigers!”
—Rudy Simoneaux, CPRA chief of engineering

“As a native of Baton Rouge, coastal restoration has always been near and dear to my heart. In my role as communications director at CPRA, I am constantly working to find bold new ways to communicate Louisiana’s land loss crisis and our state’s work to protect and restore our coast. The strategic communications and critical thinking skills I developed during my time at the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication have proved invaluable throughout my career. It has been the honor of a lifetime to work on issues of this magnitude to protect this place we call home.”
—Rachel Haney, CPRA communications director

“LSU provided me with specialized training from exceptional scientists and professors, and deepened my love of learning and commitment to coastal restoration. The comprehensive understanding and critical thinking skills I obtained are vital to my work on complex coastal projects.”
—Angelina Freeman, CPRA senior scientist

“When I entered LSU, I was focused on learning everything about the ecology of our coastal area and its management. Specifically, the science behind all of the interactions in Louisiana’s dynamic coastal systems. The then-wildlife-and-fisheries-science degree program did all of that. I learned how these systems functioned and their drivers. But an invaluable contribution came from the program and faculty’s focus on understanding how management of these systems affects the entire environment, including us. I experienced this in my academic pursuits and as an LSU research associate. As the chief of planning for CPRA, I am tasked with identification and implementation of projects in Louisiana’s Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast. This task requires me to understand and take into account the plan’s interaction with the entire environment, both resource and resource user; a view that was instilled in me at LSU.”
—Brian Lezina, CPRA chief of planning