Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority

BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and the Governor’s Office of Coastal Activities are pleased to announce the reconvening of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration, and Conservation today with new chair Karen Gautreaux.

Gautreaux is the State Director of the Louisiana Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, a global conservation nonprofit organization. She has served as the vice chair of the Commission since 2016, is an active member of the 2023 Master Plan’s Coastal Advisory Team, served on the Climate Initiatives Task Force and the Atchafalaya River Basin Enhancement and Restoration Task Force, and brings years of experience in state government having served in leadership positions for four different Louisiana governors. Gautreaux is succeeding R. King Milling who led the Commission for nineteen years and also chaired the Committee on the Future of Coastal Louisiana which envisioned the need for the Commission in 2002.

“I am honored to be invited by Governor Edwards to chair the Governor’s Coastal Advisory Commission,” said Gautreaux. “The Commission’s role as the official mechanism for stakeholder input into the planning and implementation of Louisiana’s coastal program is more important than ever as we are in the process of developing the 2023 Coastal Master Plan. I am excited to contribute to that effort, and am also honored to be only the second Commission chair after King Milling, who, over the last two decades, has inspired us all with his vision for and commitment to a sustainable and vibrant coastal Louisiana.”

The Governor’s Advisory Commission was one of the first entities brought together to elevate and address the coastal crisis. Its thirty-six members are drawn from a wide range of stakeholders affected by land loss and increased hurricane vulnerability. Together, the commission provides a forum for the exchange of ideas, updates on the progress of the coastal program, a venue for the resolution of conflicts between competing interests, and input to the State on the status and direction of the coastal program as a whole.

“Karen is the ideal person to carry on the legacy of King Milling,” said Chip Kline, Governor Edwards’ Executive Assistant for Coastal Activities. “She knows our issues inside and out, has earned the respect of stakeholders across the spectrum, and, like King, is focused on the big picture needs of our coast.”

As chair of the Commission, Gautreaux also holds a seat on the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board.

Don’t see the meeting? Click here to watch the recording.