Coastal Protection and
Restoration Authority

Executive Leadership Team

Clay Parker
Deputy Executive Director

Clay Parker serves as the Deputy Executive Director of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), where he brings a unique blend of legal expertise and technical insight to the state’s foremost coastal initiatives. With a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a juris doctorate from Louisiana State University, Clay has dedicated his career to public service and strategic resource management.

Prior to joining CPRA, Clay served as Special Counsel for the Governor’s Office of Coastal Activities. In that capacity, he provided project management for the reorganization of the Department of Energy and Natural Resources, legal counsel for the establishment of the Natural Resources Trust Authority and the Upland Resource Management Authority, and served as counsel to the Natural Resources Steering Commission.

Clay’s professional journey also includes time as a civil litigation attorney at the Mack Law Firm and as a judicial law clerk in the 21st Judicial District Court, where he supported multiple divisions with legal research, trial preparation, and case management. Earlier in his career, he worked as a civil engineering intern at Alvin Fairburn & Associates, applying technical knowledge to real-world infrastructure projects.

A licensed attorney and notary public in Louisiana, Clay is also a published contributor to the LSU Journal of Energy Law and Resources, as well as an FAA-licensed private pilot.

A lifelong resident of Louisiana and residing in Watson, Louisiana, Clay is deeply rooted in his local community and has spent his entire life enjoying Louisiana’s marshes and coast. Clay and his wife, Sammi, are proud parents to their son, Wesley. In his free time, Clay enjoys maintaining his family’s cattle farm and saltwater fishing on Louisiana’s beautiful coast with his family.