Chauvin Native Appointed to Louisiana State Arts Council

Governor John Bel Edwards announced his appointments to several Louisiana boards and commissions. The announcement included the appointment of Chauvin native Jonathan Foret to the Louisiana State Arts Council. He was nominated by the partnership for the arts and will represent the 1st Congressional District and the 3rd Planning District.

The Louisiana State Arts Council receives applications for matching federal funds available from the National Endowment for the Arts and other funds made available to the council. The council reviews and approves or reflects the grant applications from other government agencies, community arts councils, and other private, non-profit, and tax-exempt organizations. The Louisiana State Arts Council also advises departmental officers on the design and execution of an annual state plan consistent with the goals and policies of the department as provided by federal and state laws, rules, and regulations, then submit the plan to the National Endowment for the Arts.

Foret is the Executive Director of the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center in Houma. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus on Nonprofit Leadership and has over 10 years of nonprofit administration, management, and fundraising experience on international, national, state, regional, and local levels. He is also on the board of directors for the Bayou Regional Art Council. Foret learned of the appointment vacancy through the Bayou Regional Arts Council, and he almost immediately said yes to the opportunity to represent the region on a state level. “I’m excited because I think that our region isn’t as known and represented as other regions, such as New Orleans, so I’m very happy to be a part of that commission so that we don’t get forgotten here in the Terrebonne- Lafourche area.”

Foret talked passionately about the area and said he looks forward to participating in the commission because hopefully, some resources can be diverted down to the bayou. He believes that there is plenty to celebrate in the region in terms of cultural heritage and the arts, and sometimes those factors may get overlooked. “I think this will allow me to share those things with other people on a state level with the hopes they will also come to the table to celebrate with us,” Foret said.

The other Boards and Commission appointed members include Jeffery Elder, M.D. of Metairie, Louisiana Highway Safety Commission; John Spain of Baton Rouge, Southern Rail Commission; Ronald Sholes of New Orleans, Louisiana Gaming Control Board; Corey Taylor of Sulphur, Associated Branch Pilots for the Port of Lake Charles; Jeanne Ferrer of Metairie, St. Bernard Harbor, Port, and Terminal District; Roy Quezaire Jr. of Donaldsonville, Board of Louisiana River Pilot Review and Oversight; Peter Hamilton III of New Orleans, Louisiana State Racing Commission; Sheriff Mark Herford of DeRidder, Louisiana Drug Control and Violent Crime Policy Board; Christopher Dauzat of Marksville, Red River, Atchafalaya, and Bayou Boeuf Levee District; and Sandra McQuain of Alexandria, State Board of Commerce and Industry.