BATON ROUGE – Today, Governor Bobby Jindal announced appointments to the Governor’s Advisory Council on Disability Affairs.

The Governor’s Advisory Council on Disability Affairs serves to advise the governor, through the Office of Disability Affairs, on the needs and issues of Louisiana citizens with disabilities. 

According to executive order, the council is comprised of a maximum of 28 members including the governor, the state treasurer, a representative of the Disability Navigator Program of the Louisiana Workforce Commission, the secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development, the director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, a representative of the Division of Special Populations in the Department of Education, a representative of the state fire marshal’s ADA Enforcement Personnel, the director of the Office of Elderly Affairs, the chair of the Developmental Disabilities Council, the chair of the Advocacy Center, the chair of the Louisiana Assistive Technology Access Network, the chair of the Louisiana Rehabilitation Council, the chair of the Statewide Independent Living Council, a representative of the Office of Behavioral Health, and the executive director of The Arc of Louisiana.

Additionally, the council must include one member of the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, designated by the president of the Louisiana Senate; a member of the House Committee on Health and Welfare, designated by the speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives; a representative of disability services from an institution of higher education, and ten at-large members who have disabilities or have family members with disabilities. 

Lynette Fontenot, of Lafayette, is a motivational speaker, member of the Lafayette Parish Disability Awareness Committee, and the LSU Human Development Constituency Advisory Council. Fontenot will be appointed to serve as an individual with a disability, as required by statute.

Donna St. Cyr, of Baton Rouge, is a retired librarian from the St. Jude the Apostle School. St. Cyr will be appointed to serve as a parent of a young adult with a disability, as required by statute.

Sharon Hennessey, of Baton Rouge, is the Executive Director of People First Louisiana. Hennessey will be appointed to serve as an at-large member of the council, as required by statute. 

 

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