Baton Rouge, LA –Baton Rouge, LA - Today, Governor Jeff Landry announced changes at Louisiana’s Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) and Louisiana’s Department of Energy and Natural Resources (DENR). These changes will be effective September 2.
"Louisiana is at a turning point, and these leaders will help us build a stronger future for our state. I have full confidence in this team to deliver for the people of Louisiana. From strengthening our infrastructure to securing our energy future, this leadership will help us grow our economy, create jobs, and protect our way of life,” said Gov. Landry.
DOTD:
DOTD is working to transform the department by establishing an Office of Project Delivery to streamline project development and delivery, as well as forming an Office of Transformation to oversee efficiency, innovation, and to ensure lasting improvements are made transportation program. Governor Landry and Secretary Ledet have named its new leaders for the new offices.
- Julia Fisher-Cormier will be Deputy Secretary of LaDOTD—will lead the Office of Transformation.
- Eric Dauphine will be Assistant Secretary of Project Delivery at LaDOTD
“Both Julia and Eric’s skill sets are a perfect fit for these roles, and I am ready to work with both of them to transform DOTD and transportation delivery across our great state,” said Sec. Glenn Ledet
DENR:
This year, Governor Landry signed legislation restructuring DENR around dedicated offices for permitting and compliance, enforcement, and state resources. Today, he's appointed new leadership to the Department to implement this modernization
- Dustin Davidson will be Secretary of DENR
- Stephen Swiber will be Deputy Secretary of DENR
“Dustin has been invaluable in his service as deputy to the department, always ready to step in and move us forward. He will be an outstanding leader, and Stephen will bring the intellectual curiosity and professionalism needed to continue refining the work we’ve built together for Louisiana,” said Sec. Tyler Gray
BACKGROUND:
Julia Fisher-Cormier:
Julia Fisher Cormier was appointed Commissioner of the Office of Multimodal Commerce by Governor Landry in March 2024. The office, established in 2016 within LADOTD, oversees Louisiana’s multimodal transportation systems—ports, waterways, rail, aviation, and trucking. Under Julia’s leadership, the office secured and managed over $120 million in port and aviation infrastructure funding, advanced state-funded passenger rail routes, and obtained a federal planning grant for Louisiana’s 32 active ports.
She serves as Vice Chairman of the Louisiana Ports and Waterways Investment Commission, where she has fostered unprecedented collaboration among the five lower Mississippi River ports and driven the development of a State Strategic Port Plan. Julia also sits on the board of LaBIC, working with LED to advance Louisiana’s international commerce strategy, and has played a key role in improving interagency coordination across state government and played a crucial role in landing Hyundai in Louisiana, the state’s first multi-jurisdictional port project.
Previously, Julia was Chief Commercial Officer at the Port of South Louisiana, the state’s largest tonnage port. She served as Councilwoman for District VII in St. Charles Parish from 2012 to 2024, gaining expertise in public-private partnerships and regional development. She held leadership roles including Council Chair, Executive Board Member of the Police Jury Association, and Vice Chair of Public Safety and Justice for NACo, among others.
Civically engaged, Julia was President of United Way of St. Charles for two years and held various board and committee roles. She is also a member of Ducks Unlimited and the CCA River Parish Chapter.
Eric Dauphine:
Eric Dauphine was currently serving as DOTD’s Deputy Secretary, where he assisted Secretary Ledet in establishing the framework for the Department’s Office of Transformation, as well as establishing a transformational roadmap for the implementation of strategic change initiatives in the new Office of Project Delivery. Eric’s background, experience, dedication, and determination have made him a well-respected leader within DOTD and the heavy-civil industry. Throughout his career as a civil servant, Eric has always led by example and held to his roots by promoting hard work, cooperative effort, transparency, accountability, organizational consistency, and the drive to provide the highest quality of customer service.
Eric was born and raised in St. Martinville, LA, and graduated from St. Martinville Sr. High in 1994. He went on to obtain his Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from U.S.L. in 1999, and his Master’s degree in Construction Management from L.S.U. in 2019.
Eric brings with him over 33 years of experience in the heavy civil industry. Experience that began as a general laborer on an asphalt crew in the early 90’s, working with his father at J.B. Talley Construction. He worked in private industry until he graduated from college and started his career with DOTD in the Spring of 1999 as an Engineer Intern. In the 26 years since, Eric’s experience, knowledge, and hard work has developed and advanced his career through the positions of Project Engineer, Area Engineer, District Engineer Administrator, and most recently, Deputy Secretary.
Throughout his career, Eric has centered his leadership around delivering the services expected of DOTD with integrity, and with the highest of standards and expectations. In addition to his new role as Assistant Secretary of Project Delivery, Eric will also retain a key role in the Office of Transformation, focusing on both internal and external opportunities to implement positive change. With recent legislation aimed at improving the project delivery process and operational efficiency of the Department as a whole, Eric will lead with the same transparency, accountability, proactive communication and teamwork we need to strengthen the delivery of transportation infrastructure improvements for our state.
Dustin Davidson:
Dustin H. Davidson currently serves as the Deputy Secretary for the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources, where he leads initiatives to drive sustainable energy solutions and manage natural resources effectively across the state. His role focuses on advancing Louisiana’s energy strategy, promoting environmental stewardship, and overseeing regulatory frameworks that ensure resource efficiency and resilience.
Before joining the department, Dustin advocated for an advanced inland waterways and ports system at the Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI). His career in public service includes his work as a professional staff member on the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, addressing critical energy and environmental issues. Dustin also served as a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill, contributing to significant legislation in energy revenue-sharing, conservation, and ecosystem protection.
Earlier, he was a legislative correspondent for U.S. Senator David Vitter and held a staff position on the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Dustin holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in U.S. Public Policy from Tulane University.
Stephen Swiber:
Stephen Swiber previously served as the Chief Resilience Officer in the Office of Governor Jeff Landry. In that role, he coordinated statewide hazard mitigation efforts.
Prior to joining the administration, he was Executive Vice President of Diamond Services Corporation, a marine construction firm specializing in dredging, decommissioning, and logistics in the Gulf of America.
Stephen holds a Masters in Energy Management from Tulane University.