Roberts to chair Board of Ethics

Attorney La Koshia R. Roberts was unanimously re-elected as chairwoman of the Louisiana Board of Ethics and the Supervisory Committee on Campaign Finance during the board’s January 2023 meeting.

Roberts, who is an appointee of the Louisiana House of Representatives, has been a member of the Board of Ethics since 2018 and was recently reappointed for a second term.

The Louisiana Board of Ethics is the premier source and authority for information and direction on the application of the statutory provisions of the Louisiana Code of Governmental Ethics, Campaign Finance Disclosure Act and the Lobbyist Disclosure Act.

It also administers and enforces Louisiana’s conflicts of interest legislation, campaign finance registration and reporting requirements and lobbyist registration and disclosure laws to achieve compliance by governmental officials, public employees, candidates, and lobbyists and to provide public access to disclosed information. The board can receive complaints from the public, launch and conduct investigations, file charges against public officials, levy fines and issue advisory opinions and recommendations.

Roberts, who is a Lake Charles native, is the owner of La Koshia R. Roberts Legal and Consulting and she is a staff attorney with the Southwest Louisiana Law Center, a non-profit law firm. From Southern University (Baton Rouge), she earned her Bachelor of Science in secondary education (English) in 1994 and her Master of Education (administration/supervision) in 1998. She earned her Juris Doctor in 1999 from the Southern University Law Center, where she was a member of the Moot Court Board and the Association of Trial Lawyers of America National Mock Trial competition team.

She is also a 2006 graduate of the Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government Executive Education Program (senior executives in state and local government).

Sudduth joins First National Bank

LAFAYETTE — First National Bank of Louisiana recently welcomed R. Scott Sudduth as senior vice president/commercial banker. He has 38 years of banking and lending experience, most recently with Chase Bank.

He is a graduate of Loyola University in New Orleans as well as the Graduate School of Banking at LSU in Baton Rouge, and the American Bankers Association’s Commercial Lending School at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla.

Sudduth has served with many nonprofit and civic organizations in Acadiana, including the Lafayette Lions Club, the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, the Evangeline Area Boy Scouts Council, and the Lafayette Education Foundation.

Detective earns forensic award

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office Digital Forensics Detective Jerod Abshire was recognized as one of the “Top Forensic Examiners” throughout the United States by the National Computer Forensic Institute for the second time since 2021.   

Abshire was awarded after being ranked 21st out of about 1,500 forensic examiners in the nation for his productivity of digital forensic exams. Digital forensic exams are used in all types of investigations, to include violent crimes, crimes against people, and financial crimes.    

The NCFI, which is operated by a partnership between the U.S. Secret Service and the Alabama Office of Prosecution Services, is a federally funded training center dedicated to training, educating, and equipping state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges on cyber and electronic crimes and related threats. The NCFI opened in 2008 and provides the nation’s premier law enforcement training on conducting cyber and electronic crime and related threat investigations; computer and mobile device forensic examinations; and network intrusion incidents.

Calcasieu DA has new CFO

The Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s Office welcomes new Chief Financial Officer Lisa Aguillard.

Aguillard was born and raised in Lake Charles and received a Bachelor’s Degree in accounting at McNeese State University. She is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in Louisiana and has practiced accounting and tax for over 30 years for a variety of clientele, including governmental entities.

Working with governmental entities has been one of her favorite things to do, and she was very excited when offered the position as Chief Financial Officer for the Calcasieu Parish  District Attorney’s Office.

Duncan one of  30 Under 30

Visit Lake Charles is  thrilled to announce that Kathryn Shea Duncan, director of social media, has been named one of Destinations International’s 2023 30 Under 30 recipients.

Duncan developed an impressive career in the hospitality industry as a tourism professional and community advocate. Crowned the 81st International Rice Festival Queen  in 2017, Duncan traveled to over 80 events across the country in support of Crowley, the international rice capital of the world and her hometown.

In 2018, she graduated from University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a bachelor’s degree in marketing  and business administration and is enrolled at McNeese State University pursuing a master’s degree in business administration with plans to graduate December 2023. Duncan began her career at the Acadia Parish Chamber of Commerce, and she later joined  Visit Lake Charles in September 2019 as the media and public relations manager.

In 2020, she graduated from Louisiana’s  Travel Association’s educational program, and in 2021, Duncan completed the Leadership Southwest Louisiana program. She was honored with Southeast Tourism Society’s Rising Star Award and eTourism’s Emerging Tourism Star for her outstanding performance and dedication to the field.

Each year, Destinations International names 30 individuals under the age of 30, selected to gain valuable industry networking opportunities and increased thought leadership throughout the year.