LCD discusses unclassified executive director role to split advocacy from daily operations; vote deferred

Interim Executive Director Jana Broussard presented a plan to create a new, unclassified executive director position for the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf that would separate board/advocacy responsibilities from program operations. Broussard said the current combined role is functionally impossible for a single person to perform at the required level and that the commission had collected community, board and staff input to redesign the role.

Broussard noted that state law requires the executive director to have documented experience with Deaf, Deafblind, and hard‑of‑hearing communities and skill in American Sign Language. She proposed an unclassified position so the board could participate in hiring, evaluation and accountability and so the role could pursue advocacy and legislative engagement aligned with community priorities. Broussard said the executive council and staff had drafted a proposed job description; salary ranges were not yet determined.

Commissioners asked about budget and civil‑service steps. Broussard and staff said funding exists in the LCD budget and that the Department of Health would request the Civil Service Commission change the classification if the board approved. Commissioner Crosby moved to change the job classification from classified to unclassified; Dr. Wimberly seconded. The motion was moved and seconded, but the transcript records that final voting was postponed because a full quorum (including Senator Klein Peters) had not returned from break.